The sorry state of Irish politics

It is sad to see the main parties treat the electorate like little children. Listen to the outlandish claims about what they’ll do when in power. Have most of them forgotten that they’ve been in power directly and indirectly (FF supporting FG) since 2016? FF and FG have ruled this country like a fiefdom almost since the foundation of the state over one hundred years ago.

Only in the last term of government have they patted each other openly in a coalition, quite simply to keep Sinn Féin out. There is an unadulterated dishonesty in that. Now on the election trail both parties are keeping SF in their sights while playing out ‘pretend battles’ over the status of a FG Louth candidate, among other things. Do they honestly believe that people cannot see through this nonsense?

Why not be completely honest with the electorate and admit that there is no difference between the two main parties except in the spelling of their names? Their policies are a variation on a theme with the underlying nugget – keep the Shinners out of power.

For most people the high cost of living, the homeless crisis, the health fiasco and lack of educational supports are all the result of endless years of FF and FG being in power. These ‘big boys’ have had their chance time after time and we’re still in a mess. Now they want us to vote for them again and expect a different result! At least the Shinners can’t be any worse and could actually surprise us by being even a little better.

Cheap bidding wars

There’s a cartoon picture doing the rounds on social media of an electioneering fox addressing a flock of sheep. He promises to become a vegan when elected! Many politicians are like that. They are engaged in cheap bidding wars to outdo one another with silly, unrealistic election promises. If what they now promise is so attainable why didn’t they implement those policies when in power?

It’s election giddiness when they engage in ridiculous fairy godmother politics. It is reminiscent of Pat Rabbitte’s famous comment: “Isn’t that what you do during an election?” Afterwards, he claimed his comment was taken out of context.

These people are not living in the real world. They can claim that political life has huge difficulties, especially with the advent of social media. Perhaps if their policies reflected the wishes of the majority of those who elected them they would face a lot less online vitriol. Check the pay-outs retiring politicians will receive. Who works out these astronomical sums, alongside their pension payments?

Now with MEPs having received a fresh mandate and when this general election is over we can expect major changes in policies for Ireland if the two major parties are returned to power. Watch Micheál Martin and FG leaders shameful stance on neutrality and NATO while they engage in more USA and EU love-bombing.

The day of party politics is fast diminishing with many people becoming even more disenchanted with the increased number of ‘celebrity’ candidates. We need people who are more interested in doing work rather than how they look. Serving the people should be a vocation rather than a pathway to riches and entitlements.

Many Westport people (and others) are pyrite victims, all blameless yet they shoulder the pain. Why would any politician ever allow the matter to develop as it has, victimising the innocent? Weasel words are useless, it’s action that’s needed.

HQ decision makers

Decent people who are party members soon find out that it’s the ‘big boys in HQ’ who make the decisions while they are instructed which way to vote. It’s time to rescue all politics from those with vested interests who serve themselves and their lobbyist friends. The ‘big boys’ dissolved our local councils. It shows how much democracy means to them.

The party system has never allowed politicians to truly follow their hearts or conscience. The Irish whip system is a pathetic example of ‘power at all costs’. Why would anyone ever contemplate signing up to a political party that would deny them the right to act justly, love mercy and walk tenderly alongside the people who elected them?