TD Day

Hello All, 

So today was pretty much a day centered around leaning about what being in parliament will be like. We spent the morning learning about the parties and what not, had economics after that, and then an old MP came to talk to us about parliament.

 The two main parties are shoot offs from the Civil War in 1922. Fine Fail was the anti-treaty side and Fine Gael was the anti-treaty. Today they still don't like each other but seem to be more or less the same. They are not at all like US parties. Fine Fail is socially conservative but liberal. 

There is also the Labor party which is liberal in every way and the oldest party in Ireland, they represent the working man (though they're often called salmon socialist because they're all rich). 

Then there's the green party which for what ever reason is in coalition with fine fail despite their conservative edge

Finally there's Sinn Fein headed up by Gerry Adams. They are famous for their ties with the IRA though they "deny" it. They used to be fervently socialist, but today are moving left.

There was the Progressive Democrats who broke away from fine fail after being disgusted  with the corruption. They were started by a woman the girl I'm living with is friends with - Mary Hearny - they didn't fair to well in the last election though. Only two of them got elected and one of them is thinking about switching parities. 

Out of 166 members there are about 6 independents, I'm hoping to be placed with one of them because they need the most help, which means I could be writing speeches!!!! HOW COOL!!!! I guess a girl last year had hers recorded in the permanent record of the parliament here and was credited for it!  

We had an old MP come in today to talk about what it would be like. She ended up talking more about how much she loves america and how obsessed Ireland is with the election. They call us their 33rd county. They were very pro-clinton here because of all of the work he did in the north. I hadn't realized what all she did, but I guess Hillary actually did a lot of work with the women of Northern Ireland while Bill was working on the Good Friday agreement. 

There are a lot of little things that come up in politics in the states that have huge impacts over here that I didn't even realize. For example Barack had mentioned in the primaries that he might end the US envoy to Northern Ireland. There was a huge out cry with a lot of Irish Americans and he had to take it back. 

Also apparently there are a lot of illegal irish immigrants in the states because of all of the visa's from the 80's are running out. I had no idea 

We got two dogs today that Ann is sitting. Sparky and Moe. Moe is really old and crazy... literally I think he see's things. They're only here for a bit though 

ok well time for bed