Election 2011 - General

[BonnieShels]

Talk about 2 non-event press conferences. Apparently Lendahand will have one tomorrow. Dear lord.

[jinxy lilywhite]

According to RTE Biffo lives to fight another day

[BonnieShels]

Yep. It's all over the net now. That'll do! Phew!

[Mr A]

Delighted. One step closer to oblivion.

[BonnieShels]

The excitement starts again... now we wait on VB so that he can tell us the front pages tomorrow. Hopefully the Mail will have some Anglo filth.

Edit: Martin resigns as MoFA

[jebus]

Election called for March 11th

Roll on a Lab/FG coalition to take the blame for FF's mess before the Irish people vote in a changed Fianna Fail in approx 4 years time

At this stage I will denounce democracy and e mail Paolo Di Canio about this non-racist fascism he's been going on about the last few years

[superfrank]

It's funny that you mention that, jebus.

I have been thinking that a temporary dictatorship wouldn't be all that bad in the current climate. It'd offer the opportunity for widespread, thorough reform by whoever gets there first. Cut off NAMA, cut off the banks, bring in proper electoral reform plus reversing the billion other things wrong with this country.

It's just a pity I have this damn dissertation to do...

Unfortunately, I believe in democracy, which is frustrating. It's just so bloody pointless in this country with the idiotic majority of the electorate voting for their buddies. This is a chance for the electorate to really stand up for themselves and tell the politicians not to mess them around. The cynic in me says that a lot of the FF chancers will be getting back in. And if not this time, then definitely the next one.

[peadar1987]

What are the procedures for banning an organisation? I mean, the IRA are a banned organisation, and they never did half the damage to the country FF did!

[shantykelly]

according to breaking news, the greens have pulled out of government, citing a break down in trust, patience and communication with fianna fail. how long till the election now? looks like someone handed gormleys balls in at lost and found. still think the greens are going to suffer massively, and deservedly so.

[dahamsta]

I had a break down in trust, patience and communication with the greens quite some time ago. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

[osarusan]

I can only assume the greens are hoping the election will come so quickly that people will still associate them with the welcome downfall of the government rather than all that went before.

[Lim till i die]

When do we get to see what Bomber Harris thinks of the whole thing?? Now there's a man with courage in his convictions.

Wow. Just WOW!

[shantykelly]

oh holy good god. ruth dudley edwards wouldn't get a look in with that amount of revisionism. unbelievable.

[Mr A]

I'm with Eoin the prostitute Harris on this one. I'd love to see Lenihan get the job. The minister for being wrong about everything, always is just the man to lead FF to richly deserved oblivion.

[passinginterest]

Wow. Just WOW!

I couldn't sleep last night and read that at about 4am, I was hoping when I woke up this morning it would have turned out to be some sort of night terror, but no there really is people that delusional in the world.

[Spudulika]

I've yet to see any kind of questions asked of the Finance Bill - it's being used as a carrot for the "opposition" who are now in majority to get an early election. Yet only a week ago FG and Labour were talking about voting against it and pointing out the horrors that it will unleash. It's a simple way for FF to bail out their buddies (and FG, Labour, Greens, SF too for theirs) before they lose power. This whole mess is being used to force through a bill that will destroy the country. It's not maybe, if or possibly, it IS. The Greens should be taken out and hung, they spoke in favour of a Nuclear Power Station in Wexford, laughing about the tiny number of Chernobyl deaths (less than 10). FF have no credibility. FG are going to be as bad. While Labour, well, Labour despite the media trying to slag off their supposed lack of policies, are going to wh@re themselves to one of the previous pair to get into power. SF have not enough standing to do anything, while the spanners that are Healy Rae and the fella who had his house built by the guy who went off his head in Florida are saying they have doubts about the bill, that they might not vote for it? Until, that is, a hospital is built in Kenmare and a casino granted to North Tipp.

We are seeing all sorts of hit and move tactics and media reporting, diaspora voting, resignations, possible coalitions, funding, jobs etc etc - but nothing, nothing is being done to rid the country of levels of corruption and nepotism that are more akin to Turkmenistan.

We're going to get the same type of governance as we've always had because, like an abused spouse, we're too used to it and too scared to try something different.

[BonnieShels]

On the Finance Bill, Noonan said yesterday that the bill that they will be voting on bears little resemblance to the budget as was announced and that it has been seriously watered down. He also said that it is a matter of expediency at this stage and that anything in it that they don't agree with they will change if they get into power.
Simples.

[Macy]

The opposition don't have a majority for the Finance Bill - the greens have said they'll vote in favour of the Finance Bill, and haven't indicated how they'll vote in the confidence motions. I'd take the opposite view, in that the opposition are using the Finance Bill stick to beat our an earlier election and a orderly change over. Cowen could go to the park on Wednesday and still set an 11th March election date.

[BonnieShels]

Correct. But FF arent guaranteed that majority as it stands due to some back benchers not voting for it.
There is no way at this stage that Cowen could try that stunt.
Anyway, afaik an election must be held within at least 30 working days of the dissolution of the Dáil. So it won't drag out to March 11th.

Edit: Just did the maths there and dissolution on Friday gives us a maximum date if March 11th.

[Macy]

There is no way at this stage that Cowen could try that stunt.

Last week he was going around saying that he couldn't lead the Government if he wasn't FF leader - Never underestimate FFers!