What party would you give your No 1 if there was an election tomorrow?

Rredwell · 17-08-2004 02:14AM #1

I'm just trying to sound out public opinion here. It will be interesting to see if the anti-Govt. vote has remained strong since June 11.

I'm asking ye: What party would you give your no. 1 preference to, if there was a General Election in the morning?

If you leave a msg, please say what Dáil constituency you're in (or county).

Thx,
Rred.

Rredwell · 17-08-2004 02:48AM

Woo-hoo! Only 30 mins in and Labour's winning!

Ooh, I can feel a song coming on..."Come on ye boys in Red..." (or should that be Boys/Girls, given Labour's position on Women's Rights?)

Agent Smith · 17-08-2004 03:04AM

i'd vote sinn fein, only oparty that seemed to do it's homework for the last election

( yer wan mary lou knew my name as soon as i answered the door, they had the name's of all the electote with them,)

ecksor · 17-08-2004 03:48AM

agent smith wrote:

( yer wan mary lou knew my name as soon as i answered the door, they had the name's of all the electote with them,)

Any good canvasser from any party should have that with them.

Agent Smith · 17-08-2004 03:54AM

none of the other's did, that's my point, they were very very very well prepared

Amz · 17-08-2004 03:56AM

Personally I'd vote for whoever served my interests and the interest of my family best. I'll generally select the person I vote for based on their own manifesto rather than what party they represent.

Having said that though I'll tend to stick with a certain area within the political spectrum to use a clichè, as they're the candidates who would most appeal. If analyst want to declare my vote "protest" or otherwise then so be it.

logonmar · 17-08-2004 05:43AM

scary to think that even for one minute that Sinn Fein should be in the lead.

We really do need a fascist party whose fund raising is invariably from illegal sources to run the country.
Well at least it will bring the standards displayed by Charlie Haughey, Liam Lawlor, Ray Burke etc onto a new plain. As a bonus we might even have knee capping introduced as a crime prevention method.
Nothing like using the tried and tested Sinn Fein formula!

PH01 · 17-08-2004 07:38AM

agent smith wrote:

none of the other's did, that's my point, they were very very very well prepared

From my experience, most canvasers carry a copy of the register with them while on the beat. It's just for some they're not in your face with it.
While convasing one member of the team would carry the register and not everyone who calls to the door. It's more effective. One person to track the support there is for your candidate, to track issues, to verify that this house has votes and to make sure we get the name right when we need to follow-up upon issues.
Also, it's more polite and courteous to ask the person in the household their name and whether they have a vote or not. Most prople don't like answering the door to a total stranger and them knowing your name and you not knowing theirs.

As for the above poll, I'm not surprised that the SF are coming on top here. They're a protest party and they're attracting a good deal of that vote, and fair play to them. They're giving some kind of voice to those who in some cases don't feel that they are being listened to by main stream parties.
But, SF in my view have a lot of growing up to do before they get my vote.

sliabh · 17-08-2004 09:55AM

PH01 wrote:

As for the above poll, I'm not surprised that the SF are coming on top here. They're a protest party and they're attracting a good deal of that vote, and fair play to them. They're giving some kind of voice to those who in some cases don't feel that they are being listened to by main stream parties.
But, SF in my view have a lot of growing up to do before they get my vote.

Also as they are repugnant to the other political parties they can promise pretty much whatever they want in the way of policies. They know they will not be getting into goverment anytime soon so they won't be shown up in front of the voters as a party promising what they can't deliver.

I was dissapointed at the last election that none of their canvassers came to my door. I wanted to ask about their party's links to organised crime and the massive amount of funding it receives from outside the state (something that is illegal in most other countries).

ionapaul · 17-08-2004 10:21AM

Speaking of candidates at the door, a local councillor made it to my family's home in Galway during the last elections. We made small talk after I opened the door, he handed me his flyers, then said 'I know I can count on you for your number one - I know your colour, and your father's colour too!' and walked off with a smile. I was taken aback for a moment or two, wondering what in God's name he was babbling about. He actually got us mixed-up with our neighbours, a strong Fine Gael household, and the colour he was referring to was their blue! (My grandmother, no longer with us, was not allowed out to local dances as a girl in the early 30s without a blue blouse on! We slagged her about being a blue-shirt for many many years!)

I think I'd vote for the PDs - but would need to be impressed by the candidate in question.

BuffyBot · 17-08-2004 10:45AM

agent smith wrote:

i'd vote sinn fein, only oparty that seemed to do it's homework for the last election

( yer wan mary lou knew my name as soon as i answered the door, they had the name's of all the electote with them,)

My god, we really are doomed if this is the politics of the future...

AngelofFire · 17-08-2004 12:40PM

Labour-particularily now that pat rabbite is now leader and is working on an alternative to this incompetent government.

sliabh · 17-08-2004 01:53PM

AngelofFire wrote:

Labour-particularily now that pat rabbite is now leader and is working on an alternative to this incompetent government.

Well Labour's belief that the national pension reserve should be raided to pay for things now instead of being held for the pension crunch that is coming in the future isn't exactly the most competent thing I have heard them come out with.

gom · 17-08-2004 02:51PM

Well boards always has had a firm Labour leaning. Its nice to see a solid 45% for Labour at present.
I;m in the South Dublin Constituancy which is argueibly the most PD/FF dominated area in Dublin and the only area in Dublin which voted YES to NIce the first time round.
In the next general election it is hoped that we will have a Labour TD again

My 2cents on Labour in the next General election. Under no circumstances(unless they get a hammering) should Labour form a coalition with FG unless the office of Taoiseach is shared with the other party(assuming that FG wins more seats than Labour and forms a Coalition with them).
Labour should get to have a Taoiseach for at least the first half of the 4-5 year term. Leave the remainder to FG so that they can take the end of the term which is usually when you do the nice giveaway work to get reelected.
Labour should not go into a coalition government as a minority partner and expect anything less. Otherwise they will suffer a reduced share of the vote in the following election and FG will gain at Labour's loss

My 2c

logonmar · 17-08-2004 04:03PM

Lots of people would normally tend towards Labour but the last time they were in office they were just as smug and as arrogant as any of the other parties as they dished out the grace and favours to their own cronies.

In theory they are fine but in practice highly suspect. On the other hand Sinn Fein thugs are neither fine in theory nor in practice .............

AngelofFire · 17-08-2004 08:04PM

In the next general election it is hoped that we will have a Labour TD again

Dont worry Dublin has become a Labour stronghold since the Local elections,Each local authority has a Labour Mayor, they are the largest party on SDCC and Dublin City Council.

keu · 17-08-2004 08:30PM

interesting results, doubt its a reliable indicator of the larger public opinion though, but very insightful all the same.

John R · 19-08-2004 05:36PM

It would also reflect the young average age of boardsters I expect.

Stabshauptmann · 19-08-2004 06:26PM

Rredwell wrote:

I'm just trying to sound out public opinion here. It will be interesting to see if the anti-Govt. vote has remained strong since June 11.

I'm asking ye: What party would you give your no. 1 preference to, if there was a General Election in the morning?

If you leave a msg, please say what Dáil constituency you're in (or county).

Thx,
Rred.

This reflects the same msg as the political compass thread, a msg which should be clear by now to all posters, boards or at least the politics forum is inhabited mostly by left leaning voters.
The reasons might be that the average poster is young and idealistic or maybe there is some connection between the internet (im thinking free services eg boards!) and socialist ideals.

Im sory to say that the poll really doesnt give any fair view at all to public opinion, that said, I voted labour.

Stabshauptmann · 19-08-2004 06:31PM

ecksor wrote:

Any good canvasser from any party should have that with them.

You would be surprised how many canvassers both didnt know the names of any voter in our house or the number of votes contained within. Not to mention the fact that I spent ages talking to and questioning/grilling canvassers without them realising I didnt have a vote. Im waiting eagerly for the next election, missed the last one by a month

teaser · 19-08-2004 06:42PM

Im glad Labour is doing so well in the poll,

I think they could do with being more socialist

Rredwell · 20-08-2004 12:42AM

You're right, I couldn't agree more, teaser.

The crux is, however, that we have to keep our policies closer to the centre than to the left, otherwise we'll lose voters to the populism of FF and PD (not to mention those Blue-Shirted scoundrels FG), which will be in no-one's interests.

daveirl · 20-08-2004 01:30PM

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Sleepy · 20-08-2004 01:32PM

There isn't a party in the state I could vote for with a clean conscience.

Rredwell · 20-08-2004 03:16PM

Surely that should be State?

sceptre · 20-08-2004 03:20PM

Sleepy wrote:

There isn't a party in the state I could vote for with a clean conscience.

Heh, you can read that two ways. Either way is good.

AngelofFire · 20-08-2004 03:27PM

Surely moving your policies to the centre is populism? And how does voting for the PD's or FF benefit "no-one"?

.

Under Rabbite Labour are now more to the left than they were under Quinn and Spring. The PD/FF policies did little to benefit me going into university. when i was going into my first year of my degree they hiked registration fees by over 300 percent.Because of that cynical move to put extra costs on students, i will never vote for them. My Local Fianna Fail candidate lied to my face on my own doorstep before the 2002 election, he said that registration fees will only increase with inflation, and that there would be no cuts in 3rd level education. Six months later they cut funding for universities and hiked reg fees well beyond inflation.

Sand · 20-08-2004 06:26PM

Hmm, I was sorely tempted to vote none. By a proccess of elimination the only other option was the PDs and unfortunately theyve tied themselves to FF. so it was a tough call, but at least a PD alliance with FF prevents a "rainbow" alliance or worse still a FF-SF alliance!

Nuttzz · 20-08-2004 10:05PM

agent smith wrote:

i'd vote sinn fein, only oparty that seemed to do it's homework for the last election

( yer wan mary lou knew my name as soon as i answered the door, they had the name's of all the electote with them,)

Vote Sinn Fein, coz we know where you live.....

. The PD/FF policies did little to benefit me going into university. when i was going into my first year of my degree they hiked registration fees by over 300 percent.Because of that cynical move to put extra costs on students, i will never vote for them.

when i was going to college it was over £2000 (punts) a year each one of the 4 years, build a bridge and get over it, ya pay f*** all compared to what we did in the early 90's

arcadegame2004 · 20-08-2004 10:15PM

The PD's but they had no candidate in my constituency in 2002 or in my town in the local-elections, so I guess I don't know for sure who I'll vote for, except that no leftwing-parties will get as much as a transfer from me, even if I vote FG, a party which is bearable to me.

AngelofFire · 20-08-2004 10:41PM

when i was going to college it was over £2000 (punts) a year each one of the 4 years, build a bridge and get over it, ya pay f*** all compared to what we did in the early 90's

That point you made does not vindicate the governments decision to hike reg fees.but i do have sympathy for people who went to college pre 1994 and had to pay, but this is the 21st century,the government particulariy under current economic conditions have no right to put arbitary barriers that prevent certain people from fulfilling their human potential just because it saves charlie`s friends in the bloodstock industry from being taxed.

daveirl · 21-08-2004 02:13AM

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Nuttzz · 21-08-2004 07:28AM

i wasnt trying to vindicate the governments point, I was pointing out that this country was a lot worse off prior to Charlie & Bertie taking over, I have watched family and friends leave the country to get a job after they finished education, thankfully most young people now dont face this.

The bloodstock tax exemptions have been in place since the 60's you cant blame CMcC for bringing that in.

AngelofFire · 21-08-2004 08:19AM

Explain to me why they don't have the right to have college fees? Where is third level education set in stone as a basic human right?

Im not saying it is set in stone as a basic human right but in this country it should be a right for everybody, it helps people from all economic backgrounds to fulfill their human potential achieving better skills thus increasing participation in the economy. Look how backward the country was when people had to pay second level fees.Increased participation in education fuels economic growth as they are more people with qualification

I already banged on about the importance of free education on another
thread.

And Nuttz 3rd level fees were abolished by Labour not Fianna Fail

Nuttzz · 21-08-2004 10:52AM

and labour were in power on their own at the time.........? It required full cabinet approval for a measure like this, who were bulk of the cabinet at the time?

AngelofFire · 21-08-2004 01:16PM

I know that they were in coalition, however it was the proposal of the Labour minister for education at the time

Cork · 21-08-2004 08:33PM

AngelofFire wrote:

I know that they were in coalition, however it was the proposal of the Labour minister for education at the time

From a party that has opposed giving medical cards to the over 70s.

FF and the PDs have delivered on putting people back to work and cutting taxes.

Last year an MRBI poll found that when faced with the choice of cutting spending, increasing borrowing or raising taxes the option to raise taxes was by far the least favoured option of those surveyed.

A recent analysis of Sinn Féin’s policy proposals showed that its policies would increase Government spending by €5 billion per year. Come the next election, will have a clear choice.

The PDs and FF or FG, Lab supported by who ever.

Seaneh · 21-08-2004 08:39PM

Seriously, who said the PD's?

But anyway, I'd vote SF, because in my area thier local reps. are very, very honest young men who actually do what they say they will.

sceptre · 21-08-2004 08:42PM

Cork wrote:

Come the next election, will have a clear choice.

The PDs and FF or FG, Lab supported by who ever.

Well, if I have to choose...

(can I add a "Well, duh!" without getting banned?)

Typedef · 21-08-2004 09:31PM

To be honest, I think Bertie has slipped up majorly by removing Charile McCreevy from parliment and promoting Mary Hannafin to the front benches if Fianna Fail is serious about taking on the rise of Sinn Fein.

I can tell you that from where I sit, removing a high profile identafiable nationalist like McCreevy and promoting a sycophant like Hannafin, won't stop the floating voters from backing Sinn Fein. Quite the opposite I'd say.

I'm afraid that having persued right wing policies up until the last local election, that Fianna Fail has 'completely' got it wrong and tached to the 'right', in the wake.

Which part didn't make sense to them voters start voting towards the left and Fianna Fail moves 'further' towards the right?

Hmm. It's starting to look like Enda Kenny 'really does' have a chance at being the next Taoiseach. Who'd have thought?

Cork · 21-08-2004 10:51PM

Typedef wrote:

I'm afraid that having persued right wing policies up until the last local election, that Fianna Fail has 'completely' got it wrong and tached to the 'right', in the wake.
QUOTE]

I feel that tax revenue and employment is on the rise. This will pay dividends for FF.

As for SF and Adams - hopefully the IRA will be consigned to history and Adams will give a answer a few questions come the next general election campaign.

Fergus Finlay penned an interesting article in March last about:

Gerry Adams should have won an Oscar for his lifetime of denials

Irish Examiner

sliabh · 21-08-2004 11:18PM

Seaneh wrote:

But anyway, I'd vote SF, because in my area thier local reps. are very, very honest young men who actually do what they say they will.

Are they honest about the fact that their party has links to organised crime in Ireland?

AngelofFire · 21-08-2004 11:56PM

FF and the PDs have delivered on putting people back to work and cutting taxes.

Fianna Fail/PDs were in the right place at the right time when the exchequer were overflowing with cash,therefore tax exemptions for the working class who were for so long burdened heavily with taxation was the least people expected, but dont get me wrong they do deserve credit for that, and you are right to point that out cork.

However in 2002 instead of cutting back on the massive concessions given to the Upper class they target the people on low income by raising taxes by stealth.They trebled reg fees the year i was going into college and made a general cut in spending on 3rd level education, they even had the arrogance to propose the reintroduction of full fees. Spending on Education is a much better investment in the long run than granting racecourse owners more tax concessions, it gaurantees economic success as it makes it easier for more people to participate fully in society thus strenghtening the economy.

This governments record of lowering taxes does not in anyway justify the broken pre 2002 promises or the blatant lies told to peoples faces on their own doorsteps.

NinjaBart · 22-08-2004 12:00AM

sliabh wrote:

Are they honest about the fact that their party has links to organised crime in Ireland?

can you give us a good reference for that?

ionapaul · 22-08-2004 01:00AM

NinjaBart wrote:

can you give us a good reference for that?

What sort of reference are you looking for here? Anything can be referenced on the interweb. A court ruling? A government report? A police intelligence report? Sure can't all of those things be fabricated by Sinn Fein's enemies, and thus be discounted as proof.

Do you believe Sinn Fein has no links to organised crime in Ireland? If so, will any internet-provided references really change your mind...?

NinjaBart · 22-08-2004 01:35AM

ionapaul wrote:

What sort of reference are you looking for here?

any sort of good reference. a book by a reputable journalist would be ideal, but beggars cant be choosers.

Anything can be referenced on the interweb.

i didnt say anything about web references. what are good references on the web regarding the north anyway? cain and the bbc seem decent enough.

A court ruling? A government report? A police intelligence report?

sure.

Sure can't all of those things be fabricated by Sinn Fein's enemies, and thus be discounted as proof.

of course but people have to base their opinions on something and take such factors into account.

Do you believe Sinn Fein has no links to organised crime in Ireland?

what i believe is irrelevant to the question i asked but i would prefer information relating to south of the border if available. why do people get so defensive when asked for references? there must be no end of them if so many people believe it to be the case.

If so, will any internet-provided references really change your mind...?

you must have imagined hte word internet in my post.

daveirl · 22-08-2004 03:08AM

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Lennoxschips · 22-08-2004 12:24PM

I agree with Gerry Adams getting a best actor Oscar for his lifetime of denials. And lets not forget Bertie Ahern as best actor in a supporting role.

AngelofFire · 22-08-2004 02:56PM

So basically all that 'free fees' did was give the Middle Class a tax break, since the Middle class were sending their kids to third level anyway. So why would a party target their core voter group with a concept like fees?

I wouldnt have been able to go to college if i had to pay 3000 per year.The amount of working class people in ITs has doubled since 1994, it will take time to work its way up to the Universities.It took years while for Lemass` free second level education act to take effect but thats not to say it was meaningless, anyway i already stressed the importance of free education on the socialism thread, i dont want to keep repeating myself.

sliabh · 22-08-2004 07:56PM

NinjaBart wrote:

can you give us a good reference for that?

If you don't think there is any link between Sinn Fein and the IRA (which the last time I checked was a criminal organisation, and continues to be involved in things like smuggling, protection rackets etc) then you are incredibly naive or incredibly badly informed.

NinjaBart · 22-08-2004 08:22PM

sliabh wrote:

If you don't think there is any link between Sinn Fein and the IRA

im not asking about that.

sliabh wrote:

(which the last time I checked was a criminal organisation, and continues to be involved in things like smuggling, protection rackets etc)

that is not a reference. "last time you checcked" must mean that you have something to show me about the extent of organised crime activities in the ira.

sliabh wrote:

then you are incredibly naive or incredibly badly informed.

just the facts please.

What party would you give your No 1 if there was an election tomorrow?

If there was an election tomorrow, to which party would you give your No 1 vote? 110 votes

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