New Rainbow? PD/FF/GRN

[hiker]

IF the opinion polls reflect the outcome of the next G.E., could the Green Party join us and FF in a coalition?

I listened to Tom Morrissey and John Gormley discuss the future proposal on Dublin Bay on Newstalk106 yesterday and I was struck by how much they had in common with regards to that issue.

Is there room for a "convergence of ideas" in order to make up a government after the next G.E.?

There are many issues that they would disagree on but as I have pointed out before, if Trevor Sargent or John Gormley were offered a seat at the cabinet table, could a compromise be worked out?

[jmcc]

IF the opinion polls reflect the outcome of the next G.E., could the Green Party join us and FF in a coalition?

Would that be after the PD merger with FG? I think that it is rather optimistic to expect more than a couple of PD seats. Harney may be gone and some of the less than spectacular PD performers - Parlon, O'Malley etc may follow into oblivion. FG relied on opinion polls - that's why they have the leadership they have and why FF is in government. By tweaking the questions, you can get any results you want from a poll. The journalists rarely go beyond a simplistic press release and are guaranteed to run any nicely framed headline.

Regards...jmcc

[hiker]

IF the opinion polls reflect the outcome of the next G.E., could the Green Party join us and FF in a coalition?

Would that be after the PD merger with FG? I think that it is rather optimistic to expect more than a couple of PD seats. Harney may be gone and some of the less than spectacular PD performers - Parlon, O'Malley etc may follow into oblivion. FG relied on opinion polls - that's why they have the leadership they have and why FF is in government. By tweaking the questions, you can get any results you want from a poll. The journalists rarely go beyond a simplistic press release and are guaranteed to run any nicely framed headline.

Regards...jmcc

I'll take that as a NO. :wink:

[hiding behind a poster]

Can't see them having enough seats, to be honest. Looks like the Greens and PDs will come back with at most 10 seats between them - and the present polls give FF virtually no chance of returning with 73 seats.

[jmcc]

IF the opinion polls reflect the outcome of the next G.E., could the Green Party join us and FF in a coalition?

Would that be after the PD merger with FG? I think that it is rather optimistic to expect more than a couple of PD seats. Harney may be gone and some of the less than spectacular PD performers - Parlon, O'Malley etc may follow into oblivion. FG relied on opinion polls - that's why they have the leadership they have and why FF is in government. By tweaking the questions, you can get any results you want from a poll. The journalists rarely go beyond a simplistic press release and are guaranteed to run any nicely framed headline.

Regards...jmcc

I'll take that as a NO. :wink:

Speaking for myself as a party of one - that would be correct.

The PDs are only valuable as a lightning conductor for FF. It allows FF to implement some of the more distasteful (for FF voters) policies while not exposing any valuable FF seats. When they are no longer of use, or politically significant, FF will dispose of them. Harsh - but that's reality. A few years in opposition with a cull of Harney's kitchen junta might be a good thing for the PDs if they can find the talent to build a party infrastructure.

Regards...jmcc

[BarryW]

A few years in opposition with a cull of Harney's kitchen junta might be a good thing for the PDs if they can find the talent to build a party infrastructure

Thats what they said in 1992

[morryah]

The PDs are only valuable as a lightning conductor for FF. When they are no longer of use, or politically significant, FF will dispose of them. Harsh - but that's reality.

If the PDs are useful to FF policy-wise, what /when will this change so that they are "no longer of use"?

Is anyone saying that it has changed or will before the election?

[jmcc]

A few years in opposition with a cull of Harney's kitchen junta might be a good thing for the PDs if they can find the talent to build a party infrastructure

Thats what they said in 1992

Yes but they failed to make the cut and failed to build an infrastructure. FG will probably have an influx of dissident PDs if FF does not select them for the next government (if there is an FF government.)

Though the whole idea of dissident PDs is a bit like the PFLJ confusion in "The Life Of Brian".

Regards...jmcc

[jmcc]

Is anyone saying that it has changed or will before the election?

Well I think those peace feelers being put out by the PDs to the Rainbow and those floated stories of a PD/FG merger years ago would indicate that the PD kitchen junta realise the precariousness of their position. The PDs have a major problem - FF may not need them if the feelgood factor from the SSIAs works. To hit FF hard on this, the PDs would have to walk before this effect kicks in. But in doing so, the risk remains of an FF government supported by potential future coalition partners. So in this weird analysis, the PDs are damned if they walk and damned if they stay.

Regards...jmcc

[Dee Four]

Would that be after the PD merger with FG?

The PDs and the Greens actually come from the same gene pool. Our voters come from the same areas and income brackets.

I would certainly describe myself and select others from the YPDs as a green PD.

They do have some daft proposals, though. I like some of the stuff on the environment and government reform, but they should not be let within miles of the Dept. of Finance or Agriculture.

Jmcc, what exactly do you mean when you say "build an infrastructure"? Blaiming party structures rather than the individuals who are in charge of them is a cop out.