LABOUR is the only viable alternative to the 2 sided FF/FG coin

Colours

I'm voting Labour because it is the only party which can offer a different and empowering perspective for our country and bring about real change to the ruling status quo of hypocrisy, double standards and wanton greed which has ruled Ireland in the guise of Fianna Fáil for over a decade. And I regard Fine Gael as virtually identical to Fianna Fáil in its mindset, outlook and ideals so I don't see how having a new government, which is basically of the same mould as the outgoing one except that the faces are different, can really effect proper change and reform.

I see Labour as the only viable alternative to the jaded FF/FG Punch and Judy show which has been played out in our country for too long. And this piece of theatre has not been staged to serve the interests of the Irish people, but to pander to a cosy cartel of vulgar and self serving property developers and bankers. I think that Labour is the only left of centre party that has sound policies and principles and that has the genuine potential to implement them from within the political framework that currently exists. That, in my opinion, is why Labour has separated itself from the Left Alliance because the latter is just too out there to really have the political clobber to follow through on their manifestos within the current system in place.

I've just finished reading Fintan O'Toole's book Ship Of Fools which I would highly recommend that every Irish citizen reads, as it explains and itemises all the disgraceful deals made between influential Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael politicians with developers and bankers over the last few decades where their sole aim was to line their own pockets and those of their buddies who make up the cosy golden circle who have pretty much dragged the country to the current state it is in. A contributory factor that has enabled this to persist for so long is that the Irish people possess a certain apathy to the ruling status quo where they know that they are corrupt and yet they don't think they can do anything about it because it has been like this for so long. And let's be clear - Ireland is extremely corrupt in how it has been governed up to now.

In the last chapter Fintan O'Toole concludes that the only way out of this corrupt system is to form a "Second Republic", where there is proper reform and a new political system is established where elected politicians are accountable to their electorate and where they are bound to act within the bounds of ethics and the law and where those who earn the most, contribute the most in tax to help run the country.

Lastly, I think it will be an embarrassment for the country to have Enda Kenny as its leader given his inadequacy in debating and arguing his position on behalf of the country in the political forum in Ireland and beyond in Europe and the world. His hesitant unconvincing way of speaking gives the uneasy impression that he won't be capable of finishing his sentence and puts him in the same category of bumbling politicians as George W Bush and Dan Quayle. Do we as a nation really need any more reason to be the laughing stock of Europe?? Quentin Fottrell on today's Marian Finucane show reflected my sentiments on Enda when he said that he thought it showed a lack if respect to the voting public and to the other 2 participants Eamon Gilmore and Micheal Martin when he reused to take part in the 3-way party leader debate on TV3 2 weeks ago.

This is another reason why I'm waving the flag for Eamon Gilmore as he actually sounds like he knows what he's talking about and would make a better ambassador for our country to the world.

liveline

Colours wrote: »

I'm voting Labour because it is the only party which can offer a different and empowering perspective for our country and bring about real change to the ruling status quo of hypocrisy, double standards and wanton greed which has ruled Ireland in the guise of Fianna Fáil for over a decade. And I regard Fine Gael as virtually identical to Fianna Fáil in its mindset, outlook and ideals so I don't see how having a new government, which is basically of the same mould as the outgoing one except that the faces are different, can really effect proper change and reform.

I see Labour as the only viable alternative to the jaded FF/FG Punch and Judy show which has been played out in our country for too long. And this piece of theatre has not been staged to serve the interests of the Irish people, but to pander to a cosy cartel of vulgar and self serving property developers and bankers. I think that Labour is the only left of centre party that has sound policies and principles and that has the genuine potential to implement them from within the political framework that currently exists. That, in my opinion, is why Labour has separated itself from the Left Alliance because the latter is just too out there to really have the political clobber to follow through on their manifestos within the current system in place.

I've just finished reading Fintan O'Toole's book Ship Of Fools which I would highly recommend that every Irish citizen reads, as it explains and itemises all the disgraceful deals made between influential Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael politicians with developers and bankers over the last few decades where their sole aim was to line their own pockets and those of their buddies who make up the cosy golden circle who have pretty much dragged the country to the current state it is in. A contributory factor that has enabled this to persist for so long is that the Irish people possess a certain apathy to the ruling status quo where they know that they are corrupt and yet they don't think they can do anything about it because it has been like this for so long. And let's be clear - Ireland is extremely corrupt in how it has been governed up to now.

In the last chapter Fintan O'Toole concludes that the only way out of this corrupt system is to form a "Second Republic", where there is proper reform and a new political system is established where elected politicians are accountable to their electorate and where they are bound to act within the bounds of ethics and the law and where those who earn the most, contribute the most in tax to help run the country.

Lastly, I think it will be an embarrassment for the country to have Enda Kenny as its leader given his inadequacy in debating and arguing his position on behalf of the country in the political forum in Ireland and beyond in Europe and the world. His hesitant unconvincing way of speaking gives the uneasy impression that he won't be capable of finishing his sentence and puts him in the same category of bumbling politicians as George W Bush and Dan Quayle. Do we as a nation really need any more reason to be the laughing stock of Europe?? Quentin Fottrell on today's Marian Finucane show reflected my sentiments on Enda when he said that he thought it showed a lack if respect to the voting public and to the other 2 participants Eamon Gilmore and Micheal Martin when he reused to take part in the 3-way party leader debate on TV3 2 weeks ago.

This is another reason why I'm waving the flag for Eamon Gilmore as he actually sounds like he knows what he's talking about and would make a better ambassador for our country to the world.

Labour are the trade union party. They're more interested in protecting privileged public sector workers and fat cat trade unionists, than they are at sorting out the mess caused by FF, the bankers and trade unionists. Until Labour break links with the unions, a vote for Labour is a vote for much of the same.

Pal

I want to see a one party government and Labour don't offer me that.

So thanks but no thanks to your viable alternative.

srsly78

Labour want to rob me and give to the public sector, they can feck right off tbh.

Killer Pigeon

liveline wrote: »

Labour are the trade union party. They're more interested in protecting privileged public sector workers and fat cat trade unionists, than they are at sorting out the mess caused by FF, the bankers and trade unionists. Until Labour break links with the unions, a vote for Labour is a vote for much of the same.

Ever hear of Private sector Unions?

liveline

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

Ever hear of Private sector Unions?

Of course, what's your point?

Killer Pigeon

liveline wrote: »

Of course, what's your point?

My point is that Labour also have connection to Private Sector Unions, so why do you think that they are biased and only care about the Public Sector?

yeahme

Sorry colours to the mast, but you whole argument has not convinced me one bit.

I'm still going to vote FG 123456789 on the ballot sheet.

No other party or inddependent is going on that list because for the first time I want a single government in charge with the power to make the NECESSARY cuts as they see fit which will HOPEFULLY make us a productive country again. And also get rid of the scourge of Parish Pump politics.

Liam Byrne

yeahme wrote: »

Sorry colours to the mast, but you whole argument has not convinced me one bit.

I'm still going to vote FG 123456789 on the ballot sheet.

No other party or inddependent is going on that list because for the first time I want a single government in charge with the power to make the NECESSARY cuts as they see fit which will HOPEFULLY make us a productive country again. And also get rid of the scourge of Parish Pump politics.

And why are they NECESSARY? And why weren't they done over the last 14 years?

yeahme

Liam Byrne wrote: »

And why are they NECESSARY? And why weren't they done over the last 14 years?

Too busy filling their own troughs first Liam, too busy filling their own troughs
:(shakes head)

I never ever want to see a FFAILure government again in my lifetime.
Simple.

Maybe sunday independent/fox news will be changing their FG bashing from now on?




if they had nine candidates then I would gladly. I just wanted to write 123456789 now I'm adding the zero. 0

Liam Byrne

yeahme wrote: »

Too busy filling their own troughs first Liam, too busy filling their own troughs
:(shakes head)

I never ever want to see a FFAILure government again in my lifetime.
Simple.

Maybe sunday independent/fox news will be changing their FG bashing from now on?

Agree with you on that much, but FG is looking to pick my pocket even more to pay the mortgages of people who fell for Bertie's spin.

I cannot and will not vote for them while that is on the cards, and it's annoying that it came to light after their canvassers had been.

At this stage I haven't a clue who to vote for, with the only certainty that it won't be FF or SF, but I'll now have to vote strategically against FG too, due to that sickening proposal.

mohawk

Liam Byrne wrote: »

And why are they NECESSARY? And why weren't they done over the last 14 years?

Cuts work. They tried to tax their way out of the 80's and it didn't work. Cuts on the otherhand helped stabilse the finances of the state. If you can point out one example of taxing you way out of recession without cuts to spending then I can consider labour.

I just can't see labour getting tough with the unions. Trade unions are part of the problem.

I don't agree with all FG proposals but they seem to have a plan and I like a man with a plan. Enda seems like a good manager and has good people around him. Bertie was seem as a great leader and where did that get us??

Colours

yeahme wrote: »

Sorry colours to the mast, but you whole argument has not convinced me one bit.

Yeahme, could you elaborate on which parts didn't convince you? Actually my post wasn't to convince anyone else but to explain the reasons why I myself am voting Labour in the upcoming election.

On the subject of Labour being hand in hand with the Trade Unions, I can only say that this has no bearing for me as I work in the private sector as an "agency worker" for a globally renowned multinational corporation which forbids its employees - permanent and contractor alike - from being members of any unions. This means that I am supplied by a contracting / recruitment agency to this corporation on a rolling 6 month contract which gets renewed every half year ad infinitum. There is zero job security for myself and my colleagues; regardless of whether you have worked there for 10-20 years, the company can let you go with no proper explanation. There is an EU law to stamp out this kind of exploitation whereby a company is obliged to make an employee permanent after they have been in full employment with the company for the last 6-12 months. Only 3 member states have declined to adopt this directive and they are Ireland, UK and Hungary. This means that contracting agencies have a thriving business going on in Ireland - in fact there are more than 250 recruitment agencies in operation in Ireland today to exploit and pimp workers like me to global corporations for a big fat profit. The recruitment agency which supplies me is the largest in Ireland and made a 33% profit last year, yet myself and my fellow contractors took a pay cut and have been taking on an enormous extra load of work due to the "current climate". Again Labour is the only company that is likely to address this exploitation and stand up for ALL WORKERS.

Inquitus

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

If you tolerate Fine Gael, then your children will be next;

Thats bollox, if Lab get in they will take money out of my kids pockets to keep the bloated public sector gravy train flowing. I'll be voting FG 1&2 FF 3&4 G 5 and thats that.

Pal

Colours wrote: »

Again Labour is the only company that is likely to address this exploitation and stand up for ALL WORKERS.

They will in their hole!

Its FG 1 and 2 for me too. Then FF.

Labour and its vested interests.
Never ever.

stumpypeeps

As long as Labour continue to be funded by the trade unions they will not receive any preferences from me apart from the last.

FG will receive my backing this time out, despite have FF traditions. I'd hope a solid single party government, uninhibited by Jack O'Connor and David Begg.

Killer Pigeon

Inquitus wrote: »

Thats bollox, if Lab get in they will take money out of my kids pockets to keep the bloated public sector gravy train flowing. I'll be voting FG 1&2 FF 3&4 G 5 and thats that.

Lol, how do you expect FG to bring about 30,000 voluntary redundancies in the Public Sector? And where are they going to get the money for all those redundancy packages? Lol, don't make me laugh. I think FG made this figure to motivate disgruntled Private Sector workers to vote for them. The 18,000 that Labour purpose is closer to the realistic figure - and that's from the top, not front-line services.

Also, if you're intending to send your kids to college, note that Labour does not want to introduce any sort of fees. And further to that, Labour don't want to cut child benefit.

Killer Pigeon

stumpypeeps wrote: »

As long as Labour continue to be funded by the trade unions they will not receive any preferences from me apart from the last.

FG will receive my backing this time out, despite have FF traditions. I'd hope a solid single party government, uninhibited by Jack O'Connor and David Begg.

4% of labour's funding comes from Unions, big woop.

Did you vote for FF in 2007 when you knew about the property developers connections to Bertie & Co. ?

Inquitus

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

Lol, how do you expect FG to bring about 30,000 voluntary redundancies in the Public Sector? And where are they going to get the money for all those redundancy packages? Lol, don't make me laugh. I think FG made this figure to motivate disgruntled Private Sector workers to vote them. The 18,000 that Labour purpose is closer to the realistic figure - and that's from the top, not front-line services.

Also, if you're intending to send your kids to college, note that Labour does not want to introduce any sort of fees. And further to that, Labour don't want to cut child benefit.

Lab have no coherent economic policy. The country is buggered, we need to cut welfare, cut PS pay and cut my child benefit. Yes the future is going to be painful, but in the end it will be far worse if we let the likes of Labour near the helm.

bmaxi

yeahme wrote: »

Sorry colours to the mast, but you whole argument has not convinced me one bit.

I'm still going to vote FG 123456789 on the ballot sheet.

No other party or inddependent is going on that list because for the first time I want a single government in charge with the power to make the NECESSARY cuts as they see fit which will HOPEFULLY make us a productive country again. And also get rid of the scourge of Parish Pump politics.

There are those of us who have seen single party government and it wasn't a pretty sight. At least with coalitions you have one lot of crooks making sure the other lot of crooks don't take all the cream.

Colours

stumpypeeps wrote: »

FG will receive my backing this time out, despite have FF traditions.

Stumpypeeps with respect that is one sentiment which really irks me - ie, the one which says "my family have voted FF/FG since year zero so I therefore vote likewise too."

Why can't you think for yourself and make an informed decision based on the policy documents of the parties instead of being so brainless?

Chucky the tree

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

Lol, how do you expect FG to bring about 30,000 voluntary redundancies in the Public Sector? And where are they going to get the money for all those redundancy packages? Lol, don't make me laugh. I think FG made this figure to motivate disgruntled Private Sector workers to vote for them. The 18,000 that Labour purpose is closer to the realistic figure - and that's from the top, not front-line services.

Also, if you're intending to send your kids to college, note that Labour does not want to introduce any sort of fees. And further to that, Labour don't want to cut child benefit.

I don't, I expect and hope a good few of those 30,000 will be forced out.

Killer Pigeon

Inquitus wrote: »

Lab have no coherent economic policy. The country is buggered, we need to cut welfare, cut PS pay and cut my child benefit. Yes the future is going to be painful, but in the end it will be far worse if we let the likes of Labour near the helm.

Have you read their manifesto?

stumpypeeps

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

4% of labour's funding comes from Unions, big woop.

Did you vote for FF in 2007 when you knew about the property developers connections to Bertie & Co. ?

Must admit to being surprised by that figure of 4%. How and ever, the fact that both O'Connor and Begg are publicly endorsing Labour only further entrenches my view.

As for voting for FF, I thought in 2007, they represented the safest pair of hands. So did a large section of the public.

stumpypeeps

Colours wrote: »

Stumpypeeps with respect that is one sentiment which really irks me - ie, the one which says "my family have voted FF/FG since year zero so I therefore vote likewise too."

Why can't you think for yourself and make an informed decision based on the policy documents of the parties instead of being so brainless?

Its a little presumptuous of you to suggest I haven't based my decision on the policies of the parties. Your assertion that I'm being brainless is merely due to the fact I haven't reached the same conclusions as you.

Killer Pigeon

sligopark wrote: »

wrong - Sinn Fein - new irish labour are still willing to force the Irish electorate to pay for bankster/elite gambling debts

Hold on, you favour default? How do you expect Irish go borrow in the future? How do you expect Ireland to continue to pay for front line services, or public projects? You favour burning the bondholders when half of the bondholders reside in Ireland.

Argentina tried default and the only country they could borrow from was Venezuela under Hugo Chávez.

Colours

sligopark wrote: »

wrong - Sinn Fein - new irish labour are still willing to force the Irish electorate to pay for bankster/elite gambling debts

Sligopark, I said I'm voting Labour, not Sinn Féin. What Sinn Féin are proposing is actually frightening. I'd prefer FF back in again than to see Sinn Féin in power who would run the country completely into the ground. I also don't support a party that condoned the murders and violance they had a part in in the past.

stumpypeeps

Colours wrote: »

Sligopark, I said I'm voting Labour, not Sinn Féin. What Sinn Féin are proposing is actually frightening. I'd prefer FF back in again than to see Sinn Féin in power who would run the country completely into the ground. I also don't support a party that condoned the murders and violance they had a part in in the past.

If you read through the policies of FF, FG and Lab, there isn't any remarkable differences in any of them, aside from FG's health plan.

In my mind so much of government is reactionary. Therefore I have tended to vote for the party which to me seems to have the most competence. In the hope that the people responsible are the better equipped to deal with problems than any alternatives.

At the moment I'd place that trust in a single party FG government. I think Labour would present huge obstacles in any attempt to reform the public sector, which at the moment is crippling the country.

Colours

stumpypeeps wrote: »

Its a little presumptuous of you to suggest I haven't based my decision on the policies of the parties. Your assertion that I'm being brainless is merely due to the fact I haven't reached the same conclusions as you.

Stumpypeeps you said that you will be voting FG despite coming from a "FF tradition" which basically means that you might consider going against how you've been "brought up" to vote by your Fianna Fáil leaning family by voting for their political twin FG instead and that is why I'm suggesting you are brainless based on what you said yourself.

Rosahane

Colours wrote: »

Yeahme, could you elaborate on which parts didn't convince you? Actually my post wasn't to convince anyone else but to explain the reasons why I myself am voting Labour in the upcoming election.

On the subject of Labour being hand in hand with the Trade Unions, I can only say that this has no bearing for me as I work in the private sector as an "agency worker" for a globally renowned multinational corporation which forbids its employees - permanent and contractor alike - from being members of any unions. This means that I am supplied by a contracting / recruitment agency to this corporation on a rolling 6 month contract which gets renewed every half year ad infinitum. There is zero job security for myself and my colleagues; regardless of whether you have worked there for 10-20 years, the company can let you go with no proper explanation. There is an EU law to stamp out this kind of exploitation whereby a company is obliged to make an employee permanent after they have been in full employment with the company for the last 6-12 months. Only 3 member states have declined to adopt this directive and they are Ireland, UK and Hungary. This means that contracting agencies have a thriving business going on in Ireland - in fact there are more than 250 recruitment agencies in operation in Ireland today to exploit and pimp workers like me to global corporations for a big fat profit. The recruitment agency which supplies me is the largest in Ireland and made a 33% profit last year, yet myself and my fellow contractors took a pay cut and have been taking on an enormous extra load of work due to the "current climate". Again Labour is the only company that is likely to address this exploitation and stand up for ALL WORKERS.

I really symphatise with your position. This is the situation with many employers in the state. However, I disagree with your arrestion that Labour or the unions will do anything for you.

I find that the Unions only work on behalf of, and represent the members of their OWN union - and actually that representation is often subsidairy to their objective of working on behalf of their own union hierarchy. They have no interest in representing workers who don't pay the union dues to that union. Otherwise your situation wouldn't continue!
Similarily the Labour Party have displayed a regrettable tendancy, while in Gov, to work on behalf of the sectional union membership and not the national workforce as a whole. In common with the Union management, the Labour leadership have shown themselves to be inordinately keen on the trappings of power when they can aspire to them. Ever hear of the "Champagne Socialists"?

stumpypeeps

Colours wrote: »

Stumpypeeps you said that you will be voting FG despite coming from a "FF tradition" which basically means that you might consider going against how you've been "brought up" to vote by your Fianna Fáil leaning family by voting for their political twin FG instead and that is why I'm suggesting you are brainless based on what you said yourself.

So I come from a FF tradition, so the only way I can rid myself of my stupidity is to vote for Labour? Otherwise I'm a mindless drone.

Colours

Rosahane, I'm saying that Labour are the only party that is likely to stand up for workers like me and workers in general who are being exploited or otherwise undermined. FF and FG couldn't care less about addressing the rights of riff raff workers like me if it means rocking the boats of these big global corporations even though in the company I work in, it has not affected the company's presence in these other EU states where my counterparts there have been properly recognised by the company as full employees because as is only proper and also as it is the LAW there.

HarryPotter41

stumpypeeps wrote: »

Its a little presumptuous of you to suggest I haven't based my decision on the policies of the parties. Your assertion that I'm being brainless is merely due to the fact I haven't reached the same conclusions as you.

You find that a lot in here stumpy, if you have a different point of view to someone your an idiot/fool/brainless...delete as appropriate.

Eliot Rosewater

Obviously some users need to be reminded that this is the Politics froum and not After Hours. Silly posts deleted.

/mod.

Rosahane

Colours wrote: »

Rosahane, I'm saying that Labour are the only party that is likely to stand up for workers like me and workers in general who are being exploited or otherwise undermined. FF and FG couldn't care less about addressing the rights of riff raff workers like me if it means rocking the boats of these big global corporations even though in the company I work in, it has not affected the company's presence in these other EU states where my counterparts there have been properly recognised by the company as full employees because as is only proper and also as it is the LAW there.

I don't agree with you there. I don't think Labour have performed any better in championing workers rights than any of the other parties. As far as I can see the only difference to the other parties is that the Union leaderships have a direct line into the Labour leadership and they they only act on these specific issues. And, as I have said before these issues are always specific to a particular union.,

Other than that I's say the record of the FG is pretty equal given the relative amounts of time they have been in power - usually with the Labour Party in Coalition. I agree that given FF have been in power for about 65 of the past 80 years their record is abysmal, but then they always have represented the people who fund them.

irishh_bob

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

4% of labour's funding comes from Unions, big woop.

Did you vote for FF in 2007 when you knew about the property developers connections to Bertie & Co. ?

or bertie and cowens fawning over the unions for over ten years for that matter

johnnyskeleton

I think the reality for most people is that there isn't a single party that is worth actually voting for.

At best, it is a case of picking the least worst option. At present, it seems that the argument is crystalising into whether this is a single party FG government or a FG/Labour coalition.

Overall, I think that FG probably peaked too soon and there will be a swing back to Labour because people don't want a single party government and want to have a government of FG and Labour who will hopefully keep each other honest.

irishh_bob

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

I think the reality for most people is that there isn't a single party that is worth actually voting for.

At best, it is a case of picking the least worst option. At present, it seems that the argument is crystalising into whether this is a single party FG government or a FG/Labour coalition.

Overall, I think that FG probably peaked too soon and there will be a swing back to Labour because people don't want a single party government and want to have a government of FG and Labour who will hopefully keep each other honest.

strange as it may sound , im not entirely convinced that fine gael ( apart from leo perhaps ) want an overall majority , irish goverments like coalitons as each party can use the other side as a mud guard when defending unpopulr descisions at election time , fianna fail managed to blame the PD,s for everything in election 2007

johnnyskeleton

irishh_bob wrote: »

strange as it may sound , im not entirely convinced that fine gael ( apart from leo perhaps ) want an overall majority , irish goverments like coalitons as each party can use the other side as a mud guard when defending unpopulr descisions at election time , fianna fail managed to blame the PD,s for everything in election 2007

To be honest, I don't think any of the politicians want to win. Whoever is in government is taking on a poisoned chalice.

Colours

Focusing on cuts in the public sector and the apparent influence of the unions only serves to distract from the much more serious and pressing problem which is that the country is in massive debt and has been landed in this situation due to the cronyism and cosy cartels between key Fíanna Fáilers like Bertie Ahern and his banker buddies Sean Fitzpatrick and Adrian Fingelton who gambled with billions of euro on developments and land re-zoning that is now worth a fraction of what it was within the bubble.

Bertie and his Fianna Fáil cronies had an incestuous relationship with bankers and developers who were all in it for themselves and their small vested interests and the Financial Regulator did sweet F.A. to intervene while these cowboys carried on with their shenanigans almost directly under the Regulator's nose.

Sean Fitzpatrick and his ilk got high on their financial rampage and when they crashed it was down to the Irish tax payer to clean up the mess by injecting cash into the bank on such a massive scale as to be hard to comprehend. And by the way the serving Fianna Fáil government who made the insane decision to guarantee the zombie Anglo Irish Bank didn't even have to do this because Anglo Irish Bank was never really a proper bank for starters, being more like a casino for the fat cat vulgar property developers to dip into. David McWilliams has surmised that the only explanation which makes any sense as to why Fianna Fail forced the Irish people to bail out this loose cannon of a bank is simply because they felt compelled to do so out a sense of obligation to their close friends in Anglo Irish Bank. Or - to use the Bertie buzz word - their buddies in Anglo needed a "dig-out".

So channeling all the public anger out there into the public sector and saying that they are to blame for all of this and that cuts made here will solve the problem is absurd and a complete smokescreen.

Lame Lantern

The only true "mold-breaker" on Friday will be a result that returns Labour as the largest party.

That said, the fact that they would be "the most different" doesn't mean they'd have the best policies.

Lame Lantern

Interestingly, Labour's failure in this election is because they approached this election like every Irish political party has approached a general election in the last thirty years.

Their strategy should have been to hold huge cult-of-personality rallies, slap Gilmore's face on every single piece of material with the words "Taoiseach" and "change" next to it (instead of the sad looking 'Gilmore for Taoiseach' posters on one in every 200 signposts). They shouldn't have made a big deal over their policy publications, they should have had Gilmore deliver huge, vacuous Obama-esque speeches at large events attended by more members of the public than of the press.

Instead, they did what every politician has done and had Gilmore shake hands with people in shopping centres and used their air time to talk about targeted deficit reduction. They played it safe as if they were the front runners instead of putting on a show like true dark horse candidates. They're more traditional than you might think.

liveline

Lame Lantern wrote: »

Interestingly, Labour's failure in this election is because they approached this election like every Irish political party has approached a general election in the last thirty years.

Their strategy should have been to hold huge cult-of-personality rallies, slap Gilmore's face on every single piece of material with the words "Taoiseach" and "change" next to it (instead of the sad looking 'Gilmore for Taoiseach' posters on one in every 200 signposts). They shouldn't have made a big deal over their policy publications, they should have had Gilmore deliver huge, vacuous Obama-esque speeches at large events attended by more members of the public than of the press.

Instead, they did what every politician has done and had Gilmore shake hands with people in shopping centres and used their air time to talk about targeted deficit reduction. They played it safe as if they were the front runners instead of putting on a show like true dark horse candidates. They're more traditional than you might think.

There are loads of Labour posters around the place with just Gilmore's face on it and some expression written on it in Irish. I have no idea what it means. I'd say a lot of other people haven't a clue either. Does anyone know what I'm talking about and what does it mean?

breezy1985

im sick of everyone giving out about unions.i know there not perfect but take them away and your see how fast the worker will be screwed.

As a member of an ununionised occupation i know this all too well

boyle betty 1957

lab told us voting yes to lisbon is voting yes to jobs etc lies were is my sovereignty?
it belongs to a bank in europe
along with ff fg ,lab should be done for treason

Dwellingdweller

'viable' is subjective..

Dwellingdweller

boyle betty 1957 wrote: »

lab told us voting yes to lisbon is voting yes to jobs etc lies were is my sovereignty?
it belongs to a bank in europe
along with ff fg ,lab should be done for treason

treason against who though?

boyle betty 1957

breezy1985 wrote: »

im sick of everyone giving out about unions.i know there not perfect but take them away and your see how fast the worker will be screwed.

As a member of an ununionised occupation i know this all too well

unions can be great,but their top men are in bed with the government who are in turn in bed with the bankers.what did adams say.a vote for sinn fein is avote againts these golden circles

liveline

breezy1985 wrote: »

im sick of everyone giving out about unions.i know there not perfect but take them away and your see how fast the worker will be screwed.

As a member of an ununionised occupation i know this all too well

I've worked for a unionised company and a non-unionised one. In the unionised one, there was an awful divide between management and staff. Everytime there was any change proposed the shop steward would call in a union rep. I noticed that usually those who cling to the unions the most are the laziest and most incompetent.

Where I work now isn't unionised. Its a large multinational. If I have a problem, I go straight to management. In the last few months, two staff members in my department were let go because they were basically crap at their job. If that had happened in the unionised place I worked, the union would probably have tried getting everyone to go on strike. Unfortunately unions usually look out for the lowest common denominator. The encourage a militant culture. I'm not saying they do no good work. I'm sure they do. But I think Jim Larkin would be turning in his grave if he could see the Fat Cat trade unionists bleeding the country dry. I'm sick to death of trade unionists vilifying the self-employed too. There are lots of decent employers out there who work damn hard.

taibhse1966

boyle betty 1957 wrote: »

lab told us voting yes to lisbon is voting yes to jobs etc lies were is my sovereignty?
it belongs to a bank in europe
along with ff fg ,lab should be done for treason

Yes to Lisbon for jobs without the knowledge of the fukkery that FF had going on at the time with the banks, developers etc.

Labour did not vote for the blanket bank guarantee but SF did so ask SF where is your sovereignty - SF rhetoric, undeliverable promises etc. - SF leadership must think people are stupid "We will reverse the cuts" - how? Gob****es.

I really despair about Irish people'[s ability to grasp the facts instead of getting caught up in party political bull**** during the most important election in the country's history.