Listening to Fine Gael members, TD’s and senior party members in the fall-out from the George Lee resignation has me convinced that, despite any constituency clinics they may hold, they are out of touch with a significant degree of public mood and perception.

Regardless of whether or not Lee was right to resign, the fact is that, in doing so, he has touched and exposed the nerve of people of all Party persuasion who are in despair of our current national state and the inability of the “Irish political system” to correct it. He referred to the unemployment, banks and emigration crises and said that he wanted to see these addressed now, not to be allowed drift further and to create more hardship.

The Liveline text poll yesterday produced a large response, apparently, with over 80% of those taking part agreeing with Lee’s decision. A fairly clear-cut result, I would have thought and when considered in light of his bye-election victory, an obvious endorsement of his demands for action and change.

This message is obviously lost on Enda Kenny and his party.

Indeed, FG and many political pundits have adopted a mantra that suggests that the “Irish political system” (substitute the phrase “Irish politics”, if you wish) is a tough onerous environment where rural TDs work exceptionally long hours helping constituents through their entitlements, attend funerals etc. and anyone who doesn’t serve a suitable apprenticeship in such essential duties does not deserve to be a TD. Without this apprenticeship and initiation, people are not ready to take on and fix our national woes. Without the “Irish political system”, the problems cannot be fixed.

Enda Kenny further said that an opposition cannot achieve anything. A Party must be elected to government to do so. But he and his colleagues are now going to concentrate on developing policies and strategies to tackle health, education, fiscal and myriad other issues ‘for when we are elected to government’. More of what they are “going” to do, nothing about what they have done to prepare for government at any time during his tenure; nothing about the ignored opportunities to legitimately pressurise the government – individually or collectively. If you think about it, the only change Fine Gael have brought about has been the resignation of John O’Donoghue and in that they trotted along behind Eamon Gilmore.

As others have already pointed out, the opposition have to hound, harass and where necessary, provoke the government every time they act outside what might be considered the best interests of the electorate. They need to elicit the support of public perception, to the point of incitement even, through sustained political opportunism. Cancel pairing arrangements. Milk every ounce of publicity available. And, most importantly, WANT FF and the Greens out.

All politicians are "out of touch". There are nearly four million educated "globalised" individuals knocking around on this little island. How the hell could a handful of middle aged lawyers have any idea what's going on?

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EF Schumacher

George Lee didn't have the bottle for it, simple as.

If he had any sort of convictions about representing the people of Dublin South then he wouldn't have resigned his seat.

Obviously. Can't disagree with science. A strawpoll of people with nothing better to do with their afternoons than listen to Joe Duffy should be taken seriously.

Which is true. The county councils aren't strong enough and too much is expected of TDs. The solution is to reduce the Seanad and Dail, making it more of a place for elite national discussion and leave the piddling stuff to the councils. Now someone's suggested that. Someone in opposition. Can't remember who.

There's no point bringing out detailed policies. We live in a PR country which means Labour will be kingmakers. Any policy FG come up with, Labour will disagree with because they're at different ends of the spectrum. It's why they won't work well together in government. If people KNOW that before hand, they're not going to vote for them.

DP

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More so than FF I would imagine. FF for all its scuminess does know and talk to the voter, unfortunately it then usually stabs them in the back.

FG have always had a very snobby element in them, they are why so many people feel that FF as bad as they are, are a better choice than the blues. Their obsession with republicans turns people off as well, its all they seem to get worked up about. Are FG politico's capable of passion in other topics.

I personally do not believe that FG have what it takes to win, FF have what it takes to loose, but that isn't exactly a compliment to FG.

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You are correct in your later point. Fine Gaels don't see it that way - they think they must be gentlemen in their fight against FF (hence the reason they spend so much time in opposition).

How, I am not quite sure you are correctly quoting Kenny. If so, he is wrong, eg Tallaght strategy, Judicial Separation Act, holding Ray Burke and JoD to account.

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So very true. Lawyer politicians. People who make money by taking it from one side and giving it to the other. No net benefit to the economy. More often that not passionate believers of the free market, yet who operate in a protected space.

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Oh look, its another one of those 'I know what everybody else in the country is thinking' threads...

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Bangladesh (Pop. 162m)
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But...but the Liveline poll Goosebump! It's science!