anyone here going to vote sinn féin?

Scotty # · 27-02-2011 07:02PM

PauloMN wrote: »

Meh, protest voters, and the disenfranchised who believe SF will help them... :rolleyes: wouldn't worry about it, as when we get out of this recession, SF's vote will be back to its usual level for the next election. If that's the best the extreme left can do in a deep recession when FF have gifted them a pile of seats, I'm happy with that. Good - or rather common sense - did prevail in the end with 90% of voters when it comes to SF.

Delighted with the results overall, as even FF in tatters will be the majority party in opposition and SF will be treated with the same contempt as usual in Dáil Éireann, and we now have a strong, stable government that won't be held to ransom by the likes of Healy-Rae. I don't agree with some of Labour's policies, but I believe they are reasonable people with the country's interests at heart and FG will be able to negotiate with them.

FF will rebuild dramatically for the next election, hopefully getting rid of the old ways in the process and will be a much stronger force next time, pinning back SF as they do. This will have been a huge wake-up call for FF.

Agree 100%. FF will recover somewhat by the time the next GE comes around and those votes will be taken back from SF and given to FF. FG will become the bad guys over the next few years and suffer the same fate FF did this time. that's if they don't implode first.

celtictiger32 · 27-02-2011 07:40PM

not a bad result all in all 13 with likely to be 15 by declaration, and it has to be said a few at the nearly point aswell. i think the seeds have been sown with some of the younger candidates also, bodes well for next election.

insight_man · 27-02-2011 07:44PM

celtictiger32 wrote: »

not a bad result all in all 13 with likely to be 15 by declaration, and it has to be said a few at the nearly point aswell. i think the seeds have been sown with some of the younger candidates also, bodes well for next election.

Spot on. SF well set for next election as lab will be ruined by the FG policies and all the cuts they will impose on ordinary people. SF will show them up for the bunch of sell out power grabbing wasters that they are.

mccoist · 27-02-2011 10:12PM

sinn fein at long last move foward
they ensure a decent leftwing nationalist representation in the new dail
they also now have their one of their biggest assets G ADAMS in the dail
fianna failures still i believe have not realised where they are
This rebuilding project will not be as easy as you think
personally i hope gerry and co really get stuck into riiding the 26 counties of this civilwar politics which the right wing cionservative voters of all persuasions seem quiet happy to lead and sway opinion on how and what we are as people
the most important project now is national unity
if you want to bitch and worry about history take a hike
we all now have a common goal
clean up the fianna failures mess
the result reflected the mood of the country
they want and have voted for teh country to tidy up the mess

dsmythy · 27-02-2011 10:15PM

I don't like Sinn Féin whatsoever but good result for them to build on. I'd have no problem with them being the main opposition but stay away from government please

Gypsies · 27-02-2011 10:25PM

mccoist wrote: »

sinn fein at long last move foward
they ensure a decent leftwing nationalist representation in the new dail
they also now have their one of their biggest assets G ADAMS in the dail
fianna failures still i believe have not realised where they are
This rebuilding project will not be as easy as you think
personally i hope gerry and co really get stuck into riiding the 26 counties of this civilwar politics which the right wing cionservative voters of all persuasions seem quiet happy to lead and sway opinion on how and what we are as people
the most important project now is national unity
if you want to bitch and worry about history take a hike
we all now have a common goal
clean up the fianna failures mess
the result reflected the mood of the country
they want and have voted for teh country to tidy up the mess

There are a lot of us who will never feel that SF will do what's right for this country, as long as G Adams is at the helm..

wee truck big driver · 27-02-2011 10:51PM

Scotty # wrote: »

Agree 100%. FF will recover somewhat by the time the next GE comes around and those votes will be taken back from SF and given to FF. FG will become the bad guys over the next few years and suffer the same fate FF did this time. that's if they don't implode first.

your probably right fianna fail will regain votes but it will be at fine gaels expense because realistically it was fine gael who gained most from fianna fails demise. also when fine gael reign over even more misery on the irish people they will at the next election have no option they have turned right and right again and again they are basicaly going round in circles.they where afraid to turn left at this election a fear instilled by the biggest parties and the media. when they see that there is no difference between f.g and f.f and lab (due to their support of f.g) they will have only one option that is a sinn fein goverment the party will be where they rightly belong

Dan_Solo · 27-02-2011 11:56PM

3ndahalfof6 wrote: »

SF have now been excepted by the electorate

"excepted" means pretty much the exact opposite of "accepted".
Just, ya know, saying...
The "number of people who didn't vote for" thing is a total crock of an argument though. It doesn't say anything at all about people's opinions on their policies except they prefer someone else's.

Hannibal · 28-02-2011 12:13AM

Sinn Fein are going into this new Dail as 0.2% behind what Labour had in the last Dail, SF's vote has been steadily increasing in the last number of elections and by returning 15 TD's and making very good inroads into other constituencies with many young candidates shows its a good vote as opposed to a one off. FG and Labours vote is a disenfranchised FF vote, SF's vote only went up 3% whereas FF's collapsed by 24% so I dont think its correct to say SF's vote is only a FF vote.
Like FF's national vote is only 2% behind Labour whereas Labour at the moment have 18 more seats, I think looking ahead SF could eat into Labours vote as opposed to FF. I still think FF and FG will stay ahead in general with SF and Labour fighting behind them for the large swing vote and scraps, the days of FF and FG dominating are gone as FG will never produce this performance again as people will soon see them making big cuts and hard decisions and the swing vote will defect somewhere else and probably to a non government party.

mccoist · 28-02-2011 08:10AM

wake up wake wake up the people who think ireland is only in a recession wakeup
the ff have put us in bondage to who ever
stop your carping on with your oldstyle civil war politics
this country was formed by war rebellion terrorists ,so what they are labels put on people who you are just happy to see do their duty and then turn your silly heads away with your hypocritical stance
i vote sinn fein and very proud to have done so even though my vote transferred to elect a labour candidate
the main problems facing this country is the way fianna fail sold all the national asset ,privatised evrything and still managed to leave us with a 150 billion debt mountain to our supposed european partners
we are never in our lifetimes going to get rid of that debt as we stand at present
1/there will be hidden debt somewhere thre failre shave been hiding alot of secrets
2/people still belivee the right wing capitalist model of politics suits ireland
3/europe is really about france germany axis of powerref britian attitude and considre why they are so reluctant to wrap their arms around european ideal
this election was about change we took a step in the right direction
hopefullythe politicians can now act like politicans and start giving this country a political path and ideal in which suits and which we can follow

PauloMN · 28-02-2011 09:05AM

Dan_Solo wrote: »

The "number of people who didn't vote for" thing is a total crock of an argument though. It doesn't say anything at all about people's opinions on their policies except they prefer someone else's.

Damn democracy eh?

Can't really say anything else about that!

Dan_Solo · 28-02-2011 01:00PM

PauloMN wrote: »

Damn democracy eh?

Can't really say anything else about that!

Well you can say something else. That you have no idea why people vote for or against SF. Maybe they don't like Gerry Adams' beard, who knows. But to say they don't vote for them because they are "disgusted" or some other nonsense is pure fantasyland stuff. You simply don't know.

Nodin · 28-02-2011 01:20PM

PauloMN wrote: »

Meh, protest voters, and the disenfranchised who believe SF will help them... :rolleyes: wouldn't worry about it, as when we get out of this recession, ...................

Heard it all before, when SF started overtaking the SDLP. 'flash in the pan', 'foolish young people', 'protest vote'.....Facts are that good solid work on the ground got those seats, and more work will consolidate a good portion, if not all of that vote. And the same again, year in, year out. Theres an energy there that the rest don't have.

sharkie66 · 28-02-2011 01:20PM

Great result for SINN FEIN and above all a great result for Ireland. Now I hope all the SF bashers will accept our mandate and let US do the real work to bring Ireland back from the brink.

FG/LAB I hope will do the right thing and put it up to the IMF/EU. Lets hope they get balls and stand up for the people.

SF to put forward a motion regarding a referendum about the Bankers' debt.

What a great great great result.:):):):):D:):):)

PauloMN · 28-02-2011 01:22PM

Dan_Solo wrote: »

Well you can say something else. That you have no idea why people vote for or against SF. Maybe they don't like Gerry Adams' beard, who knows. But to say they don't vote for them because they are "disgusted" or some other nonsense is pure fantasyland stuff. You simply don't know.

How is it fantasyland? Read peoples' posts on here for the last month. Many are disguisted about the SF terrorism links, seems like a pretty valid reason for me that people have given not to vote SF. Many think SF policy are populist nonsense spouted by those who will never be in a position where they have to come good with their promises - seems like another pretty valid reason people don't vote for SF. Many think that even though they like some of their ideals, they are too far left of centre for them - they vote Labour.

Stick your head in the sand if you want as to why 9 out of 10 people still don't vote SF in a deep recession while FF gifted them seats - personally I don't give a hoot as I don't care, but it's up to SF to figure it all out and act upon it if they ever want to be a real force in Irish politics.

It doesn't say anything at all about people's opinions on their policies except they prefer someone else's.

Is that not what democracy is? To me it says everything about peoples' opinions of SF if 90% of the population don't vote for them.

caseyann · 28-02-2011 01:22PM

sharkie66 wrote: »

Great result for SINN FEIN and above all a great result for Ireland. Now I hope all the SF bashers will accept our mandate and let US do the real work to bring Ireland back from the brink.

FG/LAB I hope will do the right thing and put it up to the IMF/EU. Lets hope they get balls and stand up for the people.

SF to put forward a motion regarding a referendum about the Bankers' debt.

What a great great great result.:):):):):D:):):)

Welcome back sharkie

Still three seats waiting last time i checked

The Brigadier · 28-02-2011 01:26PM

sharkie66 wrote: »

Now I hope all the SF bashers will accept our mandate and let US do the real work to bring Ireland back from the brink.

Surely you must see that 10% of the vote is not a mandate?

If FG and Labour enter into government they will do so with 55% of the national vote. Will Sinn Fein let them get on with things?

outandabout · 28-02-2011 01:28PM

"Theres an energy there that the rest don't have."
...
Congratulations to Sinn Fein on a very good result but I'd suggest that the energy shown by Fine Gael, Labour and independent candidates matched if not surpassed that of Sinn Fein in some instances.

FG and Labour achieved record seat numbers and the indendents will also have their highest representation in the next Dail.

Of course the hard work starts now and I think the results of the next general election will give a clearer picture of the direction that Irish politics will take in the future.

caseyann · 28-02-2011 01:30PM

The Brigadier wrote: »

Surely you must see that 10% of the vote is not a mandate?

If FG and Labour enter into government they will do so with 55% of the national vote. Will Sinn Fein let them get on with things?

Adams said Sinn Féin would not be opposing Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny for the sake of it and would support positive policies. ‘‘But we will be working tooth and nail for working families," he said.
http://www.sbpost.ie/news/ireland/sinn-fein-on-course-to-double-dail-representation-54801.html
Good to know there isnt a bunch of yes men in all opposition parties.
What does FG intend to cut off the ministerial wage?Or said they would.

Hannibal · 28-02-2011 01:51PM

The Brigadier wrote: »

Surely you must see that 10% of the vote is not a mandate?

If FG and Labour enter into government they will do so with 55% of the national vote. Will Sinn Fein let them get on with things?

10% voted for Sinn Fein's policies alone, how many people voted for a joint FG/Labour government though?? FG voters voted for FG, and Labour voters voted for Labour. Nobody voted for a coalition as theyre seperate parties pursuing seperate policies. Its hardly a ringing endorsement of Labour when they only got 2% more of the vote than FF.. If SF went in with FG thats 46% but it doesnt make SF any more/less acceptable. But you cant get away from the fact that SF trebled its Dail representation and made big inroads into other constituencies. In Adams and Doherty SF had the third and forth highest vote getters in the state.

PauloMN · 28-02-2011 02:26PM

Dotsey wrote: »

Its hardly a ringing endorsement of Labour when they only got 2% more of the vote than FF..

So what does that say about SF, who got 7.5% less than FF?

I agree with you about Labour in any case, just shows that the left vote isn't as strong as it might have been, even in recession when a left vote will always be stronger. FG alone got substiantially more votes than SF and Labour put together. The left can only get so strong as can be seen by Labour, and even as they stand, most SF supporters would consider Labour too far centre for their liking.

eoinoleary · 28-02-2011 02:31PM

yup...220,000 of us...

Dan_Solo · 28-02-2011 02:55PM

PauloMN wrote: »

How is it fantasyland? Read peoples' posts on here for the last month. Many are disguisted about the SF terrorism links, seems like a pretty valid reason for me that people have given not to vote SF. Many think SF policy are populist nonsense spouted by those who will never be in a position where they have to come good with their promises - seems like another pretty valid reason people don't vote for SF. Many think that even though they like some of their ideals, they are too far left of centre for them - they vote Labour.

Ah, the three already roundly trounced allegations about SF we've heard here for the last while.

1. Anecdotes ≠ evidence.
(don't feel special, you're not the first to confuse that)
2. "Populist" can be used to describe anything, including 99% of FG and Labour policy.
3. If SF "don't want to be in government" then why are they happy to be in government in NI?

All disproven many times already. Saying them all at the same time doesn't make any of them right I'm afraid!

EDIT: Look at it this way, 63.8% of Ireland voted AGAINST Enda Kenny (by your interpretation of what that means), and he's still going to be Taoiseach...

Hannibal · 28-02-2011 03:00PM

PauloMN wrote: »

So what does that say about SF, who got 7.5% less than FF?

I agree with you about Labour in any case, just shows that the left vote isn't as strong as it might have been, even in recession when a left vote will always be stronger. FG alone got substiantially more votes than SF and Labour put together. The left can only get so strong as can be seen by Labour, and even as they stand, most SF supporters would consider Labour too far centre for their liking.

How long are Labour and FF participating in elections in this state? SF are coming from much further back and are only 0.2% away from where Labour were 4 years ago so this in itself is monumental. If SF got 40% of the vote you and people like you would say well what about the other 60%, you suffer from scatched-record syndrome making the same point over and over and over and over......

PauloMN · 28-02-2011 03:12PM

Dan_Solo wrote: »

Ah, the three already roundly trounced allegations about SF we've heard here for the last while.

1. Anecdotes ≠ evidence.
(don't feel special, you're not the first to confuse that)
2. "Populist" can be used to describe anything, including 99% of FG and Labour policy.
3. If SF "don't want to be in government" then why are they happy to be in government in NI?

All disproven many times already. Saying them all at the same time doesn't make any of them right I'm afraid!

EDIT: Look at it this way, 63.8% of Ireland voted AGAINST Enda Kenny (by your interpretation of what that means), and he's still going to be Taoiseach...

#1: Are you denying that certain SF party members have never been members of the IRA?
#2: Not really. FG stated before the election that "everyone" will have to share the burden of pain in fixing Ireland. Doesn't sound populist to me. Sounds like realism. Terms like "wealth tax" and "super rich", and upping welfare payments and bonuses in a recession is populist nonsense to appeal to a narrow base.
#3: NI is a different situation as it's funded by British taxpayers. I wonder would the SF supporters here be happy with the levels of welfare that a SF government in NI have?

Seeing as they are an "all Ireland" party, I'd love to see the reaction of the SF voters here when the welfare is dropped like a stone to achieve parity with NI. Funny how they want VAT parity but no mention of welfare parity. :rolleyes:

Well done to SF on successfully appealing to that narrow base. The trouble is, that's all it is - a narrow base. Until SF drop the terrorism links, and soften their policies, they won't appeal to a larger base. And if they do the above, well they'll basically be Labour.

Oh and by the way, I never said SF "don't want to be in government". I said they knew they wouldn't be, my point being that they can promise the sun, moon and stars and will never be held to account when it doesn't happen.

the_syco · 28-02-2011 03:16PM

Nodin wrote: »

Heard it all before, when SF started overtaking the SDLP. 'flash in the pan', 'foolish young people', 'protest vote'.....Facts are that good solid work on the ground got those seats, and more work will consolidate a good portion, if not all of that vote. And the same again, year in, year out. Theres an energy there that the rest don't have.

I take it you speak of Norn Iron. SF up there seem to be well regarded, and have done great work. The ones "down here" are seen as the looney left by some, Garda murdering terrorists by others, and the saviours of our once great nation by a few. The fact that FF, after f**king up the country still got more than SF is laughable, but shows that people prefer the policies of FF rather than the policies of SF.

And this is what it comes down to. The policies. Young people getting motivated can only get the party so far, but if the policies smell like corporate suicide, they won't get that many seats.

Nodin · 28-02-2011 03:22PM

Time will tell on that one. If I'm still kicking, it will be interesting to see the position in ten years time.

Zubeneschamali · 28-02-2011 03:25PM

Dotsey wrote: »

How long are Labour and FF participating in elections in this state?

Hey, you mean this isn't the same Sinn Féin party from 1922? They just swiped the name?

I feel cheated!

maccored · 28-02-2011 03:30PM

the_syco wrote: »

but shows that people prefer the policies of FF rather than the policies of SF.

that says more about the voter in the south than it does about the parties

sharkie66 · 28-02-2011 03:57PM

The Brigadier wrote: »

Surely you must see that 10% of the vote is not a mandate?

If FG and Labour enter into government they will do so with 55% of the national vote. Will Sinn Fein let them get on with things?

Mandate:
the authority to carry out a policy or course of action, regarded as given by the electorate to a candidate or party that is victorious in an election

Sorry but 10% is indeed a mandate! The people who voted for Sinn Fein expect their party to go into the Dail and do the job they were voted in for!
It will be nice to see FG/Lab go to Europe and do something for Ireland!

anyone here going to vote sinn féin?

Comments