Page 1 of 11 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 101

Thread: Political background of Green Party members

  1. #1
    Politics.ie Regular
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Dublin
    Posts
    3,112

    Political background of Green Party members

    Taking Pidge's idea behind this thread, I thought it might be interesting for Green party members to talk about where we came from politically. Our party is younger than FG, FF and Labour and didn't emerge from a split, such as DL, WP or the PDs. So what's your party background?
    "Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists of choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable."
    John Galbraith
    Economic Left/Right:-8.38
    Social Libertarian/Authoritarian:-6.97

  2. #2
    Politics.ie Regular Pidge's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Posts
    9,701

    I used to be convinced by the PDs (I've just finished a long shift (not in the Cork sense), so I'll explain that later), but the Greens were the first party I became involved in. A lot of the older people seem to have been non-political before joining.

    As for my family, they wouldn't be all that political.

    To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

  3. #3
    Politics.ie Regular
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Ready for government
    Posts
    2,109

    I'd come from a politically aware, but not politically active, FG background. My mam would be a Green voter now but my Da is still a big FGer and has a strong dislike for the Greens now, for obvious reasons (They'll not be getting his nineth preference next time!). No one else in the family is politically active but myself.
    I think I also had a few ancestors who were county councillors for the Farmers Party early in the 20th century.

  4. #4
    Politics.ie Newbie
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Posts
    85

    My background is in the left wing struggle against capitalist oppression. Now I realise it's a struggle against a wider global oppression.

    I started out with the Workers Party prior to Uni. Then I joined Labour Youth when I was in UCD. After leaving Uni and getting a full time job I drifted out of politics.

    My interest was reawakened during the 2002 general election when I was pregnant with my first child. I suppose by then I started thinking about the future generations which is why the Greens made sense.

    I canvassed for Trevor Sargent who was then my local TD. I bought my first house on the southside (well, west side really) but maintained an interest in the party. I was really actively involved for a few years before I joined, but since I had my second daughter I have had to take a back seat.

    I do think that the Green Party is my final political resting place, so to speak. But like many others, I started out in left wing politics.

  5. #5
    Politics.ie Regular
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Dublin
    Posts
    3,112

    Suppose I should have gone over my own history. Great grandfather was nationalist but also heavily socialist, grandfather was a one term CnaG TD for Meath but don't think his heart was in it, Dad would be left liberal but suspected of throwing a preference to McDowell on occassion. Mum is Welsh so not tied to any political legacy here but would be liberal left again. I've only been in the Greens but was a paper member of labour youth in college as well as the young Greens
    "Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists of choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable."
    John Galbraith
    Economic Left/Right:-8.38
    Social Libertarian/Authoritarian:-6.97

  6. #6
    Politics.ie Regular soubresauts's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Posts
    2,841

    Quote Originally Posted by Pidge
    I used to be convinced by the PDs...
    Were you ever aware that Dessie O'Malley had the main responsibility for trying to build a nuclear reactor in Carnsore in the late 1970s?

    ... A lot of the older people seem to have been non-political before joining.
    You could say that Friends of the Earth, the anti-nuclear movement, the peace movement, the feminist movement, and various other movements were non-party-political, but it was natural for those people to become active in the Green Party in the old days, especially given the way the GP operated -- consensus decision-making, non-hierarchical, no leader, and so on.

    These days it's hard to see differences between the GP and the other parties.
    15 Jan 2001 -- Fine Gael pledged to end fluoridation because of "serious health concerns".

  7. #7
    Politics.ie Regular Pidge's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Posts
    9,701

    Quote Originally Posted by soubresauts
    Quote Originally Posted by Pidge
    I used to be convinced by the PDs...
    Were you ever aware that Dessie O'Malley had the main responsibility for trying to build a nuclear reactor in Carnsore in the late 1970s?
    Yes, I was. A party's policy in the 1970s isn't really relevant to that party in 2005/'06, though. Besides, I didn't previously care all that much about the environment.

    Quote Originally Posted by soubresauts
    ... A lot of the older people seem to have been non-political before joining.
    You could say that Friends of the Earth, the anti-nuclear movement, the peace movement, the feminist movement, and various other movements were non-party-political, but it was natural for those people to become active in the Green Party in the old days, especially given the way the GP operated -- consensus decision-making, non-hierarchical, no leader, and so on.
    Thankfully, those self-indulgent days are over. And you're right, I didn mean non-party-political: my mistake.

    To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

  8. #8
    Politics.ie Regular
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Clare
    Posts
    3,451

    Pidge and other greens - politicians who admit they change. What a relief.

    To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

  9. #9
    Politics.ie Regular
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Posts
    556

    Neither of my parents were in anyway political, but both vote Green now.

    Trevor nabbed me with I was just a little lad and I've been involved one way or another ever since.*
    Couldn't really see myself in any other party - as I've grown up the things that the Green Party has been advocating have always just made sense to me.

    *[size=7]This sentence is perhaps open to a number of interpretations that I wasn't intending![/size]
    "Nixon is PRO-WAR and PRO-FAMILY" - Nixion's head (Futurama)

  10. #10
    Politics.ie Regular
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Ready for government
    Posts
    2,109

    Quote Originally Posted by Macchiavelli
    But like many others, I started out in left wing politics.
    That's the stereotype certainly, but I have my doubts about that to be honest. Especially after reading the book on the party's history, A Journey to Change by Dan Boyle (available in all good bookshops at €17.50 ). I've found it interesting how broad and politically moderate the background of many high-profile members of the party are.

Page 1 of 11 123 ... LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Who is Green party members favoured coalition partners?
    By meriwether2 in forum Green Party
    Replies: 35
    Last Post: 30th December 2008, 12:29 AM
  2. Lisbon II: will green party members have to vote again?
    By yehbut_nobut in forum Green Party
    Replies: 24
    Last Post: 19th November 2008, 11:17 AM
  3. How many Green Party members will leave today?
    By Bikmac in forum Green Party
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 13th June 2007, 11:12 AM
  4. A new question for members of the Green party?
    By jonna in forum Green Party
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 17th December 2006, 04:23 AM
  5. A question for Green party members?
    By jonna in forum Green Party
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 4th December 2006, 01:48 AM