Irish General Election 2016 #GE16

[OIsINiSTAn]

I found a handy website for finding out which politicians in your area fit in with your ideas. (Note, if you live outside of Ireland, just pick Wexford so I can give you info on em)
http://www.smartvote.ie

I was going to link http://www.whichcandidate.ie/ myself, which has a different set of questions and an optional anon survey afterwards. Personally, it's a shame the SocDems don't have a candidate in my constituency and the closest indept. blocked Irish Water with a protest crowd (non-violent) - my actual choice I'll keep to myself, of course.

Where are you? I'm Wexford

[New Waterford]

Could someone explain how exactly FF and FG are different, and why there seems to be such a divisive split between them despite being very similar ideologically?

[RawHein]

I was going to link http://www.whichcandidate.ie/ myself, which has a different set of questions and an optional anon survey afterwards. Personally, it's a shame the SocDems don't have a candidate in my constituency and the closest indept. blocked Irish Water with a protest crowd (non-violent) - my actual choice I'll keep to myself, of course.

Where are you? I'm Wexford

I have a policy of trying to keep my IRL and anonymous-social lives separate, sorry. There is FB where everyone knows who I am, and NS where nobody knows, and I talk about different things in each. Letting info bleed over is a bad idea, believe me.

[RawHein]

Could someone explain how exactly FF and FG are different, and why there seems to be such a divisive split between them despite being very similar ideologically?

FF was in power for a long time, including the banking crisis - as such, it gets most of the blame for the economic downturn and corruption uncovered during that time. FG won a landslide victory on the merit of "We're not FF and we've been around longest compared to the other non-FFers." More of a history lesson, I know, but it should give context.

[Saiwania]

I only need to know which party is furthest to the right to know my choice.

[Ifreann]

Could someone explain how exactly FF and FG are different, and why there seems to be such a divisive split between them despite being very similar ideologically?

I imagine there was some subtle ideological difference at the foundation of the state, but in 2016 I think they both just exist to oppose each other.

[Ifreann]

I only need to know which party is furthest to the right to know my choice.

I wouldn't say there are any right-wing parties of consequence. Identity Ireland would probably be your kind of party, but I don't know if they're running any candidates.

[RawHein]

I only need to know which party is furthest to the right to know my choice.

Assuming for now that you aren't trolling, why do you believe that being to the right automatically makes a party the correct choice? Mussolini's Fascist party was far-right, after all.

[Chestaan]

Could someone explain how exactly FF and FG are different, and why there seems to be such a divisive split between them despite being very similar ideologically?

Well back in the 1920s, they both formed from opposite sides of the civil war. That's why you hear people throwing around the term "civil war politics". Other than that difference they are ideologically almost identical. FG may be slightly more to the right.

[New Benian Republic]

Could someone explain how exactly FF and FG are different, and why there seems to be such a divisive split between them despite being very similar ideologically?

Well back in the 1920s, they both formed from opposite sides of the civil war. That's why you hear people throwing around the term "civil war politics". Other than that difference they are ideologically almost identical. FG may be slightly more to the right.

Ah the blue shirts what an interesting concept.

[Saiwania]

Assuming for now that you aren't trolling, why do you believe that being to the right automatically makes a party the correct choice? Mussolini's Fascist party was far-right, after all.

I just know that I want little to none of what the European left wants in general. I don't want Muslim immigration, I don't want tolerance crapola in schools, I don't want higher taxes, I don't want the EU to succeed, among other things. Where possible, I want the rise of the far right. They have the views I agree with more.

[Chestaan]

Well back in the 1920s, they both formed from opposite sides of the civil war. That's why you hear people throwing around the term "civil war politics". Other than that difference they are ideologically almost identical. FG may be slightly more to the right.

Ah the blue shirts what an interesting concept.

That is definitely something that the electorate need to remember. We're constantly reminded of the history of Sinn Fein, yet we rarely see people call out FG on their fascistic origins.

[New Benian Republic]

Ah the blue shirts what an interesting concept.

That is definitely something that the electorate need to remember. We're constantly reminded of the history of Sinn Fein, yet we rarely see people call out FG on their fascistic origins.

Should they be ashamed of their fascist past? I mean I think quite a few of their ideas weren't all that bad.

[Bananaistan]

That is definitely something that the electorate need to remember. We're constantly reminded of the history of Sinn Fein, yet we rarely see people call out FG on their fascistic origins.

Indeed, the only party in the state with a fascist history. Ofc it's also worth noting that they're in government with the only party in the state with a Stalinist history. Yet provisional Sinn Féin are the extremists!

Should they be ashamed of their fascist past? I mean I think quite a few of their ideas weren't all that bad.

Yes, of course they should.

[Chestaan]

That is definitely something that the electorate need to remember. We're constantly reminded of the history of Sinn Fein, yet we rarely see people call out FG on their fascistic origins.

Indeed, the only party in the state with a fascist history. Ofc it's also worth noting that they're in government with the only party in the state with a Stalinist history. Yet provisional Sinn Féin are the extremists!

Should they be ashamed of their fascist past? I mean I think quite a few of their ideas weren't all that bad.

Yes, of course they should.

Have Labour a Stalinist past? I know some of the fringe communist parties have, but wasn't aware labour did.

[Bananaistan]

The Stickies!

[Geilinor]

I found a handy website for finding out which politicians in your area fit in with your ideas. (Note, if you live outside of Ireland, just pick Wexford so I can give you info on em)
http://www.smartvote.ie

I picked Wexford since I don't live in Ireland. I got Mick Wallace.
http://www.smartvote.ie/results?street_id=100038&const_id=40&e_id=IE001001

[Wolfmanne2]

I only need to know which party is furthest to the right to know my choice.

The Labour Party, Ireland is a left-wing hellhole, FG are Stalinists and FF are Maoists .

[Anywhere Else But Here]

So one centre-right party opposes the other centre-right party, who are in government with the centre-left party?

Ireland is weird.

[Geilinor]

So one centre-right party opposes the other centre-right party, who are in government with the centre-left party?

Ireland is weird.

Yes, except one of the center-right parties is ever so slightly more center-right.

[Ifreann]

Assuming for now that you aren't trolling, why do you believe that being to the right automatically makes a party the correct choice? Mussolini's Fascist party was far-right, after all.

I just know that I want little to none of what the European left wants in general. I don't want Muslim immigration, I don't want tolerance crapola in schools, I don't want higher taxes, I don't want the EU to succeed, among other things. Where possible, I want the rise of the far right. They have the views I agree with more.

PEGIDA tried to have a rally to celebrate opening their Irish branch. In addition to a peaceful protest against them, a very much not peaceful protest was held, and the utter shite was kicked out of the PEGIDA supporters. I don't think there's any significant interest in Ireland for the politics you want us to support.

[The Liberated Territories]

Assuming for now that you aren't trolling, why do you believe that being to the right automatically makes a party the correct choice? Mussolini's Fascist party was far-right, after all.

I just know that I want little to none of what the European left wants in general. I don't want Muslim immigration, I don't want tolerance crapola in schools, I don't want higher taxes, I don't want the EU to succeed, among other things. Where possible, I want the rise of the far right. They have the views I agree with more.

What if I told you, voting for far right parties will bring you higher taxes?

[Angleter]

Could someone explain how exactly FF and FG are different, and why there seems to be such a divisive split between them despite being very similar ideologically?

As Chestaan has said, they were on opposite sides on a civil war fought in the 1920s - ironically enough, over whether they should sign the Anglo-Irish Treaty (the side that led to Fine Gael) or, er, continue the War of Independence (the side that led to Fianna Fáil). Historically, Fianna Fáil were more agrarian, protectionist, and populist, while Fine Gael were more pro-business, pro-European, and socially liberal. Interestingly enough, FF TDs have tended to have a greater proportion of Gaelic surnames, while FG TDs have tended to have a greater proportion of Anglo-Norman surnames.

They're not that much unlike the way the Liberals and PCs were in Canada, or the Democrats and Republicans in the USA - two parties, one (Lib/Dem/FF) broadly considered 'centrist' or 'liberal', and the other (PCs/GOP/FG) 'centre-right' or 'conservative', where in fact both parties contain pretty much the entire 'centre-X' political spectrum within themselves. The 'centrist' party's more populist appeal, ability to sweep the board in large and culturally distinct parts of the country (this one doesn't work for FF so much, but for the other two, see Quebec and the South), and ability to overcome more massive internal ideological differences than the other party, makes them the natural governing party of the country, with the other party only able to get into power for relatively brief periods of time in special circumstances.

The fairly key difference, of course, is that the Canadian and American parties have actually ended up with clear ideological differences over the last three decades or so.

[Nationes Pii Redivivi]

Could someone explain how exactly FF and FG are different, and why there seems to be such a divisive split between them despite being very similar ideologically?

Long ago, when they signed the Treaty with England, a group of people didn't agree with it and started a brawl known as the Irish Civil War, it eventually ended, but those anti-Treaty people, who lost the civil war, live on, as Fianna Fáil, to signal that they opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty a little less than a century ago.

[Setgavarius]

Ireland is smaller than Ohio...of course politics is local. Cool electoral system, tho.

Could someone explain how exactly FF and FG are different, and why there seems to be such a divisive split between them despite being very similar ideologically?

Long ago, when they signed the Treaty with England, a group of people didn't agree with it and started a brawl known as the Irish Civil War, it eventually ended, but those anti-Treaty people, who lost the civil war, live on, as Fianna Fáil, to signal that they opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty a little less than a century ago.

The Soldiers of Ireland will never surrender!
I dunno who I'd support. Maybe the anti-austerity guys? How badly did the troika feed Ireland austerity measures?