New political party needed?

[dahamsta]

The Greens started out single issue, and they're going to be in busi...

...oh right...

(EDIT: To be fair, the UCD article is crap from start to finish.)

[John83]

(EDIT: To be fair, the UCD article is crap from start to finish.)

I didn't even read it - presumed it was. It just happened to wander into my feed reader minutes before I wrote the above.

[thischarmingman]

It looks fun, but I'm not sure they should be running the country?

[Bluebeard]

I went to their site, the policies are not easily accessed, so I went to their "constitution" - it appears that they have ellided the concepts behind the words "manifesto" and "constitution". Hmmm.

So, on having a quick read of the manifesto section of the constitution, I am willing to run against them. Personally. In every possible constituency that they may run in with an outside chance of election. Apart from the copyright and patent law reform thing. which is really neo-con libertarianism with emphasis on iTunes - not a new thing, apart from the iTunes focus - it is bereft of the substance of the average single issue candidate. It makes drunken Lit & Deb Ball gate-crasher babblings in their Green Economic "Principles", frothy emo-esque pronouncements like their Minorities "principles" - I am not a voter: I am a free minority; simplistic adolescent assessments of global economics and conflict in their World Peace "Principles", and banal infantile dribblings that somehow count as their "principle" on Society.

Above all, my favourite bit has to be their policy on Poverty:

We believe that something must be done to combat poverty and its causes in the State.

There is little connection between any of the "Constitution"'s "Principles" from any stand point and no depth outside of enshrining in law that it is free to take have a copy of the last U2 album if you have access to the internet. Fine if it is only U2, but many really good bands are not making much of a living owing to the download culture as is (which is not much change) but then would be shafted hugely. Not to mention artists, writers, designers, chemists, inventors, etc. Neo-con Libertarianism. "I shall have what I want as cheaply as possible, as should anyone who is at roughly the same level of global access and demand as me, consequences be damned."

A party like this cheapens politics. The system is not great as it is, but this would just ad another layer of blatant self interest, and self preening, without someone at the helm who knows what they are at. Currently 155 "We-all-have-our-mortgages-to-pay"ers have signed up for them - presumably maybe 50 joined because they think it would be aimed at making Pirate Day a bank holiday.

I am damn near inclined to set up "An Cumann Ceist Amháin" to rival them, on the single issue of eliminating Marietta biscuits. I mean, we're also against people robbing and stuff, and, I mean to say, nobody likes the Summers to be wet, buty really, Mariettas are soooooo bland.

[dahamsta]

It's not a credible party as-is, and I don't think anyone suggested it is. I doubt even they'd suggest it is. Lighten up fella.

[Bluebeard]

But they do! Or at least they are trying to.

Grrrr. I'm going to go out and get soaked by a passing bus to calm down! That should stop me being so annoyed by that shower

[Kingdom]

Do any of you know about this Amhran Nua crowd?
http://www.amhrannua.com/

[John83]

I'm sad to inform everyone of Bluebeard's passing. He appears to have been decapitated by a cutlass carelessly trailing from the window of a passing bus. His rambling nonsense will be missed.

[dahamsta]

But they do! Or at least they are trying to.

Dude, they don't even have 200 members, and the international Pirate Parties would disown them if they actually reached 300 and tried to go ahead with that manifesto. If you're that angry about it, there's a deeper issue...

[Aberdonian Stu]

Whatever about their policies, I must say I find the way they are using a pirate flag a a way of charting the growth in members is quite cute.

[culloty82]

Do any of you know about this Amhran Nua crowd?
http://www.amhrannua.com/

Occasionally go on the Politics.ie site when anything major happens, and one guy had that website as his footer. Can't say I know any more than yourself, and even though the name would put you off, wasn't too much on the site I'd disagree with tbh. Seems they're only starting out, would imagine they'll drop all the Celtic rubbish fairly quickly.

[Kingdom]

Yeah, as I've said earlier, I'm not a politics buff, but I'd never heard of them, and like you I saw that as a guys sig on boards. I'm not gullible, I'd just like to have a competent local representative that has a chance of doing something good for my area while the party that person is affiliated to is fair. Is that too much to ask for?

[mypost]

I'd just like to have a competent local representative that has a chance of doing something good for my area while the party that person is affiliated to is fair. Is that too much to ask for?

In Ireland and Europe in general, it is too much to ask for. Brussels disapproves of non-politicians deciding their affairs, as you saw with the Lisbon Treaty. Everyone must come from the political system, and their word is law. No far left and far right parties get a look in. Every ruling party must be centrist, not looking to rock the boat in their provinces or Brussels.

By contrast, competent or not, Sarah Palin came from nowhere to challenge for vice-President in the space of 3 months in America. It's not called the land of the free for nothing.

[osarusan]

It's not called the land of the free for nothing.

I thought it was the called the land of "nothing for free".

[peadar1987]

By contrast, competent or not, Sarah Palin came from nowhere to challenge for vice-President in the space of 3 months in America. It's not called the land of the free for nothing.

In fairness, she came from "Governor of Alaska" to challenge for VP.