After Hours Election 2020 poll

Naggdefy wrote: »

Who will you be voting for

Ok the choices aren't great but it's all relative, we're not living under Joe Stalin or Robert Mugabe.

Don't know, like I said all of the options are terrible from my point of view, I don't vote just for the sake of it.

Edgware

Huntergonzo wrote: »

Well I can't vote for any of them at the minute cause none of them remotely represent me. I think voting for the 'least worst' candidate is very irresponsible, it encourages politicians to continue telling lies (why change a winning formula).

I'd like an honest politician to vote for, someone who would abandon the election spin completely and get on with the job. Sadly I don't believe such a politician exists, certainly not in my area anyway.

Why not get the village idiot to run? He seems your kind of guy

Edgware wrote: »

Why not get the village idiot to run? He seems your kind of guy

How so?

JohnnyFlash

Huntergonzo wrote: »

Here's your options:

1. Fine Gael = told odious lies while in opposition and have done sweet fa for the 'squeezed middle'. So vote FG if you're rich or if you make a living off welfare, but avoid if you're enither.

2. Fianna Fail = only people with blind/stupid loyalty or chronic amnesia will vote for these charlatans. They will never get my vote, end of.

3. Sinn Fein = Gerry was never in the IRA you know. SF are still quite clearly the political wing of a terrorist organisation, they're the least trust worthy of all Irish parties and that's saying something. There's a very pernicious way about them when they speak, avoid at all costs!

But feel free to vote for them if you're a professional welfare recipient of course, they'll gladly fill you're pockets with other people's money.

4. Labour = basically a slightly more left wing FG with an extra sprinkle of hypocrisy given their record in government before they were fcuked out. I wince when I hear them criticize FG.

5. The Green Party = they can píss right off, I'm never gonna eat a vegan 'burger'.

6. People Before Profit = I would never remotely consider the loony left, they're ridiculous.

7. Independents = some of them (but not majy) are possibly ok and at least they have autonomy, they're not subject to a party whip (one of the most hilariously undemocratic practices you'll ever see), but having said that it's a waste of a vote because fcuk all people like independents so they can do fcuk all. Best left alone.

8. The Healy Raes = great lads, might move to Kerry so I can vote for worthwhile politicians ;-)

I love these long State of the Union style rants about politics that you get on Boards. All spittle and misguided rage.

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

I love these long State of the Union style rants about politics that you get on Boards. All spittle and misguided rage.

Am I not allowed to form an opinion based upon past experience? Interesting to note how many people attack the poster rather than the post, typical politics really.

But anyway I'm staying on point, have you an issue with anything specific about original post?

If so I'm happy to address it, if not we'll move on.

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

I love these long State of the Union style rants about politics that you get on Boards. All spittle and misguided rage.

And accurate.

Deleted User wrote: »

And accurate.

This bit isn't.

Independents = some of them (but not many) are possibly ok

Snow Garden

Huntergonzo wrote: »

7. Independents = some of them (but not majy) are possibly ok and at least they have autonomy, they're not subject to a party whip (one of the most hilariously undemocratic practices you'll ever see), but having said that it's a waste of a vote because fcuk all people like independents so they can do fcuk all. Best left alone.

Correct, the whip systems basically makes a lot of backbench TDs on large parties completely useless.
It mutes them. Then they spend their time gorging on expenses.

There are some excellent Independents out there now. In my own constituency Catherine Connolly is an excellent, honest and hard working politician.

dxhound2005 wrote: »

This bit isn't.

Independents = some of them (but not many) are possibly ok

Well look I'm only speculating, I don't know every single independent candidate, some of them may be ok, it's hard to know.

I do know all the parties though, I've seen them in action and I wouldn't be too inspired by what I've seen.

Snow Garden wrote: »

Correct, the whip systems basically makes a lot of backbench TDs on large parties completely useless.
It mutes them. Then they spend their time gorging on expenses.

There are some excellent Independents out there now. In my own constituency Catherine Connolly is an excellent, honest and hard working politician.

I don't know anything about her, but judging from this she is no different to the rest of them. Joining a party, and then leaving to further her career. These are the worst sort, willing to use a party name to get elected, then jumping ship when the party whip system doesn't suit them. Roisin Shortall is a good example.

And she doesn't seem to mind a bit of nepotism either.

Connolly was first elected to Galway City Council in the city west local electoral area in June 1999 and then re-elected in the city south local electoral area in 2004. In the same year she was elected Mayor of Galway. She speaks fluent Irish. Her sister, Collette, is a Galway City Councillor, co-opted to replace her when she was elected a TD.

She resigned from the Labour Party in 2006, when she was denied her wish to run alongside now-President Michael D. Higgins in Galway West. She contested the 2007 general election, polling just over 2,000 votes

Snow Garden wrote: »

Correct, the whip systems basically makes a lot of backbench TDs on large parties completely useless.
It mutes them. Then they spend their time gorging on expenses.

There are some excellent Independents out there now. In my own constituency Catherine Connolly is an excellent, honest and hard working politician.

Ye I find the whip system ridiculous, you're opinion doesn't matter unless you're a cabinet minister basically. Backbenchers are told what way to vote and often expelled if they don't do what they're told, that greatly reduces your options as a voter, some 'democracy'.

Don't know a lot about Catherine Connolly, but I worked in Oughterard, Letterfrack and Clifton before, absolutely stunning part of Ireland, love the place. Great peace and beautiful scenery.

Snow Garden

dxhound2005 wrote: »

I don't know anything about her, but judging from this she is no different to the rest of them. Joining a party, and then leaving to further her career. These are the worst sort, willing to use a party name to get elected, then jumping ship when the party whip system doesn't suit them. Roisin Shortall is a good example.

And she doesn't seem to mind a bit of nepotism either.

Connolly was first elected to Galway City Council in the city west local electoral area in June 1999 and then re-elected in the city south local electoral area in 2004. In the same year she was elected Mayor of Galway. She speaks fluent Irish. Her sister, Collette, is a Galway City Councillor, co-opted to replace her when she was elected a TD.

She resigned from the Labour Party in 2006, when she was denied her wish to run alongside now-President Michael D. Higgins in Galway West. She contested the 2007 general election, polling just over 2,000 votes

Very clever woman. She was a barrister and a psychologist. I dont know what you mean by "Joining a party, and then leaving to further her career". She has done amazing work in the PAC in recent years and is very active around Galway. She speaks very well and logically unlike 95% of our politicians.

uck51js9zml2yt

Don't know who to vote for but I want to ask the Healy Rae's about being in 2 places at the same time.

Snow Garden wrote: »

Very clever woman. She was a barrister and a psychologist. I dont know what you mean by "Joining a party, and then leaving to further her career". She has done amazing work in the PAC in recent years and is very active around Galway. She speaks very well and logically unlike 95% of our politicians.

I mean using a party name to get elected and then leaving when the going gets tough. And pretending not to have really believed in the party policies all along. What could be more dishonest than that?

Maybe Stephen Donnelly getting elected as a Social Democrat with populist policies. But then figuring out he will have a better chance of getting back by jumping ship to FF. That is probably even more dishonest, and more disrespectful of the electorate.

It doesn't bother me that politicians employ family members, or co-opt them on to the council. But anyone who dismisses every party politician as being useless liars, should have a hard time accepting that from independents.

sdanseo

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

The sensible option is best candidate in your offering from FF/FG/Lab/Grn. And certainly to use all top number on these four parties.

Which have a very comfortable majority showing that Ireland is happy with the politics this group (being essentially indistinguishable politically - its just what colour or personality do you prefer) presents.

That 24% are wasting their votes on independents though is troubling, and is becoming increasingly reckless and problematic for good governance of the country.

And that 13% might vote SF is remains an even greater embarrassement for Ireland, even if a porttion of them can be considered to be more part of the Independent mindset who are having their tantrum in an even worse mannerm exposing the low morals of a not insignificant minority of the country.

Deleted User wrote: »

Thanks for the lesson in upstanding morality. I'll have to tattoo it on my backside.

Lucretia is correct though. While locally the independent might be the best man or woman for the job, having many of them makes forming a government an increasingly difficult task. Any government that does arise out of the support of a marginal number of Independents (or as we have seen, the agreed abstinence of one party in votes) is going to be very unstable by its nature. That does not make implementing a programme for government, when eventually agreed, an easy task.

We the people are the only ones who can control who sits in the Dáil. It is incumbent on every person to think of the national as well as local implications of their choices. If you cannot think outside the parish, then you are part of the problem of stagnant and ineffective government. That's not a moral high ground, it's just fact.

blackcard

I think that there is an awful lot of negativity regarding politicians in general. There are bad and poor politicians as there are poor people in all professions. A lot of times, we get the politicians we deserve. People in Kerry voted for the Healy Raes. People expect politicians to be able to get a medical card or bring them to the top of the housing list. When I hear people complain about third world conditions, it is obvious that they haven't been in a third world hospital or lived in third world housing.
Overall our economy is doing okay as is our employment and GNP. We passed a couple of referenda. Educational is okay. Health has been very poorly managed, I think having people on trolleys is a disgrace and waiting lists are too long. I think we need to headhunt some genius
and pay them €10 m/year. Housing has been poor but I don't think everyone is "entitled" to own a house.
Overall I think that Michael Martin, Leo Varadkar, Brendan Howlin, Mary Lou and Eamon Ryan are decent people, I certainly don't agree with all their policies but they are the people that we are voting in.

Hamsterchops

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

Who should govern Ireland then ? All option on offer at the moment being rejected. What radical alternative would change the quality of public representative and improve on all that you reject above ?

The DUP.

Just think of all the money they could wrangle from Boris to pump into the health service

bubblypop wrote: »

If sinn fein were in government, the country would be bankrupt in a fortnight!

Unsubstantiated drivel.

The party currently favourites to be the major party literally did bankrupt us.

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Unsubstantiated drivel.

The party currently favourites to be the major party literally did bankrupt us.

Where would the money come from? Give away everything & no incentives for workers

Potential-Monke

I don't like politics. I don't follow it. I can't tell the difference between FF, FG, Labour, SF or any of them. To me, they're all mouthpieces who only say what you want to hear until they get into power, and they turn into the same old bellends who only want the money and status. There isn't a single politician in Ireland I would give my vote, so I'm abstaining again. Why?

Show me a politician that supports single working adults. Show me one that would fight to remove the frankly ludicrous legal requirement for me to have maternity and child cover on my own private health insurance, which I'll never need as I don't want kids and I'm male. Show me one who will help the struggling single people without dependencies to get some free stuff that everyone else gets. Show me one that will give me a 'no child' payment every month. Show me one who is 100% behind, and will properly follow through, cannabis legalisation. Show me one who will voluntarily take a 50% pay cut or give up expenses, one or the other, to help this country.

Exactly, they don't exist. So why would I bother my hole voting for the next crop of people who are queuing up to ride me raw up the hole multiple times a day. They're all crooked, they're all corrupt, they're all only in it for the money. No one represents me or my ideas, so I won't vote for anyone, as no matter who gets in, I'll be screwed anyway. That has been my experience of politics in my 18 years since becoming an adult.

Billcarson

bubblypop wrote: »

Where would the money come from? Give away everything & no incentives for workers

Sure at the end of the day no one really knows what they would do,they have never been in power before. We all know what ff and fg will do though,same ol ****e.

bubblypop wrote: »

Where would the money come from?

Only one way to find out.

Allinall

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Only one way to find out.

No thanks.

Anyone who votes Sinn Fein hasn’t a clue.

Billcarson wrote: »

Sure at the end of the day no one really knows what they would do,they have never been in power before. We all know what ff and fg will do though,same ol ****e.

They have been in power in the North. If they did get their way they say they would abolish property tax here. But they never made the slightest move to abolish it in the North when they had the chance.

Loafing Oaf

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

I love these long State of the Union style rants about politics that you get on Boards. All spittle and misguided rage.

And superficially adopting a 'plague on all your houses' line but, when you look closer, invariably coming from somewhere strongly right wing...

The Rape of Lucretia

1)
People get the government they deserve. The standard of politicians and parties available reflects the standard of you - the people of Ireland. Think they are all crap - well then you are saying the people of Ireland are all crap at governing themselves.

2) Not voting because you consider they are all crap ? Then you are part of the problem. Whatever is on offer, it is people's reponsibility to participate in democracy and at worst, then select what appear to you as the least bad option.

3) SF. SF south of the border had no role. It was the rump of the terrorists still hung up about Norther Ireland and a 32 county state. A negligible if murderous tiny minority. The rest of Ireland got on with life. See point 6.

4) Ireland is generally 80% politically homogenious. It doesnt matter what combination of FF/FG/GRN/Lab/PD/GenepoolRenegades etc has been in government, the politics and capability of the people governing is the same. Beyond that its just politics, pretty faces, slick talkers, or branding. That leaves approx 20 which is a small minority of odds and sods (SF, Socialists, etc). But it is never more than that, so labour leaning politics is never really implemented. It is swamped by the overwhelming majority political centre.

5) The Lab party has at times joined govt - due to the historical dipole FF/FG position. But each time is then 'punished' by its support for going towards the centre and not delivering a left/labour government. But why should it have - it was only only a prop for a large party.

6) LAb was on a particularly low ebb as the northern situation changed. SF, having only really been a workers/labour leaning membership anyway, chose to occupy the ground vacated by the Lab party sent to to the naughty corner, and move towards the 10%-20% of that traditional vote available. But the combination of being essentially the alternative Labour party dipole to the FF/FG dipole, are still constrained by the ceiling of 20%. And less with the unacceptability to a great majority of being essentially terrorists without a mission anymore, and so looking for a role in life.

7) Independents, are the exploiters and opportunists of the simple minded voters who want to choose 'none of the above' when presented with the parties on the ballot sheet. But it is utterly brainless, a spanner in the works of democracy, and counter productive to do so. They would be better off not voting, or spoiling their vote. Elected Inds distort the parliamentary numbers, making increasing the difficult for the adults in the Dail to organise a majority in the chamber to form a government. The Inds are good for nothing but talking heads on our media shows. Why elect people to do that ? A handful were always tolerable - essentially forgotten about. What if everybody voted Ind ? There would be anarchy. Or.....they would form like minded groups and become....parties. And you are back where you started. So stop voting for ****ing independents. They can do nothing for you.

8) So cop on Ireland. They are the best you can do : vote FF/FG/Lab/Grn. And let someone get on with governing.

Naggdefy

Boards.ie has a peculiar demographic it appears. Contrary to what I initially thought.

Peter Casey was favourite to win the presidential election on here, he got 23% on election day.

Fine Gael, on boards polls, are generally leading FF, SF by about 8% for the upcoming election.

Can you draw anything from that, are Fine Gael voters more likely to have voted Peter Casey?

More than likely there's no correlation whatsoever. And the poll for the General Election here will be as inaccurate as for the presidential election.

I thought boards members came from across age demographics of 18-65 mostly, and of all social classes. Maybe not?

Loafing Oaf

Naggdefy wrote: »

Boards.ie has a peculiar demographic it appears. Contrary to what I initially thought.

Peter Casey was favourite to win the presidential election on here, he got 23% on election day.

Fine Gael, on boards polls, are generally leading FF, SF by about 8% for the upcoming election.

Can you draw anything from that, are Fine Gael voters more likely to have voted Peter Casey?

Presumably the most 'right wing' of the options on the table in both cases? Although I'd imagine for many of those clicking FG in the current poll, it'd be more a case of 'marginally the least left wing'...