Should FF leave government now for its own sake?

[Question R24U]

whatever about the sake of the country, would it not be better for the longterm future of the party to not be the one taking the decisions on NAMA or the four billion budget cuts?

Cowen would lead the party into the election. Lose. The party could have a leadership election with new rules ie the membership should have input rather that the forty or so TDs who survive.

It could also have a debate on what it stands for. Its values -which has not been written about since Kevin Boland penned The Rise and Decline of Fianna Fail in 1982.(there's a book which could do with a new edition).

Fine Gael's arrogance and Labour's blind spot on to unions should ensure their government will not serve a full term - so the ff boys could be back for the economic upturn and the 2016 celebrations...

[JollyRedGiant]

Interesting question this one - if the current government drags on for a couple of years FF could go into complete meltdown and end up as a very small rump - think Christian Democrats in Italy.

[wysiwyg]

Yeah, but they can' tget out without taking an inordinate hammering either

[spidermom]

"Should" they ...and will they!!

two very different questions!!


Should they...if they consider the polls...yes!

Will they...I think that they think they know what they're doing!!(I don't!!!) so NO I don't think they will....



The other issue is how could they potentially do it without loosing too much political face!...they are awaiting the greens do pull the plug...they won't do it themselves!

[anewbeginning]

"Should" they ...and will they!!

two very different questions!!


Should they...if they consider the polls...yes!

Will they...I think that they think they know what they're doing!!(I don't!!!) so NO I don't think they will....



The other issue is how could they potentially do it without loosing too much political face!...they are awaiting the greens do pull the plug...they won't do it themselves!

FF leaving office of their own voluntary accord??

Think underground bunker, 1945, enemy yards away and cynide capsules, and you get an idea of how and when FF will leave office.

Not until the last man is standing and the country is in ruins and they are forced from office, maybe then, but certainly they won't do it before.

Cowen seems determind not only to destroy the country but also bring FF down with him. And the FFers don't seem to mind one way or the other.

[Timeisshort]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1Gn0e7kvTA]YouTube - The Clash - Should I Stay Or Should I Go?[/ame]

Sums it up for me.

[Corcaigh33]

Seeing as we are posing hypotheticals - should FG join FF in coalition after the next election and give the country its most natural government commanding over 60% of the vote of likeminded people? Both social conservatives, economically more or less the same..........only real difference between them is emphasis on the national question which is pretty much a moot point since 1998 anyway.

[Question R24U]

Yeah, but they can' tget out without taking an inordinate hammering either

True. But it will still be less of hammering then if it is later. The other parties will have spent their money on the locals and their candidates will have already called in favours to get canvassers out. It avoids NAMA and 4bn cuts. Cowen will obviously go, but the remaining cabal could live with that, if they can fight another day.

[Pauli]

Seeing as we are posing hypotheticals - should FG join FF in coalition after the next election and give the country its most natural government commanding over 60% of the vote of likeminded people? Both social conservatives, economically more or less the same..........only real difference between them is emphasis on the national question which is pretty much a moot point since 1998 anyway.

I think the FF propensity for corruption and malpractice has to be tackled first before FG would even consider this. FG have their own bad apples but they do not possess an entire orchard of them . FF do.

[jc_ie]

FF walk away from this now then forevermore their opponets will be able to make the claim that FF can't make the tough calls or clean up their own mess.

Tactically it might be the best thing to do but stragetically long term i cant see it being good.