Does Politics.ie have any influence on anything?

[returning officer]

Clearly its owner has played an important role in halting the view that progress towards European Integration is enevitable and has fought the establishment leaving it isolated from its suport base and has fought one hell of a campaign..., yada yada yada

And it has a few posters in position of prominance and influence, particularly in the Green Party, certainly at least one senator and two councillors that I know of (but I am quite slow in picking these things up). There may be more.

From the Labour Party, well there's Cllr, who is outspoken and independently minded and always worth a read.

Sean Dorgan had a look at what was going on at this site, just before it re-hosted on the other side of the pond. And they are a few OFF people and potentail candidates for 2009.

I haven't noticed any FG'ers of note (although each FG obviously views themselves as being important).

Certainly the odd journo hack has checked in from time to time, if short of a story they can usually find the odd (some very odd) one here, eg teh Fire in Ahern's hotel story, the re-hosting libel row and there was one or two others.

Main point:
At the end of the day, there are 69 users online now, the most number of users on at the same time was 10.30 on Friday the 13th as people checked in for the Referendum results, where there were a whopping 420 users. Most appeared to be firmly committed (many should be committed) to one side or the other, but yet they engaged in repititious mud-slinging (sorry debates) after the votes had been cast. Some posters appear to have single transferable posts, which get supplanted whatever the context (eg Keyword Ahern).

My questions are: 1) who is listening (or to be pedantic, reading?).
2) Have views expressed on this site, ever influenced any person who has actaul influence/power?
3) In the great scheme of things, does a site which has over 10,000 members of which only 420 are on at the same time, have any influence in a media world dominated by O'Reilly (press) and O'Brien (radio)?
4) What has Politices.ie ever done for us?

[Jim84]

it's just for gossip

[returning officer]

it's just for gossip

As I thought. Guilty of taking myself and this site too seriously (unless anyone cane convince me otherwise...)

[richie268]

What has politics.ie ever done for us????????????
On the 2nd of June all posters where advised to put the money on a NO vote @ odds of 5/2!

[wombat]

I doubt any of the powers that be pay any attention. Sometimes you get into a decent discussion but a lot of what passes for debate just reveals the lack of manners and command of English among internet users. I got a lot of useful links during a discussion on windpower, I have a better understanding of the industry in Ireland. Most of the main party political posters seem to have dropped out, probably because of the abuse that passes for debate.

[geraghd]

I find p.ie excellent for getting briefed on the detailed happenings of Irish politics, which I wouldnt ordinarily get being away from Ireland. Obviously it has to be taken with a grain of salt for all those opinions being thrown about, but all in all its a very informative site. And importantly it's great for gossip!

[zuton]

no, more likely not, but the interweb in general is a good place where ptb can suss out the extent of the effect of their deceptions. they must be pleased that the majority of P.ie users and indeed mods are grazing happily away on the fodder they feed them daily. come the next staged false flag spectacular will munch away at both the official account and the controlled opposition as intended.

[Twin Towers]

no, more likely not, but the interweb in general is a good place where ptb can suss out the extent of the effect of their deceptions. they must be pleased that the majority of P.ie users and indeed mods are grazing happily away on the fodder they feed them daily. come the next staged false flag spectacular will munch away at both the official account and the controlled opposition as intended.

If I were to read that again I would almost certainly get a headache

[wombat]

no, more likely not, but the interweb in general is a good place where ptb can suss out the extent of the effect of their deceptions. they must be pleased that the majority of P.ie users and indeed mods are grazing happily away on the fodder they feed them daily. come the next staged false flag spectacular will munch away at both the official account and the controlled opposition as intended.

If I were to read that again I would almost certainly get a headache

Reminds me of the instruction book I got with my 1st VCR

[Sidewinder]

You'd be amazed. Over the last couple of years, there've been numerous occassions when ideas, argument, positions and sometimes entire chunks of posts have somehow magically bled through from p.ie and the Pin into the "original" screeds of the mainstream commentariat.

Bunch of chancers. Tis the same in the North, entire posts get ripped off the sites like Slugger O'Toole, reheated and served up by columnists in the Irish News, Tele and Newsletter. The Interwoogie was hugely important in the US Democrat battle between Hillary and Obama.

The Interwoogie is having an effect and is starting to steer the debate. And the tired lazy cozy Establishment don't like it up 'em.