Lisbon Treaty

**SkStu** · 12/06/2008, 7:31 PM

Originally Posted by Kingdom

If SkStu's location is where he is at the moment he'll have done well to vote.

i make a mean paper airplane so here's hoping my arm was strong enough.

but in all seriousness i agree with dahamsta 100% about exercising ones right to vote. I used to get so sick of people bitching about politicians etc etc only to find out that they hadnt actually bothered to vote in the first place - be it a general election or a referendum.

One thing i didnt ever bother voting on was the european elections funnily enough. And the one thing that im not entitled to in Canada is a vote. Free healthcare, you bet. Voting - no chance.

(unless i apply for canadian citizenship - "ermmm, no thanks man, im all good for citizenships right now")

**Stevo Da Gull** · 12/06/2008, 8:05 PM

Originally Posted by dahamsta

I love the way 3 people have chosen the last option btw, presumably in the mistaken belief that either I or they are being funny. I'm not.

If you didn't go out and vote today you're a loser, and if you admit that to me I'll tell you to shut up the next time you bitch about politician X or policy Y. Researching the issues doesn't take a lot of time - turn a radio on, open a newspaper, fire up a web browser - and going to the polling station takes even less.

You still have time to do it, so perhaps you should stop reading this and snickering to yourself like a retard, and put the time to good use.

[That wasn't aimed at you in particular SkStu. Although it is aimed at you in general, if you're being serious.]

adam

I did vote, but surely if someone doesn't want to vote then that's their business

**dahamsta** · 12/06/2008, 8:39 PM

Originally Posted by Stevo Da Gull

I did vote, but surely if someone doesn't want to vote then that's their business

Absolutely. Now read my post again, only slower.

**Stevo Da Gull** · 12/06/2008, 8:48 PM

Originally Posted by dahamsta

Absolutely. Now read my post again, only slower.

If I didn't vote I wouldn't bitch about politician x or y, simple as. And if you say something in a post should I just accept it as a fact? I did read up plenty on the treaty and still wasn't going to vote until changing my mind around 7pm... an extra 3 hours and I would (according to you) have been a loser. And a condescending reply isn't conducive to an open discussion.

**Dodge** · 12/06/2008, 8:54 PM

Originally Posted by dahamsta

If you didn't go out and vote today you're a loser, and if you admit that to me I'll tell you to shut up the next time you bitch about politician X or policy Y.

No it means they can't bitch about this issue. All other issues are fair game. Being apathetic (faily sure thats a word...) doesn't make you a loser.

I voted no btw

**jebus** · 12/06/2008, 8:56 PM

I voted yes

**mypost** · 12/06/2008, 9:07 PM

The polls have closed, and Ireland has spoken. Tomorrow, we'll find out what was said.

**mypost** · 12/06/2008, 9:10 PM

2nd Lisbon Poll on foot.ie, which shows a majority of Nos. Yet according to the bookies and the media, the No side will lose.

**SMorgan** · 12/06/2008, 9:14 PM

I believe the turnout was in the low 40s. I am not sure that this is the good news for the Yes side that some commentators are making it out to be.

But the country has decided. Hoping its a 'No', but fearing its a 'Yes'.

**jebus** · 12/06/2008, 9:15 PM

Originally Posted by mypost

2nd Lisbon Poll on foot.ie, which shows a majority of Nos. Yet according to the bookies and the media, the No side will lose.

Yeah I don't think they source their information from this website, at least I hope not

**pineapple stu** · 12/06/2008, 9:19 PM

And of course, the sample of 15 football fans is obviously perfectly representative of the country.

Read a column by Miche�l Martin in the Irish Times on Tuesday - he couldn't give one reason to vote for the treaty. It would somehow give us jobs and money, the No arguments weren't valid and scaremongering is wrong (except when it's the Yes side that's doing it). That and my general Euro scepticism sealed my No vote.

**BohsPartisan** · 12/06/2008, 9:51 PM

Originally Posted by jebus

I'm hoping this Treaty will mean the end to pointless Referendums like this, the one on divorce, the one on abortion, etc. It's like asking the baying mob what to do with Jesus at times. Hopefully we as an electorate would pull the finger out at local and national elections, elect competent officials and let them get on with the job of deciding these issues

Why bother with elections at all, surely someone with a double barrel name would run the country a lot better?

**jebus** · 12/06/2008, 9:57 PM

Originally Posted by BohsPartisan

Why bother with elections at all, surely someone with a double barrel name would run the country a lot better?

Elections are needed, asking a bunch of people who largely don't care to vote on issues that they haven't a clue on isn't. Politicians should be able to read these documents and make a valid judgement on it, I realise ours seem unwilling to do so but I never said I supported our current crop did I?

**BohsPartisan** · 12/06/2008, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by jebus

Elections are needed, asking a bunch of people who largely don't care to vote on issues that they haven't a clue on isn't. Politicians should be able to read these documents and make a valid judgement on it, I realise ours seem unwilling to do so but I never said I supported our current crop did I?

But you're supporting them now. If you don't trust them on other issues why on this one? I also disagree with what you are saying. here is no reason for a treaty not to be readable by all literate adults. (and illiterate politicians).

**pete** · 12/06/2008, 10:29 PM

RTE said turnout expected to be in the low to mid 40s which is higher than Nice 1 but lower than Nice 2.

Voted at around 8.30 & definitely well below 50% on my sheet.

**pete** · 12/06/2008, 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by dahamsta

Running this today and tomorrow only, so vote early or... um... don't vote at all?

or Mods can vote early & often

I gave Yes my number 1 vote & No number 2. It is important to use all your votes.

**mypost** · 12/06/2008, 10:59 PM

Turnout doesn't indicate a result. The count does. Whether the turnout is 40% or 80%, every voter has the 50/50 choice of which box to mark.

Originally Posted by jebus

Politicians should be able to read these documents and make a valid judgement on it, I realise ours seem unwilling to do so but I never said I supported our current crop did I?

All irrelevant really.

Our constitution requires a referendum on European Union treaties. However, our constitution, drawn up at the foundation of the State, will be torn up in 60 pieces tomorrow should there be a Yes vote, replaced by the EU Constitution, i.e. France, Germany, and the UK's rules, not ours.

**dahamsta** · 12/06/2008, 11:06 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

No it means they can't bitch about this issue. All other issues are fair game. Being apathetic (faily sure thats a word...) doesn't make you a loser.

In my experience people that don't vote, don't vote, fullstop.

Perhaps "loser" isn't the best word. I'm not allowed use the words I'd commonly describe them as.

adam

**dahamsta** · 12/06/2008, 11:08 PM

Just on the comments about this poll, Foot.ie polls generally get it "wrong", i.e. the results here tend to go against the actual results. The same goes for Boards.ie. I think that Irish web communities tend to lean to liberalism more than meatspace.

adam