The latest cynical Fianna Fail u-turn:abortion

John DoeReMi

In a world of constant change, one thing remains reassuringly consistent: Fianna Fail’s total lack of anything approaching principles, ideals, ideology or beliefs. As a party they only stand for one thing – take power and cling on to it by any means necessary. In the last 40 years they have destroyed the country’s economy twice with the only economic “policy” they have – throw money at everyone to buy votes and keep doing that until the economy crashes and burns. As far as the other burning issues of the day are concerned, their strategy is simple: avoid adopting any position if it risks alienating any of the voters. Lie, spoof and evade the question wherever possible. Thus we have a party who can sign an agreement with the Troika to introduce water charges and, once out of power, can then pretend to be opposed to water charges without the slightest hint of embarrassment.

The latest flip flop of course is on abortion. A recent survey of TD’s showed that Fianna Fail are alone in opposing any change to the current position. Seeing which way the wind is blowing, Micheal Martin is now panicking and has decided that they’d better at least pretend to be a liberal, progressive party as opposed to what they really are: backward reactionaries who have sided with the child rapists of the Catholic Church on every single social issue of the last 40 years.

For those of us who want to see Ireland maintain a stable economy and continue to develop as a modern nation, these recent developments are great news. Hopefully Fianna Fail will now tear itself apart and be sufficiently weakened to fight a strong campaign at the next election. They will, of course, go into coalition with Sinn Fein after the next election if that’s their only option. In which case we may all leave the country while they turn our economy into something resembling pre WW2 Germany, with wheelbarrows of Euros necessary to buy a pint of milk.

Sleeper12

Genuine question. Has FF changed its stance or just Micheal Martin?

Second question. Are FF imposing the whip of like FG will it be a free vote?

enricoh

What are they at in the polls?
Just promise to scrap property tax, new benchmarking and add 50 quid to the pension in the next election should see them have a bumper election.
Paddy knows it makes no sense and can't work out well but will vote for them anyway if he gets an extra few quid!

HeidiHeidi

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Genuine question. Has FF changed its stance or just Micheal Martin?

Second question. Are FF imposing the whip of like FG will it be a free vote?

Just Micheál Martin, and no it'll be a free vote.

So I don't see what the fuss is about, and heard two "pro-life" FF'ers on the radio saying the same thing today.

Fann Linn

As opposed to Leo who won't give an opinion.

Sleeper12

HeidiHeidi wrote:

Just Micheál Martin, and no it'll be a free vote.

So maybe the thread title should say Micheal Martin does U turn rather than FF.

The debate on the 8th has barely started & I'm sick of it already. Some fool from the Iona Institute yesterday used the memory of the poor murdered Kerry baby to prove some point that doesn't exist. I remember the extremes on both sides in the 80s on the original abortion and divorce referendums. It helped make the 80s one of worst decades of my lifetime.

HeidiHeidi

Fann Linn wrote: »

As opposed to Leo who won't give an opinion.

To be fair, Leo has said (correctly), we don't even know the question yet!

Charles Babbage

The perpetrator votes, the victim doesn't, so politicians know which way to swing.

John DoeReMi

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Genuine question. Has FF changed its stance or just Micheal Martin?

Second question. Are FF imposing the whip of like FG will it be a free vote?

The membership voted overwhelmingly against repealing the 8th at the last Ard Fheis. A majority of polled TDs are against it.

Martin was previously pro the 8th. Now he's desperately flip flopping because he knows that liberal voters will reject his party at the next election.

My reasons for posting this thread by the way are not to debate the rights and wrongs of the 8th. I'm pro - choice myself. What I want to debate is Fianna Fail's cynicism in having no position on anything and telling people what they think they want to hear. They're now caught out because they thought the public mood was still anti - choice and they're behind the times.

ancapailldorcha

I'm going to lock the thread but OP, no more insults and name calling please. This is a forum for serious discussion and there are parts of your OP which are not conducive to this to say the least. There is already an abortion thread on this form.