if you want to see nepotism in its truest form, drive along the coast road at Clontarf and you'll see posters for Ivor Callelly's son who looks likes he's auditioning for X factor, on his posters he has a logo for facebook which is bigger than the logo for FF
Gene Kerrigan had a brilliant article about that in the Sunday Independent.
I think the guy is about 22. How on earth would he have the experience, wisdom or common sense to become involved in running the country. It is an absolute joke.
His father was a terrible TD and an even worse Junior Minister. So based on the fact that he has approx. half his father's DNA (poor fellow), its a safe bet that he doesnt have the genetic make-up to be a good public representative.
Just curious. If there was a general election tomorrow.
I think the guy is about 22. How on earth would he have the experience, wisdom or common sense to become involved in running the country. It is an absolute joke
If we leave the shower we have now where they are for another couple of years I think they will do as good a job as anyone else in pulling the country through the worst of it. If there was an election tomorrow, then the new Government would spend the next few years gving the excuse "ah sure we only inherited this mess, its not our fault that we can't get it right..."
M
People who have a deepseated loyalty to one party will find a reason to vote for that party.
Ignoring SF and the other crazies, can you really believe that FG/Lab would be any better? I'm no fan of the FF brigade but some of the statements coming from Kenny and from Joan Burton in particular go to show what we have waiting for us if they get elected to government.
If we leave the shower we have now where they are for another couple of years I think they will do as good a job as anyone else in pulling the country through the worst of it. If there was an election tomorrow, then the new Government would spend the next few years gving the excuse "ah sure we only inherited this mess, its not our fault that we can't get it right..."
M
Incidently, the c.40% of the population who voted for FF in the last election - how do you feel now about your vote and the implications it had for the future of this country?
I'm one of the 40% so let me try and answer that question. Perhaps firstly, why did I vote FF. Lots of reasons
So was I right to vote FF?. Probably not in hindsight but hindsight is a wonderful thing. In fairness, some of the issues were out of their control, it's not FF fault that the housing market in the US plunged for example. What has disappointed me is the lack of leadership from Cowan, the perception I have that Lenihan is making it up as he goes along, Coughlin is out of her depth and so on and so forth and ultimately the fact that they blew it.
- Partially family history, my family have always voted FF, the local TD is from the same parish (and is a good local politician and a decent man who has helped us in the past). In addition, the ancestors of the local FG politicians fired guns at my ancestors, don't underestimate the impact that memory that has in rural areas.
- Partially their performance in the past, FF did deliver the most prosperous period in Irish history, they did play a major role in the peace process and as an ex-emigrent, if it wasn't for the Celtic Tiger I'd still be living on foreign soil.
- Partially the competition was largely non existant. I have no time for Enda Kenny as I think he doesn't have an original thought in his head. Pat Rabbitte gave me the impression of being nothing more then FGs *****, PDs were nothing more then right wing turncoats and Sinn Fein's armed wing pointed guns at my wife when they robbed her, blew up the head office of my last employers at Bishopsgate and shook my house when the Canary Wharf bomb went off.
Howver I also remain to be convinced that other parties would have done things radically better. In fairness, they may have done but can we say for certain they would have.?
So who am I going to vote for in the upcoming elections. It's difficult because I have moved house since the last election and am in a different constituency.
Instinct and Enda Kenny means I won't vote FG, (bar possibly a number 2 for Mairead McGuiness in the Euro). At the minute I am leaning towards voting Labour in the local elections, 2 reasons, firstly the candidate is actually the only counciler to date who has knocked on my door and secondly, he is the only canvesser who closed the front gate after him, and given that I have a toddler and a Jack Russel, closing the front gate is important in my world !!!!
You can't have it both ways- that FF were responsible for the boom times through careful and diligent planning but not somehow responsible for the recession.
I would argue that they presided over this period rather than delivered it - big difference IMO.FF did deliver the most prosperous period in Irish history,
Basically you are never voting for an individual, however good, in an election, if they are associated with a party. I could vote for the greatest , most educated politician in the world, with the greatest ideas and they would still be bound by the old "vote yes on every government suggestion" irrespective of how they felt.
It isn't out of spite, it's because of what FF stand for that I don't vote for them.I dont blame anybody for being so angry with FF that they wouldnt vote for them, but at the end of the day, the country will not be run successfully with politicians elected out of spite towards their rivals.
Aside from a political system overhaul (is that what you mean?) the current system is the one in place and I vote in accordance with that system. I currently don't need re-education on my viewsOn a sidenote, in terms of educating the public and trying to get a new system in place were people make informed decisions