I'm 40 years old and voted FF in the last election. I'm not sure if I would vote for them in the next election, but I wouldn't rule it out.
So why did I vote for FF. There were a number of reasons
Partially history, I came from a FF family, grew up listening to stories from my grand parents and grand uncle of how so and so's father over the road in the big farm was a blue shirt and how his father tried to burn us out in the war etc etc. I know some of the "suave sophisticated" posters on here will sneer at that and I accept that it may not be a logical reason for voting FF, but how we are brought up has an impact on the rest of our lives, for better or for worst.
Partially because we know our local TD at home very well. He is a decent local man, doesn't own rental properties and has an ordinary enough bungalow, is a qualified accountant and has helped my family on a number of issues. Damm good clean hurler as well in his day and where I come from, that's as good a way as any of taking a measure of a man.
Partially because in some areas, FF delivered a lot of positive things over the last 10 years, the reduction in income taxes, the improved infrastructure and the peace process in Northern Ireland for example. The latter to me is a key thing that has changed the face of Ireland and whilst FF didn't deliver it, I also believe that if it had not been for the efforts of people like Albert Reynolds and Bertie that it would not have happened. I've heard bombs go off, I lived in London for 10 years and I've felt my house shake when the Canary Wharf bomb went off, I've had my desk blown to pieces when the Bishopgate bomb went off and had to turn up at another one of my companys offices in London on the following Monday with my broad Irish accent. I've walked down a street in London when a litter bin bomb went off on the street running parallel to it. The peace process is the most important thing to happen in Ireland in the last 40 years and we should never forget that or be thankful for those who made a big leap of faith to try and make it work.
Having said all of that, I'm also intelligent enough to know that FF have, at the end of the day, made a complete and utter horses rear end of things. Some of it was not their fault (eg the global crisis), but the lack of control and squandermania that existed in Ireland has to be largely attributed to them.
So, would I vote for FF again? I honestly don't know and if I was surveyed, I'd put myself into the don't know category. I do have a major issue with Brian Cowen, to me he is completly out of his depth, provides no guidance, leadership or inspiration and is letting the Green Party and independent tails wag the dog. Certainly if he was leader of FF in 3 years time, I'd have to consider not voting for them. Part of me says 5 years in opposition could be good for FF to allow it to clear out people like Cowan, the O'Keefes and that eejit in Kildare who tried to delay the opening of the M8 late last year. I do have a lot of respect for the likes of Brian Lenihan, I don't agree with everything he has done (eg I think he moved far too slow on the banks) but at least he is trying to do something and has clearly learnt an awful lot in 12 months. Perhaps most importantly of all, he has realised that a lot of what happened in the past was wrong and is trying to unravel it. Problem is, it'll take a long time and it's a difficult and thankless road.
My main problem is if I don't vote FF, who do I vote for?. Not in a million years would I vote for Labour since they are funded by the public sector trade unions and therefore won't make the tough decisions that need to be made in regards to public sector finances. Plus Joan Burton's voice gives me a headache.
Sinn Fein?, please, let's get serious here.
Greens?, I actually have some time for them in that at least they've made a better effort at trying to control the worst FF excesses then the PDs ever did, but God love em, they're a bit out of their depth
Which leaves FG. Aside from the fact that my ancestors would haunt me, Enda K sends me to sleep, I actually think he could get away with doing anything in power because the whole country would be bored senseless. All joking asside, my issue with FG is that they are fast to criticise and slow to come up with some imaginative ideas. They don't have the courage to come out and outline the tough decisions they would need to make were they in power. Let's remember that whoever is in power, the cuts will still need to be made and the taxes risen or we are going to be in a worse position then we now are
I also remain to be convinced that George Lee can walk the walk. Throw in the thought of the likes of Varadker being at the cabinet and a coalition with Labour and suddenly I'm actually a bit scared.
There's a lot of people on here won't agree with what I have posted, that's fine, that's their perogitive in a free and open democracy, in the same way I may well disagree with their views. However whilst I can actually think of a lot of reasons not to vote FF, I also at the minute can't find one reason to vote for someone else. There's the dilema