Before an election, its up to the Irish to demand better value for our votes.
If we simply say "we want an election" FG and Labour can take it easy like FF have been doing for years. They will be comfortable in the knowledge that they need only show up at the polls and a majority of them will oust their FF counterparts . . . Great, change is afoot but what will we get from it . . .
If we want T.D's on lower wages , then we need to demand it (for our vote).
If we want tougher laws on criminals and more rights as citizens, we need to demand it for our vote.
If we want higher earners hit harder, we need to demand it for our vote
If we want Quangos abolished we need to demand it for our vote.
If we want to end up with a differant (but similarly inept, limited ) government we can ask for a differant government and end up with a similar bunch of self interested individuals with their own specific vested interest groups to look after.
As a nation we tend to vote for the "in" crowd at the expense of real issues being addressed. We dont ask or demand anything, we just wait to see what we are being offered and take the best looking box on the shelf. Why are T'D's so arrogant when it comes to some questions on their remuneration or questions regarding any bills that will affect them, its because they know that we, the Irish, wont really challange them properly.
We may slag off the French who strike on the streets for anything, but they at least demand respect and demand to be heard. The worst we do is go onto the joe Duffy show and make some very poorly constructed arguements on why we have lost out to "that shower" in the Dail.
I dont have a gripe or problem with any specific party or TD (well maybe one or two of the idiots in the dail), but I do have a problem with politics in general. I have no confidence in the system. It rewards those who are the sneakiest, cutest and the most popular people in parties or constituants. Thats not democracy as it is understood by many, thats a talent contest . .
Some people say "Well thats politics", well I say "well, thats just not good enough". To this day some people have asked me would I get into politics and I have to say, right now I would have no intention. I imagine you have to be prepared to drop your morals, ethics, beliefs and best intentions to survive. If anything, the more honest you are the less likely you would be to get in office . People in this country are fickle (like those crazy yanks we always laugh at) and vote based on who they like the look of, rather then who they feel would do the best job.
This was the country and system I was born into, but it really makes me laugh (otherwise I would just cry!) at how pathetic political systems are organised in "free" countries. We might aswell let Louise Walsh and Simon Cowell grill all potential Politicians before they can go up for the vote. At the very least we would get to hear some of them stuttering around controversial topics they would rather not discuss and that they can avoid in the Dail . . . .
Wow, just realised I went totally off topic . . . Well the Greens have done sweet feck all in overall the scheme of things . . . .
We will only get a real change when we demand it . . . .