Politics the Press and the brown envelope

In Ireland there is a tradition, not a good tradition, and a saying of sorts about the ‘Brown Envelope”. This has very little to do with the postal services, but about public officials taking bribes. Bribes mostly from Lobbyist, land developers, private business and Large Corporations.

Most Irish EXPECT their politicians to be corrupt, hence their natural distrust of the government, and the Gardai which are very politically influenced as well. This is in stark contrast to the U.S. who believe that politicians are working for the benefit of the general population.

Politicians are the same there, as they are here, why would you think otherwise?

Mostly due to the press. There is an outstanding LACK of investigative research being done by the press in the U.S.. As an example, the lack of WMD’s in Iraq and the reasons for going to war. This is not surprising as most of the press is controlled by, guess what, Big Business. The same people who bribe the government are the same ones who publish the news.

The press here in Ireland, while somewhat controlled, are usually pretty vocal. This is as much Irish as you can get. The Irish will talk about everything, and anything. And nothing gets them going like a good scandal. They spend years in tribunals talking about it.

If the reasons for going to war in Iraq consist of George Bush’s desire to be seen as a “Great” president. Perhaps he will be remembered as the President that becomes famous for a second ‘Viet Nam’. And the respect his Father won for the U.S. internationally fighting Iraq will be LOST by his son in a fit of ego for fighting Iraq. How Ironic.

But it will be the loss of respect, for the truth of the press. That will be one of the greatest failures the U.S. will ever suffer.