General Election and Government Formation Megathread (see post #1)

Sierra Oscar · 25-01-2020 11:17PM

Labour really are struggling too. Not picking up any momentum in the campaign.

robman60 · 25-01-2020 11:19PM

L1011 wrote: »

Starting to get a picture that there's people who had avoiding voting for SF (for all of the many reasons you might avoid voting SF) deciding that its worth a shot because they haven't been in power down here

Just look at NI to see what they are like in power.

Yeah I'm struggling to see why they're having such a surge. The leadership change appeared to be flatly rejected in the locals and Europeans and now they've come good for no apparent reason. Is it perhaps a reaction to the RIC fiasco?

ThunbergsAreGo · 25-01-2020 11:23PM

robman60 wrote: »

Yeah I'm struggling to see why they're having such a surge. The leadership change appeared to be flatly rejected in the locals and Europeans and now they've come good for no apparent reason. Is it perhaps a reaction to the RIC fiasco?

I honestly think it's an anyone but FFFG vote.

I had this conversation with someone this week

Them:"I was reading on social media it's always FFFG and I think I'll vote SF"

Me: "you oppose their view in most things and you don't care about a United Ireland"

Them:"oh maybe I won't then"

An Ciarraioch · 25-01-2020 11:32PM

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

FF 26 (+2)
FG 23 (-7)
SF 19 (+8)
Green 8 (+1)
Lab 4 (-2)
Soc Dem 3 (+1)
SolPBP 2 (n/c)
Aontu 1
Renua Nil (-1)
Ind 14 (-2)

Would have expected Greens to be nearer double figures, but SF appear to have stolen their momentum - Soc Dems will be happy, even if local canvassing works better for them than national figures.

christy c · 25-01-2020 11:34PM

robman60 wrote: »

Yeah I'm struggling to see why they're having such a surge. The leadership change appeared to be flatly rejected in the locals and Europeans and now they've come good for no apparent reason. Is it perhaps a reaction to the RIC fiasco?

I don't think anyone really knows, possibly the RIC. Possibly also they caged a few votes with the reckless pension proposals.

iCareNotOneJot · 25-01-2020 11:44PM

L1011 wrote: »

Because people who like the candidates you really hate are going to vote for them.

I get that but it still means I have to vote for a candidate I dont have much faith in. Its the 'least worst option' argument. Where your left with a bit of a hollow feeling coming out of the polling booth

markodaly · 25-01-2020 11:46PM

FrancieBrady wrote: »

Funny, if you look at it as it really happened (and not through a party lens), FG facilitated FF whenever they messed up and vice versa.

Yes, the FF and FG coalitions of the 90's and 2000's are well known to us all.:rolleyes:

markodaly · 25-01-2020 11:49PM

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

FF 26 (+2)
FG 23 (-7)
SF 19 (+8)
Green 8 (+1)
Lab 4 (-2)
Soc Dem 3 (+1)
SolPBP 2 (n/c)
Aontu 1
Renua Nil (-1)
Ind 14 (-2)

Is this the Red C poll? Or the Daily Mail poll?

mgn · 25-01-2020 11:49PM

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

Labour really are struggling too. Not picking up any momentum in the campaign.

No big loss.

endacl · 25-01-2020 11:49PM

As citizens, we are required to (1) obey the laws of the state, (2) finance the state through the payment of taxes, and (3) participate in deciding who runs the state through the exercise of franchise.

Ever wonder why only the first two of those are enforced?

Complaining without participating is whinging. Whinging does nothing to alter the status quo. Never has, never will.

Rjd2 · 25-01-2020 11:50PM

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

FF 26 (+2)
FG 23 (-7)
SF 19 (+8)
Green 8 (+1)
Lab 4 (-2)
Soc Dem 3 (+1)
SolPBP 2 (n/c)
Aontu 1
Renua Nil (-1)
Ind 14 (-2)

where you seeing that?

An Ciarraioch · 25-01-2020 11:54PM

markodaly wrote: »

Is this the Red C poll? Or the Daily Mail poll?

Red C - FG were 30% and FF 24% in their last poll in November.

endacl · 25-01-2020 11:54PM

van_beano wrote: »

I deregistered from the voting register 2 years ago, I don’t feel like partaking in the charade anymore.

You had your name and address removed from the public register, but you didn’t remove your vote. Because you can’t.

What you did there was waste a tiny amount of yours and some low level civil servant’s time having a pointless hissy fit.

Well done you.

An Ciarraioch · 25-01-2020 11:55PM

Rjd2 wrote: »

where you seeing that?

Sunday papers usually appear in Dublin shops on Saturday night.

25-01-2020 11:57PM

endacl wrote: »

You had your name and address removed from the public register, but you didn’t remove your vote. Because you can’t.

What you did there was waste a tiny amount of yours and some low level civil servant’s time having a pointless hissy fit.

Well done you.

It’s their own choice.

Tell me how · 25-01-2020 11:58PM

iCareNotOneJot wrote: »

I get that but it still means I have to vote for a candidate I dont have much faith in. Its the 'least worst option' argument. Where your left with a bit of a hollow feeling coming out of the polling booth

Because, if you recognize the inherent value in citizens of a state having a say in how it runs then you participate in that process. It helps you have a say in things.

There are 2 meaningful ways in which you can do this.
1 - When you get the opportunity to talk to a candidate, tell them what it is that you wish they focused on. If you believe they will work in a way which aligns with your beliefs, then vote for them.

2 - Become a candidate yourself and appeal to the constituents to buy in to your manifesto in voting for you.

After talking to candidates in your area (as they canvass) if you think one of them did listen to you or you actually were convinced by their arguments as to what is important, then vote for that particular candidate. If you don't like the candidates on the polling paper, have a think about option 2.

26-01-2020 12:03AM

endacl wrote: »

To have a hissy fit? Absolutely.

But their single vote wouldn’t have any affect anyway so if they are disillusioned with the whole thing (Jesus, who could blame them), then why waste their time for no reason?

The Phantom Jipper · 26-01-2020 12:05AM

iCareNotOneJot wrote: »

If I genuinely dont like, or believe in, any of the candidates on the ballot, why should I vote for any of them?

I am interested to hear why other people are voting, what they expect from their next goverment ?

Because the lesser of two evils results in less evil.

Another reason might be that you're voting on behalf of somebody else, that your vote may result in policies that benefit somebody other than yourself like your mother, brother, or who ever it may be.

A third reason would be that it gives you a right to complain. You have no credibility if you complain about the government of the day if you weren't even bothered to participate in the vote that elected them.

NIMAN · 26-01-2020 12:06AM

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

It’s their own choice.

They didn't need to 'deregister' though, they could just have stopped voting.

Same end result.

biko · 26-01-2020 12:08AM

If you don't make a choice, then don't complain when someone else makes it for you.

26-01-2020 12:08AM

NIMAN wrote: »

They didn't need to 'deregister' though, they could just have stopped voting.

Same end result.

True. But if you’re that disillusioned with the whole setup then maybe that’s something you need to do for yourself.

uck51js9zml2yt · 26-01-2020 12:12AM

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

But their single vote wouldn’t have any affect anyway so if they are disillusioned with the whole thing (Jesus, who could blame them), then why waste their time for no reason?

I've done counts were a couple of votes was all that was in it.
1 vote matters

John_Rambo · 26-01-2020 12:12AM

Don't vote?

Get active, or shut up & go back to bed and don't complain. You're irrelevant.

26-01-2020 12:14AM

John_Rambo wrote: »

Don't vote?

Get active, or shut up & go back to bed and don't complain. You're irrelevant.

As irrelevant as your single vote.

touts · 26-01-2020 12:15AM

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

FF 26 (+2)
FG 23 (-7)
SF 19 (+8)
Green 8 (+1)
Lab 4 (-2)
Soc Dem 3 (+1)
SolPBP 2 (n/c)
Aontu 1
Renua Nil (-1)
Ind 14 (-2)

For the long term this may actually be good news for FG and Simon Covney. After two terms in government a period in opposition could help them. With Covney now looking a lock to be FG leader by the end of March they will have clout and public appeal that Varadkar has clearly lost. And even better for the party with those numbers you have to say the toxic brat pack of Harris, Murphy, O'Connell etc may not be back in the Dail at all. Get rid of them and a more serious grown up FG could be back in power in 2 years rather than two terms.

Eircom_Sucks · 26-01-2020 12:16AM

I'm 39 and only ever voted once

Don't bother now as no political party ever backs up what they say they will do , they are all the same . Corrupt

Only good politician is a dead one

charlie14 · 26-01-2020 12:21AM

touts wrote: »

For the long term this may actually be good news for FG and Simon Covney. After two terms in government a period in opposition could help them. With Covney now looking a lock to be FG leader by the end of March they will have clout and public appeal that Varadkar has clearly lost. And even better for the party with those numbers you have to say the toxic brat pack of Harris, Murphy, O'Connell etc may not be back in the Dail at all. Get rid of them and a more serious grown up FG could be back in power in 2 years rather than two terms.

If they do lose this election I do not have te feeling Varadkar will go willingly.
If there is a challenge then that would create a lot of bad blood which could bring extra problems.

Sleeper12 · 26-01-2020 12:24AM

iCareNotOneJot wrote:

If I genuinely dont like, or believe in, any of the candidates on the ballot, why should I vote for any of them?

If you dislike some more then others you can vote 1,2,3,4 etc and include every candidate. Leaving the ones you dislike the most at the bottom of the list is a way to vote against them

26-01-2020 12:27AM

I hear them all now with their shiny fresh new promises of what they will do when elected and am almost taken in by it. But its nonsense really.

Heraldoffreeent · 26-01-2020 12:28AM

Rjd2 wrote: »

where you seeing that?

I've seen those figures posted by a few people on twitter, I'd wait for an official source before being sure of them though.

General Election and Government Formation Megathread (see post #1)

Comments