European Parliament Elections 2009

[bennocelt]

Its called democracy and whats with using people with an Intellectual disability to make a cheap shot at people who vote differently to yourself. It has nothing to do with why people vote one way or another.

so u voted FF then did you At least be honest man

People who voted FF are retarded - get over it

Modern democracy is flawed anyway - whats the use of it if the people are ill informed, dumbed down and brain washed. Here in the Uk more people voted on Britatins Got Talent than the Euro Election!!!
Also election issues in Ireland that I heard on the radio..........
"if they paint my gate I will vote for them"
"if they install a tolet in the town centre......."
"I wasnt going to vote FF but then Brian Cowen came into say hello, now I will give him my number 1"

Yeah baby democracy - its great

As Bill Hicks would say "go and read a f***ing book"!!!!!!!!! (may I suggest that you take a break from the gah and your early morning prayers to read Damien Corless' "Gubu Nation", or the excellent Gene Kerrigan's "How to Suceed in Irish Politcs" - it will make you laugh ...........and then cry!!!)

Apparently he is getting a fair amount of transfers from the sf candidate. It really will be a case of the lunatics taking over the asylum if he gets in

as opposed to FF in power

The EPP are centre-right mainstream group who will be by far the biggest group again. Recessions would usually see a move to the left.

There will always be a few wackos on the far left & right in these elections. BNP won a seat in Manchester. UKIP second large overall vote in the UK.

It really will be a black day if Ganley, McDonald & Ferris get in.

how so, it will be a great day
what you would prefer FF in

[Dodge]

bennocelt, take this as mod warning, calm down!

There's load of differing opinions here and you're the only one losing the rag and callong people retards.

Speaking for myself, not as mod, its easy to pick apart FF and others policies without resorting to namecalling and rolling your eyes after every post, so do that and calm down

[passinginterest]

Bennocelt I think you're confusing local politics with national politics to a certain extent. While I didn't do it myslef I can understand to an degree voting for a Fianna Fail councillor who has done good work in the local area in the local elections. Fianna Fail were routed in the bye elections, where the national interest was primary and suffered a fairly big hit in the Euro's. Personally I can't comprehend how people can still vote Fianna Fail in a national election, then again I can't comprehend how they vote Sinn Fein or Libertas either. I do however respect their right to do so.

[bennocelt]

bennocelt, take this as mod warning, calm down!

There's load of differing opinions here and you're the only one losing the rag and callong people retards.

Speaking for myself, not as mod, its easy to pick apart FF and others policies without resorting to namecalling and rolling your eyes after every post, so do that and calm down

fair enuff
just really really HATE FF (done ala Father ted accent!)
tehy do make my eyes roll though

[Ringo]

Bennocelt I think you're confusing local politics with national politics to a certain extent. While I didn't do it myslef I can understand to an degree voting for a Fianna Fail councillor who has done good work in the local area in the local elections. Fianna Fail were routed in the bye elections, where the national interest was primary and suffered a fairly big hit in the Euro's. Personally I can't comprehend how people can still vote Fianna Fail in a national election, then again I can't comprehend how they vote Sinn Fein or Libertas either. I do however respect their right to do so.

I've made no secret of the fact that I’ve voted & been a member of FF in the past. (not for about 15 years now). I don't think that makes me retarded. I always admire anyone with an active interest in politics & I admire politicians from all parties who take part in the political system. I similarly don't agree with policies of certain parties, but I enjoy politics & enjoy elections. I have major problems with FF at the moment, I feel there is a serious lack of leadership. It’s all very well people saying they want change & get FF out, but we need a credible alternative, which doesn't seem to be there at the moment. I think we got a great view of democracy Benocelt , FF got a drumming. If people choose not to vote or get involved in political parties, they can't complain when the main parties keep getting back in. Its just as much their right in a democray , not to care & not to vote.

[holidaysong]

As passinginterest states, it's important to differentiate between local and national elections. However, I think it's important to also differentiate between a Dáil and European election. I gave Labour, FG, FF and the Greens preferences in the European elections. I'm very much pro-European integration and therefore I obviously only wanted to vote for pro-Lisbon candidates. It was a European election and should therefore be fought over European issues. I don't see how giving FF and the Greens a preference in these elections would make me retarded? If it had to be a general election then that would be a different story..

[Dodge]

Unfortunately holidaysong, from peaking to my political activist friends (labour and FF) the only thing 99% of people canvassed were interested in was the economy (and the various strands in there). The Greens were anhilated solely on their (perceived) part to play in this government. (The poor showing of Libertas is a clear message that Lisbon wasn't an issue)

Funny for me watching Noel Dempsey trying to spin the results yesterday in RTE "We're being punished for having to make tough decisions", Pat Rabbitte replied "You're being punished for getting us into this mess in the first place!"

[pete]

Funny for me watching Noel Dempsey trying to spin the results yesterday in RTE "We're being punished for having to make tough decisions",

That makes me laugh too. Its up there with "stronger leadership" & "action required" speeches.

If anything the government are being punished for not making the decisions as they chickened out of making them as long as possible - 3 budgets in less than a year shows that.

[Macy]

You're both wrong, it's because we don't understand the situation, not because we know who's responsibile. Hence all the talk about "improving communication" about the "hard decisions" they are taking.

[holidaysong]

Unfortunately holidaysong, from peaking to my political activist friends (labour and FF) the only thing 99% of people canvassed were interested in was the economy (and the various strands in there). The Greens were anhilated solely on their (perceived) part to play in this government. (The poor showing of Libertas is a clear message that Lisbon wasn't an issue)

On that, RTÉ are saying that "Nessa Childers (Lab) and John Paul Phelan (FG), both pro-EU, were the main benificiaries of Raymond O'Malley’s (Libertas) distributed votes."

It makes you wonder who the people who voted Libertas are and what their motivation was that they wouldn't transfer to SF.

[anto1208]

Funniest thing over all this election is Ganley calling for a recount because his "independent viewers" spotted the votes being counted wrong, a recount was called he got less and the other 3 all gained !

[sligoman]

Ganley has decided to quit politics...big loss.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Funniest thing over all this election is Ganley calling for a recount because his "independent viewers" spotted the votes being counted wrong, a recount was called he got less and the other 3 all gained !

Saw that! Not just a few votes either - about 3000 (yes ...three thousand) that were put on his shelf quite by accident.

[holidaysong]

Kathy Sinnott also looking like missing out in the South. Add in Mary Lou McDonald and it's a terrible weekend for the anti-Lisbon camp.

[Réiteoir]

Ganley has decided to quit politics...big loss.

I'm smoking a big fat cigar on hearing of that news

mypost to be gutted on hearing that his Poster Boy for the NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Vote on Lisbon has decided to take his ball home

[pete]

Kathy Sinnott also looking like missing out in the South. Add in Mary Lou McDonald and it's a terrible weekend for the anti-Lisbon camp.

Ganley decision really is the cherry on the cake.

[Mr A]

Exceptional performance by Labour to take 3 Euro seats, I don't think anybody saw that coming!

[dahamsta]

Sad to see Sinnott losing out to a Labour spammer. She's the only MEP that ever sent me a reply of substance, and followed up afterwards too. Crowley has been consistent in replying to nothing at all, in any format whatsoever. I can't see what the electorate sees in him. Probably just the thick Fianna Fail voters missing the miniscule FF logo on his posters.

G'luck and good riddance Ganley. Leave the country in a huff while you're at it, and take that other huffy fairy McDowell with you.

I'll cream myself with joy when Gormless goes, I just hope Clever Trevor steps up to the plate and keeps that lying sack of pig poo Ryan out of it.

[mypost]

mypost to be gutted on hearing that his Poster Boy for the NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Vote on Lisbon....

He accepted the verdict of the electorate, which other political parties haven't in the past and still refuse to do. He also got the closest of any Libertas candidate to gaining a seat in Brussels, a lot more than the "5" votes that Michael O'Leary predicted he'd get last Christmas. It's still a shame that a FF candidate was elected instead, after what they've done to the people.

As for the so-called "terrible" weekend for the "No to Lisbon" camp, good to see that Joe Higgins made Eoin Ryan take a running jump in Dublin.

However, the weekend shows up the utter shambles of having to count the results manually via the stone-age paper system, instead of via e-voting. The fact that 3,000 votes could be distributed in error, and results in a small country taking until Monday to be announced is a joke in this day and age.

[Dodge]

and results in a small country taking until Monday to be announced is a joke in this day and age.

Whats the rush?