Mad greens??

S

simplyjoe

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535
It seems crazy that in West Galway the Green candidate polled less than 2002 given the disgusting situation with pollution in the Corrib and in Galway Bay. This is a serious life affecting situation. Also oil peak production is deemed to happen in the next year or two. Yet where are the greens.I feel the country lacks a proper green alternative. The existing green party is too old fashioned with images of bearded revolutionaries and anti policies. Mr. O Broll.. stated on Galway Bay that he would double the CGT rate. What a crazy policy to come up with before an election. The country needs a modern well educated (but not over academic) party with proper reasonable policies and good presentation. IMO Mr. Sargeant looks like he is going to explode with temper, old fashioned clothes and eating seeds and berries. Mr Gormley appears on TV like he has just stepped off a tram in Germany. The party must appeal to a wider audience. The party must seek support in the countryside the areas most affected by pollution and bad planning. They must shake off the fuddy duddy image. They must appear modern. Sorry, but they need pinstripe suits, modern ties, be happier, be more positive and get support for their more moderate policies. By being so radical even a moderate switch to green orientated policies is being damaged.
 
Not sure I totally agree. Certainly in the not so distant past you had the beardy/sandally thing going on but to be honest I think image-wise some of the greens have even now gone too far the other way and resemble yuppies or hitmen!

Since 2002 their policies (other than environmental ones) have become much more fleshed out. True, Sargent isn't great - Mary White would make a much better leader I think. I'd say the stagnation in green support is much more to do with an apathetic and selfish electorate than a poor party.

Yes, they are inexperienced and often come accross as naive but I think that's a lot to do with the streetwise interview-slipperiness that members of other parties display. At least the greens seem to have more integrity than most
 
Purple said:
It's easy to have integrity when you are not in power.
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Fair enough - but I think even choosing to pursue a Green agenda in politics is evidence of a certain level of committment: they've got to at least care - as opposed to say 'going into Daddies party and seeing how well I can do'
 
I have to say I'm very dissapointed with their attitude. They need to sell themselves and compromise and then they will share power and affect change. In my opinion a modern green party will tax emmissions and promote sustainable living etc, but not by providing all the services themselves. They should entice the private sector to provide public services. Then, things will actually happen, more cheaply, more effectively, faster. the free market is a great instrument for translating selfish desire into the common good. Tax then can actually be brought down not up. The greenies won't agree to that...and they're not getting my vote.

I'm not a FF head but specifically went out to vote for them to stop the opposition getting into power and putting the kibosh on the hospital co-location plan.

Greenies...cop on and try and see the wood from the trees!
 
My opinion of the Greens is that they themselves live in Cities and try to tell the people in the country how to live and boss them around. Honestly they(policies) scare me.They should cop on as someone already said and not be as flaky and self righteous as they come across
 
Johnny Boy said:
My opinion of the Greens is that they themselves live in Cities
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...that simply isn't true. Just because they tend to get electoral success in cities doesn't mean that they are all from cities. I'm from 'the country' and know plenty of green members and candidates in my area and they come from all walks of life - small town professionals, teachers, clerical etc - and their numbers also include farmers. As for the bossing around - well a lot of people don't like change especially if it might involve inconvenience.
 
Theyre the only party so far which hasnt annoyed me in some way, lol so I wouldnt mind seeing them as a small part of the next government in the old pds position.
People use words like sandals/alternative etc but in fairness theyre not left wing at all are they ? I remember a soundbite and one of them saying they werent a left wing party. Greens are successful members of government all across europe. It used to be we looked to Europe for inspiration but now were the ones with the jobs but if youve lived in Germany etc like I have you'll see they actually have a pretty good quality of life regarding transport, environment etc and we have no reason for complacency or arrogance.
 
It seems to me that the "green" parties across Europe have fairly left wing economic policies. I think that scares off a lot of voters. I'd be happy enough to see them in government in a minority role, but I wouldn't want them in charge of the economy.
 
Picking up on the country issue, my fear about the greens, & I think its widely held, is that they are the "anti-planning permission" party. They dont want one-off houses in the countryside.

At a time when the countryside is not thriving, agriculture continually in the balance, it seems to me that rural communities need dwellers. The Green say that its all great if we live in towns and walk to work - fine by that aint happening either for the people who do live there, so why beat up the potential rural dwellers for an ideal that isnt real for current urban dwellers.

On a politicial level Irish parties are so centre that its fine to pick the "best bits" of any other party. So Dick Roche is flying the flag for FF, more public transport, green bio-fuels, renewable energy targets etc. etc. All the stuff the Greens should be see as owning/leading.

So if the Greens could dispell mis-apprehensions (ifs that what they are!) re planning permission and general anti enterprise motives (e.g. 40% cgt) then I'd see lots of reasons to vote for them. Until then I'll be playing it safe.......
 
Isn't the Mayor of Galway a member of the Green party? I am sure that might have some impact on how the people voted in Galway.

 

Take a look at their manifesto. They are most certainly left wing. Examples;
Increasing social and affordable housing
Increasing state pensions
More publicly funded hospitals.

The words welfare state spring to mind....

Why can't they learn the lesson everyone else has learned. The government with the best of intentions tries to provide public services and invariably fails.

As for increasing substantially welfare payments...why can't they understand we are not good morally responsible people. We will take what we can get and rape anything for what its worth. Give me a decent dole and I won't bother going to work, even it means I've allowed the welfare state to enslave me into a wasted life.

Rant over
 
badabing said:
Why can't they learn the lesson everyone else has learned. The government with the best of intentions tries to provide public services and invariably fails.
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... and when they fail they invariably call for even more taxes and even greater controls so they can attempt the same thing again in the hope it will work this time.
 
badabing said:
Take a look at their manifesto. They are most certainly left wing. Examples;
Increasing social and affordable housing
Increasing state pensions
More publicly funded hospitals.

The words welfare state spring to mind....

Rant over
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Well.. maybe I should be reading more (the absolute joy of it!) manifestos but Fianna Fail seem to be the cheerleaders for raising pensions going from the non manifesto publicity I've noticed
 
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