Who are these FF supporters?

UFC said:
The Greens? Yes. I think we can all agree they have been absolutely useless in Government.

At least if they're on the opposition bench they can complain about and point out the stupid/corrupt things FF do.
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I was really making a general point, rather than hitting the Greens in the particular. It is a 'damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario for smaller parties.

After the next election, if Labour go in with FG, they'll be damned for selling out their socialist routes. If they go in with FF, they'll be damned for dancing with the devil. If they sit it out in principled opposition, they will fade away and die. From their POV, small parties have to bit the bullet, and be prepared to go for best policy-based Govt they can find.
 
ajapale said:
Topic Reminder: Who are these FF supporters?
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Who knows? But I'm guessing there probably wouldn't be many CS/PS who would fall into that 27% at the moment and I think it will be a very major uphill task for FF to win them back in time for the next general election whenever it comes!
 
bogle said:
Who knows? But I'm guessing there probably wouldn't be many CS/PS who would fall into that 27% at the moment and I think it will be a very major uphill task for FF to win them back in time for the next general election whenever it comes!
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They will probably row back on some of the SW cuts and pay cuts to lower paid Civil/Public servants in the budget immediately prior to the General Election saying something like 'they were necessary at time but the country has now turned the corner..... '. Just wait for all the schemes and reliefs that will announced!
 
A lot of what's been said here about people's motivations for voting is quite condescending.

Eamonn Gilmore, Enda Kenny, Joan Burton and Richard Bruton are going to have to go out and win votes with their policies. They can't expect that the votes of people with different ideologies to theirs will simply switch away from FF en masse.

Labour and FG said nothing during the boom that would leave me to believe they would have prevented the bust and they are not saying much now that would lead me to believe they would manage us out of the mess any better.

People can argue all they want that this is not the case, but I think everyone is entitled to vote according to who they believe would provide better government.

To be honest I'd be more concerned at the people who supported FF during the boom but now have switched away from them simply because the policies they followed (one that were widely accepted by their voters) turned out to be foolish
 
In this thread, no one has yet admitted to supporting FF. Is there anyone out there brave enough to declare that they would vote FF?

at 27%, there must be someone reading this that would.
 
DerKaiser said:
A lot of what's been said here about people's motivations for voting is quite condescending.

Eamonn Gilmore, Enda Kenny, Joan Burton and Richard Bruton are going to have to go out and win votes with their policies. They can't expect that the votes of people with different ideologies to theirs will simply switch away from FF en masse.

Labour and FG said nothing during the boom that would leave me to believe they would have prevented the bust and they are not saying much now that would lead me to believe they would manage us out of the mess any better.

People can argue all they want that this is not the case, but I think everyone is entitled to vote according to who they believe would provide better government.

To be honest I'd be more concerned at the people who supported FF during the boom but now have switched away from them simply because the policies they followed (one that were widely accepted by their voters) turned out to be foolish
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In an ideal world people would indeed vote according to who they believe would provide better government. But many people in Ireland do not vote according to who will govern the country the best, a lot of the time they vote on family tradition, who got the sister their planning permission etc.

You might call it condescending... I call it fact.
 
umop3p!sdn said:
In this thread, no one has yet admitted to supporting FF. Is there anyone out there brave enough to declare that they would vote FF?

at 27%, there must be someone reading this that would.
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A lot people would be guarded about revealing their voting preferences.

Even with the relative anonymity of user names people might prefer not to comment.

This is particularly going to be the case on this thread in specific. The phrasing and tone of the of the title question "Who are these FF supporters?" appears to be throwing down the guantlet to anyone who intends voting for FF to come on an justify themselves.

You have also attempted to pre-stigmatise FF voters by asking if they would be "Brave" enough to admit it. The general tone I'm picking up is that you think FF voters should be ashamed somehow and you're looking to have a go at them.

So to address the issue, in the absence of people coming forth and revealing their voting preference and their reasons at your whim, my guess is that many people still vote FF for historic reasons and many people who would favour capitalism over socialism (e.g. business people) would favour FF for ideological reasons
 
gunnerfitzy said:
In an ideal world people would indeed vote according to who they believe would provide better government. But many people in Ireland do not vote according to who will govern the country the best, a lot of the time they vote on family tradition, who got the sister their planning permission etc.
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Very true, sadly.
 
DerKaiser said:
A lot of what's been said here about people's motivations for voting is quite condescending.
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Given the unprecedented events of the last 12 to 24 to 36 months I disagree.
Of course people should support as they see fit.
A wise person might conduct a tour de force review of these events before deciding who to support!
 
A lot people would be guarded about revealing their voting preferences.

Even with the relative anonymity of user names people might prefer not to comment.

This is particularly going to be the case on this thread in specific. The phrasing and tone of the of the title question "Who are these FF supporters?" appears to be throwing down the guantlet to anyone who intends voting for FF to come on an justify themselves.

You have also attempted to pre-stigmatise FF voters by asking if they would be "Brave" enough to admit it. The general tone I'm picking up is that you think FF voters should be ashamed somehow and you're looking to have a go at them.

So to address the issue, in the absence of people coming forth and revealing their voting preference and their reasons at your whim, my guess is that many people still vote FF for historic reasons and many people who would favour capitalism over socialism (e.g. business people) would favour FF for ideological reasons
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I would believe that there certainly is a stigma with voting for FF, and it wasn't created by me. FF's own actions over the last few years have created this stigma. I'm not asking for people to justify themselves either, I just have a morbid curiosity. I created this thread simply to see who these people are, not to enter into political dialogue with them.

This thread has only been active for just over a day, but so far it appears that no one will admit to voting for FF. I ask myself why? I spoiled my last vote, and don't mind admitting it. I will wait a while longer and see what happens.

With regards your 'capitalism' comments, I completely disagree. FF's brand of capitalism is about gross market distortion and cronyism. Certainly not conducive for honest business people trying to set up (unless property related, or a protected profession)

I'm just looking for people to post 'I would vote for FF'
 
I've never voted for FF. Don't know anyone who has. Know plenty of people who used to vote for the PDs though.

I've always voted Greens (Gormley), but that'll never be happening again...!
 
From a policy and philosophy perspective I would be closest to FG but I find the calibre of their elected members to be shockingly bad. If Brian Lenahan was leader of FF I would vote for them in the morning since he is the only government of opposition figure who has shown any clear leadership.
Labour are the political wing of the unions and their economic policies are nuts (their social policies are, however, very good). On the basis of their policies, and the total lack of anybody capable of pragmatic think on their front bench, I could not vote for them.

So, like many people, I am in a position where I feel I should vote but find myself in a position where there’s nobody I want to see in power.
 
I would vote FF for two main reasons. Brian Lenihan who I thought was useless at the beginning but who has shown real ability since.

Also the fact that they now have such little support and the chances of them winning the next election are so slim that they have nothing to lose by making the tough decisons that this Country needs. If FG or Labour came into power tomorrow, we would be back to the days of opinion polls driving policy because they be so afraid to go the same way as FF. We would end up in a state of political paralysis like FF was in when they did the first budget and then made all the u-turns. (I know that doesn't make sense. I mean that I would prefer FF to stay in power rather than to have a general election)
 
Feel pretty much the same as Purple.

Personally, I don't know any FF supporters under the age of 60. Not one.
 
umop3p!sdn said:
I would believe that there certainly is a stigma with voting for FF, and it wasn't created by me. FF's own actions over the last few years have created this stigma. I'm not asking for people to justify themselves either, I just have a morbid curiosity. I created this thread simply to see who these people are, not to enter into political dialogue with them.

This thread has only been active for just over a day, but so far it appears that no one will admit to voting for FF. I ask myself why? I spoiled my last vote, and don't mind admitting it. I will wait a while longer and see what happens.

With regards your 'capitalism' comments, I completely disagree. FF's brand of capitalism is about gross market distortion and cronyism. Certainly not conducive for honest business people trying to set up (unless property related, or a protected profession)

I'm just looking for people to post 'I would vote for FF'
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If I liked the policies they set out better than FG's or Labour's, I would vote FF. Of course I'll need to wait and weigh up each campaign ahead of the next election to make that decision.

Again, I have to say your constant use of the phrase "these people" is bordering on being incitement.

And to tell you the truth, I think they've done a fine job over the last two years.

The problem was in not regulating the inflationary spiral that begun towards the start of the decade, and that's something most people did not realise until it was too late (FG and Labour included).

So I do think it's condescending that someone would engage in stigmatising a large chunk of the electorate when they still don't actually understand what it was that FF really dropped the ball on in the first place, even in hinsight.
 
Sunny said:
Also the fact that they now have such little support and the chances of them winning the next election are so slim that they have nothing to lose by making the tough decisons that this Country needs. If FG or Labour came into power tomorrow, we would be back to the days of opinion polls driving policy because they be so afraid to go the same way as FF. We would end up in a state of political paralysis like FF was in when they did the first budget and then made all the u-turns. (I know that doesn't make sense. I mean that I would prefer FF to stay in power rather than to have a general election)
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Don't kid yourself that FF aren't driven by opinion polling in everything that they do. They are just a bit more selective about who's opinion they poll than others. They poll those people who have and who will support them financially.
 
Complainer said:
Don't kid yourself that FF aren't driven by opinion polling in everything that they do. They are just a bit more selective about who's opinion they poll than others. They poll those people who have and who will support them financially.
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Is that opinion based on fact or just more tired ideological dogma?
 
With the state of the electoral registers in Ireland, you cannot really say that the votes parties receive in the elections reflect their real support. How do you explain constituencies where there are significantly more people on the voters register than the number of adults in the constituency? Its clear than voter fraud is rampant in many parts of Ireland with people voting multiple times, in constituencies they dont line in and people who are dead or dont exist voting.
 
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