OPINION POLL - Who would you vote for?

Mark200

For the Eurpean Elections Ill be voting for FF. I don't see anything wrong with what we have going on with Europe at the moment. Other parties are acting like things need to be changed. They don't.

For the local Elections I'll be voting for Peter Coyle (Labour) and Alan Farrell (Fine Gael). I'm voting for them because of what they've done and not based on their party.

For a general election I wouldn't be happy with any options. I'd vote based on the candidate I guess, unless they were Fianna Fail. Labour wants too many unions, fine gael are just opposing everything without coming up with a good solution themselves, greens and sinn fein are just idiots.

Libertas are liars.... I know most politicians are, but never is it so blatant and unapologetic.

destroyer

Joxer71 wrote: »

I have struggled with this but voted FF simply because I look at the government benches and I see Cowen, Lenihan(s), Martin, Harney, Dempsey, Cullen and Hanafin, all reasonably accomplished politicians. Then I look at the opposition and I see Richard Bruton and.......that's basically it!

Whatever difficulties we are in now can you imagine FG in power with Kenny representing the country? His namesake Pat has more charisma and god knows who the ministers would be.

Bad as they are I just don't see an alternative to FF.

Never thought I'd see those two words in the same sentence.


If you vote FF you are basically saying you are satisfied with the way the country is being run.
Saying the opposition would do no better is a cop out. Punish the people who mishandled the economy and show them they cant get away with it

Deedsie

Sinn Féin are the third biggest party according to this poll.

nacho libre

dave-higgz wrote: »

I hope you'll find that it's NOT ALL a worldwide recession, however that is a contributing factor. More than 50% of our problems are homegrown from Brian Cowen's inflation of the property boom and over reliance on the construction industry and that has even been partly admitted by Brian Lenihan, who I believe is not brave. I don't think there is a "tough" decision for politicians. There's a choice of policy, but the execution of decisions for a minister is a simple as pushing a button. I agree that the pension levy etc. is necessary however he needs to work on fairness in the tax system more and I don't have confidence in NAMA. Yes, I know FG would have probably made a balls of things but I don't believe it would have been any worse than what we have now.

well, if Fine Gael had won the last election Fianna Fail supporters, like Joxer71, would be able to blame them and say to the rest of us we told you so. He wouldn't try to defend FG by pointing out that we are in a worldwide recession. With his beloved FF he has to deflect criticism from them by trying to foster the impression that the mess we are in is all beyond their control. Yet when things were going well he was likely only too happy for Fianna Fail to accept the credit.


Anyway, you can guess who i didn't vote for:pac:

However, i suspect by the end of next Summer support for Fianna Fail will start to rise and the FF spin doctors will be out in force championing Brian's leadership qualities- a man of principle who was prepared to endure
hostile attitudes towards him for the greater good of the country.

There will be no mention of his abject failure as minister for finance:rolleyes:

Joxer71

Mark200 wrote: »

For the Eurpean Elections Ill be voting for FF. I don't see anything wrong with what we have going on with Europe at the moment. Other parties are acting like things need to be changed. They don't.

For the local Elections I'll be voting for Peter Coyle (Labour) and Alan Farrell (Fine Gael). I'm voting for them because of what they've done and not based on their party.

For a general election I wouldn't be happy with any options. I'd vote based on the candidate I guess, unless they were Fianna Fail. Labour wants too many unions, fine gael are just opposing everything without coming up with a good solution themselves, greens and sinn fein are just idiots.

Libertas are liars.... I know most politicians are, but never is it so blatant and unapologetic.

Probably the most balanced post on this that I have seen. I will be voting for a FF candidate in the locals purely because she lives a few doors up from me and local elections are about local issues. If she was a member of any other party, except FG who I cannot abide, I would still vote for her.

In the Euros I can't make up my mind but I may vote for De Rossa.

Your feelings on all parties above are exactly the same as mine. Lots of people shouting get the government out but there is no alternative from the opposition.

E99

Joey the lips wrote: »

i usually blow a gasket when I see fine Gael( Lots of broken promises) but its good to see people are voting.

Keep er lit


and remember its for the common good....... That Fine gael and labour dont pact. Jasus labour will ruin them.....On second thoughts.

If people want a change then there is a good chance Labour will get votes but my biggest worry is them joining with FG. So i think ill give my vote to FF to cut FG's chances of getting into power.

I know this sounds like a silly question but can someone please shed some light for me.
I see Sinn Fein are at 34 but are they even allowed run our country?

Joey the lips

E99 wrote: »

I see Sinn Fein are at 34 but are they even allowed run our country?

:rolleyes: meaning what? are they allowed run in elections? are you trying to be daft?

white apples

Dazd_N_Confusd wrote: »

Just curious, would anyone here vote for a libertarian leaning party if one such existed. I'm talking about a party who's social policies would include the legalisation and taxation of drugs and prostitution. And full and equal rights for the LGBT community. Also, I feel people should have the right to protect themselves as you cannot always count on the police to do it for you, so I support the ownership of guns.

And a party who's fiscal policies included reducing social welfare and a reduction (possible elimination?) of minimum wage. A nation cannot survive and prosper when a person can make more money on the dole than in employment (heard it on the news last week, probably Joe Duffy).

I'm not a total fiscal conservative but I'm a socially liberal as they come.

Any thoughts?

New to this forum - I would almost completely agree with everything you have said above and would most definately support such a party if it existed. The only thing that I would differ on is the ownership of guns - I would be completely opposed to that.

There is no party which offers us a balanced standpoint like stated above, if we want progressions and equality we also have to accept that people can make more on the dole than working minimum wage - there's no party that gives us a balanced and sensible ideology.

I would probably vote Fine Gael except their policies on LGBT and womens rights issues are like something from the dark ages (based on watching Enda Kenny on Questions & Answers). There's no happy medium.

rainbow kirby

white apples wrote: »

I would probably vote Fine Gael except their policies on LGBT and womens rights issues are like something from the dark ages (based on watching Enda Kenny on Questions & Answers). There's no happy medium.

This is the reason why I won't be giving my transfers to FG.

I'd be voting Labour/misc lefties, pretty much the same as I've done before. I won't vote for FF because they are pure unadulterated scum, and I won't vote SF because there's still an awful whiff of cordite about them. The Greens are a trickier issue, I'm incredibly annoyed about their performance in government and the lack of spine they've shown in the face of FF running this country into the ground - but they have a local election candidate in my area that I like a lot.

turgon

Opposition all talk and no solutions? Whataya call FG's Faircare?

ShooterSF

This "the opposition is as bad" better the devil you know attitude baffles me to be honest. Political parties are like children. The only way they'll learn is to punish them when they do wrong.
It might take 20 years to change the mindset but eventually we would be better off. Kick FF out of power. If FG spend 5 years making a tits of the place then replace them with FF. Now there would be a precedent, hell an incentive, do a crap job and your out. First one to start running the country well wins. Until they get lazy and away we go again.
Eventually they would learn that they have to do good job to stay in power. As it is they can do what ever the hell they feel like 'cause people in this country are willing to put them back in power time and time again. Why the hell should they do a good job so? Why should they be arsed?

Joey the lips

I am canvassing doors at the moment and not for fianna fail. I think you are going to be surprised of the vote they claw back!

E99

no i wasn trying to be daft.Sorry.
I just cant believe SF only have like 3or4 peope sitting in the dail.
I was just asking if there was another reason for this or is it just that they are not getting the votes.

BeatNikDub

Deedsie wrote: »

Sinn Féin are the third biggest party according to this poll.

I find this utterly terrifying.

Liam Byrne

Joxer71 wrote: »

I will be voting for a FF candidate in the locals purely because she lives a few doors up from me and local elections are about local issues. If she was a member of any other party, except FG who I cannot abide, I would still vote for her.

I had to laugh when I read this!

You'll vote because she's local - fair enough, BUT.....if she was a member of FG, that would override the fact that she's local ?

But if people had the same view of a candidate because they're FF, you'd complain ?

And you don't say WHY you "detest FG", whereas those people have very specific reasons of why they detest FF after all their cronyism and f***ups.

Laughable!

Joxer71 wrote: »

Lots of people shouting get the government out but there is no alternative from the opposition.

"No alternative" to what, exactly ? :rolleyes: I heard this bull**** the other night from some arrogant asshole on Q&A and the FACT is that since the current crowd is incompetent, wasteful and - at best - condoning of rampant corruption, it's not up to Fine Gael to be "an alternative"; the fact that they exist AUTOMATICALLY makes them an alternative.

Are they better ? We'll find out. Are they worse ? Not possible. So it's the equivalent of "Deal or No Deal" where the banker has offered you 1,000 while the lowest option on the board is 1,000 - you've got the potential to do much better, and while you could still end up with 1,000 - you DEFINITELY won't gain anything or improve matters by accepting a crap deal.

If you were in a relationship and cheated and screwed up royally, it wouldn't be up to some other guy to convince your g/f that he was better, or at least couldn't be as bad; the girl should cop that herself.

And if you wanted to keep her, it'd be up to YOU to convince her that you could change and do better.

FF are doing nothing of the sort, and are - in fact - doing more of the same as time goes on. :mad:

loveissucide

I'll be voting Labour for Europe and a Fine Gael candidate for my area(Milford Constituency) due to lack of Labour representation.

Lockstep

If only this poll was accurate:(

Then we could have a Guns n Roses (and greens) pact.

E99

BeatNikDub wrote: »

I find this utterly terrifying.

I dont suppose your going to explain why?
Ill be the first to admit that i dont know much about this stuff but why would we not give them a go.They cant do much worse.
If its not SF then FF can stay where they are.

ClubOrangeKid

I said i wouldnt vote for anyone, even though that wouldnt help the situation were in now. My reason for this though is that i have had no canvasers at my door and no politian or political party has persuaded me that they can fix this mess.!

eirebhoy

dave-higgz wrote: »

I find it very interesting to see the under representation for Fianna Fail in this poll. 5% when even the most hard hitting opinion polls usually show at least 20% voting for the party.
Why don't Fianna Fail voters use boards.ie??
Is the 20% national poll made up mainly of elderly people or other demographics who wouldn't use the internet often?
Do Fianna Fail voters feel that there is nothing wrong with our country therefore they don't express any concern on this website???

A lot of people are not voting for the party, they're voting for the candidate. If we were just voting for party's Fianna Fail wouldn't be in government atm imo.

If I told my mother I'm putting Sarah Ryan last in the voting she'd be saying "ahh but she's lovely". And those people make up a lot of the voters.

seangal

well a vote for FG is a vote for sinn fein and FG keep that very quite or is somebody trying to get enda out???

Donagh_mc

Fine Gael get my vote. I'm 22 and can't even remember another party in power. Time for change!

dave-higgz

seangal wrote: »

well a vote for FG is a vote for sinn fein and FG keep that very quite or is somebody trying to get enda out???

Please understand that for FG to work with Sinn Fein in government is political suicide. No politician in this country would risk it, also there'd be too much conflict in government, it would collapse within weeks either by loss of membership to other parties by the thousands from FG or by a conflict at the cabinet table.

grenache

Fine Gael

Pride Fighter

Anyone but FG, they are less competent than Fianna Fail in economic issues. Voting for Uncle Joe in the Euro's and Labour in the locals.

Breezer

Fine Gael, with transfers going to Labour in the locals. While I'd like to give a personal vote to my local Green candidate, it's not happening this year.

Joe Higgins gets my number 3 for the Euros. He's the best of a bad lot of alternatives, and at least he's in it for the right reasons. Although De Rossa is pretty much guaranteed a seat, so I may put Higgins 2nd and De Rossa 3rd.

_JOE_

Pride Fighter wrote: »

Anyone but FG, they are less competent than Fianna Fail in economic issues. Voting for Uncle Joe in the Euro's and Labour in the locals.

I would have considered voting for him, but what i found discouraging was the fact that he stated that he would stand down after 3 years for the general election and would be replaced by one of his councilors...it shows a lack of interest in europe in my opinion...

Donagh_mc

Did he really say that? That's a bit of a crazy thing for him to say on the run up to the election! Lack of interest indeed! I'll be looking to see how he gets on today so!

gcgirl

i'm am going the unusual Fg/Labour/Sf route locally voting for sf with labour getting the 2 nd and fg getting the 3rd pref i'd actually never thought i'd vote for the shinners but the guy actually does something for the community lack of labour talent too there is a complete gobshyte running hopefully he gets about 10 votes he had a run in with a green and has a small man complex ! Euro i'm going for labour with fg might be getting the 2nd pref ! I am not happy with fg lgbt issues they don't seen to be able to grasp the whole gay marrage what so ever i'll just say equal rights for everyone regardless of sexuality and at least labour and sf seem to understand this !

eirebhoy

eirebhoy wrote: »

A lot of people are not voting for the party, they're voting for the candidate. If we were just voting for party's Fianna Fail wouldn't be in government atm imo.

If I told my mother I'm putting Sarah Ryan last in the voting she'd be saying "ahh but she's lovely". And those people make up a lot of the voters.

And here's the start of it. A facebook comment:

" Voted n all dis morning SARAH RYAN No 1!!!"

Trust me, there's a load of people around this area in their early 20's that will vote for Sarah because she's a nice girl. A normal girl. People have to realise that most people are not voting for the party!