With the election called for May 24th I’m probably one of the small percentage of students who won’t have exams getting in the way of voting that day. I do have an exam the day after the voting but it’s an ok one and its in the afternoon so I can afford the trip from Waterford to Cork. But seeing as I’m unaligned to any party and have very little respect for the parties in the Irish political system I was faced with a problem, namely who was I going to vote for? My solution was a process of elimination…
My Beliefs
Not that I lack beliefs but I’m still at a stage where they’re fairly mallable. I’m broadly liberal socially and economically – well I’m not really earning enough for taxes to be an issue. Beliefs are a factor with parties, but not a major one.
The Parties themselves
To be honest, again I don’t have major beliefs. My family would be traditionally voting a certain way (I’m not saying which way) but they’re not especially dogmatic about it and I’ve never been pushed towards certain views like some people I know. In general, I can’t say I like any of the parties. They are all a bit too centrist for me and I’m amongst those who think that the sooner Fianna Fail and Fine Gael join up and become a more ‘European’ centrist party the better. Let their respective ‘left’ and ‘right’ wings move to other parties and let’s have some real political debate in this country.
The process of elimination
Fianna Fail
Not a hope. There are so many reasons I don’t like Fianna Fail. Just some; Haughey and the whitewasing of his crimes, the child sex law debacle, the hospital crisis, the plan to put private hospitals in public lands and the nail in the coffin – thursday voting. Rob me of my vote because a few hundred Dubliners ‘supposedly’ travel the weekend while there’s a couple of hundred-thousand students doing exams Monday to Friday? Go to hell. Also, while Martin Cullen is my local TD and has done some good for Waterford – I figure its offset nationally by evoting…
Progressive Democrats
A moot point because they’re not putting forward a candidate but either way see ‘Fianna Fail’ – they were the tail wagging the dog for the last few years and they are as responsible for same things. A bit of a shame because I am quite open to many of their ideas – shame about the people though.
Sinn Fein
Ha ha. Not if hell froze over. A pack of crooks who haven’t denounced the murders of Gardai in this country, the criminal activity of many of its members, the fact that they approve of vigilantes, they’re marxists and would undo most of the countrys economic prosperity and did I mention they’re crooks?
The Workers Party
A strong group in Waterford, considering that they are an even more left version of Sinn Fein (they used to be Sinn Fein-The Workers Party) and given that one of their leaders has been accused of forging dollars on behalf of the North Koreans I think the ‘criminality’ element of not voting Sinn Fein carries here too. Also they’re too left for my liking.
Independents
Not even sure how many of these people there are – know theres at least one. To be honest the only reason I’d give them my vote is to help throw a spanner into the system. However that’s about it.
Fine Gael
I don’t mind Enda Kenny – he seems a nice enough guy and isn’t as corrupt as Bertie. But at the same time there’s not a whole lot of major differences between FF and FG – in fact that seems to be FG’s rallying cry – ”we’re not those guys”. Which isn’t really enough of a reason to vote for them I think.
Greens
I do like their enviornmental standards ideas. Also, I broadly agree with their preference for strong local govt. On the other hand, I don’t like their anti-EU stance or their leftism. Also, my local candidates a bit of a spanner. They probably will get my second choice (if I elect to use it).
Labour
So, this is what it comes down to. I have to admit, I am uncomfortable with some of Labour’s left-wing elements. Also with their flirting with govt with FF. And finally the fact that they seem to be aiming to be the junior party rather than the leading party seems to me to be ‘aiming low’. On the other hand, I like their social policies favouring Abortion and Same-sex unions. And I do agree with the idea that more needs to be done with regards to providing better health-care for those without the money for private health insurance. For me mostly a case of the best of a bad bunch.
Post a Comment