Fianna Fail Hypocrisy

yoyo

Just weeks ago, we heard Fianna Fail urging the Irish to not shop up north but rather be "patriotic" and shop in Ireland.
Well then, why does Fianna Fail decide to "shop around" and choose an American company to design and host their new website?
There are plenty of very talented, good Irish web developers out there, and this stupid move imo just shows how hypocritical Fianna Fail as a party are. To see a blog entry about this latest move by Fianna Fail click HERE

What are others opinions?

Nick

jim o doom

Pretty sure they are required by law to issue tender to third parties; probably the US designer was cheaper - and government finances being crap, saving money everywhere is on the cards.

SEPT 23 1989

its the same with their election posters and signage all done outside the country
very patriotic Brian:mad:

Scofflaw

jim o doom wrote: »

Pretty sure they are required by law to issue tender to third parties; probably the US designer was cheaper - and government finances being crap, saving money everywhere is on the cards.

They're not required to tender, because they're not civil servants - and since the company involved (Blue State Digital) did Barack Obama's campaign, they are highly unlikely to be cheaper than an Irish designer. A half decent Irish design company could have done the new website for not much more than the cost of the flights required by a US company.

No, I'm afraid this is a typical old-fashioned Irish response to a problem - get someone successful from outside the country. God forbid we should foster native talent!

cordially,
Scofflaw

yoyo

Scofflaw wrote: »

They're not required to tender, because they're not civil servants - and since the company involved (Blue State Digital) did Barack Obama's campaign, they are highly unlikely to be cheaper than an Irish designer. A half decent Irish design company could have done the new website for not much more than the cost of the flights required by a US company.

No, I'm afraid this is a typical old-fashioned Irish response to a problem - get someone successful from outside the country. God forbid we should foster native talent!

cordially,
Scofflaw

Then why was it done in the US?

Nick

kaiser sauze

jim o doom wrote: »

Pretty sure they are required by law to issue tender to third parties; probably the US designer was cheaper - and government finances being crap, saving money everywhere is on the cards.

This is not a public money issue, it is a Fianna Fáil money issue.

Scofflaw

yoyo wrote: »

Then why was it done in the US?

Nick

It's the same company that did Barack Obama's online campaign. Fianna Fáil are presumably hoping that some of that Obama magic will rub off on them.

cordially,
Scofflaw

Akrasia

jim o doom wrote: »

Pretty sure they are required by law to issue tender to third parties; probably the US designer was cheaper - and government finances being crap, saving money everywhere is on the cards.

Fianna fail are a private organisation and are not required to tender for anything. This is a party political website, not the government website.

sceptre

^what Scoff said. FF are really trying their best to emulate Obamaitis - get the same web designers, locla councillors pimping themselves out on Facebook (I have a number of FB friends who are involved in student-level FF and they all seem to be facebook fans of multiple councillors).

They're trying to get the same magic by rubbing the same lamp in what they think is the same way. Of course, they're missing the point, but that's beside the point.

Scofflaw

sceptre wrote: »

^what Scoff said. FF are really trying their best to emulate Obamaitis - get the same web designers, locla councillors pimping themselves out on Facebook (I have a number of FB friends who are involved in student-level FF and they all seem to be facebook fans of multiple councillors).

They're trying to get the same magic by rubbing the same lamp in what they think is the same way. Of course, they're missing the point, but that's beside the point.

From what I know of FF, their own culture is so heavily opposed to everything Web 2.0 that Blue State have their work cut out. That will also be why they've gone for the whole "foreign expertise" thing - they fail to "get it" so badly they would be incapable of recognising Irish talent in the first place.

cordially,
Scofflaw

yoyo

Ok, Fair enough, but Fianna Fail were preaching to the Irish about being "Patriotic" and buying Irish, when they themselves chose an alternative option, as has been pointed out, many irish web companies could have made the new website (Which imo looks bog standard nothing out of the ordinary) and it would have been investing their money into irish economy, instead they chose the american one, regardless of that companies past portfolio, I don't know how it can be considered not hypocritical

Nick

Scofflaw

yoyo wrote: »

Ok, Fair enough, but Fianna Fail were preaching to the Irish about being "Patriotic" and buying Irish, when they themselves chose an alternative option, as has been pointed out, many irish web companies could have made the new website (Which imo looks bog standard nothing out of the ordinary) and it would have been investing their money into irish economy, instead they chose the american one, regardless of that companies past portfolio, I don't know how it can be considered not hypocritical

Nick

Oh, I don't consider it anything less than hypocritical - that's straightforward enough. However, I know several companies who have been involved with FF and the web at various stages. Everything Blue State are likely to suggest has already been suggested by Irish companies - and ignored. FF have never lacked for good advice on how to use the web, they just haven't taken any of it. Now it looks to me like they're going to try and have Blue State work the Obama magic on them without any comprehension of what the Obama magic consisted of. I shall be delighted if Blue State manage to drag them into the 21st century, but I shall also be absolutely amazed.

cordially,
Scofflaw

serfboard

I don't think it's just a question of the website, I think it's the whole "new technology" kit and caboodle they've gone for. They brought in Obama's technology advisor, and he obviously recommended/required/works for the web design company.

As others have said, it really shows how dense they are if they believe that this is going to do anything for them. This was all well and good in a country with 300 million people and one candidate. People in this country are well used to getting in touch with their local politicians - after all, don't they hold "clinics" and can't they be seen at any dacent funeral any day?

As for the hypocrisy, I agree.

wow sierra

Its just another example of Fianna Fail doing what they do best - campaigning.

At the moment when they are performing so badly in the opinion polls it seems laughable and gives rise to lots of jokes comparing them (unfavourably!!!) to Obama etc.

The reality is that seats are won by a few hundred votes and lots of people pay more attention to the Internet than other ways of self promotion.

Obviously at the moment the last thing any Fianna Fail politician wants to do is engage in any contact with the public, as all they will get is criticism. But this is a long term strategy and probably a good one.

jmayo

Scofflaw wrote: »

It's the same company that did Barack Obama's online campaign. Fianna Fáil are presumably hoping that some of that Obama magic will rub off on them.

cordially,
Scofflaw

Dear God clutching at straws. True for Margaret Ward they are fiddling (literally in more ways than one) while the country goes down the pan.

sceptre wrote: »

^what Scoff said. FF are really trying their best to emulate Obamaitis - get the same web designers, locla councillors pimping themselves out on Facebook (I have a number of FB friends who are involved in student-level FF and they all seem to be facebook fans of multiple councillors).

They're trying to get the same magic by rubbing the same lamp in what they think is the same way. Of course, they're missing the point, but that's beside the point.

They can rub and rub but all that is coming out of their lamp is sh**e :rolleyes:
Compare the Obama genie with Biffo.
Yes I am sure there are similarities, well apart from both involved in the legal world and being able to trace their routes back to Offaly and Eastern Africa (in Biffos case a few million years ago ), but that's about it I reckon.

Obama would be seen as intellectual, sauve, sophisticated, passionate, with a message of change.
On the other hand Biffo looks like an overfed ould curmudgeon stuffed into a new ill fitting suit for the daughters wedding, supposedly using his superior intellectual but really just making a few smart quips and braying for all the world like a jackass in search of love.

Remember old adage "never a silk purse was made out of a sows ear"

BTW I always thought that FG were the blue party ?
Maybe FF are adopting a new colour as well, I suppose it is the Obama influence :rolleyes:

galwayrush

I think FF should go for gangrene green, something that reflects their rot.:rolleyes:

yoshytoshy

A plackard at voting time of the website with "BUY IRISH" written accross it ,should suffice nicely.

Hillel

jmayo wrote: »

Dear God clutching at straws. True for Margaret Ward they are fiddling (literally in more ways than one) while the country goes down the pan.

They can rub and rub but all that is coming out of their lamp is sh**e :rolleyes:
Compare the Obama genie with Biffo.
Yes I am sure there are similarities, well apart from both involved in the legal world and being able to trace their routes back to Offaly and Eastern Africa (in Biffos case a few million years ago ), but that's about it I reckon.

I just want this shower OUT, at this stage. No leadership, no ideas, nothing. About the only thing they seem to be minding is their own selfish asses.
Not normally this blunt, but its time for them to GO.

dvpower

jim o doom wrote: »

Pretty sure they are required by law to issue tender to third parties; probably the US designer was cheaper - and government finances being crap, saving money everywhere is on the cards.

It is a FF party website, not a Government one, so the same rules don't apply

dvpower

yoyo wrote: »

There are plenty of very talented, good Irish web developers out there, and this stupid move imo just shows how hypocritical Fianna Fail as a party are.

I'm all for a bit of FF bashing, but this is ridiculous.

yoshytoshy

dvpower wrote: »

I'm all for a bit of FF bashing, but this is ridiculous.

It's not ,fianna fail said that they rejuvenated the site for the tech savvy in ireland.
Not very savvy to tell america ,we can't build websites.

jmayo

dvpower wrote: »

I'm all for a bit of FF bashing, but this is ridiculous.

No it's not.
You have FF minister for finance telling people to be patriotic and don't go over the border yto avail of better prices but be screwed royally in this country.
We have other ministers, including that bent coughlan, telling us how we are a knowledge economy, have great IT infrastructure and we are technogly leaders.
Personally I know most of that is a crock of sh**e.

Then you have FF decide that they will get their new website designed and built by a US firm, just so they can associate themselves with the golden boy Obama, hoping a bit of his lustre will rub off.

So much for patriotism :rolleyes:
I know many fine website design companies in this country, some may be small but they have delivered some damm good stuff in the past.

Yet again it is ff telling us "do as I say, not as I do" and it is fuc*** double standards.

dave-higgz

jmayo wrote: »

No it's not.

We have other ministers, including that bent coughlan, telling us how we are a knowledge economy, have great IT infrastructure and we are technogly leaders.

I'm sick and tired of seeing Mary Coughlan at every single event when new jobs are being launched. She has a right smile on her face, she comes in, gives a speech on how Intel, for example are the future of our economy (which I agree with) blah blah blah, and only for the launch of about 100 jobs! She's obviously oblivious to the problems outside.

1,000's of jobs are being LOST every week and was she there to support the people at Waterford Crystal? at SR Technics? or at any other place where people need ministers to tell them whether there's another job for them or whether there going to have to join the dole queues.

Jobs will launch themselves anyway without the attendance of ministers and there'll always be a town mayor to do that stuff anyway. We need our politicians working on solutions to our problems not wasting their time doing publicity stunts for their own image!

Liam Byrne

jim o doom wrote: »

Pretty sure they are required by law to issue tender to third parties; probably the US designer was cheaper - and government finances being crap, saving money everywhere is on the cards.

Hardy a justification, Jim ? The same could be easily said for most people in the country that are heading North to make their purchases.

And if Irish jobs go, the finances will get worse if more people end up on the dole....

old boy

did they not bring in bill clintons p r team at one time. what do expect from a pig only a grunt

Scofflaw

dvpower wrote: »

Pretty sure they are required by law to issue tender to third parties; probably the US designer was cheaper - and government finances being crap, saving money everywhere is on the cards.

It is a FF party website, not a Government one, so the same rules don't apply

FF are the Government, but they are not the government...

gnomically,
Scofflaw

Hillel

dvpower wrote: »

I'm all for a bit of FF bashing, but this is ridiculous.

Why is it ridiculous dvpower? The point re the Web Site was well made, and valid. Getting an American company to build their site sends out all the wrong messages. Not least, that they are desperate to gain some credibility for FF, even by association.

dvpower

Hillel wrote: »

Why is it ridiculous dvpower? The point re the Web Site was well made, and valid. Getting an American company to build their site sends out all the wrong messages. Not least, that they are desperate to gain some credibility for FF, even by association.

If it was just a website design job that could be done by any number of Irish companies, then maybe there would be something in this story.

But the company in question, Blue State Digital, are an Internet Strategy company, that specialise in helping political parties and non profit organisations to use the internet effectively, and who worked on the Obama campaign. They go way past just building a website.

In your view, is there any product or service that FF would be justified in buying from outside the state?

dvpower

Scofflaw wrote: »

FF are the Government, but they are not the government...

gnomically,
Scofflaw

FF are a political party, with TDs, Senators, Local Government Councillers, ordinary members and employees.

The Government are the cabinet made up of 13 FF members, two Green Party members and one Mary Harney.

You can draw the Venn diagram yourself

Scofflaw

dvpower wrote: »

If it was just a website design job that could be done by any number of Irish companies, then maybe there would be something in this story.

But the company in question, Blue State Digital, are an Internet Strategy company, that specialise in helping political parties and non profit organisations to use the internet effectively, and who worked on the Obama campaign. They go way past just building a website.

In your view, is there any product or service that FF would be justified in buying from outside the state?

Do you believe there are no Irish companies capable of offering internet strategy?

cordially,
Scofflaw

DublinWriter

Scofflaw wrote: »

Do you believe there are no Irish companies capable of offering internet strategy?

I can't believe that this hasn't been picked up by the media...yet.

Interestingly enough, FF advertised in the Irish Times three weeks ago for a new webmaster/web content manager.