Election campaigners

The election material is pouring in our letter boxes and if you are living in a bye-election area the stuff is falling out of the sky on the treble.

Some of it makes interesting reading.

Shay Brennan says he is active almost two decades in local politics. He is now 35 so he was politically astute just after 15. He tells the whole world he works for Anglo Irish Bank as a treasury risk specialist. Makes for great reading. He sports a gigantic knot in his tie. Hard to spot if there is gel in his hair.

A Labour leaflet promotes some individual and does not tell you if he is going up for the council, Europe or the Dail.

And then there is the Libertas candidate for the bye-election, Caroline Simons. Caroline puts a great stress on the importance of the ordinary people. One is immediately forced to think of her leader's mansion in the west of Ireland. The leaflet is full of vague aspirations and nasty comments about every other political party.

Has she any connectiosn with the singer?

Is this democracy?