They need to figure out what they will do first.

They need to explain what they will do second.

They will need to make sure it is credible though, because the last thing we need right now is dither and faff.


The Fine Gael announcement that they are going to take 90% of our trucks off the road in 2015 does not inspire confidence.

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"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest." Mark Twain

“When a government is dependent upon bankers for money, they and not the leaders of the government control the situation, since the hand that gives is above the hand that takes. Money has no motherland; financiers are without patriotism and without decency; their sole object is gain.” Napoléon Bonaparte

Interesting. What will replace the trucks? Horse and cart? We sure as hell don't have the rail infrastructure to ship produce about.

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The enemy of my enemy is the enemy of my enemy.

Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action.

There are lies, damn lies and debatable points. "I'm not shouting, I'm making an assertive point." M. Martin

They also said they were going to create 100,000 jobs, so the answer can only be Rickshaws

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"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest." Mark Twain

“When a government is dependent upon bankers for money, they and not the leaders of the government control the situation, since the hand that gives is above the hand that takes. Money has no motherland; financiers are without patriotism and without decency; their sole object is gain.” Napoléon Bonaparte

Hmm, labour intensive. Good, that will sort out the unemployment rate.
No fossil fuel required. Good, that will help the environment.

On second thoughts, bad. Has anyone cycled on our roads?? Those things would never last. Unless they really improve the roads.

I think trucks would be cheaper.

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The enemy of my enemy is the enemy of my enemy.

Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action.

There are lies, damn lies and debatable points. "I'm not shouting, I'm making an assertive point." M. Martin

Fine Gael and I hate to say this Sinn Fein, are the only party who have anything to say about crime. Am I the only person in Ireland that thinks the justice system is in tatters?

No. Its very easy to look at this with the benefit of hindsight, of now knowing Ahern's laughable, farcical Tribunal evidence. But the fact is that in 2007 the voters WERE prepared to give Ahern the benefit of the doubt. Once he'd said "I'll tell all at the Tribunal", the voters WERE prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt - and those who weren't, weren't gonna vote FF anyway. We keep hearing you and others like KeithM saying "Kenny should have gone for the jugular" - but with WHAT, exactly? FG had no evidence against Ahern - they had strong suspicions, subsequently proven correct - but no actual EVIDENCE. Now, bear in mind that the economy was still purring, and FF can then go "look at FG, this is what they're reduced to - making snide allegations against our great statesman, without any EVIDENCE. Proves they have nothing to say about the economy, etc etc". So unless you can explain to us what exactly FG should have done about Ahern, with KNOWN FACTS, in May 2007, then you simply haven't a point.

Firstly, Kenny hasn't "failed". No other party has gained so much as ONE Dail seat since he became leader, and FG's poll ratings are solidly at levels not seen since Garret's time. You need to go and read the obituaries written about FG in 2002 - with a moribund organisation, no money, and a decimated Parliamentary Party, for FG to even continue to exist was in question. But, to your point about approval ratings. To be honest, they're a load of shyte, for this simple reason. FF gene-pool voters will NEVER tell a pollster they approve of the Fine Gael leader. And the FF gene-pool consists of about 30% of the electorate. Sure, some of them are currently saying they'll vote Labour, but the reality is that they're genetically bonded to FF, and as such simply DO NOT approve of the FG leader - whoever that may be. He's seen as a rival, whereas all other leaders are seen as potential coalition partners. FG core voters do the same to FF leaders, but to a lesser extent, because there's fewer of them - and also because Taoisigh tend to get higher approval ratings, just by virtue of being Taoiseach (though not in the present situation) because they're better known than any opposition leaders. And FF leaders historically tend to be Taoiseach a lot of the time.

This phenomenon shows up in the depths of poll figures all the time - I remember seeing some approval ratings from about 18 months ago, when Ahern was still fairly popular, and FF were still going well. Of course Ahern's headline approval rating was way ahead of Kenny's - but if you extracted the responses of those who identified themselves as "core" FF voters from the Kenny figures, and extracted those who identified themselves as "core" FG voters from the Ahern figures, you actually got virtually identical approval ratings for the two leaders.

And that's the point for FG to remember. If Bruton becomes leader, the same thing will happen. Or Hayes. Or Coveney, Varadkar, or anyone. It happened with John Bruton too, his ratings bumped along in the low 30s for years, until he became Taoiseach. Then they shot up into the 50s and 60s, thanks to the extra publicity of being Taoiseach, and doing a good job in the public eye. Then when he returned to Opposition, his ratings gradually slumped down to the low 30s again. And lets not forget that during Bruton's period as Taoiseach, Ahern was widely derided as the worst Opposition leader in the history of the State.

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"The elites are mostly wrong" says FutureTaoiseach. But FutureTaoiseach is also mostly wrong. Does that mean the elites are mostly right?

Don't we get these sorts of calls for a general election every time any government does anything people don't like?

This is just Kenny doing what the oposition does every time - throw some sucker punches at the man infront. Ah, the art of politics.

Same s**t different day.

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How can you tell when a politician is lying?

Lets face it FF and the greens will hang on until 2012. You can wish and hope and call for an election all you want but the fact is that the last thing the government wants for the forseeable future is an election. Both parties know they would be decimated in the polls if one was to happen in the next 12 months or so. The only way to get them out is for FG to win 10 by elections. Not gonna happen

Could mean that FutureTaoiseach is an elite...

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How can you tell when a politician is lying?

Brian Cowen stated after the budget that they received a mandate from the people two years ago.

Point 1: That's true
Point 2: Its no longer valid under the circumstances
Point 3: The mandate was before Bertiegate
Point 4: The mandate was before the people were told that government budget spending was hinged on what is regarded as "transactional tax's". Unsustainable.

So NO, they do not have a valid mandate. As management speak goes; the goal posts have changed and the cosy cartel of government, banks and builders has been seen for what it is. The two tier Ireland.

An election would allow many people to vent their fury, but it would in hind sight, let FF off the hook so someone else can clear the mess, only for their spin merchants of FF to get back in within a few years.

BOO HOO!