Have been out canvassing for the WP in Waterford and the level of anger out there directed at FF & the Greens is something that I have never witnessed before. The most anger and vitrole is from people who have voted FF all their lives. They are the ones who feel most betrayed not only for themselves but also their children who bought into the Bertie dream and are up to their eyeballs in debt and the uncertain future of their grandchildren.

Its definitley ABFF out there. That said we have been getting a very good response. Its bonanza time for the opposition.

6 seats, boys. 6 seats.
Labour had 33 seats in '92.

We're punching way above our weight.
Are you going to punish us for not being 100% in control of the government?

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If there is a future, it will be green.

a party is either in government or it is not. if you are in government then you have to take responsibility for all government policy and actions, not just the briefs assigned to your party. if the Green party don't like it, they can leave any time.

You will get your due punishment in time boyo, dont you worry from that.

Do you realise that the reason people vote for you is because of things like public transport infrastructure?

Are you willing to just manage your ministers departments or are there any lines in the sand?

Will you stand up for anything you believe in or has a sniff of power corrupted you that much?

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My political compass
Economic Left/Right: 0.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.36

Enjoy it while it lasts. My vote will be going elsewhere next time.

I should point out that I voted Green in the 99 Locals and 04 Europeans. I also gave second preferences in the 04 Locals and 02 General and a third preference in the 07 General.

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My political compass
Economic Left/Right: 0.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.36

I have been all over Ireland East at this point, pop. 720,000. This would be the reaction I have been getting. Senior citizens the most striking in their hostility.
No matter what FF say people are blaming them for the mess. Evidence for this exists in the relative absence of malice towards the Greens. It is becuase at some subliminal level they are not held responsible. However, the contagion effect may come into play at any point, particularly if their TD's are fronting the Governments defence in the media. This may not happen before June but again we are in a highly volatile situation. It is also possible that voters will return to FF to a degree. I always ask myself " what about the people who are silent!" Don't get carried away guys.

It is the silent ones that FF are very afraid of Nessa. As someone who's canvassed in one form or another over half my life, you get used to a certain level of lets call it abuse on a doorstep, from blind partisan abuse, to a curse on all your houses abuse. It took me a while to understand the long in the tooth FFers who advised me never to worry about these people... they were never going to vote for you, or never going to vote for anyone. FF always relied on there 30% "silent core vote", who smiled at everyone on the doorstep, wished everyone well, and then voted FF as they had always done, along with the generation before them

But FF canvassers and candidates are admitting that it is different this time. Where before they could go into a large housing estate, and pick up 30-40% of the vote, they are being told no by their "core", and having to deal with the abuse from the rest. Canvassers simply aren't willing to put up with it, leaving candidates merciless, and in many cases, on the point of simply walking away.

This also happened up to 3 weeks before the General Election in 2007, but Brian Cowens tour de force on the economy turned the whole election around at the very end. Also Enda's inability to land a telling blow on Bertie in the debate didn't help.

But there is no rabbit to be pulled from the hat this time. Cowen can't claim that FF are the only party who can mind the economy, for obvious reasons. There is no leaders debate to show up the Opposition.

Frankly, from canvasssing myself, the most obvious response I am getting from what I personally knew were rock solid FF supporters, is a sense of tiredness. That FF are just there too long, and have lost their own people. They want to get rid a lot of the faces that haev been quota squatting for decades, and replace them with new blood. They have resigned to do this, by turfing FF councillors out this time (and will in any GE in the next few years), to give FF an opportunity to re-invigorate itself, and will then go back to the "real FF party"

This spells a lot of trouble for FF candidates in June, local and European.

Based on that response by the way, may I wish you the best in your own election. I predict that you will win a seat. And well done to you.

Though it is just a pity that one of your first jobs as MEP will be to try to push through "Lisbon 2" against the wishes of the people as already expressed in referendum

In fairness, I don't believe that the Greens are responsible. Most of the damage was done before they were in government.

My beef with the Greens is that they are propping up the most useless, corrupt, cronyist pack of chancers that has ever run this country (and by God, there has been some competition in the past).

That and their failure to defend their own core principles in government.

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My political compass
Economic Left/Right: 0.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.36