What party would you give your No 1 if there was an election tomorrow?

sliabh

To_be_confirmed wrote:

I know this sounds strange, but I think FF are less dogmatic when it comes to a manifesto. They do lots of stupid things but it's not driven by a bad manifesto. It's more of an issue of incompetency than stupid ideas.

I have always felt that they are too political. They are capable of letting smart people come up with good ideas and policies. But when it comes the implementation FF's No 1 priority is "Stay in Power".

Given a choice between the good of the party and the good of the country FF will always chose the former.

Bertie is a prime example of this. Where possible he would rather make no decision than one that could potentially be unpopular.

bonkey

Rock Climber wrote:

Thats a valid perspective to take.
But do you really think that the majority of those who voted for SF at the last elections used the same perspective as that when they voted for them?

No, but I never claimed they did. I simply objected to the assumption that voting for SF == not making an intelligcent choice. I'm pointing out that this is not necessarily true.

lucernarian

Certainly, Bertie is very indecisive. I don't think we should call anyone "stupid" just because they exercised their democratic right to vote for a certain party of their choice.

daveirl

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Redleslie2

daveirl wrote:

This post has been deleted.

BECAUSE THE BLOKE FROM THE HIVES SAID SO ON SOME **** WEBSITE.

marco murphy

Give me an example of this organized crime????

marco murphy

Once Gerry gets rid of The Provos they will get government next general election or at least near it.As someone said earlier the local candidates in all areas i know,kepp there promises.

Rock Climber

Poblachtach wrote:

Once Gerry gets rid of The Provos they will get government next general election or at least near it.As someone said earlier the local candidates in all areas i know,kepp there promises.

I see and you think, the majority of hard working people with money in their pockets are suddenly going to flock to Sinn Féins brand of socialism when the IRA disbands?
Dream on... they'll continue to vote for their own selfish interests and if Socialism is not their cake when the IRA exists, it still won't be after they are gone.

daveirl

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Mighty_Mouse

I see and you think, the majority of hard working people with money in their pockets are suddenly going to flock to Sinn Féins brand of socialism when the IRA disbands?

an Eoghan Harris fan, me thinks!!

Mighty_Mouse

Mighty_Mouse wrote:

an Eoghan Harris fan, me thinks!!

Well I can see a point by the previous poster there Mighty_mouse.
People are by and large social and well meaning in spirit but inately selfish by nature.

That applies in my experience in they way they spend their time and the way they spend their money.
Just like people associate getting involved in community/voluntary groups with taking time away from them that they would otherwise like to spend either relaxing or with a sporting past time or whatever.They likewise associate socialism with involuntarally (by virtue of a governmatal decree if they voted for it enough)contributing more of their money as still as they earn more of it to various well meaning socialist plans.

This conflicts with most peoples self interests,it may have its merits but never enough to go beyond the roadblock of selfishness.
There are without a doubt in my mind too many voters in this country getting on too well financially for socialist parties to pass that roadblock, the roadblock being an analogy I am using here to describe a situation whereby the available pool of socialist friendly voters diminishes as you go further through the earning chain.

There will always be in a society in my view that has as much opportunity to earn money as this one, a majority who shy away from parties perceived to be "spend" parties and ergo perceived to be tax parties.
Similarally there will always be a majority of people who are too fond of their quality time to donate it.
Of course theres plenty of people that get involved(myself included) in charity or community groups but alas it's always only a usefull minority.
The same has(due to self interest) been the limitation of socialist parties

I'm of the view though that socialist parties in our democracy subject to their vote do bring a needed balance to an otherwise very selfish world, but beyond that it's a case of what the people want politically/economically/socially, they get...and I very much doubt that would include a majority socialist government-a partly socialist one maybe like the last rainbow coalition at best methinks would be the closest to a left leaning government this country might swallow.
I'm not saying you won't see SF invited into governemnt in the south at some point,I reckon they will be,but you wont see a socialist party whether it be Sinn Féin or any other being the largest party at any point for the reasons I've outlined.
Labour in my view if they play their cards right and don't scare the electorate are the only left of centre party (though quite a distance to the right of socialist) that might grow enough minus too much of the "perception tax and spend baggage" to take a majority in some future government.

Mind you they've shown promise before...only to throw the good fortune of electoral trust away( /me recalls the travesty of the FF/Lab coalition-not a truly bad government, just one that scared the anti FF'ers away from swinging to labour again in a hurry...not that, that is much of a factor anymore with the decline of the civil war politics...)


Apoligies for the long post guys,I guess I'm being a tad "introspectivy" tonight.

PH01

Looking at the results so far from this poll one has the feeling that another Labour 'Spring' tide is on the way.
The only question is will the 'tide' stay in this time, or will it retreat again when Labour disappoints the voters again?

Mighty_Mouse

I don't regard SF as extreme left (as in wanting a completely privatised socialist state), More that they are a party thats governed by socialist ideals (in a stronger manner than Labour).

As the party grows I can see them drift towards the centre just a little (never just a "left of centre" party though). I look at the example of the recently defeated socialist party in Greece as an example of how a socialist party can maintain power in an open economy.

I certainly don't think its impossible.

daveirl

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