Who are these FF supporters?

[Latrade]

From a policy and philosophy perspective I would be closest to FG but I find the calibre of their elected members to be shockingly bad. If Brian Lenahan was leader of FF I would vote for them in the morning since he is the only government of opposition figure who has shown any clear leadership.
Labour are the political wing of the unions and their economic policies are nuts (their social policies are, however, very good). On the basis of their policies, and the total lack of anybody capable of pragmatic think on their front bench, I could not vote for them.

So, like many people, I am in a position where I feel I should vote but find myself in a position where there’s nobody I want to see in power.

+1 to some extent.

The last 18 months should have been Manna from Heaven for even a partially astute opposition. All we've had is vague promises of "we'd do it better" but without substance. And when we do get some substance, they're scatter gun policies that could never be implemented, but with enough sound bites to be trotted out occasionally to claim credit for when the government eventual bring out their own policy.

I'm actually swining towards an FF vote for a number of reasons, but it's still tenuous based upon where and how we got to where we were. The first shift was during the local and European elections. I had numerous opposition parties call and not one was willing to engage in discussions on local or European matters. Their only interest was in anti-FF sentiment. While I was as angry as everyone else, I refuse to elect someone on into an office for a fixed period where there only mandate is "that other lot are rubbish".

The other significant factor is the slow progress being made towards economic recovery. It's churlish to expect something to happen over night and it has to be one step at a time. But in comparisson to how the UK went about things, and I need to wash my tongue out here, but Cowen might have actually made largely the right choices.

Sceptics could say that their ratings were so low that it didn't they didn't have anything to lose by taking hard choices, but every politician has an eye on opinion polls. The UK government's method would have been the easy choice, a few public inquiries, lowered taxes and retail supports. for all that they've had growth of 0.1%. For all their incentives over hard action, they only managed 0.1% growth.

We've taken the pain early. It's fair to say that if it hadn't been done as soon as it was we'd be taking a lot more pain.

And at every stage the opposition has used the "we'd do it better" without one indication of how or what they'd actually do. It's easy to sit at the side lines and snipe as to how you'd do things, it's harder to come up with a quantifiable plan to back up the back seat politics.

I don't have specific political leanings, so I can't say for definite I'm one of those who will vote FF. But unless there's a shift from the opposition acting as the Mother-in-Law in the back seat, and as long as the actions taken continue to have some effect, I can't see there's any other choice.

 

[Bronte]

I'm not and never have been a fan of FF. I think a one party state is not democracy. I think FF have wasted the Celtic Tiger. I would vote for Brian Lenihan if he was in my constituency. I thought Albert was ok, but Bertie and Haughey, argh. I've voted, Labour, PD and Fine Gael. I like what the Greens say most of the time, but they are suffering the fate of all parties that go with FF. Don't understand the hatred Green members have for their own party, how can they expect a tiny party to deliver all policies, that's not realistic. My parents have and will always, no matter what vote for FF.

Fine Gael are idiots in relation to George Lee. Why would you not use your best asset.

Politicians I've admired off the top of my head are Noel Brown, Mary O' Rourke, Michael D, Dick Spring, Dessie O' Malley, Willie O' Dea is good for Limerick, Ruairi Quinn, Garret F, Ivan Yates, Tony Gregory.
Those who make my skin crawl are Haughey, Bertie and Padraic Flynn and Bev, which for some reason reminds me of Jackie Healy Rae.

 

[TarfHead]

Labour and FG said nothing during the boom that would leave me to believe they would have prevented the bust

I lost respect for my constituency's Labour TD at the last general election when his 'manifesto' promised delivery of the LUAS & a 3rd level college to the constituency

 

[DB74]

I lost respect for my constituency's Labour TD at the last general election when his 'manifesto' promised delivery of the LUAS & a 3rd level college to the constituency

Dead right too

Everybody knows only Independents who are propping up the government can get those sort of deals!

 

[csirl]

FG are not acting like they think they can be in Government. Contrast their behaviour with that of the Conservative Party in the UK who have been preparing to take up the reins and so have given the voters the impression that they are ready and capable of being in Government.

With FF sinking so low in recent months, you would think that FG would be very vocal in letting the voters know that they are ready to govern? Saying, with a sort of apologetic tone, that they might go into coalition with a party that has very different policies to try and oust FF is not the way to go - it does not inspire confidence and does not entice people to vote for them. If FG were serious about governing, they would have grasps the nettle and replaced Kenny and the couple of other senior figures who give the impression that they lack confidence and replaced them with a more dynamic confidence inspiring front bench.

 

[Firefly]

I honestly believe that FG are happier in opposition.

 

[z107]

If you think about it, which party, in their right minds, would want to be in power now?
The pain has only just started. The next few months are going to particularly bad. Interest rate rises, increasing unemployment, industrial unrest, loss of competitiveness, huge debt, repossessions and the banks are far from safe.
I wouldn't fancy being in power with all that going on. You'd never get elected again.

 

[UFC]

I would vote FF for two main reasons. Brian Lenihan who I thought was useless at the beginning but who has shown real ability since.

How has Lenihan shown real ability? Please don't mention the fact that he has cancer as it's irrelevant.

 

[DerKaiser]

If you think about it, which party, in their right minds, would want to be in power now?
The pain has only just started. The next few months are going to particularly bad. Interest rate rises, increasing unemployment, industrial unrest, loss of competitiveness, huge debt, repossessions and the banks are far from safe.
I wouldn't fancy being in power with all that going on. You'd never get elected again.

Most people wouldn't but politicians aren't the same as most people!

Listening to Ivan Yeats on Newstalk gives a good insight occasionally. One of the reasons he quit was frustration at not being able to have any influence.

I would think that FG and Labour politicians in their 40s and 50s must be supremely frustrated not to have had a go since 1997.

I think it's a shame that people would only turn on the government in place when the past mismanagement is recognised. If FG (or anyone else)got in and did the right things gradually over 5 years I'd hope they'd be judged on their own merits rather than the inherited state of the economy.

 

[DerKaiser]

How has Lenihan shown real ability? Please don't mention the fact that he has cancer as it's irrelevant.

Well he has run rings around everyone I've seen him debate with in the past 12 months. He is bring an enormous amount of understanding and common sense to the role through his sheer work ethic

 

[liaconn]

In fairness, though, any half intelligent reasonably competent person would stand out like a big shiny star amongst the other idiots, gombeens and crooks in FF.

 

[UFC]

Well he has run rings around everyone I've seen him debate with in the past 12 months. He is bring an enormous amount of understanding and common sense to the role through his sheer work ethic

I agree he is tough as nails, can handle a debate, and is reasonably intelligent, but these are the bare basics and have nothing to do with showing real ability.

What good decisions has he made?

Sort out the PS? No.
Sort out the banks? No.
Sort out Ireland's over expenditure? No.
Sort out Ireland's excessive welfare payments? No.
Sort out Ireland's excessive minimum wage? No.

Eh...

Has he got anything right?

 

[Sunny]

How has Lenihan shown real ability? Please don't mention the fact that he has cancer as it's irrelevant.

So why did you bring the cancer into it? Nobody else mentioned it.

Lenihan really struggled at the beginning of his brief but if you want to know why Lenihan is doing such a good job, look at Greece and see where they are at the moment. 12 months ago Ireland was in the same place as them. I know of foreign investors who were piling out of Irish Soverign Debt. Having spoken to these guys recently at a conference and hearing people talk, people should not underestimate the regard that Lenihan (and the government) is held in internationally for the budgets he introduced, NAMA and in the way he dealt with foreign investors at the height of the crisis by going around Europe and meeting with these guys and putting Ireland's case forward.

 

[Purple]

I agree he is tough as nails, can handle a debate, and is reasonably intelligent, but these are the bare basics and have nothing to do with showing real ability.

What good decisions has he made?

Sort out the PS? No.
Sort out the banks? No.
Sort out Ireland's over expenditure? No.
Sort out Ireland's excessive welfare payments? No.
Sort out Ireland's excessive minimum wage? No.

Eh...

Has he got anything right?

With respect, that post typifies what’s wrong with the Irish electorate.

Do you seriously expect any politician in any democracy to sort out major systemic economic problems in a matter of months?
Given that our stupid and undemocratic system makes it so hard for any government to make hard decisions it’s nothing short of miraculous that anything gets done. What we can see is a plan, based on a medium term policy, formulated by someone who understands their brief. It’s a long time since we had that in this country.

 

[Complainer]

In fairness, though, any half intelligent reasonably competent person would stand out like a big shiny star amongst the other idiots, gombeens and crooks in FF.

While it goes against all my instincts, I really don't think the majority of them are idiots. I could exclude Mssrs Cullen and Coughlan from my defence, but for all of the others, to have even reached the level of winning and keeping a seat requires considerable street-smarts.

 

[DB74]

While it goes against all my instincts, I really don't think the majority of them are idiots. I could exclude Mssrs Cullen and Coughlan from my defence, but for all of the others, to have even reached the level of winning and keeping a seat requires considerable street-smarts.

Maybe they fall into the "gombeens and crooks" category!

 

[z107]

The only proven skill that all TDs have is the ability to get elected.
They don't have to have any other skills, and many (most?) do not appear to have any other skills.

When 'Gobeens and crooks' is mentioned, I have to largely agree.

 

[liaconn]

While it goes against all my instincts, I really don't think the majority of them are idiots. I could exclude Mssrs Cullen and Coughlan from my defence, but for all of the others, to have even reached the level of winning and keeping a seat requires considerable street-smarts.

Conor Lenihan?

 

[Complainer]

Maybe they fall into the "gombeens and crooks" category!

I think you are half-right there.

Conor Lenihan?

Or 'Bungle' as he used to be known in the Overseas Development sector.

 

[DerKaiser]

I agree he is tough as nails, can handle a debate, and is reasonably intelligent, but these are the bare basics and have nothing to do with showing real ability.

What good decisions has he made?

Sort out the PS? No.
Sort out the banks? No.
Sort out Ireland's over expenditure? No.
Sort out Ireland's excessive welfare payments? No.
Sort out Ireland's excessive minimum wage? No.

Eh...

Has he got anything right?

With the exception of the banks issue (on which I'm certain nobody truly knows what will turn out to be the best solution), Brian Lenihan would be the closest option you have to achieving what you see as objectives for the country. Would Joan Burton and Richard Bruton be quicker to reduce the PS wage bill, the minimum wage and social welfare?

Going back to an earlier issue, the best thing you can do is vote for the guy who goes closest to what you believe should be done. Spoiling your vote or not voting is a ridiculous choice. You need to vote for the best available (or least unpalatable) option