Same old same old
There are interesting times ahead.
The Plain People of Ireland have clearly stated that they have little respect for any of the political parties here.
Labour are dead ducks, which is only befitting a party who lied through their teeth and then acted as "yes men" just to grab a seat at the table.
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael between them have shown themselves to care only about big business and Europe, while taxing the poorest and leaving the Plain People to fend for themselves.
Sinn Féin are acting like kids who have been invited to sit at the grown up's table and haven't quite learned how to behave.
So the only viable alternatives are the independents.
Whatever the outcome, it's going to be a mess. Both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have stated they won't go into coalition with Sinn Féin, and Labour are effectively out of the running, so that means a coalition consisting of a party along with a rake of independents. Or to summarise – a right fucking mess.
What this country need is a new party. It's as simple as that. And the new party need have only one item on its manifesto – to put the Plain People of Ireland at the top of the list of priorities. If that means clashing with the EU, then fuck the EU. If the banks start complaining then fuck the banks. If big business starts complaining then tough shit. Furthermore, that party would have to consist of new blood and not just the same self serving lying toe rags rebranding themselves under a different name.
That isn't going to happen though.
What will happen is that the various parties are going to start making promises. They will promise to cut tax, repeal taxes and make promises of happy days ahead [provided that we elect them]. And the Plain People of Ireland will be sucked into those promises, forgetting that last time around all those promises were promptly forgotten once the ballot stations closed.
In other words, no change.
Won't matter government wins. What if nobody was registered to vote or no bugger turned up to vote or better yet what if a thousand or thousand voted…tee hee. Government would still win but it would be seen by all for the naked emperor it is then if people still give it their energy then I'd join you in leaping off the cliff.
The outcome will be the same no matter who gets in – same policies, same lies, same self-serving.
I wonder what would happen if there was a zero turnout? Impossible, because it would only take one vote to elect a gubmint then, and there is always one….
Do you really feel folks would accept a government only one of their number who may drop dead right after voting brought into being?
Over here I have no doubts that would be perfectly acceptable but I had heard the Irish were made of different stuff.
Interesting problem –
Only one person in the country votes, so only one candidate can be elected. Does he then have the power to grant himself all ministries and act as a gubmint? Does he have to assume the role of opposition also? I suppose if he gets pissed off with the task he can always pass a vote of no confidence [unopposed] in himself and call another election?
As long as it's a man elected he would be locked into a constant round of going through the process…if it were a woman we are fucked as they multi-task…allegedly!
In Washington DC the almighty President phones individual senators and congress members (I almost called them congresspersons, which would have been frightfully pc) to discuss upcoming legislation and ask for their votes. In the Irish party system backbenchers are spoken to in a headmasterly way and told how to vote. They are threatened with a whip rather than a swishing cane. That tradition needs to fade. Do you ever look at 'debates' in the Dail? How often is the chamber empty when a backbencher is speaking? Yep, the real debates are done away from public scrutiny, in party committee rooms. Keep it up Grandad.
The only time the Dáil is ever full is when they are discussing TDs' pay or allowances, with maybe a fair turnout on Budget Day [because they know the country will be watching]. Many's the time I have seen a bill being "debated" with about three people in the chamber. It's a farce.