Hatred for Fine Gael

[huntergatherer]

I want to hear from people who have a virulant hatred for FG, not just the ordinary antagonism from regular FFers. I think people in other parties actually hate FG more(well maybe not Labour/Greens).
The anti-FG brigade comes from a wide spectrum(leftwing, rightwing, republican and loyalist).
Bernadette McAliskey said that her daughter could have done worse than what she did in Germany. She could have voted for FG. Hatred for FG exceeds hatred for FF, despite that parties monoploy on power(the usual target). The hatred for FG is what unites posters like Cael and KeithM, posters that would never see eye to eye on anything else.
Who hates FG the most? Will FG ever overcome this innate hostility?

[meriwether]

I want to hear from people who have a virulant hatred for FG, not just the ordinary antagonism from regular FFers. I think people in other parties actually hate FG more(well maybe not Labour/Greens).
The anti-FG brigade comes from a wide spectrum(leftwing, rightwing, republican and loyalist).
Bernadette McAliskey said that her daughter could have done worse than what she did in Germany. She could have voted for FG. Hatred for FG exceeds hatred for FF, despite that parties monoploy on power(the usual target). The hatred for FG is what unites posters like Cael and KeithM, posters that would never see eye to eye on anything else.
Who hates FG the most? Will FG ever overcome this innate hostility?

We shouldn't really worry about antagonising people like McAliskey and Cael, and perhaps even KeithM.
There are 3-4% more of the population who are open to voting FG next time. We should worry about them, not end of spectrum nut-jobs.
30-31%? sound, and sod the rest.

[rockyracoon]

Interesting question. I've never really thought why I loath FG. I only know one FG TD (Symour Crawford) in passing, and he's seems a genuine enough fella. I don't loath them about policy issues so much. Sure FF's are essentially the same, and I loath them equally. They seem to be a party of principal. IF the had sought SF TD votes, they might have been in government.

I suppose I loath them because they loath me. Their take on the troubles was that all Republicans (I mean every strand of Republicanism) was ill-informed or just downright stupid. FGer's have a superior attitude. They know best and, if you don't agree with them, you are ignorant. At the same time, I think so much of their rhetoric is ill-informed. I also get the impression, right or wrong, that if they could, they would impose bans, censorship and other draconian measure at the drop of hat on those who don't agree with them.

[drbob1972]

Interesting question. I've never really thought why I loath FG. I only know one FG TD (Symour Crawford) in passing, and he's seems a genuine enough fella. I don't loath them about policy issues so much. Sure FF's are essentially the same, and I loath them equally. They seem to be a party of principal. IF the had sought SF TD votes, they might have been in government.

I suppose I loath them because they loath me. Their take on the troubles was that all Republicans (I mean every strand of Republicanism) was ill-informed or just downright stupid. FGer's have a superior attitude. They know best and, if you don't agree with them, you are ignorant. At the same time, I think so much of their rhetoric is ill-informed. I also get the impression, right or wrong, that if they could, they would impose bans, censorship and other draconian measure at the drop of hat on those who don't agree with them.

i think if you look around on this site alone that you'll find ppl of every political persuasion whom act like that

also i think its unfair to say FG loath Republicans, they may have loathed the actions of the republicans and not agreed with them that NI was the only item on the national agenda but loath ? no i think not

[rockyracoon]

We shouldn't really worry about antagonising people like McAliskey and Cael, and perhaps even KeithM.
There are 3-4% more of the population who are open to voting FG next time. We should worry about them, not end of spectrum nut-jobs.
30-31%? sound, and sod the rest.

Need one say more. Had I read this post, it would have saved me from writing the first one. FG can go rot in hell. I may detest FF but they get a preference vote. If FG can write off 7-8% of the population as nut jobs, fair play to them. May they stay in perpeutal opposition.

[Dunny]

It's not hatred on my part, more pity

[adamirer]

I undertsand where you're coming from, but no real answer.

People hate SF because they see them as 'stepford politicians', clones endlessly repeating the party line, a line which changed dramatically during the election, shedding much of the very left wing economics (it just was discussed). That and the southern comments, the 35 years of killing etc.

FF are hated really only because Haughey/corruption and they've never really left the stink of that behind. Burke, Flynn x 2, Haughey, Lawlor, and then the incidents like McDaid, Wright, O'Keeffe going virtually unpunished.. the feeling that they lack morals except when it will cost them votes, and of course, the hatred that comes from being in power so long.

As for FG, like Labour, I find them an inoffensive party. Policy wise broadly similar to FF - they're both centrist parties, maybe slightly to the right but both generally pushed further to one direction when in Government. Hated maybe because when they are in FF are out. The blueshirt comments are just stupid - 75 years ago, get over it. No reflection on the party these days. I think the slightly 'holier than thou' attitude grates with some. The real difference, IMHO, between FF and FG is really the personalities and sense of rightiousness and little to do with policies.

[meriwether]

We shouldn't really worry about antagonising people like McAliskey and Cael, and perhaps even KeithM.
There are 3-4% more of the population who are open to voting FG next time. We should worry about them, not end of spectrum nut-jobs.
30-31%? sound, and sod the rest.

Need one say more. Had I read this post, it would have saved me from writing the first one. FG can go rot in hell. I may detest FF but they get a preference vote. If FG can write off 7-8% of the population as nut jobs, fair play to them. May they stay in perpeutal opposition.

Take it whatever way you want, but we have to look after our base, and then appeal to those 3-4% who could be persuaded to vote for us.
If this dose of realpolitik offends you, tough. McAliskey et al have their own political parties to look after them.

[LowIQ]

Interesting question. I've never really thought why I loath FG. I only know one FG TD (Symour Crawford) in passing, and he's seems a genuine enough fella. I don't loath them about policy issues so much. Sure FF's are essentially the same, and I loath them equally. They seem to be a party of principal. IF the had sought SF TD votes, they might have been in government.

I suppose I loath them because they loath me. Their take on the troubles was that all Republicans (I mean every strand of Republicanism) was ill-informed or just downright stupid. FGer's have a superior attitude. They know best and, if you don't agree with them, you are ignorant. At the same time, I think so much of their rhetoric is ill-informed. I also get the impression, right or wrong, that if they could, they would impose bans, censorship and other draconian measure at the drop of hat on those who don't agree with them.

The thought of FG in power scares me. The PDs in power scared me -- and most of the electorate I might add. There is a fundamental difference between the way you cannot trust FF and the way you cannot trust FG. FF is merely crooked. FG is scary.

[rockyracoon]

I undertsand where you're coming from, but no real answer

I know what you are saying and analysis of the dislike factor of parties is spot on. However this was not a true or false question. This is why you "hate" a party. It is an emotive question. All I am tyring to do is flesh out why I loath FG.

As someone who lived through the troubles in a strongly nationalist area, I have some insight into the troubles. I have more empathy with the unionists and even loyalists than I do with FG. I know where the unionist polemics are coming from and I can often discount a good proportion of it according to circumstances. I have no empathy with FG. Anytime they open their mouths I just dislike them that little bit more.