The wondrous adventures of Sinn Fein (part 3) Mod Notes and Threadbanned List in OP

Charrychar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119039702#Comment_119039702

That’s around 75% of the nationalist vote not 60%. Sinn Fein are polling around 35% now in the Republic and when is it going to stop, they’re just growing stronger and stronger North and South, no one expected Sinn Fein to do this well, then again they never do. I honestly think Sinn Fein will get at least 40% of the vote by the time of the next election in the republic, something has to be done.

People don’t realize the kind of people they are voting for, thugs and criminals, there needs to be more public awareness when it comes to voting people don’t really give it much thought.

Bishop of hope

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119043401#Comment_119043401

Not surprising really when you see the current government shooting itself in the foot every time they do anything.

Necessary decisions the mostly might be, but the way they present their policies and decisions is a pure disaster pr wise.

ArthurDayne

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119043401#Comment_119043401

Sinn Féin’s success doesn’t emanate from people “not realising the kind of people they are voting for” — this is precisely the kind of dismissive thinking among the traditional mainstream political duumvirate in the Republic that has created the environment in which SF has begun to thrive. People vote for SF for a multitude of reasons, which include the progressive policies they have pushed and which resonate in particular with millennials. They come across as an activist mainstream party, which again a lot of people like about them in contrast to what they perceive as the stuffy lifelessness of the traditional Big Two in the Republic. They are also a proper all-island party — something which Fianna Fáil have farted on about for years and done precisely nothing about. And yes, a lot of people like the fact that SF actively campaign for Irish unity — which is an entirely legitimate aspiration.

A big factor here as well is that SF seem to be successfully positioning themselves as Ireland’s Left party and the more appropriate political counterweight to Fine Gael and therefore the more appropriate place to send your vote if you are unhappy with Fine Gael. This is something which leaves Fianna Fáil looking like an irrelevance — a kind of cadet branch of Fine Gael which doesn’t really seem to stand for anything that is distinct. SF have their historical baggage, but then again some would say with a degree of justification that it’s easy to sneer and moralise for the likes of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, parties who had the luxury of development in their own State beyond the horrendous confines of the sectarian divide in the North.

This is not to glorify SF, a party who wouldn’t be my first choice when I vote either in the South or the North (though that may change — I’m open to that) but if those who are in political opposition to SF want to “do something” about their rise, they should start by dropping this idea that the answer is simply calling SF thugs / criminals and arrogantly assuming those that vote for them are mindless dupes. You have to beat them on policy and good argument, not by constantly vilifying them.

Just to provide a little balance

SF were 33% in polls last october

They are 34% in polls today 8 months later

Margin of error in these is usually 2 to 3%

Thats steady,very steady,roughly 10% of which is the floating protest vote that never goes to government parties and wouldn't remain loyal if SF became one of them,mainly because implementing populism is impossible in an over all majority due to financial constraints

Never mind in a coalition where several competing manifestos need to agree a government programme

Floating protest voters act independently of that reality

Thats why they never become anybodies core voter

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119042219#Comment_119042219

Kinda like SFs abstentionist policy in Westminster is it?

ArthurDayne

That could well be the case — though it is also true to say that Ireland hasn’t quite fully developed a fully fledged Left-Right landscape (not that there aren’t parties on either side of the spectrum, but more so that the main two parties remain somewhat ideologically indistinct). SF’s success could well be down to a protest vote, or it could be down to the fact that people — as they do in many other Western democracies — seek a left alternative to FG in a world where FF aren’t really seen as an alternative at all).

SF aren’t exactly a socialist party, but they seem to be kind of positioning themselves on the Left. So we are either seeing a protest vote or we are seeing a clearer Left-Right spectrum developing at the highest end of Irish politics.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119044853#Comment_119044853

If you were German writing in the early 1930s about another party that pretended to be socialist and for the working people, you could be saying the exact same thing with the Versailles Treaty taking the place of 800 years of oppression in the false narrative.

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119040277#Comment_119040277

the army council is a non-issue, it's just the disciplinary and standards committee with a different name to insure members know it means business and they should not engage in bad behaviour.

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119045045#Comment_119045045

no as the DUP are simply refusing to work with anyone that isn't a carbon copy of them, whereas SF can't sit in westminster and operate in the south, it would be great if they could do it and make things difficult for britain itself but it can't so has made the choice to focus on ireland.

mikethecop

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119046259#Comment_119046259

the existence and continued operation of the IRA army council is a non issue ? really?

rdwight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119045045#Comment_119045045

Not really. Pointless (and damaging to interests of NI) as it is the Westminister policy has been consistent and is part of their election platform.

Conflating that policy with SF's petulant collapse of the executive in 2017 serves to mask the shameless hypocrisy of SF in their criticism of DUP's refusal to join new executive.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119047209#Comment_119047209

"shameless hypocrisy" and "sinn fein" could win an award for the two phrases that fit together most completely.

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119046558#Comment_119046558

yes really.

the voter base is growing, and it is the policies SF put forward that people care about.

not what name the disciplinary and standards committee goes by.

Thats a new one trotted out this past page or two

A good one

The army council are renamed 'The discipline and standards Committee'

It was hard enough to take some of the supporters here seriously as it is 🤣🤣

sam t smith

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119042198#Comment_119042198

Disgusting.

nigeldaniel

Sf supporters could well do with being reminded who they are supporting.

IRA victim’s brother: ‘It feels like we are being laughed at by Sinn Féin’ (msn.com)

mikethecop

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119047726#Comment_119047726

So do you know who is on the army Council? Who are these people who control the discipline and standards of sf party members ?

Claiming to be a democratic organisation I'm sure that's commen knowledge.

Unless of course its part of the illegal terrorist organisation .....

Charrychar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119048149#Comment_119048149

It makes me sick to my stomach people vote for these people, it’s actually a joke soon enough we will have a SF Taoiseach in the Dail commemorating all those good republicans who have been carrying out these atrocities over the years.

E O’B is on the News at One. The voice has gotten very plummy recently - even putting Dobbo to shame. Is he developing what is known in SF circles as “a dose of the Ó Caoláins”?

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119048149#Comment_119048149

we know exactly what we are voting for, we don't care.

the troubles have been over for 22 years, the IRA are no more and SF are committed to peace as they always have been.

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119049370#Comment_119049370

the IRA seased in 1998.

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119050850#Comment_119050850

yes, soon we will have an SF taoiseach and what a great day that will be.

Charrychar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119051855#Comment_119051855

The country will be finished, I don’t care what anyone says these people are not fit for government and never will be.

malk518

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119052573#Comment_119052573

You've someone now as taoiseach who was lord mayor in cork while bessborough was in operation and is still defending the church. Not a good look.

Charrychar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119052616#Comment_119052616

Not the same thing whatsoever, Sinn Fein was basically a part of the IRA during the troubles, they were the political wing of the IRA with many members holding dual membership, Sinn Fein was always under control of the IRA.

Over 50 Sinn Fein members were assassinated during the troubles most of which would have been set up for assassination by MI5. Why do you think that would have happened? I supposed you think they were targeted for their so great economic policies🙄

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119052573#Comment_119052573

the country will be fine and SF are more fit for government then FFG.

both FF and FG were involved in very similar actions to sinn fein, just that their activities were a few decades earlier.

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119052651#Comment_119052651

because they were irish and they were trying to remove territory from the remaining british empire.

oceanman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119052573#Comment_119052573

they are and will....and sooner than you think.

astrofool

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119051894#Comment_119051894

I'm unsure if you've noticed the SF creep towards the centre, they'll likely be FF-lite while pursuing a united Ireland if/when in power.

end of the road

it's only a very slight creep really, so slight that it's a non-issue really.