Voting

whitetrash · 20-04-2001 11:00PM #1

i can tell you right now, having turned 18 (relativly) recently that I have no intention of voting in a Irish election or referendum or whatever they want to throw at me. i just can't be arsed, the state of Irish politics today and just a general feeling of listlessness will prevent me from caring any more.

how many people on these boards have voted or are even registered?

I Live (in a dream world)

Hobbes · 20-04-2001 11:23PM

The state of Irish politics is due to people like you. If you can't get off your ass to vote then you have no right to complain when the goverment screws you over.

Belisarius · 20-04-2001 11:33PM

If you people believe Corrupt politicians are in power ..well nobodies arguing there , but If you dont vote to get rid of theese *******s well be back with a Fianna fail government come the next election ,because people who would vote for fairer partys dont ,and small minded Locally inclined idiots keep voting for thier lacklustre 3terms running-after taking the seat from dad Morons , and get them in every time . So rather than be apathetic this year , just pop into the voting station on yer way back from Work/School/College and cast a vote for the underdog , Because theyres bloody good odds he/shes the best candidate

Shrewgar!

Celt · 20-04-2001 11:58PM

THERE IS NO UNCORRUPT PARTY! WHO THE **** ARE WE MEANT TO VOTE FOR?

GreenHell · 20-04-2001 11:59PM

In belguim (?) i think they fine yea if you don't vote 50 quid or something like that.

So imagine how liberal this country would be

if people bothered voting , something like 35% voted @ the last general election so that other 65% lets be having yea......

I'll be voting neway democractic right n all that

androphobic · 21-04-2001 12:03AM

Mise.

Em.. if you have a vote and don't use it then you are not really entitled to complain about how things are done imo.
If you are not happy, do your best to change the country and how it's run, but what's the point in not using your vote?
You have a vote for a reason.. and you can't change "the state of Irish politics" if you don't use it.

androphobic · 21-04-2001 12:04AM

Originally posted by GREENHELL:
In belguim (?) i think they fine yea if you don't vote 50 quid or something like that.

now there's an idea.

Evil Phil · 21-04-2001 12:15AM

There does seem to be poor pickings for politicians at the moment. But referendums change the constitution; that's you rights as a citizen of Ireland. Those rights are beyond the control of any politician, your vote protects you from them. As for politics, weeeelll, if you used your vote wisely they may get the message and improve on who's put forward.

Personally I've never voted in a general election, and I'm an old fella. But I fully intend to next time and I know who I'm voting for!

Belisarius · 21-04-2001 12:19AM

*grumbles* , were all pussyfooting around arent we ? , were avoiding mentioning a certain pack of scumbags in favour of a pack of boring but reliable old sods , or in the case of the more idealistic of us , a pack of Naieve youngins out to change the world . Its a pity really ,People respond to labels and brand names ,it would be an effective way of spreading Political health throughout the boards . Pity

Shrewgar!

smoke.me.a.kipper · 21-04-2001 12:20AM

i'm registered, but havn't voted yet. no election far

.

but christ if you don't vote you really can't complain about anything to do with the government.

- Ciaran
smoke-me-a-kipper
S-M-A-K bottom!!™

androphobic · 21-04-2001 12:23AM

Originally posted by Belisarius:
*grumbles* , were all pussyfooting around arent we ? , were avoiding mentioning a certain pack of scumbags in favour of a pack of boring but reliable old sods , or in the case of the more idealistic of us , a pack of Naieve youngins out to change the world . Its a pity really ,People respond to labels and brand names ,it would be an effective way of spreading Political health throughout the boards . Pity

excuse my simplicity, but you've lost me.

GreenHell · 21-04-2001 12:44AM

let me tranlate
scumbags = youngons (ouch)
although I could bbe wrong.

BUT if the current administration is not suiting your tastes vote and sstop moaning.
Think about your vote is the most powerful weapon against corruption... (idealistic or what)

Belisarius · 21-04-2001 02:29AM

Hmmn , it is rather cryptic , Ill admit . Twas rushed in an effort to Get to a game of CS . heres the long and short

I was reffering to the causes of Voter apathy .The main cause is "Sleaze" of course ,though over beaurocracisation plays its hand aswell , and How people often refer to the whole system being corrupt ,which is unfair to the larger body politik . Because the majority of People believe this they tar all Parties with the same brush ,when its really true to Fianna fail *Subtle references out the window* . now this is where i mustve switched thoughts . But generally
Boring Sods =FG Labour
Young Punks = Green party etc.

Apologies folks , bit of a mess

Shrewgar!

Hobbes · 21-04-2001 02:37AM

Originally posted by GREENHELL:
So imagine how liberal this country would be if people bothered voting , something like 35% voted @ the last general election so that other 65% lets be having yea......

Spoiled votes say more then a no vote. Imagine those 65% who couldn't give a toss voted as a spoiled.

Bob the Unlucky Octopus · 21-04-2001 02:40AM

Originally posted by Hobbes:
The state of Irish politics is due to people like you. If you can't get off your ass to vote then you have no right to complain when the goverment screws you over.

I couldn't agree more. Your apathy only helps to fuel that currently existent in the system. My knowledge of Irish politics is sketchy (that is to say nonexistent

) but this is a general democratic rule. In many parts of the world people don't even know who their senator or local representative is. And even if they did- they would hardly approach them on serious policies. This kind of apathy is what's causing such disillusionment in the current system of democratic leadership in the West.

I'd write my usual page-and-a-half post...but I can't be a$sed atm...there's apathy for you now

Bob the Unlucky Octopus
=Et tu Brute?=

androphobic · 21-04-2001 02:59AM

Originally posted by Belisarius:
Hmmn , it is rather cryptic , Ill admit . Twas rushed in an effort to Get to a game of CS . heres the long and short

Boring Sods =FG Labour
Young Punks = Green party etc.

Apologies folks , bit of a mess

oh okay.. i getcha now.

i think i'll vote fianna fail.

mewso · 21-04-2001 03:06AM

Unfortunately alot of us continue to see politics as PARTY politics. In my youth I was a card-carrying member (God myself and Karl used to laugh at the state of Socialism in Ireland) of the Labour party. This was because I believed in the ideal of socialism, the basic premise that all of mankind deserves a decent life etc.. After many years in Labour Youth and canvassing for Mr. E.Stagg I finally came to the conclusion that it wasn't about ideals. The Labour Party selling out in England on issues like total-disarmament etc. all to garner votes. And here in Ireland Labour did very much the same. There are two arguements to this:-

1. A party must satisfy the public's wants and change accordingly. In any case getting into government allows that party to finally excercise it's ideals yada yada....
2. Stick to your ideals, provide the country with a viable alternative political agenda and not become one of many parties that all look the same.

I subscribe to the second belief. Politics here and in the UK is all about who can produce the most charismatic leader. Bland non-descript political parties with a likeable leader. I do vote but now my concentration is on local politics, I vote for the man/woman who seems most likely to pursue the right causes, or vote through the right legislation etc. Local elections are now as important as General elections if you ask me. It's too late to change the world but you can still campaign for local issues. Or you can go marching with the Socialist Worker Pants Party on this weeks issue. At the end of the day do vote but don't if you're not prepared to consider all candidates and not if you're just repeating the family's Fianna Fail tradition.
I no longer am a memeber of any political party and doubt I ever will be again but I won't stop thinking about how to vote when the time comes.

androphobic · 21-04-2001 03:16AM

p.s. i wasn't being serious about voting fianna fail.

Shinji · 21-04-2001 01:20PM

Frankly, I'm sickened by attitudes like this one. I'm no massive patriot, and in many ways I'm quite disillusioned with the political system; however, even though I now live abroad, I'll be making the effort to cast a vote in the forthcoming Irish election.

Why?

Because for 800 years, men and women in Ireland fought and died to get you the right to use that ballot paper. You're not being asked to sacrifice life and limb for the freedom of your country; chances are you'll never be asked to do that. All you're being asked to do is educate yourself a bit, get up off your fat backside on polling day and make a mark in a box on a piece of paper... And seemingly you're too lazy and apathetic to do even that.

You, sir, are a f*cking disgrace, as is everyone else with your disgusting attitude.

yossarin · 21-04-2001 02:24PM

at the very least you can go in and spoil (NOT soil, i tried that

) your vote with a "none of the above" or somthing. at least then your apathy can be registered, and you'll be saying how unhappy you are with the choice of governments...

______________________________________
"bureaucracy is cancerous, and bureau's are its cancer. A bureau can take hold in a department and spread.. bureaucracy is a parasite, in that it eventually kills its host, unlike a virus [sic] " - W. Burroughs

TwoShedsJackson · 21-04-2001 02:38PM

I'm registered and I vote, and although I wouldn't have put it quite as abrasively as Shinji

, I agree with him.

'A people get the Government they deserve' as they say, but people who don't vote have no entitlement to say anything about the way the country is run.

Doc · 21-04-2001 02:58PM

The way I look at it people died so I have the right to vote as an Irish person for my own government. If you don’t vote then you are (in my opinion) the kind of person who deserves to live under a Dictatorship. I bet if you lost your right to vote you would be well ****ed off.

amp · 21-04-2001 03:27PM

What Castor and Shinji said. I tend to vote Labour or Greens as the lesser of evils. But if there was a Ming the Merciless or equivilant in my constituancy I'd vote for him/her.

I very nearly joined the Labour party in fact but then I realised that they kept awfully quiet when the 17% pay hike went through for TD's.

Don't be lazy, get your árse out and vote.

Lunacy Abounds! GLminesweeper RO><ORS!
art is everything and of course nothing and possibly also a sausage

Belisarius · 21-04-2001 11:59PM

Thats good Andro , I can call off the Hitmen now . Rather than let those gits get another vote

As for voting habits , I support labour in theory , but usually end up giving my Vote to FG , as theyve usually got a better chance of ousting our local Despot Danny Wallace *Danny promise as most know him* , But I really would never vote Fianna Fail , even if theyre was a reputable candidate .I also wouldnt consider voting PD for thier horrendous Term with Fianna Fail , which has been nothing short of a Vichy Neutrality while maintaining the persona of some sort of party concerned with virtue . Also on a note many of us will face next election *apparently* : Independents . I would never vote for an Independent unless I knew him/her well , I generally distrust "Locals" not only for the compliance of this Terms Indeps. But of what I know of most local politicians , Our County council could possibly be the most Corrupt and self serving SOBs in Ireland . Theyre may be some patriots among them , but the vast majority will be nothing more than political Mercenaries , in my estimation anyhow

Shrewgar!

Blitzkrieger · 22-04-2001 12:18AM

Surely if you didn't vote you do have the right to complain about the goverment? Surely if you did vote for the current goverment you wouldn't have the right to complain.

If you did vote for the current goverment then it's your fault that the most generous term we could use for them would be 'inept'. 'Hopelessy' being optional.

Tbh this is a bit of a pointless argument

trying to assign blame for the goverment being crap on voters/non-voters is laughable

Excelsior · 22-04-2001 12:23AM

I will proabably vote Green next time round because I am an environmentalist and because I am anti-globalisation as vague as that term is.

But generally I think that I will vote based on the candidate as an individual.

And anyone who doesn't vote has no right to complain whatsoever. I endorse what other people have said on that so I won't boringly add to it.

My Adolescent website:
http://www.iol.net/~mullent

Paladin · 22-04-2001 01:15AM

As a party, the Greens would seem ok, but as individuals, the people involved, in my experience anyway, are fuking idiots who stand up for anything green without putting any thought into a reasonable weighing of the situation (that is too general a statement obviously, many are not like that, but enough are for me to not feel guilty about the statement). That said, its probably not as bad as just being a cúnt like some others are. Not all are bad tho. I definately vote for the individual and not the party.

Paladin · 22-04-2001 01:26AM

That said, I am definately in favour of many many environmental issues (just in case ye thought I wanted to destroy the rainforests and get rid of the ozone layer

)

Voting

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