Tea party rage in Ireland means left wing government likely

Posted on Friday, September 24, 2010 at 06:43 PM

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The latest poll numbers from Ireland showing the Labor Party with a clear lead and likely to form the next government with Eamon Gilmore (above) as prime Minister are the exact mirror image of what is happening in America with the Tea Party.

Labor have never been the major party in government and their leader has never been Prime Minister of Ireland but now it looks increasingly likely that it may happen.

They have a six -point lead over Fine Gael, 36 per cent to 30 and a fourteen point lead over government party Fianna Fail who are at 22 per cent.

The Irish voters are infused with the ‘Throw the bums out” mentality that has driven the Tea Party phenomenon in America but are trending heavy left rather than far right.
That is because the two experiences are not the same.

In America government is seen as the problem, in Ireland, not enough government especially in the oversight department, is the mantra.

The bank collapse and housing debacle in Ireland came about because a Wild West mentality infused both arenas.

Anglo-Irish and other banks ladled out massive loans to anyone who asked and plenty of developers came calling.

The government egged them all on providing massive subvention of housing schemes that are now so called ghost estates all over Ireland.

It is hardly surprising the unholy alliance happened. Fianna Fail have been in power 18 out of the last 20 years and they got very cozy with the golden inner circles that controlled most of Irish business.

Though they have backtracked now the media was also very culpable feeding the property boom by turning many of its main players into celebrities and fueling the property mania with special sections and get rich quick stories.

Now comes the hangover and the realization, like drunks who have stayed too long at a party and are getting argumentative, that the worst is yet to come.

Voters also realize when they look at Australia and Canada where there was no meltdown because of proper oversight and conservative banking policies that Ireland does not need to be in the mess they are in.

More government oversight of the runaway banking system for instance would have prevented the collapse.

Thus, the voters are ready to punish the party in power that presided over the boom but they are not turning to the main opposition party Fine Gael but to the left- leaning Labor party.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny is suffering from an over familiarity with the electorate, he has been opposition leader for a decade and many consider him not skilled enough for the top job.

In sharp contrast, Eamon Gilmore, the Labor Leader, is a relatively new face and has an excellent media presence.

Clearly the electorate want a new face and a new future and they believe that Labor supplies both. Like in America new faces and new policies are in

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jacersagain | Sep 25, 2010, 03:46 PM EDT

GeorgeD, you and I often read off the same page on ICentral’s topics, although I think your utterances carry less dignity sometimes. On yr rants against Watchman below, I have to say you are out of line and off my page. Watchman’s posts are those of a highly experienced writer, journalist, traveller and enquirer, worthy of proper consideration, even if we don’t always agree with them.

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jacersagain | Sep 25, 2010, 03:36 PM EDT

Just a few days after the poll that Niall writes about above, another poll out today puts Labour (yes, with ‘u’ in it) in third place, after Fine Gael, the Rich Farmers’ and Businessmen’s party. Fianna Fail is holding its own in 2nd place. Just goes to show how fickle the Irish voting public can be. Eamon Gilmore does have a great public presence but he hasn’t a whit of sense. He’s called Aimin’ nowhere-except-below-the-belt Gilmore in Ireland. He hasn’t a single positive thing to say, his party has no national or international policies (any at all?) and he expects to lead Ireland on the World Stage of country leaders??? Gimme a break, pullleeease!

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GeorgeDillon | Sep 25, 2010, 02:50 PM EDT

Watchman: You object to ireland being the homeland of the Irish people. Where else do you suggest? Tierra del Fuego? Greenland? Biafra? The West Bank? What an inane posting by you.

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GeorgeDillon | Sep 25, 2010, 02:48 PM EDT

Trelawney: What a puerile posting by you. Grow up. We in the US will spell as we see fit, and no half-witted criticism from you will change us.

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GeorgeDillon | Sep 25, 2010, 02:46 PM EDT

Wachman: Now you're claiming to live in Ireland but a day or two ago you were saying that you have a Green Card and live in the US. Get your story straight. Which is it? And knock off the stupid "Nazi" slur. Did you ever hear of Godwin's Law? It's to the effect that dopes like you will always sooner or later introduce the Nazi slur into a discussion because they have no original ideas to offer. Sounds about right in your case.

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DrTrelawney | Sep 25, 2010, 02:31 PM EDT

It's not the "Labor Party"; it's the "Labour Party". If you look, for example, at the New York Times' coverage of Ed Milliband's ascent you will see that all respectable American publications spell political parties as they are spelled in the country of origin. L.A.B.O.U.R.

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Watchman | Sep 25, 2010, 12:54 PM EDT

The Irish Labour Party is a moderate, left-of-centre, party that deserves its chance after the see-saw horrors of recent years. Ireland, it needs to be stressed, is a European country, not an ethnic or ideological adjunct of the United States. We believe in government and we believe in a welfare state, with free, high-quality education for all, universal health care and support, where possible, for the poor and disadvantaged in society. America takes its own stand on these issues. Its history and traditions are different. The Irish who come to America tend to realise this and change their tune fairly quickly when they come to live here – sometimes alarmingly so. But at home they are social democrats. It's just a fact. As for immigration, restraint is certainly needed. Too much has happened too fast. But the idea that Ireland should be seen as a "unique homeland" for a single race is one that would appeal most obviously to ... Adolf Hitler.

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Monsoonman | Sep 25, 2010, 11:12 AM EDT

Te establishment politicians (many blood sucking parasites) have awoken the people by going a bridge too far. In America with the Tea Party movement, we are no longer going to tolerate the status quo by having our borders be a joke, have run away spending and corruption in our leaders. The time for change is now.

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GeorgeDillon | Sep 25, 2010, 03:32 AM EDT

I'd normally be well disposed to Labor, but I fear how a Labor Party government in Ireland would open the doors even further to Mass Immigration. A lot of the Labor big-wigs appear not to want Ireland to remain as the unique homeland of the Irish people.

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