General Election 2016

Bandage · February 22, 2016, 3:49pm

As recently as late last week, the mainstream political commentators / journalists were talking about the election campaign not capturing the imagination of the public and there being no gaffes/fireworks. But it’s definitely ramped up and there’s some batshit crazy stuff being said/reported - there’s actually prime material for future case studies about media influence / bias. For example, RTE giving Paul Williams the platform to denounce Sinn Féin voters as killers, drug dealers and terrorists on Friday night was incredible.

Does the Irish Independent screaming “IRA” on its front page for the last week actually have an influence any more? I got the sense people were fed up of Joan Burton and Enda Kenny giving stock “you were in the IRA” replies to Gerry Adams’ questions in the Dáil but it’s been a significant feature of the campaign from FG, FF and Labour. Those Regina Doherty quotes are simply absurd.

I think Sinn Féin will still do pretty well. They’ve got a raft of capable existing TDs and some impressive younger types like DO’L in Cork South Central. I really don’t think Gerry Adams’ grasp or otherwise of a tax on horse racing is as crucial to voters as some media types make out but we’ll see. I look forward to your final prediction.

Tim_Riggins · February 22, 2016, 3:54pm

What’s his identity other than being someone who has done pretty well for himself in life?

The effort to put it out there that he was Seymore Crawford’s brother to discredit him is gas. Add in the banker stuff et al.

Farcical stuff.

Tim_Riggins · February 22, 2016, 3:56pm

It does for plenty of ordinary decent people in this country. The 15-20% for who it doesn’t aren’t decent people and are scum who support murderers.

Tassotti · February 22, 2016, 3:57pm

Its going to be a Fianna Fail/Sinn Fein coalition, fucking great to shove it right up into those blueshirt, child abuse cover up cunts

Nembo_Kid · February 22, 2016, 3:58pm

Fine Gael was borne out of murderers.

anon61956325 · February 22, 2016, 3:59pm

Signing in.

Tassotti · February 22, 2016, 3:59pm

Fine Gael tied fellow Irishmen to mines and blew them up, not even the Nazi’s did that

Bandage · February 22, 2016, 4:03pm

Is there a formula to work out when it won’t matter?

Tim_Riggins · February 22, 2016, 4:04pm

CnG was borne out of the democratic will of the people.

The Anti Treaty guys who were blown up were carrying out the exact same atrocities with no democratic mandate behind them. I did not see Paddy Daly go into Government.

Gerry Adams ordered the murder of a single mother. His army were responsible for the bombing of civilian targets.

They were considered pure scum by 95% of the Irish public 20 years ago and most do not forget.

Tim_Riggins · February 22, 2016, 4:06pm

Why shouldn’t it matter? I don’t want the leader of a terrorist organisation as Taoiseach of this country.

SF aren’t proposing much in the way of radical thinking. “Tax the rich” has been the flag that many including the Labour Party have put up for decades. Many won’t vote for SF because of their past and it’s right and proper to remind people of that. If we are going to have the likes of @Sidney giving half truths and made up conclusions on Michael Noonan, the leaders of a terrorist organisation are fair game.

Nembo_Kid · February 22, 2016, 4:07pm

Fine Gael had murderers at the head of their party from the beginning. They are responsible along with the British government for the situation in the O6.

Tim_Riggins · February 22, 2016, 4:10pm

Executing leaders of the Anti Treaty rebels is not murder, despite what the subverters of the democratic will of the people would have you believe.

CnG had a democratic mandate.

Nembo_Kid · February 22, 2016, 4:13pm

Michael Collins was a murderer, pal. So was Richard Mulcahy. They were both terrorists.

Tim_Riggins · February 22, 2016, 4:14pm

How many civilians did they blow up?

Nembo_Kid · February 22, 2016, 4:15pm

Fine Gael signed up to the creation of a sectarian state, one where Catholics were oppressed in all forms of living standards and human rights. That is the legacy and founding principle of Fine Gael.

The founding principle of Sinn Fein was to free Ireland from British rule.

Nembo_Kid · February 22, 2016, 4:16pm

They killed thousands of civilians.

Tim_Riggins · February 22, 2016, 4:18pm

The Irish people endorsed the Treaty.

Democracy

Nembo_Kid · February 22, 2016, 4:21pm

Michael Collins started the Civil War. He took British weapons and turned them on his own people.

Tim_Riggins · February 22, 2016, 4:24pm

Following the vote by the Irish people to endorse the Anglo Irish Treaty. Those in the Four Courts were subverting the democratic will of the Irish people.

Nembo_Kid · February 22, 2016, 4:26pm

And Michael Collins started a civil war, taking weapons from the enemy and doing their bidding for them.