What is your ideology?

akaredtop

I think most politicians would have no ideaology at all. All depends on who you are related to really.Of the 166 in the house at the moment how many of them have an idealogical position? I don't know. Not more than five I would say. Most parties are made up of gombeens and cute hoors.

speedboatchase

Earthhorse wrote: »

You can't truly aspire to be like Gandhi unless you quote him in your sig.

Hah love the sig Earthhorse. My favourite Gandhi quote was when he was asked why he advocated nonviolence, he simply said "The 600 series had rubber skin. We spotted them easy, but these are new"

ScumLord

Lately I've been leaning towards comic book villianisim.

Morzadec

Would've described myself as Centre Left. Took that political spectrum test thing, interesting...

http://www.politicalcompass.org/printablegraph?ec=-8.62&soc=-4.51

Goduznt Xzst

Political Compass

Very anti-authoritarian. I agree with others you can't just say left and right, it's a lot more complicated than that. For example, Stalin and Gandhi would be considered both equally left, however Gandhi was extremely libertarian whilst Stalin was extremely authoritarian.

Hitler and Stalin had more in common in regards to being authoritarian, even though they where on opposite ends of the left/right axis.

j1smithy

I do agree with some of the posters that my poll takes an over simplictic view of things. The reason for it however was not to over complicate it by adding other degrees of freedom, possibly a mistake considering this is quite a complex topic, that and people like to cherry pick ideas from both sides. However the poll does show an interesting result and one which I expected tbh, that the majority of participants are of the Left or at least Left leaning.

I know one can't draw conclusions given the small sample size but it is an indicator of the attitudes of the AH community. I think its useful for posters to know this especially when they enter threads which tend to polarize the two sides, such as gay marriage. I had a look through that thread and while I have no opinion on the matter its like a siege mentality among those opposed to it, and a poll which indicates 80% in favour (which no where near reflects the attitudes of the general pop. Afaik its closer to 50:50 nationally from the last national poll [I am open to correction on that]).

PaulieD

Right wing. We badly need a UKIP style party in Ireland to sort out immigration into this country.

O'TOOLE79

Yeah exactly mate, 112,000 Brits in the country, Gerrr em out!!!

KeyLimePie

I'm a righty !

j1smithy

PaulieD wrote: »

Right wing. We badly need a UKIP style party in Ireland to sort out immigration into this country.

I don't think the far right will solve Irelands problems. Certainly a party even promoting an exit strategy for Ireland out of the EU could do unrepairable damage and bankrupt the country. This would come surprisingly soon too through the failure of bond auctions. No one would touch us. However thats another thread and I don't want to go off topic...

So back to your Idoelogy.. A thatcherite or a communist? Pro Euthanasia or pro life?

PaulieD

O'TOOLE79 wrote: »

Yeah exactly mate, 112,000 Brits in the country, Gerrr em out!!!

Dont be silly. We cannot absorb any more immigrants. The ones who are legally here have every right to be here. The poles are our biggest minority by the way.

Apply a work permit system for any new eastern european entering Ireland. Anyone with a PPS number is exempt. Time to start closing up shop.

KeyLimePie

PaulieD wrote: »

Dont be silly. We cannot absorb any more immigrants. The ones who are legally here have every right to be here. The poles are our biggest minority by the way.

Apply a work permit system for any new eastern european entering Ireland. Anyone with a PPS number is exempt. Time to start closing up shop.

that'd involve ous getting out of the EU which will NEVER ever happen go again sir.

PaulieD

KeyLimePie wrote: »

that'd involve ous getting out of the EU which will NEVER ever happen go again sir.

If we had any real politicos or statesmen they would be able to renegotiate a better deal for Ireland, one that reflects our current climate. We do not have to leave the EU.

Germany, europes largest economy, does not allow eastern europeans free access to their labour market and operates a work permit scheme.

Meanwhile, in Ireland, a small bankrupt nation, we allow them full access to our labour market. Indeed, if an eastern european works here for two years, loses their job, he/she is then entitled to 204 euro a week and all other assorted benefits.

Pure unadulterated madness.

oppenheimer1

j1smithy wrote: »

Just looking at some of the threads in the top few pages of AH and there seems to be a running theme through out all the political/social ones. People hee seem to identify with the Left far more than the right. This strikes me as odd as the two main partys in the Dail are of the Centre/Centre Right. So I ask what is your ideology? How did you come to form it? And also do you think there is a liberal bias to AH?

There is a very obvious liberal bias in AH. Surely that was no secret! Its not trendy to have traditional values, and those that do get shouted down fairly quickly. Unfair, yes, as it doesn't reflect irish society as a whole, but such is life...

4zn76tysfajdxp

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

There is a very obvious liberal bias in AH. Surely that was no secret! Its not trendy to have traditional values, and those that do get shouted down fairly quickly. Unfair, yes, as it doesn't reflect irish society as a whole, but such is life...

Nothing reflects Irish society better than AH. AH is Irish society, as far as I'm concerned.

oppenheimer1

Zahra Tasty Sociologist wrote: »

Nothing reflects Irish society better than AH. AH is Irish society, as far as I'm concerned.

AH is too far to the Left to adequately represent the views of the general Irish population. FG, now the largest party in Ireland are centre right, while FF are centreist/populist. If AH is Irish society why would we vote for parties that conflict with our core beliefs?

4zn76tysfajdxp

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

AH is too far to the Left to adequately represent the views of the general Irish population. FG, now the largest party in Ireland are centre right, while FF are centreist/populist.

Wouldn't that show that FF and FG are a teensy weensy bit out of touch? AH isn't "to the left," becuase it doesn't exist. It's nothing like a political party or any kind of an organisation to whom an allegience can be sworn to. It's a forum where Irish people discuss things that Irish people are interested in on a day-to-day basis without any kind of insidious agenda. Surely that's more reflective than the polls?

If AH is Irish society why would we vote for parties that conflict with our core beliefs?

I have no idea, I'm no pundit.

PaulieD

Zahra Tasty Sociologist wrote: »

Wouldn't that show that FF and FG are a teensy weensy bit out of touch? AH isn't "to the left," becuase it doesn't exist. It's nothing like a political party or any kind of an organisation to whom an allegience can be sworn to. It's a forum where Irish people discuss things that Irish people are interested in on a day-to-day basis without any kind of insidious agenda. Surely that's more reflective than the polls?



I have no idea, I'm no pundit.

You answered your own question there, bud.:pac:

You are talking garbage. AH is irrelevant. Do you think most Irish people use boards.ie? Half the people on here are not from or do not reside in Ireland.

4zn76tysfajdxp

PaulieD wrote: »

You answered your own question there, bud.:pac:

Really? Where?

You are talking garbage. AH is irrelevant. Do you think most Irish people use boards.ie?

Did most Irish people turn out to vote on Friday? The figures I've read seem to indicate an average of around 60%, hardly an overwhelming majority. (Emphasis on "overwhelming.")

Half the people on here are not from or do not reside in Ireland.

Are they really? I've encountered differently.

PaulieD

Zahra Tasty Sociologist wrote: »

Really? Where?



Did most Irish people turn out to vote on Friday? The figures I've read seem to indicate an average of around 60%, hardly an overwhelming majority. (Emphasis on "overwhelming.")



Are they really? I've encountered differently.

Look, if you think After Hours is any way representitive of the opinion of the Irish people than you are sadly mistaken and quite possibly deranged. I am not getting into this with you.

I suggest you wander off from whatever campus you reside in and talk to real people.

4zn76tysfajdxp

PaulieD wrote: »

Look, if you think After Hours is any way representitive of the opinion of the Irish people than you are sadly mistaken and quite possibly deranged. I am not getting into this with you.

Alright then, we'll agree to disagree.

I suggest you wander of whatever campus you reside in and talk to real people.

"Shut up! I grew up on the streets, man! I have to get up at four am for my window-cleaning job while supporting my crippled, elderly parents in our two-bedroomed hut. Don't talk to me about "real people," I'm as real as it gets. There was no sheltered, pampered lifestyle for me. Uh-uh, no sir!"

That's what I'm supposed to say, right?

phantom_lord

j1smithy wrote: »

Just looking at some of the threads in the top few pages of AH and there seems to be a running theme through out all the political/social ones. People hee seem to identify with the Left far more than the right. This strikes me as odd as the two main partys in the Dail are of the Centre/Centre Right. So I ask what is your ideology? How did you come to form it? And also do you think there is a liberal bias to AH?

i think it's pretty simple. the user base of afterhours is largely made up of busto students and people on the dole. people who are right wing are generally far too busy to posting on a forum like this.

phantom_lord

Zahra Tasty Sociologist wrote: »

Nothing reflects Irish society better than AH. AH is Irish society, as far as I'm concerned.

lol i hope not.

PaulieD

Zahra Tasty Sociologist wrote: »

Alright then, we'll agree to disagree.



"Shut up! I grew up on the streets, man! I have to get up at four am for my window-cleaning job while supporting my crippled, elderly parents in our two-bedroomed hut. Don't talk to me about "real people," I'm as real as it gets. There was no sheltered, pampered lifestyle for me. Uh-uh, no sir!"

That's what I'm supposed to say, right?

Good luck to ya washing the aul windows at 4am. Whoring for more thanks I suspect.

You da man.:rolleyes:

PrivateEye

I think Ireland is centre-left without a doubt. While I don't engage with the electoral process myself (see first page!) I think it has to be noted that while in the U.K and parts of the E.U far right candidates were elected/ did very well, in the three seater of Dublin two seats went to left-wing candidates with positive attitudes to immigration, and the last (well eh...second last) eliminated candidate also came from a left-wing party with similar enough policies in many areas to Higgins.

In Dublin, many polls were topped by left-wing candidates (Clare Daly of the Socialist Party for one) and other left-wing candidates were elected for the first time (Look at People Before Profit, and inds. like Ciaran Perry)

Ireland broke the mould with this one, and stuck to the left at the ballot box when Europe went to the right. The strong performences of both Mary Lou McDonald and Joe Higgins would indicate it is workers rights in general and not the issue of 'the nigerians' that comes first for people here.

****While I don't vote as such, if the BNP were polling 20% in my area I obviously would vote and encourage as many in my community as possible to mobilise against them at the ballot box. In this way, voting can be a tactical tool.

So Ireland, in my opinion is undoubtably Centre-Left, and willing to extend to the harder Left when it feels the need.