How should I vote and why?

[Hardy]

OK – I’m still struggling with my decision. I do not want my vote to be taken as a  mandate for the socialisation of the bank debts. This is the No. 1 issue for me. Since four of the main parties intend to proceed with this policy (albeit with a greater or lesser amount of proposed modification) I don’t see how I can vote for them.

I can’t support the policies of the only party (SF) that opposes this policy.

I can’t see (so far) anything to recommend a vote for any of the independents standing in my constituency.

What do I do?

-         Vote for the party with the least objectionable bank debt bailout policy
-         Vote for SF and swallow their other policies
-         Vote for an independent (they are mostly covering just local issues)
-         Spoil my vote by writing a protest on it about the lack of representation of the 90% view on the most important issue in the election
-         Don’t vote at all.

[AZOffaly]

OK – I'm still struggling with my decision. I do not want my vote to be taken as a  mandate for the socialisation of the bank debts. This is the No. 1 issue for me. Since four of the main parties intend to proceed with this policy (albeit with a greater or lesser amount of proposed modification) I don't see how I can vote for them.

I can't support the policies of the only party (SF) that opposes this policy.

I can't see (so far) anything to recommend a vote for any of the independents standing in my constituency.

What do I do?

-         Vote for the party with the least objectionable bank debt bailout policy
-         Vote for SF and swallow their other policies
-         Vote for an independent (they are mostly covering just local issues)
-         Spoil my vote by writing a protest on it about the lack of representation of the 90% view on the most important issue in the election
-         Don't vote at all.

I'm kind of in the same scenario Hardy. I think I'm voting 1 Sinn Fein, 2 Fine Gael and 3 Labour. (It's a 3 seater here in Tipp North). The Sinn Fein lad will get eliminated I reckon, but I want it put on record that I do *not* support the current approach to the Bail out of the banks, and making me pay money to support a shower of c***ts that take more of our money away by raising interest rates with the other hand.

I think Fine Gael second, because at least they might take on the Public Sector a bit. Labour 3rd, because I don't want to vote Fianna Fail in this election.

If Fine Gael perform as insipidly as their leader projects, I will be really stuck next time out. I hope they prove me wrong, and if they do I'll happily give them a 1 next time around.

[deiseach]

Might be worth putting it up as a poll.

I don't know about you but I'd never not vote - I buy into all the blarney about people dying for that right yadda yadda. Any Monster Raving Loony types down your way?

[Billys Boots]

I think that anyone who isn't head-wrecked about this needs their head examined - or maybe it's just me.  I'm tempted to let FG have a go at this, against my better judgement, but I don't feel good about it (and I think FG think that people will give them a go due to a lack of anything else on offer).  I'd tend to have leant towards Labour in the past, but their attitude to the public service precludes me this time.  I'm not sure there's anything strategic that's worth doing either.

Answers on a postcard please.  I won't envisage Sinn Fein, as it might move me closer to sharing voting day with Pangurban. 

[muppet]

Might be worth putting it up as a poll.

I don't know about you but I'd never not vote - I buy into all the blarney about people dying for that right yadda yadda. Any Monster Raving Loony types down your way?

I intend to use my vote firstly to punish the parties that staked the entire economy on the property market. With that in mind I will give transfers to any candidate capable of blocking FF.

While SF have a stated policy of burning the bondholders, they have not explained what they will do after that when we run out of money and no one will lend to us. This looks like populism rather than a real policy.

Labour has had a disappointing campaign but I do feel they should be part of the next Government. The Unions will have to be taken on and imho it would be better if Labour were part of the Government doing that.

There are some independents (Dermot McDonnell in Mayo for example) that are worth looking at along with the usual dross that passes for candidates (e.g. Michael Healy-Rae).

In conclusion 1st preference this time will be FG with other preferences going to Labour, SF (a first for me) and an Independent.

[Croí na hÉireann]

I'm the same as AZ, in that I want to give Sinn Féin my vote purely for their stance on the banks. However there is no way on God's green earth I can go in to a voting booth and put a 1 beside Aengus Ó Snotser. FG are alienating me with a lot of their auctioneering so prob looking at Labour and Independents (and it's a sorry rag-taggle trail of them in Dublin South-Central, ffs look at this fella's flyer who is campaigning on the one issue that matters, the banks http://irishelectionliterature.wordpress.com/2011/02/13/flyer-from-paul-king-independent-dublin-south-central/)

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

While SF have a stated policy of burning the bondholders, they have not explained what they will do after that when we run out of money and no one will lend to us. This looks like populism rather than a real policy.

I believe that they have.

They, quite correctly, have stated that the reason the markets repulsed us was because that pathetic government rolled the gambling and sovereign debts into one, thereby converting everything to sovereign. No wonder bond interest rates were prohibitive -- who'd want to lend to a shower that will cover the losses of the most reckless of gamblers!

They have also stated that we'll only be able to go back to the markets when we've demonstrated some fiscal cop-on, responsibility, and rectitude, i.e., jettisoning the non-sovereign debts. And they're not the only ones saying that, see Mc Williams, for example.

[muppet]

While SF have a stated policy of burning the bondholders, they have not explained what they will do after that when we run out of money and no one will lend to us. This looks like populism rather than a real policy.

I believe that they have.

They, quite correctly, have stated that the reason the markets repulsed us was because that pathetic government rolled the gambling and sovereign debts into one, thereby converting everything to sovereign. No wonder bond interest rates were prohibitive -- who'd want to lend to a shower that will cover the losses of the most reckless of gamblers!

They have also stated that we'll only be able to go back to the markets when we've demonstrated some fiscal cop-on, responsibility, and rectitude, i.e., jettisoning the non-sovereign debts. And they're not the only ones saying that, see Mc Williams, for example.

step 1) burn bondholders.

Effect: reduce outgoings on debt but we still have a €19 Billion deficit. We now can't borrow to pay our public servants. We can use the pension reserve until it runs out......

But then what?

step 2) ?

Your post is reasonable but doesn't address what I asked.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

If we can to back to the international bond markets muppet, without the crucifying rates, we can secure funds, yeah?

It won't be achieved unilaterally, but either the Europeans work with us, or the European Project (and the euro as we know it) are history.

[muppet]

If we can to back to the international bond markets muppet, without the crucifying rates, we can secure funds, yeah?

It won't be achieved unilaterally, but either the Europeans work with us, or the European Project (and the euro as we know it) are history.

You have just burned the bond market. The rate will now be around 18%. This is precisely the problem with a simple 'burn the bondholders' policy.

Don't get me wrong I think we need to play hardball with them but it needs to be though all the way through.

[ross4life]

I'd vote for an independent to get the local issues sorted, the country is fecked & i don't think FG or whoever is in power is going to change it much but it can't get worse can it???

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

You have just burned the bond market. The rate will now be around 18%. This is precisely the problem with a simple 'burn the bondholders' policy.

Don't get me wrong I think we need to play hardball with them but it needs to be though all the way through.

But your 18% is pure guesswork -- the bondholders that will share in the pain expect to get 'burned', they've expected to get burned, and badly burned at that, since 2008! The reason our rates skyrocketed was precisely because they weren't burned as a result of their folly in the first instance!

Markets have short memories; if we 'burn' the gamblers, but honour sovereign creditors we'll have demonstrated something of a degree of financial nous.

It's not too late to inject some long overdue fiscal sense -- aside from your guesswork, there's the certainty that this state is heading for financial ruination unless there's a major reworking of the current reparations.

So do we abide by their repayment strictures as we career into oblivion or do we actually attempt to do something, admittedly radical, to prevent that?

[muppet]

I'd vote for an independent to get the local issues sorted, the country is fecked & i don't think FG or whoever is in power is going to change it much but it can't get worse can it

It will, no matter who is in power.

* We still have a €19 Billion deficit that has to be addressed by tax rises and PS cuts
* ECB rates to rise to 2.5% by the end of 2012 so expect more bad debts for the banks and thus more recapitalisation.
* Lots of jobs will be lost in the PS and the banks to add to those going in the private sector.
* I am guessing we will default in 2013 (unless the new Government successfully restructures the debt before then)

[Croí na hÉireann]

If we can to back to the international bond markets muppet, without the crucifying rates, we can secure funds, yeah?

It won't be achieved unilaterally, but either the Europeans work with us, or the European Project (and the euro as we know it) are history.

You have just burned the bond market. The rate will now be around 18%. This is precisely the problem with a simple 'burn the bondholders' policy.

Don't get me wrong I think we need to play hardball with them but it needs to be though all the way through.

No, you have just burned a small minority of investors in the bond market. When others out there see that we have separated the bank debt from the sovereign debt, our economy is growing and we are closing the gap in our budgetary gap then they will realise there's money to be made here. When there's money to be made the investors will come running at an affordable interest rate. That's my (admittedly simple) understanding of the situation 

[muppet]

You have just burned the bond market. The rate will now be around 18%. This is precisely the problem with a simple 'burn the bondholders' policy.

Don't get me wrong I think we need to play hardball with them but it needs to be though all the way through.

But your 18% is pure guesswork -- the bondholders that will share in the pain expect to get 'burned', they've expected to get burned, and badly burned at that, since 2008! The reason our rates skyrocketed was precisely because they weren't burned as a result of their folly in the first instance!

Markets have short memories; if we 'burn' the gamblers, but honour sovereign creditors we'll have demonstrated something of a degree of financial nous.

It's not too late to inject some long overdue fiscal sense -- aside from your guesswork, there's the certainty that this state is heading for financial ruination unless there's a major reworking of the current reparations.

So do we abide by their repayment strictures as we career into oblivion or do we actually attempt to do something, admittedly radical, to prevent that?

You are right it is guesswork - based on what happened to Argentina after they defaulted. Their rates rose to 18%.