In fairness to Fine Gael, not all their supporters (and hopefully not even their average supporter) is as unaware of the country they live in and the workings of the world in general. And I disagree with cactusflower's detection of propaganda: I think she actually believes this; lots of FGers do.

Yes, conservatism is one thing, but it takes a good dollop of smug narrow-minded delusion to turn it into Sarah Carey Conservatism: where change begins and ends with the installation of FG in government and it’s “dishonest” to suggest that more substantive change than that could be on the cards with a left-wing Labour party; where everyone is a working person with similar interests in government, from the schoolteacher to the bank executive; where a diamond-shaped society will survive even the most damaging depression in modern European history; where it’s an act of dreaming to question whether the Irish are conservative, and outright fantasy to suggest they’re capable of being swayed towards a more left-of-centre analysis of what’s gone wrong and how to fix it.

I’ll be voting for FG ahead of Labour in the next elections for various reasons, but I’d advise Labour not to pay a bit of attention to the likes of Carey. If anything, her piece highlights the dangers of living in a middle-Ireland bubble and issuing prescriptions for the country in general – we don't need a third big party pandering to the Sarah Carey demographic.

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Romanes eunt domus

We don't need any party pandering to the 'Sarah Carey demographic'. It was pandering to the 'Sarah Carey demographic' that created the almighty sh!t storm we find ourselves in. It was pandering to the 'Sarah Carey demographic' that created the top down structural inequality of our society.

The only antidote to that sh!t storm is to completely change it. Whether Labour are able to do so, I don't know. What I do know is that diet FF and the 'Sarah Carey demographic' will definitely not change it.

Voting for more of the same after it has already failed the vast bulk of citizens is the definition of madness. Gombeenism has failed us, lets not but the gombeens back in charge.

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Remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall. Is Féidir Linn!

We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. - Albert Einstein.

If a nation values anything more than freedom, it will lose its freedom; and the irony of it is that if it is comfort or money it values more, it will lose that too.

Up the Irish Republic!

Maybe... but I had my doubts for a while yesterday. Look at this.

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"If I'm in government fluoridation will go in the first month in office. That's a guarantee." -- John Gormley TD, Feb 2007

"In Government we would immediately ban water fluoridation." -- Green Party health policy until Nov 2009

The Sarah Carey Demographic? Sounds like a crime novel. What in God's name is that?

Source?
Or just a case of anecdotal evidence so you can say whatever you like?

Fine Gael is the strongest party among the AB category; the best off members of society. They have also, historically, been the party of the large farmers and businesspeople.
Fine Gael takes another leap forward on back of broad appeal - The Irish Times - Fri, May 15, 2009

Labour's support seems to be increasing with Eamon Gilmore who is noticably more left wing than other leaders.

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There are three types of lies:lies,damned lies and statistics
Benjamin Disraeli

I tend to agree with this....old Daddy Carey has done bloody well selling dog-boxes on rezoned land in Enfield...but what about the Potholes and all the other important local issues that are desperately needed....Ed..?? look after yourself first of course....******************** the rest of us in Enfield...

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Mick Wallace for Taoiseacht

Good judgment comes from experience, and often experience comes from bad judgment

"The Fish" by Elizabeth Bishop:


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I like Sarah Carey as she provokes reactions which often leads to a better discussion. However, I rarely agree with her. Her family's FG background may have something to do with that.

She is a good writer but is clearly taking a shot across the bows of the Labour Party here to stir up a reaction. Civil War politics , be it FF, FG, Labour or SF, is not getting us anywhere. Her point that most people are in the main body of the diamond is probably accurate, but it doesn't mean that things can't change. Go with the devil that you know - FF or FG. Now that's fear based voting.