Things to look forward to: Politics

PH01

We all have things which we look forward to. some which happen, like birthdays and Christmas, and some we hope will happen like that promotion and more money.

But what do you look forward to in politics? Here are a few of mine to get the ball rolling, what are yours?

1 Bush to lose the election in 2004.
2 Bertie to re-shuffle his cabinet with people who get the job done.
3 Tiny Brennan to get his way - c'mon the wee fella.
4 FG to get a proper leader and provide a real opposition.

Sparks

• A "None of the Above" option on the ballot
• The dropping of the current electronic voting system as the incredibly bad idea that it is
• The resulting debacle when 60% of the electorate votes for "None of the above"
• The fun and games that arise when the current form of the EU Constitiution is thrown out as a piss-poor idea
• Watching the country go down the tubes thanks to FF in 2007 when we start to repay the EU, watched from any other country...

Kell

The entire country in the not too distant future going-

"Fúck that for a game of soldiers. We've had enough" whilst turning their backs on the government, the gardaí and everyone else who just isnt doing their job at the expense of the tax payer.

I cant wait for it.

K-

ColinM

Originally posted by Sparks
Watching the country go down the tubes thanks to FF in 2007 when we start to repay the EU, watched from any other country...

Yes, they'll probably be wanting that 8 billion back now so that we in turn can finance the new poorer EU nations. This combined with the open floodgate policy we seem to have on immigration will surely give this country a "Bertie-a-hernia" by 2007.

I wouldn't be surprised to see berty stay in power, mainly due to the fact that no matter how much he is disliked - everybody else is just as bad. Anyone else see Jerry Adams becoming taoiseach somehwere down the road?

I'd say that would be a laugh though, Sinn Fein running around the EU causing trouble - that is, of course, until we get nuked by the US for being a pack of fecking eejits

ColinM

Originally posted by utility_
Anyone else see Jerry Adams becoming taoiseach somehwere down the road?

No, I don't see that happening - even if he joined Fianna Fáil. It's Gerry btw.

seamus

Removal of Fianna Fail from power.

Election of Pat Rabbitte as Taoiseach.

Freeze on all planning permission for new residential homes in the Greater Dublin area for a period a three years, and open-door policy on planning permission in other major towns around the country.

None of which are very likely in the near future.

star gazer

There seems to be a streak of pessimism in the threads above although i have to admit to having a smile on my face reading some of the above.

1. Dáil Éireann spring to life.
2. Credible alternative government start to form without the extremists.
3. The local and European elections to see some reality come to the government.
4.

Freeze on all planning permission for new residential homes in the Greater Dublin area for a period a three years, and open-door policy on planning permission in other major towns around the country.
seamus

the jobs would have to follow the people, there doesn't appear to be any serious effort to bring jobs focus to the other towns/cities, painful, politically
5. American individuals look for their money back from sinn fein.

Villain

Originally posted by ColinM
No, I don't see that happening - even if he joined Fianna Fáil. It's Gerry btw.

Maybe in 20 years the young people (I'm one of them) are shying away from the major parties, I see Sinn Fein, Greens and others getting more and more votes each election.

I think Labour could improve if they had target audience they just seem static and Joe isn't really sticking his neck out for any issue.

I can see big changes coming in the next 10 years beacuse to be fair at the moment some of the TD's and ministers haven't a clue so I think well educated young politicians will start making a brteak through shortly.

ColinM

Maybe in 20 years, Sinn Féin could become a mainstream party, but only if at that stage they have become a contemporary party with as little to do with terrorism as Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have to do with the civil war.

Sparks

Originally posted by irish1
Maybe in 20 years the young people (I'm one of them) are shying away from the major parties, I see Sinn Fein, Greens and others getting more and more votes each election.

Only because there's no "none of the above" option on the ballot.

the TD's and ministers haven't a clue so I think well educated young politicians will start making a brteak through shortly.

Nope, for two reasons:
1) Everyone with a brain has seen what's coming up for Ireland in 2007 and is looking to jump country,
2) Politics in Ireland is a family business. Observe the family history of our current mob if you want examples of that.

Villain

Originally posted by Sparks

Nope, for two reasons:
1) Everyone with a brain has seen what's coming up for Ireland in 2007 and is looking to jump country,
2) Politics in Ireland is a family business. Observe the family history of our current mob if you want examples of that.

I agree that at the moment your statement is correct but I think down the line say 8-10 years when a lot of our current bunch have retired are past it (probably are already).

Two friends of mine are in UL studying Politics and its quite a large course I see them people been elected in the time frame I mentioned. Times are changing but our Ministers aren't moving with the times so new people will have to come in.

(Thats just IMHO which counts for F all)

Victor

Selective shooting of politicans as encouragment for the rest of them to work.

Havelock

Damn you Victor, you beat me to it. But Iw ould have left out selective.

What this country really actually needs is a bloody rebellion, or for a small group of intelectuals to start systematically "removing" corrupt/stupid/lazy people from power.

I would personaly love to see a victory for SF/Green/indepenant liberals alliance and Gerry becoming the new Taoiseach. Would do the country a heck of good.

Depending on the results of the next election, I may just jump ship on this green island.

sorrento

I would like to see...

-Bertie getting the boot.

-The public not taking any more sh*t of the government and making them realise that they have to do what we say or else.

-I would like to see people voting for a party for reasons other than

a) I have always voted *insert name* and always will.

b) Ahh sure nobody else is capable of running the country.

And finally,

-A protestant pope for ulster

gollem_1975

Maybe in 20 years the young people (I'm one of them) are shying away from the major parties, I see Sinn Fein, Greens and others getting more and more votes each election.

yes presently there is a high proportion of young people in the country many seem to be shying away from politics regardless of whether we are talking RTS, FF , George Bush etc.
more people at the moment probably voted in Cabin Fever than in the last election.

what I see is that when many of the people in the 18 - 30 bracket get a bit older and with more responsibilities I think you will find a lot more people getting involved/interested in politics .
I see the majority falling into the more conservative ( FF/FG/PD/Labour) camp rather than the SF/Greens camp.

perhaps another thing we might see is a reduction in the number of independents that get elected.

I think if SF/Greens and Independents got into government on the back of a protest vote that they would be in for a very short time and they would not get in again. then again the present shower would really have to fsck things up to lead to a swing big enough to get the SF/Greens and Independents in.

at least one person from the reality TV shows to stand for election . just think celebrity farm, Cabin fever ,you're a star etc.

Villain

Originally posted by gollem_1975

what I see is that when many of the people in the 18 - 30 bracket get a bit older and with more responsibilities I think you will find a lot more people getting involved/interested in politics .
I see the majority falling into the more conservative ( FF/FG/PD/Labour) camp rather than the SF/Greens camp.
.

I'm in that age group and I have a great interest in Politics but admitadly most of my friends wouldn't have an interest they only voted in the last election coz I got them to vote for a local TD who happens to be a friend of the family.

I think students at the moment and anyone that has been a student for the last 5 -10 years are not likely to vote for FF they have screwed the students over and over

FF have never grasped that the students are the future of this country while Sinn Fein and independents are well represented in colleges.

The future in Irish Politics does not lie with FF or FG IMHO.

gollem_1975

I think at college level people are drawn towards more radical politics .. FF, FG were never 'sexy' enough for college politics .

another thing is that because FF are in power they sometimes have to make decisions that are unpopular with sectional interests. opposition parties can talk as much as they want but never have to rub anyone up the wrong way cos they're not in power.

in another thread about the neo-cons someone mentioned that the neo-cons have their roots in radical trotskyism ..
aren't Irish politics pundits such as Kevin Myers and Eoghan Harris now coming out with stuff that they would have been vehemently opposed to during their college days.

it is a trend that young people seem to become less attracted to radical politics as they get older.

though using perhaps my own logic Sinn fein and the greens will also change over the next few years and may well get more support as a result.

eg: Sinn fein may cease to be( or be portrayed as ) a party of thugs in the republic and may recruit some candidates like they have up north ,possibly even some of those people active in the colleges at the moment. then they'll go places.

Villain

well people will move with the times but I think if you become attcahed to a party you will more than likey stay attached unless they become incapable of managing the country like FF at the moment.

I think Independents will get more seats in the next election mainly because there is no Party organised enough at the moment to challenge FF.

Bertie is on a sinking ship so he either
Jumps off, (unlikely)
Finds a plug to stop the ship sinking
Makes sure Kenny and Rabbites boat are sinking faster.

dathi1

As with elsewhere in Europe..Bertie and McDowel might just jump on the curbing of non EU illegal immigration which despite the self styled liberals here ..would be quite popular with 90% of Joe public.
Ibec and Siptu will be looked after by the legal influx from new assesion states next May so they will probably be less vocal on the issue.