What is it about Fianna Failers?

[Shepherd]

Hear me out on this.

I've met people in every party, and many of all colours were sincere in their opinions. Yet I have never met people as cagey as Fianna Failers, as reluctant to voice a straight opinion (espc amongst other FFers) and in many cases, as uninterested in politics as opposed to pesonalities.

More importantly, I've never met people who were so out for what was in it for them personally. True, you get that in every party, but in FF they seem to be in the majority.

Am I doing them a disservice?

[sideorder]

I dont think that you are doing them a disservice. I have found exactly the same thing in the FFers that I have come across

[UnrepentantFenian]

I dont think that you are doing them a disservice. I have found exactly the same thing in the FFers that I have come across

Close friends of my who are FFers, a good few of whom are active frequently boast that their personal political mantra is "look after everybodys interest, but make sure you sort yourself out first".

[badinage]

I would say that its certainly true at student politics level (where self-serving ambition is far more obvious than in actual politics). FFers seem a lot less idealistic than Labour, Green or SF members, and even Fine Gaelers. At student-level, the FFer's main goal seems to advance their own position and reputation, thereby setting themselves up for a potential place in the real FF.

The problem of course, is simply that Fianna Fail has been in power for such a large portion of the history of the state since 1932. They have no pressing need to go back to the drawing board and reassess their priorities: they know they'll be in power, they know they don't have to make big promises to get into power, so they may as well just look after themselves once they're in.

[Trojanhorse]

Hear me out on this.

I've met people in every party, and many of all colours were sincere in their opinions. Yet I have never met people as cagey as Fianna Failers, as reluctant to voice a straight opinion (espc amongst other FFers) and in many cases, as uninterested in politics as opposed to pesonalities.

More importantly, I've never met people who were so out for what was in it for them personally. True, you get that in every party, but in FF they seem to be in the majority.

Am I doing them a disservice?

jeez thanks guys!! not all of us are hungry for power. there are some of us who are actually in this so we can effect some change and on account of FF being in government we see this party as the best tool to do this! To be honest burning ambition is rife in every student invovled in politics but if it wasn't I think there would be no point in student politics!

[butterfly]

Ah come on....clearly all FFer's want is the golden chalice!!!

[Rabscallion]

Ah come on....clearly all FFer's want is the golden chalice!!!

I personally take great offence to that remark that 'all' FFers are like that, as I certainly would not put myself in that category as I am a quite vocal member of FF. However, I will acknowledge that certainly in the college circuit there aremembers of many a college cumann that could be described as "Careerists". These people have little interest in the party other than their own self betterment, and rarely adhere to the core beliefs of the constitution of FF. These people are much disliked in the organisation by true FFers, but in reality the only way to get rid of them would if we went into opposition for a while as they would then run off to FG or Lab in their own self interest. This, or a strong leader of Ógra that would then rout out these imposters, could then see a great rerouting of our party along our original principles. With the rise of SF in recent times this rerouting seems ever more likely as we must reclaim our "disgruntled Hard Nationalist FFer" vote back from them.

[Gladstone]

Come on Rabscallion FF don't have any principals they have changed their policies over and over and over to suit the day, they are an electoral machine nothing more.

[Libero]

More importantly, I've never met people who were so out for what was in it for them personally. True, you get that in every party, but in FF they seem to be in the majority.

I think you must just be referring to active members in colleges, a notoriously asocial bunch. In the real world, active membership of a cumann means lots of manual labour, giving and getting lifts and maybe, maybe having a photo taken with Bertie or a visiting minister.
Certainly, those out canvassing at election time are rarely in it for themselves, especially if they are not in with a shout of being selected for local elections (and most are not or aren't interested).

I've never even been in Fianna Fáil and I know that much.

Yet I have never met people as cagey as Fianna Failers, as reluctant to voice a straight opinion (espc amongst other FFers) and in many cases, as uninterested in politics as opposed to pesonalities.

This, in my experience, can equally be said for Fine Gael and is a product of a party based not on policy beliefs but as a kind of national movement. Still, many other parties' members' beliefs don't go beyond some prejudices and slogans they picked up in their mid-teens.

[Harpey]

That is nasty