Bertie Resigning: Should there be an election?

sdanseo

Regardless of any of our own feelings of Bertie's resignation and the reasons for it - we now know that as of 6th May he'll be gone. So, should Brian Cowen simply fill the gap a la Gordon Brown, or should there be another election?

Edit: I'm all for this "no comment, it's a day of reflection" on the politicians part - but us boardsies are less patient methinks

Personally I'm indifferent.

leninbenjamin

why should there be? people voted for another 5 years Fianna Fail a few months ago. why should there be an obligation on them not to serve that out? the rumblings about the finances were already there before the election, anyone who voted Fianna Fail and didn't see this coming isn't exactly the sharpest tool in the drawer.

Caoimhín

if there is another GE im leaving.

AckwelFoley

Election? why?

We just had one.. we voted?

Ghost Train

That would be an ecumenical matter

But no don't really see the point of another election

Lockstep

I love the elections so I'd be all for one.
However:
PRo: A lotta people I know voted for FF as it was Bertie's party. During the elections, photos of Bertie were everywhere, sometimes it seemd people were voting for Bertie rather than FF.
Also, elections are grear craic!

Con: We just had an election. FF WERE voted in.

WoollyRedHat

kickoutthejams wrote: »

I love the elections so I'd be all for one.
However:
PRo: A lotta people I know voted for FF as it was Bertie's party. During the elections, photos of Bertie were everywhere, sometimes it seemd people were voting for Bertie rather than FF.
Also, elections are grear craic!

Con: We just had an election. FF WERE voted in.

Unfortunately, the public felt we would be better off with FF in goverment for another five years. Let's begin the countdown for the next GE for 2012!

Mossy Monk

No.

Denis Irwin

Nope. People voted for the party not the person.

jb91

Denis Irwin wrote: »

Nope. People voted for the party not the person.

People "backed Bertie's Team" :rolleyes:

Denis Irwin

jb91 wrote: »

People "backed Bertie's Team" :rolleyes:

True but if IIRC didn't Bertie say before the election that he'd be gone before 2012 and therefore the voters knew in all likelyhood he'd be gone within 2 years of the election.

Lockstep

I'm not saying there should or shouldn't be an election.

But I do love elections:D

Sherifu

Mossy Monk wrote: »

No.

+1

Agamemnon

BOLLOCKS to having another election. It's not even a year since we had the last one. No one in their right minds wants to see the hideously ugly faces of politicians grinning at us from those pointless posters again so soon.

ninty9er

The options should be election or no election as it's a matter firstly for the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party who the next Úachtarán Fhianna Fáil is and secondly for the Dáil to decide of they approve of the nominated TD to become Taoiseach.

I voted no as people don't want an election. Having said that I think FF would probably do quite well with a new leader and the Bertie sympathy factor. I think Brian Hayes, though quite articulate lost his seat for a reason in 2002 and less than 12 months after gaining it back could be out of a job again for being an absolute prick again. FG have a number of people like this that would face the public wrath of "you bashed Bertie" which I was hearing all day from people who aren't FF leaning, mainly in their mid 20s to late 40s. My mother informs me that my grandparents (who hold FG membership cards) were quite upset this evening. If they voted FF last year, they're even more likely to do it at another election.

An election is in Fianna Fáil's best interests as (1) it's completely out of the blue giving independents no hope of mounting a campaign, (2) as above.

ballooba

ninty9er wrote: »

I think Brian Hayes, though quite articulate lost his seat for a reason in 2002 and less than 12 months after gaining it back could be out of a job again for being an absolute prick again. FG have a number of people like this that would face the public wrath of "you bashed Bertie" which I was hearing all day from people who aren't FF leaning, mainly in their mid 20s to late 40s.

You live in a bubble. The electorate won't forget the FFers who tied their fates to that of Bertie by supporting his lies.

As for an election. I don't think so. It's too soon. The canassers for one would have no appetite. Not to mention their spouses.

Al_Fernz

No election please.

The results wont change significantly. The majority of people base their vote on whatever TD gets the road fixed outside their house etc. not for the party leader.

Pepe LeFrits

No.

gcgirl

I'd just love an Election just to see The Green Party do so badly!!! Sorry but the greens are now the lowest of the low as far i am concerned! Plus think of all those students that can do great things with the posters and also they could hold it on a saturday or a sunday instead of the usual Thursday!

ninty9er

ballooba wrote: »

As for an election. I don't think so. It's too soon. The canassers for one would have no appetite. Not to mention their spouses.

The Fianna Fail election machine is always ready to canvass. It continues to canvass. The mistake other parties make is not canvassing like it's election time, just because an election has not been called.

EamonnKeane

No! Only the Politburo may correctly interpret the Will of the People. The traitorous proponents of Mahonism-Moriartism shall be crushed. Nothing can prevent the People taking the Next Steps Forward!

KnifeWRENCH

I'd love an election! Just because I'm old enough to vote now!!

monkeyfudge

gcgirl wrote: »

I'd just love an Election just to see The Green Party do so badly!!! Sorry but the greens are now the lowest of the low as far i am concerned!

I was at a public meeting in Dublin Castle recently where Joe Higgins accused them of suffering from Stockholm syndrome.

kawaii

No. It's bad for the environment.

Manic Moran

PRo: A lotta people I know voted for FF as it was Bertie's party. During the elections, photos of Bertie were everywhere, sometimes it seemd people were voting for Bertie rather than FF.

My Constitutional law background is a bit rusty, but I don't believe that the system really is supposed to take into account people voting because (a ) they're idiots or (b ) they don't understand that in a parliamentary system, one votes for a party, not for the head of government.

NTM

Lockstep

monkeyfudge wrote: »

I was at a public meeting in Dublin Castle recently where Joe Higgins accused them of suffering from Stockholm syndrome.

He did the exact same thing at NUIG, the cheeky cad was recycling his speeches.

confuzed

No elections. Another burden to economy and environment. Let them (FF) clean up the mess Bertie left behind before they go.

ballooba

ninty9er wrote: »

The Fianna Fail election machine is always ready to canvass. It continues to canvass. The mistake other parties make is not canvassing like it's election time, just because an election has not been called.

Fine Gael is also always canvassing, and running clinics. Not on the scale of a General Election though. Neither does Fianna Fail.

Dave!

Yes, let the new leader seek a fresh mandate. Cowen wasn't chosen by the people to lead the country, Bertie was (let's not get into the semantics of the party voting him as president, etc, the election was about who should lead the country -- bertie or enda)

baztard

FF perspective: No there shouldn't be an election. We conned the electorate last time around (Health service, economy, Bertie saying he had nothing to hide etc). Our leader has been found out for what he really is, our ministers are cowards and dishonest for sticking by him when they knew he was in the wrong just to save the party skin. If there was an election now we'd lose our power which we love so much, we'll do just about anything to hold on to.

FG perspective: Yes there should be an election. Those FF eejits screwed up so much they make us look competent in comparison.

Idealogical perspective: Yes there should be an election, democracy et al.

Spud83

I actually think FF would walk away with more votes this time around if an election was held. I believe there is a good feeling and trust towards Cowen and how he has handled the economy. People are very wary of the economy right now and changing parties or creating an unstable goverment would be seen as a risk by many people. A risk the country was not willing to take last year, and I dont believe Bertie leaving makes that risk any more appealing.

prendy

alanmurphy83 wrote: »

I actually think FF would walk away with more votes this time around if an election was held. I believe there is a good feeling and trust towards Cowen and how he has handled the economy. People are very wary of the economy right now and changing parties or creating an unstable goverment would be seen as a risk by many people. A risk the country was not willing to take last year, and I dont believe Bertie leaving makes that risk any more appealing.

+1 i was gonna say more or less the same thing.
if there was an election tommorow i think FF would gain. Does anyone actually think Enda Kenny would be a good leader of the country?
he's a nice guy but doesnt have the charisma needed to do the top job.

Dinter

Sure try yourselves.

> http://www.recruitireland.com/job/?jobID=10012942

Bendihorse

No election, the people spoke at their last opportunity now they have to learn by their mistake. FF also need to stay in power and be held accountable for the sham of an economy that they have created.

Irish people will need to be down on their knees with no arse in their trousers before they realise the mistake they made by not revolting against bertie and FF years ago when it was realised what they were doing with our (YES OUR WE ARE THE ONES THAT WILL BE EFFECTED BY ITS MISSUSE) boom time - i.e. Lining their own pockets and creating an ecomony based on a doomed industry that could never sustain itself.

sdanseo

Interesting how the vast majority of people replying here are against an election yet the poll is very close...

I'm inclined to agree with the opinions that FF would do better now than last year if there were an election. The sympathy votes combined with those that would be more likely to vote FF with a fresh leader, would see to that.

Jimbo

People vote for individual TD's, not their parties' leader - so no.

Denis Irwin

I just love how FG seem to have short memories in calling for an election despite the fact that when Bruton came to power in 1994 he wasn't elected by the people and never called an election until 1997 when he had to.

Thrill

No to another election. I really don't want to see the smiling faces of our politicians beaming down at us from every pole in the country again so soon after the last election.

thelordofcheese

To hell with this election nonsense, it's high time to take to the streets, and not the boring peaceful kind of taking to the streets, the kind with looting and maybe starting a few fires!

WHO'S WITH ME?

Thrill

thelordofcheese wrote: »

To hell with this election nonsense, it's high time to take to the streets, and not the boring peaceful kind of taking to the streets, the kind with looting and maybe starting a few fires!

WHO'S WITH ME?

/Lights torch.

Hitchhiker's Guide to...

Really annoys me that people can't accept the election result. FG and Labour lost - now get over it and welcome to a democracy. Don't support FF, but chat like this (and not particularly here, but more like the chat on politics.ie) does make me want to support them.

/ Bad losers really piss me off

Jimbo

Yea, reminds me of that European referendum that they did twice. Really sickening

doonothing

I kinda think there should be another election. More just a run-on of the last one (as it was so soon ago), mainly because a large part of a person's vote for a party is a vote for it's leader, you don't just choose a party, you choose a taoiseach, and regardless of the outcome, I think it needs to be assessed whether Fianna Fail minus Bertie is what the majority wants.

rmacm

thelordofcheese wrote: »

To hell with this election nonsense, it's high time to take to the streets, and not the boring peaceful kind of taking to the streets, the kind with looting and maybe starting a few fires!

WHO'S WITH ME?

I am but only if Cthulhu can come along, I think he'd be a blast at a riot.

http://www.rorymacmahon.com/cth.jpg

Oman

you know, there was no need for bertie to arrive, ok alll the politicions didnt like but the people clearly werent effected by the mahon tribunal because they still voted fianna fail but anyway this isnt the politics forum

no need for another election, it would cost too much to put all those ugly posters up and all that craic

Mental Mickey

Roundtower2 wrote: »

Really annoys me that people can't accept the election result. FG and Labour lost - now get over it and welcome to a democracy. Don't support FF, but chat like this (and not particularly here, but more like the chat on politics.ie) does make me want to support them.

/ Bad losers really piss me off

+1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

aliqueenb

no way! cowen rocks haha...laois/offaly woop woop!

bleg

4 weeks of that bull**** again? no ****ing way

smokingman

aliqueenb wrote: »

no way! cowen rocks haha...laois/offaly woop woop!

Yeah, brilliant man and keen legal mind.
Sure doesn't he have a law degree...think he did the degree in Banking Irregularities in Fianna Fail Offices....

aliqueenb

haha a joke i get it!