pastradamus
10th May 2009, 13:05
At face value, This might just look like another seemingly typical thread about Irish politics. It however concerns Europe and most importantly the future of the EU in its entirety.
Libertas is a political party founded around the time of the recent Lisbon Treaty Debacle. They began life as a lobby group who opposed the Treaty and were founded by the billionaire Businessman Declan Ganley.
I remember when I first heard of or seen Declan Ganley when I was sitting at home watching the Usual RTÉ evening news. Ganley struck me from the getgo due to his opposition to the Lisbon treaty - something which every Socialist In Ireland was against, I wondered who this group "Libertas" were and what were they about? and Who is this Ganley Character?
I found the most interesting aspect about Ganley to be his strong English accent, he was Born in Watford in the UK of Irish Parents, though he currently is living in Ireland and has done for many years now.
Ganley's business background is one of the Shadiest elements of his background. Ganley owns a communications business known as RIVADA Ltd, In the USA they are known as RIVADA Pacific amongst many other names with Strong ties to the Carlyle Group (George Bush is/was a share-holder)- of which United Defence is part of (creators of the Bradley Armoured Personel Carrier). So what do Rivada do? Rivada Supply communications devices to the US Coast guard, National guard - but also to the US army destined for Iraq and Afghanistan - Ganley has often tried to weasle his way out of these accusations but financial and transportational facts and costings prove otherwise.
Ganley and his Libertas Cronies have influenced just about every EU Parliment and are planning to create a Europe-wide political party.
He's just another Neo-Liberal Businessman working the political angle? No, he and his party represent a real threat to the working class, more so than anything I can think of in Europe. Ganleys sole political Interest Sector is Europe - NOT LOCAL POLITICS. This is proof in my opinion where Gangleys Interests sit. Not just that but he uses his huge wealth to fund a massive political campagin for a party who basically appeared overnight. In Ireland there are legal limits on how much one can spend in elections and these must be declared. Libertas Declared a figure which observers felt quite shocked by - that is to say Libertas spent a lot,lot more than declared.
Moreover, Libertas found itself once again stuck in controversy in 2009. This occured When the European Parliament to rescind its earlier recognition of Libertas as a political party. The reasoning for this was that under EU regulations, Libertas required the signatures of seven members of national parliaments in order that it could to register and become eligible to receive EU funding of around EUR200,000. Of the seven signatories supplied by Libertas, two, Igor Grazin of Estonia and Mincho Kuminev of Bulgaria, denied signing any documents in support of Libertas. Why did these people so viciously deny signing the documents? This is common Practice for any new EU entrant and its not as if the two endorsed the party itself.
Back to financies again. Ganley seems to be playing cat and Mouse with the British revenue service I suspect. When in an interview with Irish Minister Dick Roach, Roach said that Ganley stated that his nationality was British on company registration forms until 2006.Ganley Stated this is a British government data input error which aroused tax-evasion suspection amongst Irish and European Publications.
Ganley and indeed Libertas as whole are Involved in political mud-slinging to a sick degree. A level of politics that leaves a bad taste in the mouth - no matter where one stands on the question of the EU or indeed on any ideology. Ganley is currently running in Irelands North-West constituancy against politician Marian Harkin. In this Rural, Catholic Enclave of Ireland the Abortion issue is something which one does not mention as you are guarenteed to lose a lot of your voters if you say you are pro-choice.
Ganley suggested that while Harkin may personally be against abortion, she is sitting with a party that supports abortion policies and advocates the introduction of euthanasia. Harkin, an independent MEP, sits with the Liberal Group in the European Parliament. She says the group allows her to follow her conscience on this issue.
Harkin claims that Ganley’s cohorts on the ground have been saying outright that she is pro-abortion - a charge Ganley’s movement denies. She later challenged him on the abortion stance of Libertas candidates in the Netherlands and in Spain. They bounced back and forth on this for a while. The exchange has stopped now and neither side came out of it looking very well, this not being a topic, once politicised, that is open to nuance.
But, arguably, it is Harkin’s name that has been strongly linked with the abortion question in people’s minds. Its not about abortions, politics or anything else here - Its simply about lies and mudslinging. He also insulted every Leftist group in Ireland who were honestly trying to fight Libson when Libertas once again put the abortion issue on the table. They openly said, wrote and published posters concerning abortion, insitsing that abortion will come into Ireland if the treaty passed - this is a complete lie as nothing mentioned in the treaty concerned abortion, Libertas just wanted the Catholic Conservative vote by once again bullshitting its way through life. I find these open lies and unashamed propaganda absolutely disgusting.
Smart moves, I suppose. If you think that sort of mud-slinging is good for politics.
But it does not sit well with someone who claims to be taking on Brussels on the grand themes of accountability, transparency and responsibility.
Libertas as an Entity are growing and we in the left will have to grow to combat them successfully. Ganley has already launched Libertas Lativa,Malta, Italy and many others already making avail of his large business capital. Though I must say in closing, from my point of view it would greatly benefit Ganley to have supported the recently defeated Lisbon Treaty because its pro-business essentially. So I reckon Ganleys friends in the US had something to say about this Libertas parties creation.
Libertas is a political party founded around the time of the recent Lisbon Treaty Debacle. They began life as a lobby group who opposed the Treaty and were founded by the billionaire Businessman Declan Ganley.
I remember when I first heard of or seen Declan Ganley when I was sitting at home watching the Usual RTÉ evening news. Ganley struck me from the getgo due to his opposition to the Lisbon treaty - something which every Socialist In Ireland was against, I wondered who this group "Libertas" were and what were they about? and Who is this Ganley Character?
I found the most interesting aspect about Ganley to be his strong English accent, he was Born in Watford in the UK of Irish Parents, though he currently is living in Ireland and has done for many years now.
Ganley's business background is one of the Shadiest elements of his background. Ganley owns a communications business known as RIVADA Ltd, In the USA they are known as RIVADA Pacific amongst many other names with Strong ties to the Carlyle Group (George Bush is/was a share-holder)- of which United Defence is part of (creators of the Bradley Armoured Personel Carrier). So what do Rivada do? Rivada Supply communications devices to the US Coast guard, National guard - but also to the US army destined for Iraq and Afghanistan - Ganley has often tried to weasle his way out of these accusations but financial and transportational facts and costings prove otherwise.
Ganley and his Libertas Cronies have influenced just about every EU Parliment and are planning to create a Europe-wide political party.
He's just another Neo-Liberal Businessman working the political angle? No, he and his party represent a real threat to the working class, more so than anything I can think of in Europe. Ganleys sole political Interest Sector is Europe - NOT LOCAL POLITICS. This is proof in my opinion where Gangleys Interests sit. Not just that but he uses his huge wealth to fund a massive political campagin for a party who basically appeared overnight. In Ireland there are legal limits on how much one can spend in elections and these must be declared. Libertas Declared a figure which observers felt quite shocked by - that is to say Libertas spent a lot,lot more than declared.
Moreover, Libertas found itself once again stuck in controversy in 2009. This occured When the European Parliament to rescind its earlier recognition of Libertas as a political party. The reasoning for this was that under EU regulations, Libertas required the signatures of seven members of national parliaments in order that it could to register and become eligible to receive EU funding of around EUR200,000. Of the seven signatories supplied by Libertas, two, Igor Grazin of Estonia and Mincho Kuminev of Bulgaria, denied signing any documents in support of Libertas. Why did these people so viciously deny signing the documents? This is common Practice for any new EU entrant and its not as if the two endorsed the party itself.
Back to financies again. Ganley seems to be playing cat and Mouse with the British revenue service I suspect. When in an interview with Irish Minister Dick Roach, Roach said that Ganley stated that his nationality was British on company registration forms until 2006.Ganley Stated this is a British government data input error which aroused tax-evasion suspection amongst Irish and European Publications.
Ganley and indeed Libertas as whole are Involved in political mud-slinging to a sick degree. A level of politics that leaves a bad taste in the mouth - no matter where one stands on the question of the EU or indeed on any ideology. Ganley is currently running in Irelands North-West constituancy against politician Marian Harkin. In this Rural, Catholic Enclave of Ireland the Abortion issue is something which one does not mention as you are guarenteed to lose a lot of your voters if you say you are pro-choice.
Ganley suggested that while Harkin may personally be against abortion, she is sitting with a party that supports abortion policies and advocates the introduction of euthanasia. Harkin, an independent MEP, sits with the Liberal Group in the European Parliament. She says the group allows her to follow her conscience on this issue.
Harkin claims that Ganley’s cohorts on the ground have been saying outright that she is pro-abortion - a charge Ganley’s movement denies. She later challenged him on the abortion stance of Libertas candidates in the Netherlands and in Spain. They bounced back and forth on this for a while. The exchange has stopped now and neither side came out of it looking very well, this not being a topic, once politicised, that is open to nuance.
But, arguably, it is Harkin’s name that has been strongly linked with the abortion question in people’s minds. Its not about abortions, politics or anything else here - Its simply about lies and mudslinging. He also insulted every Leftist group in Ireland who were honestly trying to fight Libson when Libertas once again put the abortion issue on the table. They openly said, wrote and published posters concerning abortion, insitsing that abortion will come into Ireland if the treaty passed - this is a complete lie as nothing mentioned in the treaty concerned abortion, Libertas just wanted the Catholic Conservative vote by once again bullshitting its way through life. I find these open lies and unashamed propaganda absolutely disgusting.
Smart moves, I suppose. If you think that sort of mud-slinging is good for politics.
But it does not sit well with someone who claims to be taking on Brussels on the grand themes of accountability, transparency and responsibility.
Libertas as an Entity are growing and we in the left will have to grow to combat them successfully. Ganley has already launched Libertas Lativa,Malta, Italy and many others already making avail of his large business capital. Though I must say in closing, from my point of view it would greatly benefit Ganley to have supported the recently defeated Lisbon Treaty because its pro-business essentially. So I reckon Ganleys friends in the US had something to say about this Libertas parties creation.