The Fine Gael thread

[Lar Naparka]

[Nally Stand]

You won't get to far in the debating society like this, Lar.

[Lar Naparka]

Looks like we're headed for the much fabled Meath-Westmeath coalition.

They think they're different but, really, they're not.

I'd like to ask you a questions, Syf; one that I've been tempted to ask may times before.

WTF are you on about?

[Syferus]

Looks like we're headed for the much fabled Meath-Westmeath coalition.

They think they're different but, really, they're not.

I'd like to ask you a questions, Syf; one that I've been tempted to ask may times before.

WTF are you on about?

[Lar Naparka]

Looks like we're headed for the much fabled Meath-Westmeath coalition.

They think they're different but, really, they're not.

I'd like to ask you a questions, Syf; one that I've been tempted to ask may times before.

WTF are you on about?

You have waaaay too much time on your hands.


@ Nally
This is after all The Fine Gael thread.
As a courtesy to other members of the board, why don't you go off and create one of your own?
You create the thread; post your OP and let's see what happens after that.

[Nally Stand]

@Lar. You made an allegation about SF being involved in electoral fraud ("fiddling the system"), and you made it on this thread. All I'm asking is that you either back up your allegation with proof or admit you can't because you were talking rubbish.

[lawnseed]

@Lar. You made an allegation about SF being involved in electoral fraud ("fiddling the system"), and you made it on this thread. All I'm asking is that you either back up your allegation with proof or admit you can't because you were talking rubbish.

its what they do.. rossfan does it as well. talks shite about washing diesel etc.. no mention of ff/fg destroying the place.. I suppose as they join up in coalition the script wont change much baaahh baaahh

[Farrandeelin]

FF and FG have the shaggin place destroyed. Bhfuil tú sásta anois lawnseed?

[Lar Naparka]

From Sindo/Millward Brown:
FG 29 (+3), FF 28 (-1), SF 18 (same), others 16 (-2), Lab 8 (same). Record 37% undecided

Going by those figures, the present coalition isn't going to hold together until April 2016. As a new election must be called before then, Enda will be looking at the 37% undecideds and wondering when to do a damage limitation job and call an election.
I don't think this will happen for a while yet but tensions between the coalition and, more importantly, internal wrangling in the Labour party will force his hand sooner rather than later.
It's noteworthy that every time Labour went into coalition with either FG or FF, they got hammered in the polls at the following GE. They must be dreading the next one.

[Maguire01]

From Sindo/Millward Brown:
FG 29 (+3), FF 28 (-1), SF 18 (same), others 16 (-2), Lab 8 (same). Record 37% undecided

Going by those figures, the present coalition isn't going to hold together until April 2016. As a new election must be called before then, Enda will be looking at the 37% undecideds and wondering when to do a damage limitation job and call an election.
I don't think this will happen for a while yet but tensions between the coalition and, more importantly, internal wrangling in the Labour party will force his hand sooner rather than later.
It's noteworthy that every time Labour went into coalition with either FG or FF, they got hammered in the polls at the following GE. They must be dreading the next one.

It will hold together until April 2016 in the absence of a viable alternative. It's not like the polls are telling us that people really want FF or SF to take over. Mid-term polls are rarely good for the governing party/parties, even when things are a lot better than they are at present.

[Lar Naparka]

From Sindo/Millward Brown:
FG 29 (+3), FF 28 (-1), SF 18 (same), others 16 (-2), Lab 8 (same). Record 37% undecided

Going by those figures, the present coalition isn't going to hold together until April 2016. As a new election must be called before then, Enda will be looking at the 37% undecideds and wondering when to do a damage limitation job and call an election.
I don't think this will happen for a while yet but tensions between the coalition and, more importantly, internal wrangling in the Labour party will force his hand sooner rather than later.
It's noteworthy that every time Labour went into coalition with either FG or FF, they got hammered in the polls at the following GE. They must be dreading the next one.

It will hold together until April 2016 in the absence of a viable alternative. It's not like the polls are telling us that people really want FF or SF to take over. Mid-term polls are rarely good for the governing party/parties, even when things are a lot better than they are at present.

There are a number or reasons why I don't see this happening.
Bertie Ahern once told me that the pressure to hold an earl election almost invariably comes from backbench TDs. Here I am talking about members of the government party or parties.
If a rumour starts doing the rounds that an election will be called, constituents start making life difficult for all TDs but the ones holding marginal seats are under most pressure.
What would have been polite requests for something or other suddenly becomes demands and life can be very stressful for those at the receiving end.
If they become edgy and less inclined to support unpopular policy, the government in turn come sunder pressure.
Ahern reckoned that Jack Lynch's landslide majority was the worst thing ever to hit FF. We had been discussing three-seaters but the same rationale could apply to most others.  Wherever FF took a second seat where normally there was only one, the pair elected began to get edgy and jostled for position, knowing that a slight swing against the party would leave one of them on the dole.
Labour are in serious disarray right now and have been that way since they went into government. There a couple of austerity budgets still to come and if they stay in government  right to the end in the hope that the economic situation improves, they will be leaving themselves without any room to manoeuvre.
There will be internal tensions in FG also. Apart from all that, there will be constituencies where FG and Labour will be in contention for the last seat.
In Mayo for instance, if the representation is cut from the present five to four, O'Mahony and Mulherrin both know only one of them can survive. If the economy gets worse not better, both of them could be in danger.
I don't know much about other constituencies but I've no reason to believe that Mayo is an isolated case.
There may not be a viable alternative if an election is called but I don't think that would be the primary concern of many backbenchers. That's been my experience anyway.

[lawnseed]

More calls at todays mick collins commemoration from bill o herilly former fg strategist for fg/ff
Coalition.. Its on..

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

More calls at todays mick collins commemoration from bill o herilly former fg strategist for fg/ff
Coalition.. Its on..

He said earlier in the week his idea has no backing from either FG or FF and it was more or less a solo run. He said today that he is no longer a FG strategist and he has not communicated his idea with the Taoiseach. FF & FG both rubbished the idea.

Non-story.

Lawnseed - Must try harder.

[lawnseed]

More calls at today's mick collins commemoration from bill o herilly former fg strategist for fg/ff
Coalition.. Its on..

He said earlier in the week his idea has no backing from either FG or FF and it was more or less a solo run. He said today that he is no longer a FG strategist and he has not communicated his idea with the Taoiseach. FF & FG both rubbished the idea.

Non-story.

Lawnseed - Must try harder.

I read your post and I'm thinking.. 'wood for the trees'.
then I wonder why an rte presenter can be a fg strategist and hold a job in the state broadcaster when former state broadcaster employees who dabbled in politics could not get their jobs back for a period of some years until they were considered 'sanitised'. but then its the 26 and rules don't apply to government stooges any more than they apply to tds or guards or bankers or indeed anyone who's rich

[Farrandeelin]

FF and FG have the shaggin place destroyed. Bhfuil tú sásta anois lawnseed?

I did say it lawnseed.