New Party: The Social Democrats.

Bannasidhe wrote: »

I am watching them with interest.
As someone who could be best described as a 'soft socialist' - I believe in small government which runs the services to maintain a society where every citizen is treated equally which protects all citizens which, humans being humans, requires the State to produce legislation to ensure they are protected - I find myself without a political party to vote for...

I admire much of the work done by the likes of Daly and Wallace when it comes to highlighting abuses in the system (e.g. penalty points) but, like the Socialist Party/AAA TDs, I find them a bit strident and preachy.

Sinn Fein - I have spent a long time having internal (talking to myself again) and external discussions as to why I have an aversion to Sinn Fein and whether this is based on genuine concerns or the result of a decades long campaign against them by the establishment. Two 'straws' have seriously dented the camel's back when it comes to SF - 1. the ink fiasco - they should have offered to pay for the ink not fall back in the same old what TDs are entitled to justifications so beloved of the other political parties. 2. The whole sexual abuse scandal - S.F. closed ranks and put party image first. I have had enough of the welfare of political parties being put first.

Independents - in the last G.E. the only independent I was seriously considering voting for was Diarmuid O Flynn... until it emerged he would vote against any attempt to legalise abortion. Although Diarmuid and I had a cordial exchange of emails, I felt that given his public anti-abortion statements I could not vote for him and he respected that.

FF/FG/LP can simply feck right off.
Renua - rewhoah?

As I can't vote for the SNP perhaps the Social Democrats is the place for me.

Thanks for that interesting post from you and your frank comments about what you think of SF.

Having read some parts on this Social Democrats website, I´m not so sure whether they really like to be left of the centre or more centre based. The outset of this party appears to me to be of less ideological basis but more pragmatic, putting the citizen in the focus to gain support and votes.

I´m not much familiar with the three TDs who founded that Party and so I can´t say anything about them. What strikes me is that just one of the three is a former Labour TD. It also seems to me that they like to build up an alternative to the parties of the establishment, maybe also drawing some voters and votes from those who either voted or are inclined to vote for SF.

I´ll be looking for the first and further reactions from the Labour Party on that new party because of the name they chose to give themselves and the Agenda they seek to give themselves. As this is a brand new party with just three members, there are plenty of chances to bring on some of ones own ideas to them and get involved with them. But if someone chooses to join them, it´ll be hard work to build it up and I rather doubt a Swift success, given the time left before the next GE in the Republic of Ireland which is, if I´m not wrong, next year. So those three TDs, if they don´t have the backings of their constituency, might lose their seats in the Dáil and it might be a long way until they get in again, depending on how this new party is developing.

I think that your last line re FF/FG/LAB sums it up and mirrors what many people expressed on internet forums in the past couple of years.

5rtytry56 wrote: »

Can't see their website yet. Where is it? Who are they again?

I´ve given the link to their Website as the third one in my opening post, but to save you the bother, I´ll give it to you again:

http://www.socialdemocrats.ie/

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

How ominous, the inability of the party to make such a basic decision as to a leader.

If they can't even select a leader with conviction, I can't see them operating with any gumption in a coalition government.

Utterly indistinguishable from Labour in substance. The two parties will fuse together after most of the Labour Party is wiped out.

It´s better to have people like these three than to have the likes of Syriza.

1800 wrote: »

So the Labour Party Lite have joined the circus. More Indos who just deserted a sinking ship, who are clearly no different from the rest. That parasite O Riordan will probably jump aboard when he gets the chance. Abolish the water charges and repel the 8th, yawn.

Just a bunch of posh Clare Dalys. Think we've more than enough socially liberal parties in this state.

Why not give them a chance?

1800 wrote: »

Why should I when agree with very little of what the stand for. Donnelly and Muprhy have been decent Independents so far but Shortalls minimum alcohol pricing policy which is now coming into law is idiotic. She jumped ship when she couldnt get her way but she is no different to anyone else in the Labour Party now, a lying opportunist.

Well, as I said, I know very Little about the past of These three People who founded this new party. So, my approach and dealing with it comes from a more neutral angle. As for being an Opportunist, isn´t that what makes many of the average politicians? Without taking an opportunity, one can just go upwards rather the hard way and politics, wherever you look, is some sort of a hard business in many ways. Personally, I wouldn´t take up the efforts most of the TDs have to in order to Keep their seat and get things done. Although most of them are just a part in the bigger picture, they invest much time and energy to serve their People. That is said in fairness and in general terms.

If one TD leaves the Party through which list he or she got elected, well, such things doesn´t go down well among their "former" fellow Party comerades, but I would pay some Attention on the reasonings that brought them to leave the Party. Some fundamental disagreements might be the reason for, some couldn´t follow the Party line because it wasn´t what they stood for and what they could cope with. Plenty of reasons for such a step and of course, one can´t exclude the simple opportunism to make a change for the benefit of oneself. But whether the benefit kicks in after such a step remains to be seen in the light of the next election. That puts such things to the test and parts the personality from the party. So, if one gets re-elected after leaving the party and he gets elected because of his personality than it is indeed a benefit for the candidate himself showing that he made the right decision if the party he was a member of before is on a steady decline in the votes, like the Irish Labour Party appears to be.

Also what sort of political party has 3 members 8 months before an election? It doesnt matter what most people think because they wont b in our constituencies. Hear Shortall now on about equality, progress and the Nordic model. More total bollocks no different to any of the left wing parties we have.

Many things start in small numbers and it´s up the those who started it how they can gain supporters and fellow members to expand and also what kind of policy they are offering the electorate. In a political environment such as it is in the present time in Ireland, where a certain amount of people are fed up with the establishment parties and are looking for something new, more genuine, more closer to the people and - that´s also some point - have no track of any sort linking them with and to corruption, a new party might stand a chance to get a go in elections. Small in numbers now, but they can grow and that they can at the expense of the establishment parties which have often disappointed their voters.

In a democracy, many things are possible as far as they get the backing from the electorate.

Sam Russell wrote: »

That is nearly all of the principled politicians in the Dail, and all in one party!

If that is really the case, I could only say "God save Ireland" to that.