What's your ideal political party? I'm libetarian.

DickSwiveller Returns

johnnyskeleton;107651279]We have Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Labour and Sinn Fein. Leaving aside any debate on the latter on whether they are actually left wing or not, you would hardly describe them as a few loons on the far left. Which one do you describe as the party of busines that is running our one party state? You do know that our current government is a minority government with support from independents. That is the very opposite of what you get in a one party state.

I would say the 4 you've mentioned are pretty much the same. Sinn Féin act like they're different but I'm not sure they'd differ policy-wise if they were in government. I would describe them all as business parties. They have no clear policies or principals and will just go along with what the business community wants. The big problem we have in Ireland is that there is barely an opposition, except from people before profit/social democrats, who, tbf do try and hold the government to account.

Known by whom? I would in any event contend that the centrist parties may be dull and not overly efficient, but the radical populists elected across the world are worse IMO. Better to know the price of everything and the value of nothing than to not know the price of anything and actively detest the value of everything.

I suppose that is true but it makes for very boring politics.

We had a constitutional referendum this year that suggests that a lot of our elected representatives are far from the metropolitan triendies completely obsessed with political correctness as you describe.

No, but many seem to think their role in public life is to attend Pride parades, engage in vapid self serving PR on twitter etc. Can anyone remember the last time they actually did anything else?

I find politicians who claim to be anti establishment are generally tilting at windmills. Once they are elected, then they are the new establishment. So whata their next trick?

Agreed

troyzer

Squatter wrote: »

So are you a member of the eponymous political party?

If so, then presumably you believe that the two-headed leadership of the political party that calls itself The Social Democrats are genuine social democrats; and that it's not just a convenient name that the founding members decided to use?

Is Stephen Donnelly still a social democrat or by joining FF did he automatically disqualify himself from being allowed to call himself one?

I am a member, yeah.

Social democratic parties across Europe call themselves the Social Democrats but I agree it causes a few issues in a multi party democracy like Ireland. Stephen Donnelly is probably still a social democrat but not a Social Democrat with capital letters if you know what I mean. They have the same thing in the UK with conservatives vs Conservatives.

The platform is pretty bog standard social democracy.

BabyCheeses

Something to the centre left but there is always something I don't like about the party.

Squatter wrote: »

RTE and the "Dublin meejia" would destroy it before it got off the ground.

So much for that party of personal responsibility!

Jolly Red Giant

An Ciarraioch wrote: »

There's the National Party, of course, and there was the Immigration Control Platform previously. Personally, as a person of the centre-left, the only realistic option on that front would appear a Labour-Green-SD merger.

Just to point out that non of the LP-GP-SD could be described as 'centre-left'

CrabRevolution

DeadHand wrote: »

Nationalist, sovereignty and self determination being paramount, low tax, high personal liberty along with high personal responsibility, minimal quangos, anti-PC, EU sceptical, immigration realist (minimal overall, to satisy national needs only, zero unskilled labour from outside the EU), anti-Islamification, overhaul car insurance and tax making it cheaper to drive, overhaul our asylum system (ie. take zero asylum seekers until war breaks out in the UK or continental Europe).

I wouldn’t just vote for them, I’d join and campaign actively.

Such a party, well run, would be a major force and eventually gain power.

Would the first step in becoming a major force and gaining power not be to form as a party?



Surely it's telling that not only is no such party in power, but no such party is in opposition, no such party is running for election, and most tellingly of all, no such party even exists?

johnnyskeleton

DickSwiveller Returns wrote: »

I would say the 4 you've mentioned are pretty much the same. Sinn Féin act like they're different but I'm not sure they'd differ policy-wise if they were in government. I would describe them all as business parties. They have no clear policies or principals and will just go along with what the business community wants. The big problem we have in Ireland is that there is barely an opposition, except from people before profit/social democrats, who, tbf do try and hold the government to account.

If these parties are all in hoc to busines, then why do they have social welfare, minimum wage, public education and health, medium to high personal tax rates etc?

Im not saying that there arent significant issues with cosy relationships between certain politicians and businesses, nor would i deny that our tax and regulatory systems are designed to try to attract and keep businesses here, but these are all practical decisions designed to bring Ireland from a rural backwater to a country with a high standard of living. And that seems to work, which is why few political parties offer much different.

Isuppose that is true but it makes for very boring politics.

No, but many seem to think their role in public life is to attend Pride parades, engage in vapid self serving PR on twitter etc. Can anyone remember the last time they actually did anything else?

Agreed

I think this sums up quite nicely one of the big problems. When the status quo is the best we can practical do, and far from perfect, people get unhappy and desire change, even change that is bad for us.

It is important to remember that things can get much worse, which is why radical change is thankfully not wamted by the majority of the Irish people. Instead, we want our politicians to try to do better in the same system.

johnnyskeleton

Jolly Red Giant wrote: »

Just to point out that non of the LP-GP-SD could be described as 'centre-left'

What else would you call them and by what metric do you judge them?

tim3000

I believe in personal freedoms but wouldn't class myself as a libertarian. I believe that it is the states primary role to care for its citizens in terms of health education and infrastructure/environment.

I think those nordic countries have the right formula, excellent standard of living but with extermely high taxes l. These would be a hard pill for some to swallow. But I think the standard of living would balance this out in the long run. I cant imagine that kind of model taking off here however.

Regarding other posters claims that we are a one party state, I would tend to agree. If you were to ask me the central differences between FF and FG I couldn't even begin to differentiate. Id imagine this is a similar situation most of my generation and younger would be in. Its not due to lack of interest per se but more disengagement and disenfranchisement with these parties. That coupled with the fact there is zero accountability, which to the best of my knowledge is not something faced by these nordic countries.

Dr Brown

The biggest issue facing Ireland right now is mass Immigration.

It affects all areas of life from housing, jobs, education, health, transport and of course crime.

It's not the economy stupid its Immigration.

I would vote for any party that is serious about stopping mass Immigration.