Could something or someone like Brexit or Trump happen in Ireland?

steddyeddy · 01-01-2017 11:30pm #1

I.E a deep unsatisction leading to a voter led change. What form could it take?

Sam Kade · 01-01-2017 11:32pm

It already did, Bertie Ahern was his name.

A Little Pony · 01-01-2017 11:32pm

Well the EU rules Ireland now, so unless that changes, nothing changes.

The_Valeyard · 01-01-2017 11:32pm

Healy Rae as our Dear Leader.

Tralee becomes new Capital.

Hunger Games follows shortly afterwards, but with GAA rules.

dodderangler · 01-01-2017 11:34pm

Sam Kade wrote: »

It already did, Bertie Ahern was his name.

Being a gobshiite was his game. Hey that rhymes

CINCLANTFLT · 01-01-2017 11:34pm

The_Valeyard wrote: »

Healy Ray as our Dear Leader.

Tralee becomes new Capital.

Hunger Games follows shortly afterwards, but with GAA rules.

This... think of North Korea, but with the Healys Rae as our leaders!!!

01-01-2017 11:37pm

I think it could, it might be a case of no one really believing it would happen - until it does. I've seen enough opinions on this forum alone not to disregard the possibility.

Ireland is the meat in this brave new world sandwich. You just never know what could happen.

whatawaster81 · 01-01-2017 11:37pm

Shinners in. Gerry or Mary Lou for Taoiseach.

CINCLANTFLT · 01-01-2017 11:38pm

dodderangler wrote: »

Being a gobshiite was his game. Hey that rhymes

Bertie Ahern was his name.
Being a gobshiite was his game!
He let Cowan take the blame.
But now it's his aim...
To be our president and return to fame!

El_Duderino 09 · 02-01-2017 11:07am

If you look at the political parties, they're very much the same. FF/FG preference is mostly whichever you were raised with. Like Barry's/Lyon's tea, most people wouldn't be able to do a blind test of ff/FG policy if they didn't know who's in government.

So.e people on boards alone have so e fairly far out idea. A lot of people would like to see harshness shown to certain groups like immigrants, Muslims, the unworking class.

I junk.a lot of people would respond to trump's style of dumbing it right down and Tailoring towards the angry people who do the know much about politics right now.

Atlantic Dawn · 02-01-2017 11:10am

Nice and Lisbon no votes happened, we were told to kindly vote again.

Hanwellian · 02-01-2017 11:11am

I don't think there is any real appetite for a seismic shift in the political climate in Ireland, when all is said and done most people are happy with the status quo. Sure, they may bleat behind closed doors, but most haven't the gumption to back this up at the polls.

IMO, we should stand up to the EU much more, a case of golden handcuffs with them!

Iwasfrozen · 02-01-2017 11:13am

Yes, it could happen. Even on boards there are a lot of nationalists, xenophobes, bigots. Ireland is not immune to people's ignorance and the 1916 celebrations were a little too militaristic in my view.

mzungu · 02-01-2017 11:16am

We don't really do extremes in this country so on the Trump side of things I doubt it. As regards a Brexit scenario, perhaps if there was another crash and Joe and Jane taxpayer ended up taking another massive hit then it would not be totally beyond the realms of possibility. But I'm sure we would get a second vote if that ever happened :pac:

Flint Fredstone · 02-01-2017 11:16am

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

Yes, it could happen. Even on boards there are a lot of nationalists, xenophobes, bigots. Ireland is not immune to people's ignorance and the 1916 celebrations were a little too militaristic in my view.

You don't have to be any of those if you want certain things to change and you are presented with 2 crappy choices.

Hanwellian · 02-01-2017 11:20am

It appears that if there were to be any change, it would be to the left, the rise in Independents and Sinn Fein has continued in the last five years or so, whilst the rest of Europe heads to the right.

_Kaiser_ · 02-01-2017 11:35am

Hanwellian wrote: »

I don't think there is any real appetite for a seismic shift in the political climate in Ireland, when all is said and done most people are happy with the status quo. Sure, they may bleat behind closed doors, but most haven't the gumption to back this up at the polls.

IMO, we should stand up to the EU much more, a case of golden handcuffs with them!

I agree completely with the latter point. The EU has shown in the last 8/9 years, how out of touch it is with the reality its citizens live in, and how business and political interests mean those same citizens are no more than expendable economic assets if it suits the interests of (primarily) the Germans. Rules that are inflexible and punishing to countries like Greece and even Ireland can be bent, ignored or rewritten at a whim if it suits those who the EU is really setup to benefit.

Add to that the disastrous handling of the "refugee"/migrant crisis and it's no wonder an increasing number of those disenfranchised ordinary citizens want nothing to do with it.. result: Brexit and far left/right parties on the rise.

However, to be fair, back in Ireland our political choices are :

FG - whose only function in Irish politics is to make FF electable again by being even worse.. as they've achieved yet again by the recent poll figures

FF - who'll keep the party going till the house falls apart. But we'll all get "free" money so wahey! :rolleyes:

LAB - who sold their supporters out rapidly to become FG-lite last time out, and include such notable "characters" like Alan Kelly

SF - completely unelectable in reality with Gerry at the helm. They've no idea what most people here care about.. and, let's be honest here, it's not the North

The Alphabet soup protest groups (AAA/PBP etc) - while these have done some invaluable work in exposing the incompetence and corruption of the current/last Government, that's about all they're up to in reality

The "Independents" - one-issue parochial candidates or cast-offs from FF/FG for the most part. Not much to inspire there.

Greens/Renua - are they even still a thing, especially given the former group's role in Government prior to 2011.

In other words, we don't really have a great selection to choose from outside of the Big 2 (who are both incidentally completely beholden to the EU anyway seeing as their TDs benefit handsomely from it after national politics has had enough of them), and between them the cycle repeats endlessly... FF are irresponsible, populist and prone to shady dealings - but everyone puts up with it because "property ladder", "100% mortgage" etc - and then when the crash happens, FG come in and prove to be just as bad if not worse (Irish Water mess, Garda scandals and the same old cronyism and waste that people crticise FF for).

Lackey · 02-01-2017 12:21pm

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

Yes, it could happen. Even on boards there are a lot of nationalists, xenophobes, bigots. Ireland is not immune to people's ignorance and the 1916 celebrations were a little too militaristic in my view.

That's it..... The only reason they voted, cause they are all racist....how's that opinion working out for you? ...as Dr Phil would ask.

Lots of people thought the 1916 celebrations were brilliant, what box does that place them in?

Bigotry works both ways.

Iwasfrozen · 02-01-2017 12:34pm

Lackey wrote: »

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

Yes, it could happen. Even on boards there are a lot of nationalists, xenophobes, bigots. Ireland is not immune to people's ignorance and the 1916 celebrations were a little too militaristic in my view.

That's it..... The only reason they voted, cause they are all racist....how's that opinion working out for you? ...as Dr Phil would ask.

Lots of people thought the 1916 celebrations were brilliant, what box does that place them in?

Bigotry works both ways.

Not all people who voted for Trump are racist but there's a fair case to make that all racists voted Trump.

Permabear · 02-01-2017 12:40pm

This post has been deleted.

Lackey · 02-01-2017 12:47pm

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

Not all people who voted for Trump are racist but there's a fair case to make that all racists voted Trump.

You can come out with as many of these little witty one liners as you wish about the great 'unwashed uneducated racist bigots',

Meanwhile....I could see it all a mile off....
Trump is The President of the United States,
Brexit happened,
The Right are on the rise all over Europe.

But hey, YOUR opinions are right, THEIR opinions are all wrong, and that's all that matters.

Hanwellian · 02-01-2017 12:48pm

The time has come when Ireland needs to know what camp it is in. Is it a dedicated member and believer in the EU, does it head towards more closer ties with Britain (post Brexit) or, become more subservient to the U.S. and all that may entail there.

Certainly, it seems more evident that the EU is creaking at the seams, when there are possible political changes in Germany and France on the cards, the EU will either be doomed or have to make radical changes to it's ( democratic/undemocratic as you may view it) policies.

A Little Pony · 02-01-2017 1:20pm

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Nice and Lisbon no votes happened, we were told to kindly vote again.

The Irish electorate must be so thick. Imagine voting and then being asked again and just going along with what the EU tells you. Irish people have no thirst for freedom anymore or political revolutionary thinking. Irish people are the greatest whingers on earth but when it comes to making a difference at the ballot box, absolutely nothing happens.

Hanwellian · 02-01-2017 1:26pm

Part of the problem is that ireland has this inherent need to be 'liked' across the world, it won't do anything to disabuse this.
Why is there a constant national belief that everyone loves the Irish. Maybe because we are so compliant and docile?

Alf Stewart. · 02-01-2017 1:27pm

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

Yes, it could happen. Even on boards there are a lot of nationalists, xenophobes, bigots. Ireland is not immune to people's ignorance and the 1916 celebrations were a little too militaristic in my view.

Really?

Militaristic, during a commemoration celebrating the states uprising

You'd have to wonder who in under phuck came up with a "militaristic" theme to celebrate an uprising. Clearly alternatives such as Morris dancers and a synchronised swimming display would have been much better.

steddyeddy · 02-01-2017 1:33pm

Hanwellian wrote: »

Part of the problem is that ireland has this inherent need to be 'liked' across the world, it won't do anything to disabuse this.
Why is there a constant national belief that everyone loves the Irish. Maybe because we are so compliant and docile?

We celebrated the 1916 Rising not so long ago. Don't think we're particularly docile in fairness.

steddyeddy · 02-01-2017 1:35pm

Candie wrote: »

I think it could, it might be a case of no one really believing it would happen - until it does. I've seen enough opinions on this forum alone not to disregard the possibility.

Ireland is the meat in this brave new world sandwich. You just never know what could happen.

Very true. No country is immune, it's just a question of what form it will take in Ireland.

Hanwellian · 02-01-2017 1:41pm

Celebrating the 1916 Uprising means the Irish are not a docile nation?

How would the marking of a event that happened 100 years ago, an internal event at that, show Europe that we are not going to be compliant and make a stand or even throw a small spanner in the cogs?

steddyeddy · 02-01-2017 1:53pm

Hanwellian wrote: »

Celebrating the 1916 Uprising means the Irish are not a docile nation?

How would the marking of a event that happened 100 years ago, an internal event at that, show Europe that we are not going to be compliant and make a stand or even throw a small spanner in the cogs?

Does the EU generally agree with our tax regime?

Irish Guitarist · 02-01-2017 1:54pm

If there's a referendum that doesn't turn out how the government want it to they'll just hold another referendum and another until voters make the correct choice.

Hanwellian · 02-01-2017 2:00pm

Exactly, compliant!

Could something or someone like Brexit or Trump happen in Ireland?

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