An Open Appeal - Don't Vote Fianna Fáil!

Jim236

I really can't get my head around this. Fianna Fáil have RUINED this country. They squandered away whatever money we made in the Celtic Tiger years and then bankrupt the country when the sh*t hit the fan. They produced some of the most corrupt politicians in the history of the state, and all are now retiring with pensions in the hundreds of thousands.

Yet they change their leader, and all of a sudden Fianna Fáil's support increases.

This is the most crucial election in the history of our country, so I'm begging anyone reading this - please don't buy into the FF bullsh*t and don't forget their actions over the last 14 years! This is our chance to finally get rid of the corrupt rot that is Fianna Fáil.

Vote Fine Gael, vote Labour, vote Sinn Féin, vote for Mick down the road, but please do NOT vote for Fianna Fáil. Our country is now bankrupt because of these cronies, and they should be treated like the traitors that they are.

ilovesleep

Thanks jim326. I, too, cannot understand how people are willing to vote FF. A boards user here wrote that by right, 2 years ago they should have rewound spending habits to 2002 levels. I'll agree, there would have been public uproar but if it meant saving the country. It was their job to do everything possible to care for this country. They failed.

Ireland had problems by 08, caused by FF but It was that blanket bank guarantee that finally sank ireland (very slowly). Apparently lenihan was advised against the blanket guarantee, and against guaranteeing anglo but went ahead with it anyways.

FF do not have any abilities at fixing ireland. They allowed unemployment to spiral out of control. The hse is a shambles. There is 1 law for the little men of this country but not for FF if they do the same, eg the FF drunk driver, the FF thief, etc
I could be here all day writing.

People willing to vote FF have jelly/mushy brains.

sarumite

I will vote for who I believe is the best candidate....whoever that may be. How people can give the opposition a free ride is beyond me. Politicians from all parties failed us.

CerebralCortex

Don't be surprised to see them in again. I won't be this country is populated in the majority by people who vote FF. See sarumite's post as an example.

scr123

Its truly amazing the amount of anti FF threads opened on message boards. Its clear as a whistle to me message boards are dominated 99% by ABFF brigade. At this stage the ABFF are talking to themselves on message boards. The rare FF saupporter like myself have to be on the alert all the time not to say something that will give the ABFF an excuse to have us shafted by the mods. Maybe its me who is the fool to even bother making the few posts I do

Het-Field

scr123 wrote: »

Its truly amazing the amount of anti FF threads opened on message boards. Its clear as a whistle to me message boards are dominated 99% by ABFF brigade. At this stage the ABFF are talking to themselves on message boards. The rare FF saupporter like myself have to be on the alert all the time not to say something that will give the ABFF an excuse to have us shafted by the mods. Maybe its me who is the fool to even bother making the few posts I do

Well most of your posts would suggest you are a fool.

Tell me,

1.Why should the people vote for the Party who was at the executive wheel when this crisis took hold and created the conditions for its escalation? Remember, this crisis has an international dimension to it. However, the bulk of the problems are systemic (So says Reigling and Watson and Paddy Honohan).

2.Why should the people vote for a party that is in internal disarray. It is obvious to all onlookers that the party has NOT got its act together before the election. Why should we believe that FF will get their house in order in time to take over the reigns of power.

3.Why should the people vote for a party which has NO credible policy ?

Gunsfortoys

I don't know why you are surprised OP. This has been the way for decades, it is an absolute shambles of a country were celebrity wins over policy. I wouldn't be surprised at FF gaining a lot of seats at the next election.

Manach

Voting FF just to annoy the ABFFers, IMHO on balance probably not worth it, just.

OhNoYouDidn't

scr123 wrote: »

Its truly amazing the amount of anti FF threads opened on message boards. Its clear as a whistle to me message boards are dominated 99% by ABFF brigade. At this stage the ABFF are talking to themselves on message boards. The rare FF saupporter like myself have to be on the alert all the time not to say something that will give the ABFF an excuse to have us shafted by the mods. Maybe its me who is the fool to even bother making the few posts I do

If the Monster Raving Looney Party destroyed this country to protect their chums and their masters in Germany and showed no remorse, I would be ABMRLP.

Get over yourself and take the consequences of your inept policy making and corruption.

Laminations

Het-Field wrote: »

Well most of your posts would suggest you are a fool.

Tell me,

1.Why should the people vote for the Party who was at the executive wheel when this crisis took hold and created the conditions for its escalation? Remember, this crisis has an international dimension to it. However, the bulk of the problems are systemic (So says Reigling and Watson and Paddy Honohan).

2.Why should the people vote for a party that is in internal disarray. It is obvious to all onlookers that the party has NOT got its act together before the election. Why should we believe that FF will get their house in order in time to take over the reigns of power.

3.Why should the people vote for a party which has NO credible policy ?

He wont get back to you, at least I'll be surprised if he does, and at that it'll merely be the regurgitation of what he considers FFs achievements during the boom - low unemployment, mass immigration etc - but nowhere will he concede that these were transient and mismanaged.

Fratton Fred

It would be nice to have a "rant about fianna fail" sticky though.

zig

Jim236 wrote: »

I really can't get my head around this. Fianna Fáil have RUINED this country. They squandered away whatever money we made in the Celtic Tiger years and then bankrupt the country when the sh*t hit the fan. They produced some of the most corrupt politicians in the history of the state, and all are now retiring with pensions in the hundreds of thousands.

Yet they change their leader, and all of a sudden Fianna Fáil's support increases.

This is the most crucial election in the history of our country, so I'm begging anyone reading this - please don't buy into the FF bullsh*t and don't forget their actions over the last 14 years! This is our chance to finally get rid of the corrupt rot that is Fianna Fáil.

Vote Fine Gael, vote Labour, vote Sinn Féin, vote for Mick down the road, but please do NOT vote for Fianna Fáil. Our country is now bankrupt because of these cronies, and they should be treated like the traitors that they are.

your appeal in an online anti FF politics forum, you really need to start going out and canvassing or put up posters, the majority of FF voters will not be reading this.

ilovesleep

zig wrote: »

your appeal in an online anti FF politics forum, you really need to start going out and canvassing or put up posters, the majority of FF voters will not be reading this.

How can i help with this? pm me if you need any help.

What does ABFF mean. Is it anglo bank fianna fail

gandalf

Part of the problem here is voting for personalities. One of the great assets of being Irish is we are extremely social in nature. We value relationships with people. The drawback for us thought is with our politics. People will vote for a person they like even though they are connected to a party that has heaped nothing but inept leadership and total mismanagement upon the nation, a party that has diluted badly the sovereignty that was won by the blood of our forefathers.

This is the major problem with Politics in Ireland today. No one looks at the policies of parties, they look at the personalities and even worse they expect them to act like a jumped up county councillor and unfortunately the majority do. This happens to the detriment of national politics.

I believe we need to change our politics so people focus on policies and do not think that a TD is a super councillor and a TD is given the opportunity to concentrate on planning to ensure the country moves forward to the betterment of the majority of citizens.

sarumite

CerebralCortex wrote: »

Don't be surprised to see them in again. I won't be this country is populated in the majority by people who vote FF. See sarumite's post as an example.

As an example of what? My post never stated I will vote for FF. If you gonna give the opposition parties a free ride on their failures, I will call you out on it. To suggest by doing so I am an FF'er takes an awful lot of imagination.

gbee

It is vitally important that people do NOT vote ANY FF as they WILL form part of the new government.

If we have any chance at a future, this just must not happen.

ilovesleep

gandalf wrote: »

Part of the problem here is voting for personalities. One of the great assets of being Irish is we are extremely social in nature. We value relationships with people. The drawback for us thought is with our politics. People will vote for a person they like even though they are connected to a party that has heaped nothing but inept leadership and total mismanagement upon the nation, a party that has diluted badly the sovereignty that was won by the blood of our forefathers.



This is the major problem with Politics in Ireland today. No one looks at the policies of parties, they look at the personalities and even worse they expect them to act like a jumped up county councillor and unfortunately the majority do. This happens to the detriment of national politics.



I believe we need to change our politics so people focus on policies and do not think that a TD is a super councillor and a TD is given the opportunity to concentrate on planning to ensure the country moves forward to the betterment of the majority of citizens.

You are so right here. My mam knows FF are corrupt to the bone. When talking about voting lately she would rather vote FF to have Mehole Martin as taoiseach, than vote FG and have Enda as taoiseach, or vote Labour to have Gilmore as taoiseach. There is no hope for this country when people like that are allowed to have a vote.

Laminations

sarumite wrote: »

As an example of what? My post never stated I will vote for FF. If you gonna give the opposition parties a free ride on their failures, I will call you out on it. To suggest by doing so I am an FF'er takes an awful lot of imagination.

But why is ruling out FF giving the opposition a free ride? People have been ruling out SF for various reasons for years (or many other monster raving looney parties) and still do. Do these people give the other parties a free ride? Removing FF from consideration does not mean you wont be considerate when assessing the qualities of the other parties

Are you saying that you shouldn't remove FF candidates from consideration?

OhNoYouDidn't

sarumite wrote: »

As an example of what? My post never stated I will vote for FF. If you gonna give the opposition parties a free ride on their failures, I will call you out on it. To suggest by doing so I am an FF'er takes an awful lot of imagination.

I have read this post a few times and it still doesn't make sense.

I cannot get my head around the idea that we shouldn't vote out an inept government because of opposition 'failures', whatever that means.

The benchmark isn't really the same...

sarumite

Laminations wrote: »

But why is ruling out FF giving the opposition a free ride? People have been ruling out SF for various reasons for years (or many other monster raving looney parties) and still do. Do these people give the other parties a free ride? Removing FF from consideration does not mean you wont be considerate when assessing the qualities of the other parties

Are you saying that you shouldn't remove FF candidates from consideration?

I think focusing on FF and ignoring the failures of the other parties is almost as counter productive as putting FF back into power. All politicians should be held accountable, not just FF. I refuse to reward and ineffective and failed opposition to punish an ineffective and failed government.

As to your question, I am sure there are some FF candidates who would better represent their constituents and the country than the alternative FG, Lab, SF etc candidate and vice versa.

Plazaman

Typed it before and will type it again, unless everyone gets out and votes (particularly the Under 30's who haven't emigrated) and forget the apathy bull, it'll be the fogies who vote back in FF again (because I always voted for them, my father voted for them, his father voted for them....)

Canvasser

the paranoia on display on here regarding fianna fáil is disturbing/hilarious. at the end of the day fianna fáil will be grand because in a lot of constituencies they are putting forward talented individuals for elections who will do the best job for their constituents compared to some of the nutters who declared in the last while.

Laminations

Canvasser wrote: »

talented individuals.....who will do the best job for their constituents

Does that include joining FF, and sticking with them while they wrecked the country. How is that the best for their constituents?

sollar

I won't be voting for them either.

I also can't get my head around this line they (and some journalists) are following where they demand FG and Lab present some sort of joint set of proposals. Why should they. By saying this are they really telling us that Fianna Fail have a hope of winning enough seats to govern themselves. They will not... even if FF do well they will have to go into coalation with someone.

So this rubbish micheal martin is presenting of its either FF or FG/Lab is just pure tripe. FF couldn't even win enough in 07 how the hell will they better that in 2011

rodento

Anyone who is I'm the public or civil service risks losing their jobs if FG get in, they have to vote FF to save em;)

BlaasForRafa

I think focusing on FF and ignoring the failures of the other parties is almost as counter productive as putting FF back into power. All politicians should be held accountable, not just FF. I refuse to reward and ineffective and failed opposition to punish an ineffective and failed government.

That is a typical Fianna Fail argument, in fact you could have taken that from one of Micheal Martins speeches over the weekend. Fianna Fail were in power, not FG or Lab and trying to spread the blame by saying stuff like "there was a consensus of political thought" is absolute crap. Its FF that were to blame and their crooked cronyist ways and saying otherwise is just pure deflection and dishonesty.

BlaasForRafa

Canvasser wrote: »

the paranoia on display on here regarding fianna fáil is disturbing/hilarious. at the end of the day fianna fáil will be grand because in a lot of constituencies they are putting forward talented individuals for elections who will do the best job for their constituents compared to some of the nutters who declared in the last while.

And you're canvassing for who exactly?

scientific1982

rodento wrote: »

Anyone who is I'm the public or civil service risks losing their jobs if FG get in, they have to vote FF to save em;)

Anyone who has a bit of loyalty for their country must do the opposite.

MrThrifty

Would like to think that nobody will vote FF in this election but unfortunately my better wisdom tells me otherwise. Actually, one thing that popped to mind now is a discussion following the last election (2007?) where I was talking after with friends who didn't want anything to do with FF but, because of the way the instructions on the ballot paper were put, they still gave them the last preferences! I always just put my numbered preferences on candidates from parties I wanted and left the FF ones blank. I presume this is correct?! If so, does it make any difference if people don't do this and give their last preferences to FF?

Addition: Sorry, just found relevant thread: http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056151463&highlight=preference+ballot+paper

hungrystudent

.10 or 12 years(cant remember) ridiculously high wages and feck all tax (read..I partied)
.Homeless policy bought me from the street to lovely flat for 26 euro a week (RAS scheme)
.Free life-saving rehab (God bless you Sister Consilio)
.Free dentures, glasses and well used medical card
.Free Bachelors degree complete with full grant and top up, BTEA ect.(3 years in and flying it)

Could probably think of a few more if I tried, anyway I dont vote, but if I did it would be rude of me not to vote FF.
Most of the ABFF brigade sound like spoilt little tiger cubs.

RachaelVO

We will all be surprised at the amount of votes the FF will actually get! I have NEVER voted FF in my life, but here's where the problem lies, people don't know anything about who stands for what, so in the ballot box they will just vote and give preference votes to a name they know, and that unfortunately will be FF.

It's voter apathy that will continue to keep Ireland in the sh1t! Unless people start wising up and taking more interest in what is going on both locally and nationally. We need to demand to know what the hell all our representatives are doing!

Unless the system changes FF will continue to dominate politics!

RandomName2

Jim236 wrote: »

I really can't get my head around this. Fianna Fáil have RUINED this country. They squandered away whatever money we made in the Celtic Tiger years and then bankrupt the country when the sh*t hit the fan. They produced some of the most corrupt politicians in the history of the state, and all are now retiring with pensions in the hundreds of thousands.

Yet they change their leader, and all of a sudden Fianna Fáil's support increases.

This is the most crucial election in the history of our country, so I'm begging anyone reading this - please don't buy into the FF bullsh*t and don't forget their actions over the last 14 years! This is our chance to finally get rid of the corrupt rot that is Fianna Fáil.

Vote Fine Gael, vote Labour, vote Sinn Féin, vote for Mick down the road, but please do NOT vote for Fianna Fáil. Our country is now bankrupt because of these cronies, and they should be treated like the traitors that they are.

Personally I would like Fianna Fail to be the main opposition party. :pac:

Killer Pigeon

OK guys, me and a few of my friends are organising a paintball militia against Fianna Fáil canvassers, we're based in North Dublin but we might be able to travel to other parts of Dublin. It doesn't matter what background you're from you just have to be very Anti-FF. Currently we're trying to find out dates/ times/ places where FF canvassers are canvassing. If you're interested just PM me for more info on how to join.

[/only joking but it would be a nice idea though]

gbee

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

[/only joking but it would be a nice idea though]

Basket! Yer almost had me PM, almost did not read the last bit!

Liam Byrne

scr123 wrote: »

Its truly amazing the amount of anti FF threads opened on message boards. Its clear as a whistle to me message boards are dominated 99% by ABFF brigade. At this stage the ABFF are talking to themselves on message boards. The rare FF saupporter like myself have to be on the alert all the time not to say something that will give the ABFF an excuse to have us shafted by the mods. Maybe its me who is the fool to even bother making the few posts I do

Some questions:

1) Do you not believe that that 99% is representative of the country ?

I would suggest that it is, considering that 86% want FF out, but that the other 13% is added on by the fact that people on boards such as this are the ones who are interested in politics and can see through the spin.

2) Do you not realise that the hatred is based on their actions and choices ?

It's not like we popped out of the womb and said "FF are a sickening disaster"; we've seen what they've done. It's disgraceful, disgusting and unacceptable.

Until you realise that you won't understand the hatred, and until you realise how badly FF have damaged the country, you won't be able to see why they are hated.

andrew cross

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Some questions:

1) Do you not believe that that 99% is representative of the country ?

I would suggest that it is, considering that 86% want FF out, but that the other 13% is added on by the fact that people on boards such as this are the ones who are interested in politics and can see through the spin.

2) Do you not realise that the hatred is based on their actions and choices ?

It's not like we popped out of the womb and said "FF are a sickening disaster"; we've seen what they've done. It's disgraceful, disgusting and unacceptable.

Until you realise that you won't understand the hatred, and until you realise how badly FF have damaged the country, you won't be able to see why they are hated.

the only problem liam ff will get their hardcore voters out, young people wont bother to vote, some of them f,failers will get back in, :eek:

scientific1982

hungrystudent wrote: »

.10 or 12 years(cant remember) ridiculously high wages and feck all tax (read..I partied)
.Homeless policy bought me from the street to lovely flat for 26 euro a week (RAS scheme)
.Free life-saving rehab (God bless you Sister Consilio)
.Free dentures, glasses and well used medical card
.Free Bachelors degree complete with full grant and top up, BTEA ect.(3 years in and flying it)

Could probably think of a few more if I tried, anyway I dont vote, but if I did it would be rude of me not to vote FF.
Most of the ABFF brigade sound like spoilt little tiger cubs.

All those freebies came from the Irish taxpayer, not FF. The next generation will not be so lucky because of the mess that party has created.

hungrystudent

scientific1982 wrote: »

All those freebies came from the Irish taxpayer, not FF. The next generation will not be so lucky because of the mess that party has created.

Sorry scientific, but all a direct outcome of FF policy.How could it happen any other way?Would it have happened in the US, dont think so, I would be left on the street to die or locked up for life for stealing three loaves of bread.
The next generation are filling the universities as we speak, in record numbers.Every year for the last 3 years FF have made the BTEA available to a wider section of the unemployed.When I applied I had to be unemployed for a year, now I think you can qualify after a few months, it didnt apply to people who had started a degree then dropped out, now it does.Part-time students get recognition in the student support system as well, which is new.Post-grad courses were also set to get better funding, dont know if that happened yet though.And thats just education.Hard as it might be to swallow, FF have a lot of sound policies that they put in to action.I'm not trying to suggest they didn't make a hames of the economy, but we live in a society, not an economy.I only spoke up because the tone of the ABFF is childish and uninformed.

hinault

scr123 wrote: »

Its truly amazing the amount of anti FF threads opened on message boards. Its clear as a whistle to me message boards are dominated 99% by ABFF brigade. At this stage the ABFF are talking to themselves on message boards. The rare FF saupporter like myself have to be on the alert all the time not to say something that will give the ABFF an excuse to have us shafted by the mods. Maybe its me who is the fool to even bother making the few posts I do

There are plenty of gombeens, sorry voters, on this site who will vote for FF.

And your claims of perceived bias on the part of the mods don't appear to hold water.
If they did this site wouldn't allow threads like this
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056162475

scientific1982

hungrystudent wrote: »

Sorry scientific, but all a direct outcome of FF policy.How could it happen any other way?Would it have happened in the US, dont think so, I would be left on the street to die or locked up for life for stealing three loaves of bread.
The next generation are filling the universities as we speak, in record numbers.Every year for the last 3 years FF have made the BTEA available to a wider section of the unemployed.When I applied I had to be unemployed for a year, now I think you can qualify after a few months, it didnt apply to people who had started a degree then dropped out, now it does.Part-time students get recognition in the student support system as well, which is new.Post-grad courses were also set to get better funding, dont know if that happened yet though.And thats just education.Hard as it might be to swallow, FF have a lot of sound policies that they put in to action.I'm not trying to suggest they didn't make a hames of the economy, but we live in a society, not an economy.I only spoke up because the tone of the ABFF is childish and uninformed.

All a direct outcome of a sound economy, which they which they inherited from the rain coalition. Who incidently, abolished university fees.

Fitzerb

ilovesleep wrote: »

You are so right here. My mam knows FF are corrupt to the bone. When talking about voting lately she would rather vote FF to have Mehole Martin as taoiseach, than vote FG and have Enda as taoiseach, or vote Labour to have Gilmore as taoiseach. There is no hope for this country when people like that are allowed to have a vote.

I am starting to think that people like that should not be allowed to have children

hungrystudent

scientific1982 wrote: »

All a direct outcome of a sound economy, which they which they inherited from the rain coalition. Who incidently, abolished university fees.

As I said, childish.

sarumite

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

That is a typical Fianna Fail argument, in fact you could have taken that from one of Micheal Martins speeches over the weekend. Fianna Fail were in power, not FG or Lab and trying to spread the blame by saying stuff like "there was a consensus of political thought" is absolute crap. Its FF that were to blame and their crooked cronyist ways and saying otherwise is just pure deflection and dishonesty.

Except I am not an FF'er having actually never voted for the FF candidate since in my constituency I don't think he is very good.

FG and Lab failed their constituents. If they could turn around and honestly say "I told you so" perhaps I would be willing to give them a free ride, but they can't so I won't....hell Lab's biggest complaint was that the government wasn't spending enough money.

CerebralCortex

hungrystudent wrote: »

.10 or 12 years(cant remember) ridiculously high wages and feck all tax (read..I partied)
.Homeless policy bought me from the street to lovely flat for 26 euro a week (RAS scheme)
.Free life-saving rehab (God bless you Sister Consilio)
.Free dentures, glasses and well used medical card
.Free Bachelors degree complete with full grant and top up, BTEA ect.(3 years in and flying it)

Could probably think of a few more if I tried, anyway I dont vote, but if I did it would be rude of me not to vote FF.
Most of the ABFF brigade sound like spoilt little tiger cubs.

So when you graduate and need a job will you be thanking them when you have to leave the country?

jmayo

sarumite wrote: »

I will vote for who I believe is the best candidate....whoever that may be. How people can give the opposition a free ride is beyond me. Politicians from all parties failed us.

Please tell us how the opposition failed in the same way as ff ?

Or do you reckon that the opposition should have had a coup to remove ff and prevent them from wrecking the country's economy ?

hungrystudent wrote: »

.10 or 12 years(cant remember) ridiculously high wages and feck all tax (read..I partied)

Ever think of saving for the future ?

hungrystudent wrote: »

.Homeless policy bought me from the street to lovely flat for 26 euro a week (RAS scheme)
.Free life-saving rehab (God bless you Sister Consilio)
.Free dentures, glasses and well used medical card
.Free Bachelors degree complete with full grant and top up, BTEA ect.(3 years in and flying it)

I would hope that after all the freebies you have received courtesy of us taxpayers that you would put the taxpayers first and not ff, but of course it appears that is too much to ask.

ff did not give you their money, they gave you OUR money.
Just remember that little point.

hungrystudent wrote: »

Could probably think of a few more if I tried, anyway I dont vote, but if I did it would be rude of me not to vote FF.
Most of the ABFF brigade sound like spoilt little tiger cubs.

No sunshine it sounds like it is you that is spoilt.
You admit you partied and had a good time during the good times, then you get to live off the taxpayer for the next few years.
You have gotten a second chance, you have gotten a free education and I hope that for your sake and our sake you use it well.
A start would be to vote out the party that has sunk this country rather than making a joke out of it.

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

OK guys, me and a few of my friends are organising a paintball militia against Fianna Fáil canvassers, we're based in North Dublin but we might be able to travel to other parts of Dublin. It doesn't matter what background you're from you just have to be very Anti-FF. Currently we're trying to find out dates/ times/ places where FF canvassers are canvassing. If you're interested just PM me for more info on how to join.

[/only joking but it would be a nice idea though]

So if you are not going to use the paintball guns can we ?
What ??

You have to have something once the real cartridges run out.

PS mods this may be a joke and I would never extort the use of violence

steve9859

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

That is a typical Fianna Fail argument, in fact you could have taken that from one of Micheal Martins speeches over the weekend. Fianna Fail were in power, not FG or Lab and trying to spread the blame by saying stuff like "there was a consensus of political thought" is absolute crap. Its FF that were to blame and their crooked cronyist ways and saying otherwise is just pure deflection and dishonesty.

But FG's stated policies in opposition would have made the boom bigger, and therefore the bust deeper. In your hatred of FF, you conveniently forget that and therefore give FG a free ride.

I think it is acceptable to infer from the stated policy of an opposition party, what they would have done had they been in Government. Otherwise what the hell is the point of an opposition.

The fact is that there WAS a 'consensus of political thought!' No major party argued against FF policy from 2002 to 2007. Was that not the job of Enda? Your post suggests that opposition need not turn up to the Dail between elections as you completely have discounted their stated policies

You've got to look through the election soundbites if you are going to be informed

And I am not saying I am voting for FF. But I havent discounted them either. Am looking at policy going forward - not a punishment vote.

Scotty #

I really can't get my head around this. Fianna Fáil have RUINED this country. They squandered away whatever money we made in the Celtic Tiger years and then bankrupt the country when the sh*t hit the fan. They produced some of the most corrupt politicians in the history of the state, and all are now retiring with pensions in the hundreds of thousands.

Do you honestly believe that none of this would have happened if any other party had been in charge?

Unfortunately, for a fairly non-political person like me, there is no party different enough from FF that really sticks out and makes me thinks yea, they will fix it!

That doesn't mean I will be voting FF. I just wish there were better alternatives.

mickoneill30

sarumite wrote: »

Except I am not an FF'er having actually never voted for the FF candidate since in my constituency I don't think he is very good.

FG and Lab failed their constituents. If they could turn around and honestly say "I told you so" perhaps I would be willing to give them a free ride, but they can't so I won't....hell Lab's biggest complaint was that the government wasn't spending enough money.

That's my problem too. I absolutely won't be voting FF. Who then? During the boom times the opposition were always saying the budgets weren't generous enough.
I was in Australia for the first half of the last decade. I remember when I came back no matter who the government tried to tax the buzzword of the day was "the vulnerable". Everybody was bleeding vulnerable apparently depending on which bit of the opposition you listen to.

I'm leaning towards FG but Enda & Gilmore are rabbiting on about renegotiating the IMF deal. This is just pandering to the people who don't know any better. That's the kind of ****e we need to get away from. I would give my vote tomorrow to a politician who told me the truth, even if the truth isn't what I want to hear.

Then we go down to Socialists & SF. I just can't bring myself to ever vote for them (not that they ever seem to make any sense anyway).

At the moment FG are my least worst but I hate having to vote like that. I'd like the party that leads the country to be inspiring, not to be the least worst. I think the system is broken.

sarumite

jmayo wrote: »

Please tell us how the opposition failed in the same way as ff ?

Or do you reckon that the opposition should have had a coup to remove ff and prevent them from wrecking the country's economy ?

They failed as the opposition in as much as FF failed as the government. FG and Lab can hardly look in their constituents face and say "I did the best I could at representing your interest".

Our economy is wrecked for many reason....not just the failures of our politicians. Politicians did not make banks loan wrecklessly, they did not make people take out excessive mortagages for box apartments or force developers to build more houses than the country needs. Nobody (opposition included) complained about expenditure, except those that thought it wasn't enough. I don't remember anyone complaining about the SSIA, I don't remember unions complaining about benchmarking or social organisations complaining about increased expenditure on items directed towardst the "vulnerable in society". I do remember the same people who now demonize FF claim they were the greatest thing since sliced bread during the Bertie boom. I didn't follow that myopic populist rhetoric back then and I am not going to follow populist rhetoric now.

steve9859

jmayo wrote: »

Please tell us how the opposition failed in the same way as ff ?

Or do you reckon that the opposition should have had a coup to remove ff and prevent them from wrecking the country's economy ?

Hmmmmm.........are you serious? Maybe before staging a coup, they could have started by telling their constituents that they disagreed with FF policy. And suggesting an alternative set of policies? Is that not their job?

(but of course they didnt disagree with FF policy during the boom, except that they wanted even more money splashed around)

I just think everything that comes out of the mouths of Kenny and Gilmore right now is a bit rich considering their performance in opposition

Maj Malfunction

steve9859 wrote: »

I just think everything that comes out of the mouths of Kenny and Gilmore right now is a bit rich considering their performance in opposition

Given that FF couldn't be bothered to tell their coalition partners the Greens what was going on I'm not surprised that FF & Labour performance was below par when FF won't release budgetary figures and economic data the like.