Paddy doesn’t realize you get the politicians you deserve. people think politicians are corrupt and out to get them, then see some gobshite gold chain fake rolex wearing councillor on hidden camera asking for bribes, but vote for him anyway.
Apathy is the biggest political party. Middle class people pay taxes through the nose, dont really like FG or FF but have no other options so hold that nose and vote for them thinking stability or more often than not don’t bother to vote at all.
SF give great soundbites but are they not just populists? Telling people they are victims and only they can stand up for them sounds great, but are they really being stood on. And raising the dole by 42 euro! Thats pure populism, people will rightly (as they already do) see its not worth their while working. And raise kids in households where the idea of work is laughed at. What does that do to society? But theres very little forward planning in ireland, just throw money blindly at problems like healthcare and pretend everything will right itself naturally.
FF and FG refusing to go in to coalition with SF could be a blessing for Sinn Fein. 20 + seats and a few years of Mary Lou, Pearce and Eoin o Broin making hay in opposition could leave them in the box seat after the next election.
Hard to see how a government is formed without SF on those numbers. FF and FG won’t go in together as they would be decimated next time out. Parties will be falling over each other not to govern.
I wonder if FG will change approach. Martin will continue his attacks on SF because FG aren’t winning young voters anyway. But Leo must be despairing. Their attacks haven’t worked. SF are targeting many of the same demographics and there might be pressure on Leo to soften.
I was actually just thinking of Labours refusal to go in with SF. You were talking about a grand left coalition.
Now you mention it though, they’ve always been a joke in Monaghan. The only time I’ve ever heard Labour mention Monaghan was when yer lad O’Riordan was slagging us off, saying that people in places line monaghan just vite for whoever turns up at funerals. Two implications to that - firstly that monaghan people are stupid and secondly that labour don’t want to do the grunt work on the ground if turning up at funerals.
Now that I’m older and I can see what it’s really about, it makes me really angry. Its connected to their refusal to go in with SF. They think there’s a certain type of “Labour” person who they like and just fuck everyone else, they don’t even want to try.
I sense from sinn Fein they are mad to get into government so you could be right. I just think it would be a poor move strategically for them. Junior coalition partners generally get battered at election time.
It’s a very funny dynamic, it’s nearly along similar lines of what’s happened with Trump and Borris . The more a party is ridiculed and their supporters are labelled idiots the more support that’s gathered
It seems there is a shift in mentality amongst the populace. I have been surprised by people who have said they are voting for Sinn Fein. Maybe it is not their first time but now is the first time they have had the courage of their convictions as Johhny Giles would say. What we have learned recently is that the Irish don’t accept a grand narrative anymore. And that narrative from the foundation of the state has been FFG. There is no other alternative as the left is far too splintered so people are now leaning towards SF as the alternative. It can’t be understated the effect of having so many representatives on councils and grassroots can have. For FF and FG the pillars are crumbling. FF would always bottom out at 20% anyway. The fact that they are pulling a meagre few % points above that given FGs run of PR disasters is a failure for FF. They should be up around 30%.
They have their hands tied now that they have chosen to leave SF out in the cold in the last leaders debate. This could not have played out better for SF. Varadkar and Martin will try and crowbar SF into the debate ably assisted by the presenter. Stack, Bailey, McCartney etc will probably be lined up in the front row asking questions. People can see the blatant bias perpetuated by establishment media now and the people cheerleading it are cunts so again it plays into SFs hands.
Why are people shocked that SF are surging in popularity? The pension factor is absolutely massive paying tax to these cunts and working your bollox off for 47 years and these bastards want to make it an even 50. Who here is genuinely voting FG yet again??
