Micheál Martin — an autocratic dictator?

How delightful and rare to read of a public representative behaving like a petulant pup in name-calling another individual. Now he has got me name-calling as well.

A TD who is elected a leader of a political party calls the Taoiseach a dictator (autocrat), and the world trembles.

However, the humour hides a more sombre fact. Mícheál Martin aspires to be a protector of democracy in his defence of the Seanad.

Like all citizens, Martin is entitled to vote in a Dáil election (a democrat). But by virtue of being a graduate of an NUI college (UCC) he may vote for three Seanad seats of the NUI constituency. That makes him an aristocrat.

As a public representative Martin is also entitled to vote for candidates of various panels that constitute 43 members of the Seanad. That makes him an oligarch.

If he were Taoiseach, he would be entitled to select 11 senators all by himself. That makes him a potential monarch (also an autocrat).

But Mr Martin calls the Taoiseach a dictator, who is an autocrat and an autocrat may also be a monarch.

Does this mean that monarchial Mícheál, (a potential Taoiseach in waiting, who is already an aristocratic oligarch) is an aspiring autocratic dictator?

If the Seanad goes, then all citizens are only democrats.

By the way, Mícheál, if you knew your history, guess what started the American Revolution.

M Sheehan

Perrier Drive

Cork