I have no-one to vote for...

Bannasidhe · 15-02-2012 02:44PM #1

I know, I know we are not due a general election for years and years but still I am already concerned that I will have no one to vote for

.

I haven't been in this position since I lived in the UK and the choice was between Margaret Thatcher or Neil Kinnock.

I used to vote Labour. I used to vote for Kathleen Lynch. I am very not happy that they are reneging on their election promises. I am very not happy that in a blind taste test it would be impossible to tell the difference between FG/LP in government and FF/GP in government.
The straw that has broken the camels back was when I saw what the Labour TDs for Cork claimed in expenses for 10 and a bit months last year - these so-called socialists are claiming every penny they can while cutting SNAs (Quinn), attacking the unemployed with headline grabbing rhetoric about dole spongers (Burton), ensuring their special advisers breach the salary cap (Gilmore) - so they can go take a long walk off a short pier before I'll tick the box next to their names again.

FG - may as well be FF as far as I can see. They have broken nearly every election promise they made.

FF - I will admit I have never voted FF - I remember Haughey too well and Aherne, Cowen etc did nothing to dispell my aversion to that party. Martin...oh how quick he is to sling the mud when FG are sticking to policies that are essentially the same as FF planned.

SF - I was looking at them, I was trying to really hard to overcome any prejudice I have towards them. But all they seem to do is spout anti-everything polemics without ever producing a viable alternative.
Then I see that statements such as

I have stated many times that it is my view that TD’s, Senators, Junior Ministers and Ministers are over paid and that their expenses are inflated. Both the Salary and the expenses should be cut substantially by Doherty in 2009

http://pearsedoherty.blogspot.com/2009/09/my-expenses.html
but he claimed over 51k in expenses for 2011.
Mary-Lou - champion of the working classes showed her solidarity with the hard pressed taxpayer by claiming the average industrial wage in expenses.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AlxJrxiwB44XdGJZcG0tUVI2aWVGZzdkUThWZG1FTHc#gid=0
It just smells like hypocrisy to me.

So - it looks like I will have no-one to vote for...

Anyone else find themselves in the same position?

Doesn't matter if you are on the right/left/centre - do you feel there is someone worth voting for and why should I vote for them?

Red21 · 15-02-2012 02:50PM

If you feel nobody is good enough to represent you, why don't you run yourself?

AngryBollix · 15-02-2012 02:50PM

Reneging is part and parcel of politics.

Its finding the best liar thats the problem

Frank Black · 15-02-2012 02:50PM

With proportional representation and multi-seat constituencies such problems are easily overcome.
You just start with who you hate most - don't give them any number vote. Next move onto who you next hate most, you can give them a preference (the number of candidates -1) and so on moving up through your card.
At the end, your left with the candidate you hate the least - who you give your number 1 to.
Sorted.

SEPT 23 1989 · 15-02-2012 02:51PM

There will be a new party by the time the election comes

AngryBollix · 15-02-2012 02:51PM

Red21 wrote: »

If you feel nobody is good enough to represent you, why don't you run yourself?

Its too easy to sit on our arse and complain abut others

OneOfThem Stumbled · 15-02-2012 02:51PM

Bannasidhe wrote: »

Anyone else find themselves in the same position?

+1

Whilst waiting for a new party (and the sun to rise in the west) I'll just vote for fat cat moderates in a bid to keep loopy anarchists or nationalist-socialists at bay

15-02-2012 02:53PM

We could do with a Pirate Party

smash · 15-02-2012 02:54PM

Vote independent

opinion guy · 15-02-2012 02:55PM

AngryBollix wrote: »

Reneging is part and parcel of politics.

Its finding the best liar thats the problem

Wow thats deep. Does this mean finding the best liar in general so that when we beg from Europe he will lie to them undetected.....or......does that mean finding the best one who is lying to me so I won't cop on I'm being lied to and will remain in happy delusion ?

foxyboxer · 15-02-2012 02:55PM

first world problems.

third world problem.

Phill Ewinn · 15-02-2012 02:55PM

Vote for SF. They are the default opposition to FF/FG

Bannasidhe · 15-02-2012 02:57PM

Red21 wrote: »

If you feel nobody is good enough to represent you, why don't you run yourself?

I could not join any of the current political parties -in fact I have resigned from the LP - as I have had enough of election promises that end up being discarded as soon as the election is over. I am sick of the endless spin and blame game the parties indulge in. I am sick of austerity being preached but not practised by TDs.
Being a person who believes a promise is a promise seems to be a serious handicap in Irish party politics. I also have huge objections to the way the Whip system is abused.

As for being an independent - it seems to me that is a (highly paid) waste of time unless one is in the position of holding the balance of power á la Gregory, Healy-Rae, Lowry etc. In which case it is grab everything you can for your little corner and feck the national interest.

Cat Melodeon · 15-02-2012 02:58PM

I supported Labour in the last election. I'm not at all happy with their performance since they've been in power (yes, I'm looking at you Sean Sherlock and you Pat Rabbitte), but I would hate to think how bad the alternative would be - an FF coalition or FG on their own. I mostly voted Labour in order to get Fianna epicFail out and I would do so again, not because I think Labour are great but to keep FF out. How to get Lowry out is the next connundrum. Hopefully the rejigged constituency boundaries will go against him, but I'm not holding out much hope. We'll probably end up with him and Mattie MacGrath representing us. The joys of living in Tipp!

As for your own predicament, if there aren't any decent independents and you don't fancy your own chances, just vote for the least bad option. And don't forget to use your local election vote wisely next year.

TeddyTedson · 15-02-2012 02:58PM

Frankie out! Blokes a knob head.

swimming in a sea · 15-02-2012 03:07PM

Vote ZANU-PF, Ireland would back on its feet in no time.

Bannasidhe · 15-02-2012 03:10PM

black francis wrote: »

With proportional representation and multi-seat constituencies such problems are easily overcome.
You just start with who you hate most - don't give them any number vote. Next move onto who you next hate most, you can give them a preference (the number of candidates -1) and so on moving up through your card.
At the end, your left with the candidate you hate the least - who you give your number 1 to.
Sorted.

That's the problem. I find myself hating them all equally.

Biggins · 15-02-2012 03:14PM

Its not perfect according to critics (and they might have a point) but the the one is my signature is trying at least.

AgileMyth · 15-02-2012 03:14PM

Bannasidhe wrote: »

That's the problem. I find myself hating them all equally.

You could run yourself?

Frank Black · 15-02-2012 03:18PM

Cat Melodeon wrote: »

We'll probably end up with him and Mattie MacGrath representing us. The joys of living in Tipp!

Having had the pleasure of meeting Mattie a few times through work when he was just a humble Councillor - I'd have to say I'd prefer to be represented by serial crook Michael Lowry.

Mattie McGrath is one of the thickest, rudest and most ignorant people I've ever encountered and I watched his election to TD with a mixture of bemusement and depression.

Bannasidhe · 15-02-2012 03:19PM

AgileMyth wrote: »

You could run yourself?

See post #13.

AgileMyth · 15-02-2012 03:24PM

Bannasidhe wrote: »

See post #13.

Start a new party?

Bannasidhe · 15-02-2012 03:26PM

Biggins wrote: »

Its not perfect according to critics (and they might have a point) but the the one is my signature is trying at least.

Who? Tell me more.

I want to vote see. I always vote. My first voting experience was the abortion referendum in 1983. It's a thing with me - voting.

RussellTuring · 15-02-2012 03:26PM

You don't have an obligation to vote for anyone* and why should you if nobody is suitable to you? Remember that when you vote for someone you're implying that you stand by the decisions they have yet to even make. The only person I feel can truly represent my opinion is myself so someone I've never met is hardly going to do a good job.

Also, I don't subscribe to the idea that you have to vote for someone because you hate them a bit less than the other option. It reinforces the idea that we should settle for unsuitable candidates and elects people who are no more qualified than being slightly less objectionable than the alternative. The enemy of your enemy isn't necessarily your friend.

*I was talking about elections. Voting in a referendum is a different issue to me.

OneOfThem Stumbled wrote: »

+1

Whilst waiting for a new party (and the sun to rise in the west) I'll just vote for fat cat moderates in a bid to keep loopy anarchists or nationalist-socialists at bay

Anarchists don't often run for election.

KeithAFC · 15-02-2012 03:31PM

I think you should look to consider Fianna Fail. I think with a new fresh start and being in opposition, they could be a good option for you.

gcgirl · 15-02-2012 03:36PM

KeithAFC wrote: »

I think you should look to consider Fianna Fail. I think with a new fresh start and being in opposition, they could be a good option for you.

Bit like the turkeys voting for Xmas
Hopefully it's a sarcastic comment
Those fookers got us in the **** state we are in

Biggins · 15-02-2012 03:45PM

KeithAFC wrote: »

I think you should look to consider Fianna Fail. I think with a new fresh start and being in opposition, they could be a good option for you.

:pac:

Your funny! :pac:
You post was the first one today to make me laugh.

opinion guy · 15-02-2012 03:46PM

KeithAFC wrote: »

I think you should look to consider Fianna Fail. I think with a new fresh start and being in opposition, they could be a good option for you.

:pac:
Comedy gold!

Nothingbetter2d · 15-02-2012 04:33PM

we need to form a boardsie party to run for elections next time round.

we will need candiates for the following:

Minister For After Hours
Minister For Technology & Computers, Net & Comms (that guy can replace sherlock)
Minister For Biz (this job is for dealing with taxation & consumer affairs)
Minister For Health
Minister For Edu (Education Minister)
Minister For Music & Arts (cultural arts minister)
Minister For Region (Foreign Affairs minister - cork is another country after all)
Minister For Sports & Games
Minister For Security
Minister For Society (can have joan burton's job)
Minister For Science

now name your favourite Boardsie Mod to run for each position

Morlar · 15-02-2012 04:52PM

I think it's going to be another case of which is the least worst candidate ?

All of them will continue to make living in Ireland progressively more expensive for average paye workers.

Kind of like having to choose a poison, none of them are good for you but some of them are worse than others.

I'd put labour at the Rat poison, FF are the Drain cleaner, FG are the Super strong Domestos, leaving SF as the Fairy washing up liquid. Independents tend to be raving wackjobs. That's a slightly unfair generalisation but it's not that unfair imo.

Pride Fighter · 15-02-2012 04:57PM

Despite the harsh austerity the current government are heaping on the country Labour are still the least worst political party IMO. They have the only TD that claims zero expenses (Eamonn Maloney), are part of a European Parliament group the Socialists and Democrats that have IMO the best policies in the European Parliament (despite Labour not implementing any of them in government, they would likely form the most part of the next manifesto).

The other parties are absolutely awful IMO, Fine Gael were founded by fascists and racists. Fianna Fail have bankrupted the nation 3 times, Haughey, Ahern, need I say more. Sinn Fein have a bunch of ex murders as their TD's and are implementing austerity in Northern Ireland making their anti-austerity stance down here hypocritical. They are also not genuine, they claim they draw the average industrial wage but in fact claim more in expenses while taking the full TD's salary, as the OP said. Far left do the same as Sinn Fein with the 'average industrial wage' malarkey and have no concrete policies. Independents are a wasted vote.

It is a sad state of affairs when one votes for a party cause they are the least bad though IMO. I'll likely vote Labour in the next local elections.

I have no-one to vote for...

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