Greens pushed out?

brianthebard

Ok tiny bit of **** stirring, but still a genuine question. As more and more parties realise that the environment could be a vote winner they will inevitably take it on board as an issue. Now even a lot of green party supporters realise their economic policies are a little shaky at best. So once FG and FF have got together a decent, albeit somewhat watered down set of green policies, what will the green party have to offer?

leeptr

brianthebard wrote:

Ok tiny bit of **** stirring, but still a genuine question. As more and more parties realise that the environment could be a vote winner they will inevitably take it on board as an issue. Now even a lot of green party supporters realise their economic policies are a little shaky at best. So once FG and FF have got together a decent, albeit somewhat watered down set of green policies, what will the green party have to offer?

Well as environmental issues become more and more important the Green Party will remain the only party with serious credibility on the issue and at some point watered down is simply not going to be good enough .
Not sure what you are referring to in relation to the Greens economic policies they are no less realistic than other parties probably moreso .

tHE vAGGABOND

TBH I have been checking out the various parties websites during dead time at work. I think the green policies on a lot of matters are pretty good tbh.

I think a lot of folks [maybe like yourself] think about 5 or 10+ years ago when the greens were a kind of socialist/far left type of party with wacky policies outside their core area [see sinn feinn for info!]

They do have a 'green' or environmental pov [hence the name!] but their policies in other areas like tax and education come close to matching my own views tbh.

TBH I also quite like how they are not afriad to say things they really feel [like the whole 'floride in water thing], unlike FF and FG who just say the same stuff every election, with only the financial amounts changed.

Jonny Arson

brianthebard wrote:

Ok tiny bit of **** stirring, but still a genuine question. As more and more parties realise that the environment could be a vote winner they will inevitably take it on board as an issue. Now even a lot of green party supporters realise their economic policies are a little shaky at best. So once FG and FF have got together a decent, albeit somewhat watered down set of green policies, what will the green party have to offer?

Can't see it happening, I personally think it will go in the opposite way.
Other parties have little or no credibility regarding the environment, particularly FF who were only at the last budget buying more carbon emmission credits. I don't think people will be fooled into thinking that the other parties are 100% serious on the environment and will turn to the Greens as environment issues becomes more and more prominent and on the electorate's conscience year on year - the Greens rising poll figures reflect this. I think it's quite simple really, people with the environment as main priority will vote Greens and if something else is your priority they'll vote someone else. However with the Greens beginning to become more clear and concrete on non-environmental issues, I think they will (are in the process) grow to become a legitimate alternative party thus taking more an more votes from the likes of FF, FG and Lab.
I don't think this will change, unless if the Greens are in government and make a total balls of everything then there may be tide towards other parties on the enivornment. When the Green's first term in government arrives (could be this June or whenever down the line) it will be decisive in how big of a role they will play in Irish politics and the topic of the environment into the future.

brianthebard

leeptr wrote:

Well as environmental issues become more and more important the Green Party will remain the only party with serious credibility on the issue and at some point watered down is simply not going to be good enough .
Not sure what you are referring to in relation to the Greens economic policies they are no less realistic than other parties probably moreso .

Why do they have credibility? Cause they are the green party? They've never been in government afaik, that doesn't inspire confidence in their credibility for me. I'm not trying to rip on the greens, I've got no real problem with them. Comments like "we'll get you there by train" would be what I have in mind regards other policies (not obviously economic but would impact economy-its just the first example that comes to mind).

Mr. Incognito

Why do they have credibility? Cause they are the green party?

Yes.

Jonny Arson

brianthebard wrote:

Why do they have credibility? Cause they are the green party?

Yes, they do have credibility. The Greens have a concrete agenda which they are sticking to whereas the other parties of the likes of FF, PDs, Lab, FG are all making up their agendas and priorities based on what is the flavour of the day.

They've never been in government afaik, that doesn't inspire confidence in their credibility for me.

Everyone has to start from somewhere. As I said whenever their first term in government arrives it will be decisive in how people percieve their ability and legitimacy as a party.

leeptr

brianthebard wrote:

Why do they have credibility? Cause they are the green party? They've never been in government afaik, that doesn't inspire confidence in their credibility for me. I'm not trying to rip on the greens, I've got no real problem with them. Comments like "we'll get you there by train" would be what I have in mind regards other policies (not obviously economic but would impact economy-its just the first example that comes to mind).

They have credibility on environmental issues because they have been campaigning on it for over 25 years the fact that other parties are jumping on the bandwagon by adopting watered down green policies just reinforces their credibility , the other parties are now and have been in the past behind the curve on this .
As to the comment on trains I hope they do start getting people places by train , considering the funds pumped into transport infrastructure in this country our horrible piecemeal public transport system is a disgrace .
As to being in Government , if/when they do get in it will be a test of their capability to effect change and will either improve their credibility or damage it depending on the outcome .

Múinteoir

In fairness lads, all the parties have has some environmental issues on their manifestos since the early 1990s when the Greens put the ****s up them all by managing to maintain a presence in the Dáil and then to take two euro seats in 1994. Other parties paying lipservice to the environment has been goin on for over a decade, yet it has not stopped the growth of the Greens (mainly because that was all the other parties did on the environment, pay lip-service).
Certainly the environment has become much more central because of the Stern Report and rising oil prices and water pollution and the other parties are clamouring louder to protray a Green image, but do you honestly see serious Green voters swallowing the road to Damascus conversion of Bertie and McDowell. :rolleyes: