Lisbon Treaty poll

[KevB76]

foot.ie Lisbon Treaty exit poll ....how did you vote ?

[Acornvilla]

havent voted yet and still havnt decided but il pick yes for the time being!

[Sunny Jim]

I voted no but it'll be in vain, unfortunately. Cowen, O'Leary and friends seem to have put the fear of God into a lot of people who didn't seem to want to inform themselves of the issues and just did as they were told.

[passinginterest]

I spoiled mine. First and last time I'll ever do that I'd imagine.

[mypost]

A spoiled vote is basically as good as not voting at all.

497 million people would love to vote Yes or No.

[micls]

A spoiled vote is basically not voting.

497 million people would love to vote Yes or No.

It's like when your mother told you to eat all your dinner because there were starving children in Africa. What do you want me to do? Mail it to them?

If someone doesn't understand it or doesn't have a preference one way or another they shouldn't randomly choose simply because someone else didn't get a chance to vote.

You should vote because you feel a certain vote is the right decision, not for any other reason.

[tetsujin1979]

voted yes, but I felt dirty afterwards

and not the good "Las Vegas dirty" either

[Schumi]

I spoiled mine. First and last time I'll ever do that I'd imagine.

I came very close to doing the same. I really think this treaty will make no significant changes to anything.

[dahamsta]

A spoiled vote is basically as good as not voting at all.To some, maybe. To others it's a demonstration that a voter is unable or unwilling to take a position on something, but isn't flouting their hard-won right. If you have a problem with people not taking a position, take it up with the people that didn't get up off their arse at all, there's plenty of them out there.

[Bluebeard]

As a fanatical user of my vote where I have it, I'm a big believer in the spoiled vote. When the the voter is dissatisfied with the options, it does not mean that one should be forced into a box. I really would like to see a "none of the above / Reopen Nominations" option for elections of all kinds, or failing that a "write in" option. In the case of a referendum, I would normally make a point of getting all the info, but if the info is not to be had, and one is uncertain, you have two choices in my opinion - don't vote or spoil your vote. Not voting means that you are painted as another instance of the apathetic public in the media / elected reps' eyes. A single spoiled vote may also be a stat. Enough spoiled votes will bring about a lot of questions for the reps - why would people go to the bother of going to vote en mass, and then "misuse" their vote?

[John83]

Obviously, it doesn't apply to a referendum, but I've often thought that our elections could do with a 're-open nominations' choice. RON's done well in many a student union election in UCD.

[passinginterest]

I spoiled the vote for a number of reasons, I wasn't convinced by either argument, I wanted to use my vote rather than sit at home and I wanted to object to being asked to vote twice on basically the same treaty. I actually wrote maybe across the middle of it.

[DeLorean]

I vote when I can. I have no problem with people not voting, spoiling their vote, whatever really. Our hard earned right to vote should be just that, a right to vote- but also, a right not to vote, if one so wishes. I don't like people frowning on others not voting because people died to get us the right and all that lark. People will generally use their vote if they feel any way strongly on a topic, if they don't I can see why they wouldn't bother.

[pineapple stu]

First time ever that I didn't vote, I think. Didn't make it back from a wedding in time. would have voted no, so I suppose not voting no made me vote yes...?

[centre mid]

voted no, again, not that it mattered in the end.

[John83]

...I suppose not voting no made me vote yes...?
It didn't make you vote at all.

[pineapple stu]

But it took one vote off the no camp, causing a one vote swing.

It was almost crucial.

[Mr A]

Not quite on topic I know- but I still get a kick out of voting every time I do it. It's a massive privilege to have a say, however small, in the direction of one's country/region/area.

In fact earlier in the year I had to travel to Donegal on the Thursday before the local/euro election but came back to Galway to vote rather than staying up there for the Harps game that night. All through my student days I made a point of getting home for every election, even though being usually a Labour voter in Donegal it never really had a chance of making much of an impact.

I don't mind people not voting (in fact I think if you can't be arsed to inform yourself on the issues it's probably better that you don't) but I don't think many people appreciate what a great thing it actually is to be able to vote.

[dahamsta]

I don't any more. I know it's crucial and I'll continue to do it despite rants to the contrary, but it feels more and more like wasted energy these days. I also feel like I'm surrounded by idiots when I'm in the polling station. Sorry, but true. The political sensibilities of the voters in this country right now quite frankly embarrass me.

Party allegiances are gone for me now too. There isn't a party left I could support.

adam

[Acornvilla]

I don't any more. I know it's crucial and I'll continue to do it despite rants to the contrary, but it feels more and more like wasted energy these days. I also feel like I'm surrounded by idiots when I'm in the polling station. Sorry, but true. The political sensibilities of the voters in this country right now quite frankly embarrass me.

Party allegiances are gone for me now too. There isn't a party left I could support.

adam

i'm only young so i wouldnt have the political experience ye would all have but i myself think that being alligned with one party and always voting for them no matter what is quite a stupid idea i know quite a lot of people who do so?

anyway i voted yes because without the eu we wouldnt be as well off as we are today we have gotten an afwul lot of grants from them and i dont see us voting yes as the end of the world as most no voters seem to think.

I even heard a man say that if we vote yes therel be no more farmers!? what the hell kind of statment is that?
And that minnimm wage crap just made me angry and people seem to think that by voting yes we will all have to go fight in iraq and have abortions!

Ignorant people really anoy me!

[dahamsta]

I wouldn't align myself with a party the way many do, i.e. because mammy and daddy do. However party politics is important on some levels, in particular because parties have policies and whips, and policies and whips get things done. So in the past I'd vote Green because I agreed with their policies, or Labour because they were left of centre, but as with everything, there are exceptions. Like Dan Boyle.

Of course now we know that the Greens only stick with the policies that suit them, and Labour is doing it's damndest to shed the red and pretend it's actually Fine Gael, there's no-one left for me to support.

adam

[Acornvilla]

I wouldn't align myself with a party the way many do, i.e. because mammy and daddy do. However party politics is important on some levels, in particular because parties have policies and whips, and policies and whips get things done. So in the past I'd vote Green because I agreed with their policies, or Labour because they were left of centre, but as with everything, there are exceptions. Like Dan Boyle.

Of course now we know that the Greens only stick with the policies that suit them, and Labour is doing it's damndest to shed the red and pretend it's actually Fine Gael, there's no-one left for me to support.

adam

such optimism and trust in the moral obligations of your fellow man! typical irish! were all doomed and its raining again!

[jebus]

I wouldn't align myself with a party the way many do, i.e. because mammy and daddy do. However party politics is important on some levels, in particular because parties have policies and whips, and policies and whips get things done. So in the past I'd vote Green because I agreed with their policies, or Labour because they were left of centre, but as with everything, there are exceptions. Like Dan Boyle.

Of course now we know that the Greens only stick with the policies that suit them, and Labour is doing it's damndest to shed the red and pretend it's actually Fine Gael, there's no-one left for me to support.

adam

This is actually the exact situation I find myself in now

To my eternal shame I gave the Green's my number one preference last time out thinking they would never abuse power in the same manner as the rest would. They're not getting anything from me ever again and have joined Fianna Fail on my 'never will get a vote off me' list.

Fine Gael, well I like Bruton and Varadkar (don't kill me) but Kenny isn't a leader that inspires confidence. Labour tick a few right boxes for me, but I have the same problem as yourself with them these days as they seem to be swinging more towards being Fine Gael's best buddies, rather than a party in their own right. Who's left? The Socialists I have a problem with for two reasons

1) Their kids remind me of the Hitler Youth in their utter and unblinking devotion to the cause, basically they scare me somewhat

2) Often I think the Party stands for what they want to have a rant about this month. Case in point: there were posters around this time last year asking people to come to a meeting on whether Obama is really going to be a left wing president (or some such wording). My problem with this is a) himself and McCain were running pretty close in the polls at the time, no need to take about his presidency at that time, b) I'd argue that it's really none of their business anyway (yes it's America I know) and c) it just seemed like yet another excuse by the socialists to have a rant and agree with each other about how crap America is yet again.

So I'm kind of in limbo. Maybe I should try and find an American girl to marry so I can just become an Official Obamaite altogether, which is all I really want anyway :)

[mypost]

i dont see us voting yes as the end of the world as most no voters seem to think.

I even heard a man say that if we vote yes therel be no more farmers!? what the hell kind of statment is that?
And that minnimm wage crap just made me angry and people seem to think that by voting yes we will all have to go fight in iraq and have abortions!

Ignorant people really anoy me!

Don't want to discuss the treaty here, but Both sides didn't want to discuss Article 31 Section 7, subsection (vii), Part a, and that's fair enough. However here is some of what we KNOW will happen

The President issue is not inaccurate, it is fact, it will happen.
The Foreign Minister issue is not inaccurate, it will happen.
The Voting Weight issue is not inaccurate, it will happen.
The ending of Referendums here is not inaccurate, it will happen.
The increased spending on militarisation is not inaccurate, it is compulsory and will happen.

That's what we know will happen, let alone what could happen. I'm not happy with that, so my No vote was inevitable.

[carrickharp]

Being from Donegal I voted no of course!!

[BohsPartisan]

This is actually the exact situation I find myself in now



Answer is simple Jebus. Get the Limerick Soviet up and running again. ;)

[bennocelt]

Don't want to discuss the treaty here, but Both sides didn't want to discuss Article 31 Section 7, subsection (vii), Part a, and that's fair enough. However here is some of what we KNOW will happen

The President issue is not inaccurate, it is fact, it will happen.
The Foreign Minister issue is not inaccurate, it will happen.
The Voting Weight issue is not inaccurate, it will happen.
The ending of Referendums here is not inaccurate, it will happen.
The increased spending on militarisation is not inaccurate, it is compulsory and will happen.

That's what we know will happen, let alone what could happen. I'm not happy with that, so my No vote was inevitable.

What u make of the Coca Cola protest - surely that is a sign of things to come?
Wonder how much an hour the contract workers are getting?

About the result - bloody embaressing, the Irish have absolutely no backbone, wrap the flag around me - my arse:mad:

[dahamsta]

What u make of the Coca Cola protest - surely that is a sign of things to come?Although I think a massive wave of strikes is on the way*, Coca Cola shouldn't be misconstrued as a "sign" per se. Cost cutting is inavoidable for most Irish companies for survival right now, whereas cost cutting in corporations like Coke is about maintaining or even boosting profits. Of course the Irish companies that did the same thing during the boom are as bad.

adam

* Unless the yay-saying economists are actually right, and we are coming out of recession. Which would be a terrible thing imho, because we'll just go back to behaving the way we did, causing a full-blown depression.

[jebus]

Answer is simple Jebus. Get the Limerick Soviet up and running again. ;)

I call getting my picture on the ten Limbo note!

[dahamsta]

It starts with the pic on the tenner, and next thing you're in a dacha in Kilkee with a load of brassers from Longford Town.