I'm kinda sad about that, tbh. I've always voted Labour - and I've had a Labour TD be the only one who ever responded to my messages and asked question in the Dail for me. I voted Social Democrat, Labour, Green and then on down the line.
Labour's big mistake was going into coalition at the worst possible time. They were voted in on a tide of people looking for a defense against the recession and some help from the State - but got very little done in the seats of Power and generally took the blame for everything. Being the junior partner generally means getting fucked - it's taken the Greens ten years to recover from their last time in Government - they were utterly wiped out at one stage for being part of the Government that Collapsed the Economy.
FF + FG in any form will be suicide for both. It'll be very much seen as 'against the will of the people', leading to a stronger SF vote the next time.
SF + FF, or SF + FG will be a struggle - and risks splitting either partner. Some members of those parties really don't want anything to do with Sinn Fein. And when you've members of SF gloating about 'breaking the Free State' and shouting 'Up the Ra' you can kind of understand it.
SF + Anyone the fuck else, means everyone else. That might be the only government that can come close to forming. But a whole cluster of Independants means a whole cluster of single-issue Kingmakers who can hold the state to ransom - including the fucking Healey-Raes who're Kerry's answer to Boss Fucking Hogg.
Anyway. I've a strong supicion there'll be another election this year. Raindow coalitions like that don't really last. That'll likely mean an even larger SF vote - they'll run enough candidates this time - and that will be new territory.
And the only kinds of people who ever Call Joe Duffy's Liveline are the sort of cranks who don't have anything better to do during the day. It's an afternoon talk-show when everyone's at work.
Labour's big mistake was going into coalition at the worst possible time. They were voted in on a tide of people looking for a defense against the recession and some help from the State - but got very little done in the seats of Power and generally took the blame for everything. Being the junior partner generally means getting fucked - it's taken the Greens ten years to recover from their last time in Government - they were utterly wiped out at one stage for being part of the Government that Collapsed the Economy.
FF + FG in any form will be suicide for both. It'll be very much seen as 'against the will of the people', leading to a stronger SF vote the next time.
SF + FF, or SF + FG will be a struggle - and risks splitting either partner. Some members of those parties really don't want anything to do with Sinn Fein. And when you've members of SF gloating about 'breaking the Free State' and shouting 'Up the Ra' you can kind of understand it.
SF + Anyone the fuck else, means everyone else. That might be the only government that can come close to forming. But a whole cluster of Independants means a whole cluster of single-issue Kingmakers who can hold the state to ransom - including the fucking Healey-Raes who're Kerry's answer to Boss Fucking Hogg.
Anyway. I've a strong supicion there'll be another election this year. Raindow coalitions like that don't really last. That'll likely mean an even larger SF vote - they'll run enough candidates this time - and that will be new territory.
And the only kinds of people who ever Call Joe Duffy's Liveline are the sort of cranks who don't have anything better to do during the day. It's an afternoon talk-show when everyone's at work.
I love the smell of rotaries in the morning. You know one time, I got to work early, before the rush hour. I walked through the empty carpark, I didn't see one bloody Prius or Golf. And that smell, you know that gasoline smell, the whole carpark, smelled like.... ....speed.
One day they're going to ban them.