Sunday, January 23, 2011

My vote won't be Green

While I haven't made my mind up 100% about how I will vote in the upcoming General Election - I have made my first definite decision. I will definitely NOT be voting Green - not even a 7th, 8th, or umpteenth preference. I'm sick of their posturing and double standards. When they stick to green policies I am usually impressed by a some of what they say - well who wouldn't want to save the planet? But what they "lose patience" with in others, they tolerate themselves.

Thumbs down to the Greens.
Graphic linked to from
50 Home Business Clarity Questions
Less than a year ago - Trevor Sargent resigned as a Minister. The Green Party were able to replace him from within without any interference from other parties. But when a Fianna Fáil Minister resigns - "the party's patience had finally run out" and they pull out of government. Double standards.

In 2007, Trevor Sergent resigned as leader of the Green Party - but when Brian Cowen does the same when resigning as leader of Fianna Fáil, the Greens make this into a national crisis, and they pull out of government. Double standards.

Yes - I am being selective. Yes - the Greens are guilty of posturing. They now can campaign in the upcoming election as the party that pulled the plug on the most unpopular government ever. This won't save your seats, and if the election was held in the old days - you will have certainly lost your deposits.

3 comments:

  1. I think there is a constitutional argument here which you seem to be missing. Article 28: section 10.
    Ultimatly its about responding to the will of the people, and I know of very few people who had any feelings other than outrage at the proposed apointments.

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  2. Hi Larry - thanks for the comment, I too have met very few people who supported the proposed appointments. God knows that the Greens have had plenty of issues that they could have pulled out of the Government - but why choose this one when they did exactly the same themselves? (That's my point).

    Thanks too for the point about the Constitution - I had to look up what Article 28/Section 10 was:

    "The Taoiseach shall resign from office upon his ceasing to retain the support of a majority in Dáil Éireann unless on his advice the President dissolves Dáil Éireann and on the reassembly of Dáil Éireann after the dissolution the Taoiseach secures the support of a majority in Dáil Éireann"

    I'm guessing this refers to when a Dáil vote goes against the Taoiseach. Brian Cowen probably never had the support of a majority of the Dáil (add his opponents in the Fianna Fáil party to the Opposition) at any time since he became Taoiseach.

    E.

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  3. FF did facilitate the replacement of Sargent and from 2008-2010, the greens facilitated the replacement of four FF cabinet members: Bertie Ahern, Brennan, Cullen & O'Dea. On 19th Jan, Cowen sought a meeting to arrange for the replacement of Micheál Martin following his resignation due to his failed leadership challenge. The greens agreed. That night, however, Mary Harney's resignation was announced to the surprise of the greens on the 9 O'clock news. The next morning, a further four cabinet ministers (Dempsey, O'Keeffe, Killeen and Ahern) resigned and a reshuffle was clearly underway.

    This had not been arranged with the greens and was presented as a fait accompli. Presumably the logic of this approach was the the greens would not accept it if asked, so Cowen would do it anyway and hope the greens would acquiesce. Politically, this move was universally viewed as a pre-election stroke and was unacceptable even to backbench FF TDs who were refusing to be appointed to the new front bench.

    The greens could not be expected to continue to support Cowen beyond this point when it was clear that he had lost the support of even his own party.

    The greens achievements in government far exceeded their own expectations because the financial crisis allowed for far more radical policy moves than would have been feasible in normal or boom times. A listing of policy achievements is on the green party website here:

    http://www.greenparty.ie/government/achievements_in_government/rolling_list_of_achievements

    The greens will now likely lose all seats in the Dail for this session as they will be punished by FF haters for allying with FF and punished by FF supporters for bringing down FF.

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