Why the focus on party leaders, rather than policy?

Dionysus

Why do so many politically-interested Irish people continue this obsession with the cult of the personality? For a long time I assumed it was driven by the media but looking at online fora such as this one it seems to be that it is ordinary people who are emphasising personality politics.

The number of times Enda Kenny gets abused for his supposed lack of charisma or whatever is depressing. I notice even people who say they're Fine Gael voters are doing this - are they trying to deflect from the weaknesses of Fine Gael policies?

It's this personality cult that brought us Irish political leaders such as Haughey and Ahern. It's utterly disheartening that criticising a guy's personality is centre stage, rather than an examination of Fine Gael policies. We get crap politics because people go for this "one of the lads" lark that Ahern personified so well.

Assuming that all Irish political leaders are pretty much cut from the same moral cloth, the reasons not to vote for Fine Gael, or any other party, rest in their policies. Some of us deserve a better politics than this bullshít personality focus. Ireland deserves better.

MrMatisse

Theres a lack of charisma in the front benches hence the focus on the leaders, not that they are much better

Royal Seahawk

Dionysus wrote: »

Why do so many politically-interested Irish people continue this obsession with the cult of the personality? For a long time I assumed it was driven by the media but looking at online fora such as this one it seems to be that it is ordinary people who are emphasising personality politics.

The number of times Enda Kenny gets abused for his supposed lack of charisma or whatever is depressing. I notice even people who say they're Fine Gael voters are doing this - are they trying to deflect from the weaknesses of Fine Gael policies?

It's this personality cult that brought us Irish political leaders such as Haughey and Ahern. It's utterly disheartening that criticising a guy's personality is centre stage, rather than an examination of Fine Gael policies. We get crap politics because people go for this "one of the lads" lark that Ahern personified so well.

Assuming that all Irish political leaders are pretty much cut from the same moral cloth, the reasons not to vote for Fine Gael, or any other party, rest in their policies. Some of us deserve a better politics than this bullshít personality focus. Ireland deserves better.

It's human nature.

opinion guy

I've just been on the FG website to find out their health policies.

I can't find any details on any policies whatsoever on their website. I can only find comment boxes for me to tell them what I think.

Therefore I am left with little option to judge FG by their leaders personality since I cannot ascertain what their policies are.

johngalway

opinion guy wrote: »

I've just been on the FG website to find out their health policies.

I can't find any details on any policies whatsoever on their website. I can only find comment boxes for me to tell them what I think.

http://www.finegael2011.com/?gclid=CN-0pq7G26YCFY9O4QodGDUYzQ

Use the contact us button on the very top of the page, there's a link on the pop up screen.

Koyasan

For the larger parties, there's a possibility that they might be Taoiseach, and you don't want to cringe too much when they're on television. For the smaller parties though, I don't think it matters.

opinion guy

johngalway wrote: »

http://www.finegael2011.com/?gclid=CN-0pq7G26YCFY9O4QodGDUYzQ

Use the contact us button on the very top of the page, there's a link on the pop up screen.

Thats pretty difficult to find in fairness. It's almost as if they don't want us to look!

d'Oracle

Dionysus wrote: »

Why do so many politically-interested Irish people continue this obsession with the cult of the personality? For a long time I assumed it was driven by the media but looking at online fora such as this one it seems to be that it is ordinary people who are emphasising personality politics.

The number of times Enda Kenny gets abused for his supposed lack of charisma or whatever is depressing. I notice even people who say they're Fine Gael voters are doing this - are they trying to deflect from the weaknesses of Fine Gael policies?

It's this personality cult that brought us Irish political leaders such as Haughey and Ahern. It's utterly disheartening that criticising a guy's personality is centre stage, rather than an examination of Fine Gael policies. We get crap politics because people go for this "one of the lads" lark that Ahern personified so well.

Assuming that all Irish political leaders are pretty much cut from the same moral cloth, the reasons not to vote for Fine Gael, or any other party, rest in their policies. Some of us deserve a better politics than this bullshít personality focus. Ireland deserves better.

DAMN RIGHT.

Annoys the crap out of me.

johngalway

opinion guy wrote: »

Thats pretty difficult to find in fairness.

I agree. It's not how I'd have done it.