Can't think of anyone worth voting for

tropics

I am finding it really hard to find a single candidate that I think deserves a vote.

It just seems like the same old story from all the candidates. Nothing has inspired me about any of them.

InchicoreDude

I am in the same boat. And what is worrying me even more is that I am beginning to think FF are actually talking more sense than the other parties!

outandabout

I'm not a Fine Gael supporter but I'm voting for them this time around because there's no other viable alternative. I expect they'll be in coalition with Labour who would normally get my number one and two votes.

mikemac

I started a similar thread before

Even a party you admire will contain a few duds. Absolutely woeful representatives.

And the same time a party you don't support can have a few stars.

It's entirely possible OP you support a party but your local rep is an ignorant fool.
Maybe vote for them this time so you support their party.
And for the next election, join up and try to get rid of them at the selection committee.

There isn't one candidate out of thousands that'll you agree exactly on every issue, find the best

enigma_b17

I'd be in the same boat...

Like a lot of people I have completely lost faith in politics, democracy and generally any body put together to run the country.

I'm going to vote for someone, not sure trying to decide who out of the choices is the least of a disaster...but in general I just think they are all a bunch of screwups (not a generic application, there are exceptions but in general), and the decision comes down to who is going to screw us over less.

From my own personal view, I want a government who has a plan for dealing with the state of the country's finances yes definitley, but also what do they plan to do then? When are they going to start giving back! My main problem with FF, is that all they knew how to do was take take take, I want a government who is planning on giving back once this disaster is resolved (im an optimist in reality lol)..but still I feel it's a valid question, and if one of them could answer it sufficiently then it could be them I vote for (depending on answer).

Anywho agree whole-heartedly with poster, completely bemuzed but I am hopefull that I will make my mind up before election voting comes around.

mickoneill30

I'm in the same boat. Every time I think I'll vote FG I hear Enda Kenny say something banal or populist and I think of him as Taoiseach.
Couldn't really be worse than the last one though.

Zubeneschamali

tropics wrote: »

I am finding it really hard to find a single candidate that I think deserves a vote.

Look at it from the other direction: is there anyone you absolutely will not vote for?

Then rate the people/parties you can stand until you find the one you hate least.

Above all, don't worry about it too much: your vote is vanishingly unlikely to make any difference whatsoever.

Seren_

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Above all, don't worry about it too much: your vote is vanishingly unlikely to make any difference whatsoever.

True enough, but not something that's going to get people thinking of how important voting is.

I'm in the same boat as the OP, haven't a notion who I'm going to vote for. I know who I'm not going to vote for, based on political ideology etc, but that still doesn't make it any easier. Silly Sligo-North Leitrim >_<

d'Oracle

InchicoreDude wrote: »

I am in the same boat. And what is worrying me even more is that I am beginning to think FF are actually talking more sense than the other parties!

Thats easy.
They are already loosing.
Martin is basically in opposition mode already, poking holes in policies of the other parties rather than having any policy whatsoever.

tropics

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Look at it from the other direction: is there anyone you absolutely will not vote for?

Then rate the people/parties you can stand until you find the one you hate least.

Above all, don't worry about it too much: your vote is vanishingly unlikely to make any difference whatsoever.

I hear what your saying, but the fact that I should choose someone I hate the least is not exactly a great option. I know it may be an idealist attitude but I would like to vote for someone who will change things.

I won't be voting FF a vote for FG imo is the same as a FF vote. Labour wont commit to anything, and as for the other candidates (as mentioned on Vincent Browne last night) what is the point in voting for them when they can only end up in opposition?

I am worried about it and I think everyone in the country should be worried about it. This is our future we are talking about. As for your opinion that my vote is unlikely to make any difference....then why do we bother voting at all??

cavedave

You rarely get to vote for someone you actually like. As Southpark put it elections are usually a choice between a turd sandwich and a giant douche. You can vote against what you dislike the most though.

This is my voting strategy. Go to betting website get odds for your constituency. Vote for candidate who is just most likely to displace FF. So in Dublin West 4th seat between Brian Lenihan (FF) 1/7 and Patrick Nulty (Lab) 2/1 and Kieran Dennison (FG) 4/1 so I'll vote for Nulty

Byron85

I'm in a somewhat similar situation. I lean pretty far to the left by all accounts but i'm also pragmatic. The majority of left wing parties in Ireland make ridiculous promises such as the ULA wanting to bring taxes on the wealthy up to 50%. I see no problem with profit and making a profit, as long as the pursuit of profit doesn't harm others or the environment. The ULA and others of similar persuasions would kill any kind of enterprise. On the other hand I want strict regulation of businesses but more so banks and the financial markets in general.

So, I want a middle ground but none of the parties have that. Maybe one of the Independents will but i've yet to see any worthwhile ones, at least down here in Cork, which is my new constituency.

Sin1981

In the same boat myself.
There are a handful of candidates across a few parties that I'd vote for if they were in my constituency. eg. Shane Ross, John McGuinness, Richard Bruton. Will definitely not vote for Labour that's for sure.
The problem that I see is, Fine Gael will be getting in by default, only because Fianna Fail are so bad. I think all Fine Gael, or Labour care about is 'getting in', and being in charge. They'll all talk the talk, it's hot air imo. I'm very unenthusiastic about the next Government.

I'm in Cavan/Monaghan, so really it's a toss up between FF/FG and SF. I'm leaning towards SF to be honest because on more local level they seem to do a lot more than other parties. However, I know it's wrong to vote local. (I take a look at South West Donegal and I shudder when I think about the damage that can be done when people vote local - that awful awful woman, you know who I'm referring to!!!)

I think we need a new and moderm party in this country, who is very centrist in views and has none of this 'local politics' farce that allows gombeens get into power.

cavedave

So Sin1981 by my reckoning. You are in a five seater where these three are very likely to get in
Caoimhin O'Caolain (SF)
1/40
Joe O'Reilly (FG)
1/12
Brendan Smith (FF)
1/8

and the next two are between
Kathryn Reilly (SF)
1/5
Heather Humphreys (FG)
2/9
Margaret Conlon (FF)
evens
Peter McVitty
11/4

So for your vote to have the most power you should vote for which one of these last four you dislike the least

Cookie_Monster

tropics wrote: »

I am finding it really hard to find a single candidate that I think deserves a vote.

It just seems like the same old story from all the candidates. Nothing has inspired me about any of them.

+1

Its a pity you can't minus vote for people, I know certainly who I don't want to get in and I'd happily go down and vote -1 for them, but I don't want to have to vote for someone else who is not as bad as that candidate just so I know they won't get in.