Summing up some of the issues that arose at the PDs conference last weekend, a commentator in the Irish Independent remarked that "when it comes down to politicking and jockeying for position, it's more a case of compatible personalities than policies". He argued that anyone who watched "the 'laugh-in/love-in' between Michael McDowell and Rabbitte on RTE's The Week in Politics a couple of months back wonder if there is really as much between the two parties as it would appear".
So is it correct to say that policy stance is outweighed by the force of personality as an explanatory factor for such important decisions as potential coalition partners? Certainly, at the level of casual empiricism, it is common enough to view the inhabitants of Leinster House having all the appearance of a distinct political class. It's not in the least surprising that McDowell and Rabbitte might have warm personal relations. Both men are clubbable, intelligent and good humoured. I have seen then quaffing together amiably in the Dáil bar when I used to work in Leinster House many years ago. As politicians, even though poles apart in ideological terms, both men would share certain characteristics in common. Then there's Churchill's well-known distinction between the enemy and the mere opposition, the former consisting of your fellow party rivals. This is particularly the case in our PR-STV voting system which generates intra-party competition that can be quite savage. There's an inevitable espirit de corps among most of our politicians, with the exception of Sinn Féin who prefer to maintain their 'outsider' posture.
My experience of working with politicians made me realise what odd people they were. I liked and admired many of them but I knew I'd never have the stuff it takes to join their ranks. I realised I'd never have the patience for being at the disposal of my constituents 24 hours a day 7 days a week. I'd be bored by local issues and I'd never be a glad-handling, bonhomous, assiduous attender at funerals and all the other activities associated with the successful TD. In other countries I could perhaps have aspired to have a political career but not in the one I happened to reside. Doing what it takes to be successful in our system means that all politicians, regardless of party or policy preferences, are more like each other than any other subset of the population.
Given all this, plus the public tendency to declaim that politicians are all "the same", is it therefore justified to speak of our elected representatives as a "political class", whose members are motivated purely by self-interest and devoid of normal patriotism and dedication to duty? I'd have to say absolutely not. Despite the taint and corruption of the Haughey era, Irish politicians are well-intentioned and honest and there is very little corruption at a systemic level. Let's not forget that the political scandals of the 1980s and 1990s were also business scandals. Also, with some honourable exceptions, the media did little to shine a light on what was going on. The Irish political system has become more open, transparent and accountable - although more reform is both necessary and desirable. The Oireachtas is now capable of functioning more effectively but nobody will know if media reportage and commentary focus almost on the "hoopla" and "horserace" elements and avoid paying due attention to legislative and policy issues.
Could Rabbitte and McDowell sit around the cabinet table together? Of course they could. I wouldn't rule out a four party "Rainbow Plus" coalition. Labour could easily swallow the proposal that couples earning €40,000 a year should pay no tax. There would be a lot of arguing about other elements but a deal is conceivable and much more palatable to Rabbitte than a FF-Lab option.
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