Like you, I’ve been listening to many opinions on the George Lee episode. The one thing that has stood out in all the conversations is just how out of touch the political insiders seem to be with the rest of the population. The political insiders — the politicians themselves, party members and canvassers as well as the political pundits and correspondents who live inside the world of the Dail — speak of George’s betrayal, his petulance and something called procedure. Of his many crimes, the idea of not knowing your place appears to be a significant offence.
On the other hand, you examine the polls taken by ‘Liveline’ and the like and you get a totally different picture. The average person believes George; the average person trusts him and supports his move to quit. If these polls are to be taken at face value, could it be that the political “insiders” are out of step with the civilian “outsiders”?
Arguably we have a clear division between, on one side, the wizened, “nose-tapping” cynics who believe they know how things should be done and, on the other, the wide-eyed, possibly naive, optimists who hope for change. The George Lee saga could well be the first skirmish in a long war between those who believe the system should be defended — the insiders — and the outsiders who believe the status quo is part of the problem. One of the most significant and consistent criticisms of George by the insiders has been that he didn’t do his time. Some say he couldn’t hack it. But hack what? Hack the “slowly, slowly, don’t rock the boat” world of biding your time, playing the game and, ultimately, engineering a career based on climbing up the slippery pole. Of course he couldn’t hack it and why should he? He wasn’t voted in to do that.
Another politician yesterday spoke earnestly of learning the ropes. He suggested that George didn’t really give himself a chance to understand how the system worked. But why should he have? Surely the point is that the system is the problem and if someone with his specific talents (for economics) is seen as being of equal value in an economic crisis to another backbencher who can’t spell monopoly, then what is the point in the whole exercise? Either we vote for competence or we don’t.
To the observer, it is difficult not to conclude that George scared the daylights out of lesser able contemporaries who decided that the only way to deal with a bright star was put manners on him. So leave him out, let him cool off. Anyone who has worked in an office will recognise the tell-tale signs of office politics.
One of the classic ploys in this game is to let it be known that the person’s assets are in fact superficial and a liability for the “hard graft” of the ground war. And so it came to pass. Amazingly, another factor that emerged as a stick to bash him with is that George Lee is famous, articulate, intelligent and a great communicator — and rather than these being attributes that could be deployed usefully these are seen to be the dubious affectations of a “poster boy”, leading to slurs such as narcissism and self-absorption.
When are the political insiders going to realise that there are people like George Lee who stand out from the crowd because of the very talent that distinguishes them from others? This is why people follow them. This is why 27,000 people vote for them, precisely because they are not like everyone else. Sorry, the world isn’t equal. Some kids are better at football than others, that’s just the way it goes and the one who is better gets picked.
George Lee’s crime was honesty and having the courage to ask, why? Why should it be like this? Why should we serve time on the backbenches? Why should the best economic communicator in the Dail who has forgotten more about economics than most of our politicians will ever learn, have to sit and listen to men on his own side make things up as they go along — spoofing and clutching at second-rate notes scribbled by advisers?
Just in case you think this is one high-profile economist defending another one, I acknowledge that I know and like George Lee. We were both economists in the Central Bank years ago — so we go back a long way. I have huge respect for his talents and know that he has “living room” appeal. Ordinary people believe him because he has been both right and honest in his work over the years. What the insiders don’t understand is that he has done his time, just not in the Dail. He has done his time where it really matters, in people’s living rooms. This is his currency. It is not celebrity, it is credibility — and credibility is what is lacking in politics.
Not deploying George Lee effectively is not an academic point. Fine Gael’s “good” bank was the best solution to our banking crisis. It is a basic model used in many countries. There is no need for a NAMA; instead the old banks should be allowed to disappear and their deposits transferred to a new bank. The State is the major shareholder in the new bank and so can make a huge profit for taxpayers when it is sold. The old creditors take a nasty haircut but get equity in the new bank and they stay in the game. That’s the basic story. It is easy to sell, easy to understand and far preferable to the NAMA monster (which the IMF told the Government close to a year ago wouldn’t work).
But instead of getting George Lee to sell this idea to the electorate which he would have done in his sleep, and in so doing might have created a united front against NAMA with a credible alternative, Fine Gael didn’t deploy him effectively. God knows why. Selling this idea should have been his and his alone and the older, more established politicians should have been big enough to see that he was the best man to sell it. He is the man that your auntie believes. The trust of the aunties and mammies of Ireland is hard earned. They see through show-boaters. They remember who said what when. They remember in the last few years, George Lee told it as it was. Who in Fine Gael is going to replace him? Who is going to do things differently now?
Worse still, whether you agree with the way he departed, who — with experience — will now contemplate joining one of the established parties now? On the other hand, maybe this episode brings closer the emergence of a totally new party looking to change, not preserve the system.
David, I agree with 100% of this article.
Please start the new party; then sign me up.
Having listened to RTE as an outsider with no skin in the game I must admit that I was taken aback at the way the station personell were trying to whip up anti-Kenny hysteria,literally ten hours of this tripe both of the last two days,Is it now the national broadcasters duty to attack the opposition?George Lee was part of Fine Gael who are in opposition,how on earth can he state that he had run out of patience with his quest to fix the economy,even if he were party leader or shadow finance spokesman he would have no power whatever to… Read more »
great article David. With all the frenzy It was sometimes all too easy to lose sight of the fact that GL went into this with passion and public service in mind – in a time of emergency. Good on him for havin a go.
I think George Lee behaved appallingly, revealing political discussions to the media hounds on the steps of Leinster House being one of the unprofessional acts. The guy lasted 9 months, 19 weeks the Dail sat, someone mentioned he turned up for 40 days or something, are we supposed to applaud this ‘renegade’? He was appointed Chair of an economics committee which he never convened. He had full access to a generally compliant media. What about his duty to the 27,000 who gave him the first perference votes? What about the two people in his office who are apparently losing their… Read more »
I agree 100% – the first honest (former) politician and some in the country have the brass neck to ridicule him .. is it any wonder that we’re in such a mess .. start that new party UP and QUICK ..
David: Enough already about George Lee. He was a one day wonder. People wanted change and pinned their hopes on George. He wasn’t up to it. You should be grateful, because he saved you the trouble of going through the same doleful experience, as many here have suggested.
Horses for courses. George is an Derby runner and somebody entered him for the Irish Grand National. Surprise, surprise, he fell at the first fence.
Let’s stick to the real problem, which is the stability of the euro. You asked for useful links. Here’s one:
http://www.lewrockwell.com/north/north810.html
Posters.
George killed the dragon.
[…] Office politics snuffed out Fine Gael’s brightest star | David McWilliams […]
Hi all, well written David. It had to be said. You were attacked personally and told to jump off a cliff. That suited many in FG also. An attack on David McWilliams or an attack on George Lee or an attack on Shane Ross is an attack on freedom o expression, honesty and REALITY for the vast population on this island. G, and Malcolm, and others, it is VITAL that the George Lee incident not go on forever but that it end on the right note; not spun by 1st FG and now FF. He attacked the ‘laissez-faire’ of Dáil… Read more »
Great Article David, you hit the nail on the head. Never mind these FGrs (Malcom & G), I suppose if George had of been elected for FF they would be crying fowl, saying George is a great man who was run out of the Dail by FF.
Party politics does not work, until the poeple wake up and realise Irish politics needs a new force, a new party, we are going to be stuck with the current “player”, gombeens & quangos.
The Irish Reform Party, has a nice ring to it.
http://moneyplanetreviews.blogspot.com/
Hi David George Lee got a lesson in how tight a grip the insiders have on the political system. Having ideas is one thing but the Irish party whip system is very tightly controlled. George Lee realises the urgency of the situation and wanted things to be changed not now but yesterday. He wanted Fine Gael to articulate an alternative to NAMA, to use its poll advantage to counteract the lies told by Fianna Fail. But lets be honest here; at the top anyway, both parties are controlled by the same crony actors. Two branches of the same tree. George… Read more »
We are now in with the PIGS
Portugal-Ireland-Greece-Spain!
Who will be the first to fall?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8509058.stm
Will George return in Joan D’Arc format?
Folks, listen to Eoghan Harris protecting thosewho have their snouts in the trough, by attacking the “whistle-blower”:
http://www.newstalk.ie/programmes/all/lunchtime/eoghan-harris-on-george-lee-enda-kenny-and-what-it-means-to-be-a-leader/
By the way, I know which of you reported my video as an abuse. I do have a web tracker on my site, it tells me everything I need to know about every visitor.
Just to let you know I have reposted it. If you report it as abusive again I will name and shame you on this site, as it was amember of this site.
OK?
http://moneyplanetreviews.blogspot.com/
One more thing….
In the foundations of every movement there are moles, whose sole function is to thwart, debunk, create smokescreens and doubt in the minds of possible new followers. I experienced this first hand. I have seen these people at work on other sites. I know their games and how they play them.
Beware, there are such individuals here. Beware their underhand tricks, beware their minor deflections to keep you away from the main point of the arguement.
How can you spot them??? well thats easy, they are the one who want to keep the status quo.
Thank God we are talking about a new party. It’s the only way forward and George Lee has done us a service by showing his frustration…. There are over 400,000 people unemployed in this country now, at least 300,000 probably want a job and a job in the Dáil is well paid – surely we can find at least 80 good people out of all those and more besides who are still in employment. New people, new party, new government.
Thank you George for showing us the Enda is not the future.
We have a great apetite in Ireland for celebrity economic guru’s. The Lemmings that follow are a smart bunch but lemmings none the less.
I say hats off to George for actually trying to get involved.
David, Again on the button, With the departure of George Lee, I believe we are witnessing the complete demise of the now exposed Enda Kenny and the out of touch Fine Gael with the realities of the current economic situation! Enda Kenny, having scored a resounding national coupé by getting the country’s top economic commentator to come on side, has now with the departure of Grorge Lee completely destroyed any hope of becoming Taoiseach There is no use in telling the public that one has to under-go training in period when one enters the Dail Remember the first people that… Read more »
I’d just like to say how much I agree with David McWilliam’s view of the George Lee affair. I don’t see in engaging in fisticuffs over it. The world is simply divided into those who are being downright unkind & nasty towards George Lee and the others. I used to love the cut & thrust of invective, the excitement of lambasting my opponent. I use to get satisfaction from making cutting comments and shouting powerful abuse at the other side. These days I look into the eyes of the other person, I pay acute attention to their tone – I… Read more »
Alot of company directors resigning lately. What do they know ?.
Kick ASS article from David and i agree george lee is back to common sense, integrity, hard work and citizenry duty the old fashion way, honest and loyal to bringing to the people good governance as a politician ought to be doing and getting on with it as elected to do.
[…] I’d just like to say how much I agree with David McWilliam’s view of the George Lee affair. […]
Do you think George will be getting a Valentine’s card from the FG babes?
Georgie’s after makin the FG honies cry. No kisses for Georgie……….
David.
On my fifth reading of article it gets better.
A most accurate outlining of the narrative unfolding right now.
Irish society is under the control of mediocrity pushing out real talent and ability and it cannot continue.
A new party, that is fit to challenge in a logistical sense, is a huge task. Is there not a doctrine that could be devised, almost like a mini-constitution, that could be championed by ‘elders’ or civic leaders and that all politicians pre-election could be held to? i.e. are they in or are they out? Do they subscribe to the view that the are the servant of the people and will they subscribe to lifestyle, pay and norm changes pre-election? That is not woolly. That points to the start of an exploration for some sort of device that we can… Read more »
I take George Lee at face value. I believe him when he says he wanted to be involved in formulating FG policy, and that he was not angling for a high-profile position of power. I also believe him that he left because the involvement he wanted did not materialise. I think he was quite sincere in all this. That, unfortunately, does not absolve him of his incredible naivety. It was his choice to get into bed with FG. I did not hear him claim in the last couple of days that FG reneged on specific promises made to him. Certainly… Read more »
G, you scoff “The day McWilliams puts it all on the line…” Now, G, until this “George Lee” thing, I found myself agreeing with most of your posts here; and I admire your tenacity and general spirit. David McWilliams has been putting it “all on the line” for as long as I have been watching, listening to and reading what he says. You know this. I am confused by your, apparent, alter-ego on this site, since Lee resigned. You are, usually, very “measured” in your posts here. This has changed. I have come to see your posts, over the long… Read more »
Posters.
It s just occurred to me George lee has now proven the case that there does exist citizens of this country who are willing and able and ready to go do political service for this country and remain honest loyal and honorable to the job.
Now it makes so much more sense why all this anti george lee venom has been mindlessly unleashed.
George showed politics can be done the right way, if given half the chance to do so.
G, I don’t agree with you that Kenny will emerge stronger. If the next set of polls shows a drop in support for FG (which is very likely considering the number of oul wans in this country who listen to RT-LEE programs like Duffy and Finucane) . . . . . . then Kenny is toast. Mind you FG may emerge stronger as a result. I have never felt sorry for a politican in my life but I find it very hard not to feel sorry for Kenny. Regardless of what anyone thinks of Kenny . . . . .… Read more »
Excellent article as always David. It is painfully obvious that there are some paid online PR people working the comments section of this and other sites. They can be spotted quite easily in their aggressive attacking of George Lee’s character here. Phrases like ‘he should’ve done his time’ and ‘ego’, ‘celebrity’ and ‘poster boy’ are thinly veiled attacks on the man’s well earned reputation. George’s political capital is his resonance with the people, his ability to articulately explain the finer details of economics in a way that ordinary citizens can understand and most of all his HONESTY. When you have… Read more »
Well, when you get confused enough about the whole dang affair and even friends seem out to harm you (apologies Axel Rose), you just gotta reacj for them anagrams, girls and boys…… Think of it as I-Ching for the Paddies. Ogham for the new Euro-Irish. George Lee can mean “Ere Gel Ego” Hmmm, damn limelighter….. Enda kenny can mean ” Any Den Ken Any End Ken Nay Den Ken Nay End Ken” which all point to an alarming lack of knowledge, if we are to believe our Glaswegian brothers. Oh dear ……. And leo Varadkar? ????? “Aardvark Olé A Larvae… Read more »
I’ve been reading all the comments. I suggest there is no point in arguing over George Lee. If you don’t see the beauty of what he’s done, you never will. You are entitled to your stance and insight, why spend your energy showing you have energy. Link with those of your kind. I bet you one thing: we won’t see the likes of George Lee enter politics again soon. We’ll see more of the same. As for the 27,000 who voted for Lee in the by-election, the vast majority of them are glad he’s resigned, or so I think. I… Read more »
was standing with both elbows on the counter of my pub here in South Kerry, looking up towards the mcguillycuddy reeks earlier today, listening to the news on the wireless at 1 o’clock. George Lee, Inda Kinny…. when out of the blue up spoke Jackie Healy….. “ what would you give Seaneen “ say’s He, “for a big plate of new spuds , steaming, and covered with a good nob of butter”. “Well I’d give a lot more than you, or that miserable hoor of a brother of yours” say’s I, quick as a flash, “now will ya whisht up… Read more »
Looks like I’ve come a bit late to this discussion, but sure who cares ! George Lee doing what he did can of course be looked at and dissected, yes he was only there 9 months yes he’s on a year’s career break, yes the financial economy is crashing around us, and Yes We all knew who George Lee was , if he’d stood in south Kerry he’d have been elected , if he’d went with FF, Lab, or Greens or Sinn Fein he’d have been ELECTED. Posters and readers here KNOW what is going on , but George Lee… Read more »
The Great George – I believe for the first time in our history we have a St.George in Irish Politics . He like all Taureans is seismic and damaging to any enemy that stops his way .He is also the Prince of Logic in Irish Politics .In fact he is The Prince of Logic in Ireland. Until recently we had lost all faith in Logic in Ireland .George is the only known Prince that can restore it to its proper place again.He has chosen to assemble a new structure to replace the shambling mess that is there already. Pamplona is… Read more »
Friends, begruddgers and Countrymen…lend me your ears.
We have come to bury George Lee and not to praise him.
The good that men do is oft interred with their bones….so let it be with George!
Time will tell if George Lee’s manouevring was genius, idiotic or otherwise but its over and we still have a major crisis both economically (getting worse) and politically (worse still).
It is indeed the right time for a new voice. A voice of reason, common sense and pragmatism.
David, your hour has come?
George Lee has been around politicians for years and he knew what to expect . Even I could have told him . FF are corrupt and FG are so long out of power that they are happy to sit in opposition . Its still a good job . If he wanted to contribute something to them he could have phoned them up without having to join and run for office . The guy stayed 5 minutes and then ran back to his well paid position in RTE . He gave nothing up . Part of his failing as a journalist… Read more »
I know somebody who is married with a mortgage and has 3 kids under the age of 7 . He was made unemployed last week . He is moving to London to work while the wife and kids stay at home . He will come home every couple of weeks to see them . This guy is completly into his family . Total family man . His wife is the total ‘ housewife ‘ to borrow an old fashioned phrase , although thats how she discribes herself . They make The Waltons look like The Manson family . Life is… Read more »
As I observe this mess from afar . There seems to be one word missing from the whole debate and that is ‘ realism ‘ Irelands situation is very serious . We risk becoming the West Virginia ‘ of The EU . West Virginia is one of the poorest places in the US , which is also a monetery union . Travel through even a small part of the States and you will experience extreme poverty and extreme wealth . We have to get real in this country and stop looking for soundbites and quick fixes . ‘ We have… Read more »
When David McWilliams brought out his book with a chapter on Brian Lenihan in it, Brian Lenihan responded to it by describing David McWilliams as a ‘forceful character’. The next day Willie O’Dea described David as a ‘forceful character’. Leo Varadkar implied that George Lee left the Dail because of the money. On Newstalk, Senator Eoghan Harris said George Lee left because of money. When it comes to the media, everything your see and hear must be filtered by the listener/reader. I personally think that George Lee left on principle, and also that he is not giving us the full… Read more »
Yeah we need ‘fighters not quitters’, ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going’, we got none of that from George, George was instead Sulking George. We hoped for someone in for the long haul, maybe even a Ted Kennedy who rose above personal limitations and setbacks to have a great career in politics, we got a damp self centered squib. As for “might have created a united front against NAMA with a credible alternative, Fine Gael didn’t deploy him effectively. ” He’s done tremendous disservice to those of us against NAMA. As for the much touted Liveline Poll,… Read more »
Ladies and Gents, good morning! For what it’s worth, I am sharing my thoughts here. The Lee experience should be pondered upon in a much greater context, in my view, this is one of many possible examples how politics fails to deliver what it is promising those who cast their votes on election days. The inherent dynamics of political power, not only in this country, can be described as a web of policies constructed to secure the privileged, better known as the so called inner circles. Allow me to explain what I mean and put some meat to the bone.… Read more »
I think that aswell a a TD reform, we need an entire electoral system reform. There is too much parish pump local politics. George Lee went in for one reason, and one reason alone, to help fix the country. I voted for him for this reason, and understood he wouldn’t be the type of TD to get involved in fixing parking fines and the like. We need to ensure TDs serve the COUNTRY first, and have no involvement in local politics. Either elections should be on the basis of one single constituency (ie the entire country), or, as I have… Read more »
Lee campaigned in favour of the Lisbon treaty and is a supporter of the single currency.Cueless and useless, this guy had nothing to offer.Europe is part of the problem, not the solution.The problem with FG is it’s subservience to all things european.Any politican brave enough to suggest ditching the euro?.Geoghegan Quinn landed a cushy number in Brussels, her performance on morning Ireland was shameful.
Irish Independent Op-Ed It’s Still All About George “THE tiresome George Lee affair has gone way beyond a joke. Both sides in the war of the airwaves are beginning to sound extremely foolish. Mr Lee is aggrieved and indignant about the onslaught from Fine Gael — “there’s about 70 of them and only one of me” — but he brought it on himself by taking his leave “with great fanfare”, as Simon Coveney said. He might have been wise to make a more dignified departure, perhaps accompanied by publication of the economic measures that he had tried, and failed, to… Read more »
A NEW PARTY WOULD GET MY VOTE, especially with George Lee at the helm.
Bull Ring Thoughts :
On one side is :
a) Broad Mindness
and
On the other side is :
Narrow Mindness
Our Debate is which one won.Squeeky clean nothing else.
PS
: any bruises ,hurts, heart attacks , shocks , political disembowlments , seismic attacks, journalistic opportunities , political leadership weaknesses , being trampled on , or any other hallucinations will be recorded on video if he actually did it otherwise he is a Genius and the Hand of God.
George Lee was the trophy wife with brains – a coup to get him on board but the very powerful mother-in-law was holding the reins. I like Richard Bruton but come on – could Kenny let a new star replace him in the dull-shining firmament that’s FG. Like any trophy wife with brains, George found himself with an impossible role. Silent. Decorative. He took the only sensible choice and walked away rather than languishing in a polished corner of the drawingroom with fake tasks. He’s an intelligent man. Talented. Popular. And he has guts. Well done George Lee. Turn a… Read more »
I look forward to hearing from George Lee in the future. During the 60’s and 70’s, Hunter Thompson’s political articles were extremely popular. This is because he was not in anyones pocket. He said himself, that he actually enjoyed “burning bridges on Capitol Hill” through his printed news articles. I hope George will have a few stories to tell, now that he is not in anyones pocket.
Unless RTE shut him up of course.