Poll shows sharp drop in satisfaction with Government

[Macy]

Labour could have left Fine Gael hang in the wind and told the electorate exactly why they were doing so. (Fine Gael are a bit Fascist, hate the poor, stuff like that.)

This would have been a massive win for Labour. The best Fine Gael could have hoped for at that stage would have been to scramble together a minority government with various right wing independents (Donnelly and the likes.)

This government would have been almost universally despised, wouldn't have lasted its term and at the following election Labour would have flew in as the biggest party in a broad coalition. This was too big a risk for Gilmore and the old guard though so it didn't happen.

The result is that Labour are doomed and Sinn Fein will now eat them alive.

Don't disagree with that at all. Would've much preferred Labour to stay out and force FG in with FF/ Independents. My point was that the grassroots can hardly moan, as they had the opportunity to vote on it.

There's more than enough of it around to be incredibly damaging.

Gilmore and his past, for example, are poison.

A lot of the stuff from before the election doesn't stack up, imo. And dragging stuff from 20+ years ago up is a bit ridiculous. His leaflet on water charges keeps cropping up, but are politicians not allowed change opinion over that type of timescale?

On Burton making a push for the leadership - she must be in her sixties at this stage?? Is she really the answer?? And more importantly, is there any young people of any ability in the Labour party?? If so, where are they??

If you look around the Dail at the other parties, regardless of what you think of them (and I'm about to name a right few doozies here) relative youth is to the fore in the publics eye:

Fianna Fail - McGrath, Collins, McSharry
Fine Gael - Varadkar, Creighton, Coveney
Sinn Fein - Doherty, McLochlainn, McDonald

Even the SP have Claire Daly and the SWP have Boyd Barrett.

When I try to think of young Labour TDs all I can think of is floppy fringe from Clare (I just had to google to find out he's Michael McNamara.) and he's terrible.

Hannigan, Keaveney, Kelly, Ó Ríordáin? (I'm trying to ignore the most prominent - that idiot Sherlock).

[mypost]

Would've much preferred Labour to stay out and force FG in with FF/ Independents.

People said it about the Greens last time, and the Libs in the UK, that they shouldn't have gone into power when they did.

Politicians want to be in power. They don't reject the opportunity to govern when the chance comes along.

[BonnieShels]

And that's why those expressing an interest and ambition to be involved in politics should be barred from doing so.