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March 28, 2024, 08:44:59 PM

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Irish General Election excitement

Started by actwithoutwords, May 24, 2007, 10:35:59 PM

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quadraspazzed

Well McGrath can still make it (hopefully), as they're left preferences (Green and Labour I think). But it'll be close no doubt about that.

And I'm really rooting for Boyd-Barret, not least because if he gets in he'll be taking Ciaran Cuffe's seat. Cuffe is someone I dislike for personal reasons.

MCDOWELL HAS JUST CONCEEEDED!!!!!!!!!!!!

McDowell: "This is the end of my career in public life"

Journalist: "Do you really mean that?"

Ahahaha!

Ray777

Excellent! It's like Thatcher's tearful departure and Portillo's defeat mixed together. Fuck everything else - this has made my day.

I don't know where the hell Richard Boyd Barrett got all those votes from. I lived in Dun Laoghaire throughout the college year, and while it was obvious that he'd make an impact, I find the idea that someone from the SWP just might (touch wood) become a TD in one of the most conservative constituencies really, really surreal. It's been an odd day.

quadraspazzed

Jaysus, you'd swear someone had died. I'm getting all these text messages and calls: "Sorry about Joe", "A tragedy", "Terrible news" etc. And then a flurry of "The bald fascist cunt is gone! Rejoice!" type ones.

And yes, I'm as puzzled as you are about RBB's campaign. It is very strange indeed!

Ray777

Oh well, RBB was beaten by the Greens, but he's fairly young and I reckon people will take him a whole lot more seriously after coming so close. At least Finian McGrath beat Ivor Callely.

There was some talk recently about a potential economic downturn making this a good election to lose. If the economy went tits-up under a moderately left-wing government, McDowell's "Reds under the bed" scaremongering bollocks would have been validated in the eyes of much of the electorate, and the left would be finished in Ireland forever. At least if it happens under Fianna Fail, they'll get the blame and get a good kick in the balls in 2012.

Ciarán

No, well McDowell aside, I'm still really disappointed. It's a set-back for the left in this country, and I'm proud to call myself a Socialist. It's only strengthened my opinion in fact. But I think it's a a sign of the times, the time cannot be right for a left resurgence, we have to wait and see what happens in terms of immigration, construction, racism, etc in the next five years. When the people want it, it (i.e. a dramatic shift to the left) will happen.

But right now I feel like going to bed and not getting up again.

quadraspazzed

For those that care, the Greens just voted by 86% to 14% to enter coalition government with Fianna Fail, the PD's and a gaggle of independents including (apparently) 'left' independent Finian McGrath.

And what do the Greens get as their 30 pieces? No change on Shannon, Rossport, Tara, or co-location. Just a cabinet position, and a couple of junior ministries and the 'promise' of a 'carbon tax' at some future date.

Needless to say the Greens will never get even a transfer off me in the future.

actwithoutwords

All a horrible dirty business. They aren't going to feel too good about themselves when they wake up in the morning/ 5 years time.

quadraspazzed

Be interesting to see if it leads to a split with the left of the party walking off. After all, this isn't merely something like abiding by a congress resolution - those left Greens who are/were very active in the various campaigns (Tara, Shell2Sea, Shannon etc) have to face their fellow activists if they stick with the campaigns - who are not going to be happy with them. And they are going to find themselves increasingly compromised and frustrated by sticking to the 'party line' over the coming weeks, months and possibly years.

actwithoutwords

They were in a very tough position really. Because FF didn't need them for the govt, they had fuck all bargaining platform. So they were left with the choice of carping in opposition for 5 years or having a small influence on government policy while having to bite their tongue on the vast majority of their own policies, and wait to get fucked by their voters next time around.

I do wonder how long they will last. If more Bertie stuff comes out, they will have to pull the plug surely. Things are going to get monumentally uncomfortable for them either way, they have to radically change the nature of the party now they are in government. They are going to spend all their time trying to defend and justify themselves, and will be gagged on most of the issues that they were voted in on, and most of their members care about because they have to toe the government line.

I was a bit ambivalent about the prospect of this after the election, but now it's happened, I think it really is disastrous. What the fuck are the Greens doing in government with the PD's?