Voting in NI

Cotta

A.L.D.A wrote: »

I think you do protest too much! Calling one party dysfunctional in a NI context seems more than a little odd.

I have nothing whatsoever to do with NI21, Some ideas fine, but hard to get excited about.

That was the word used by your deputy.

I have to say I never trusted this party and my instinct was proven correct.

A.L.D.A

shaz77 wrote: »

Your second arguement holds little water, if Sinn Fein are returned in larger numbers than before it will give them a bigger mandate to remove symbols of Britishness and further stamp their authority. Such behaviour would likely be supported up by Alliance and NI21 as they would deem it to be what the electorate voted for.

It's hard to know what the DUP would do with a bigger mandate but they do represent for some a line in the sand.

So many lines in the sand.

If people used STV to elect people on issues like economy and employment I suspect that both SF and the DUP may decline and the place may be better off for it.

From what little I know about political parties there are good and bad in them all. There are the schemers, the people who get things done, the tacticians, the idealists, the cynical, the corrupt, and people who are just distasteful. If I were to disqualify entire parties because of 1 person I doubt if I would have much choice on election day.

In my experience the majority of politicians, from whatever background, do try, but some are just more capable than others. We do tend to criticise them unfairly as much of what they do has no entirely right answer or the matter is outside their control.

A.L.D.A

Cotta wrote: »

That was the word used by your deputy.

I have to say I never trusted this party and my instinct was proven correct.

Cotta I am not a member of any of the political parties in NI.

Cotta

A.L.D.A wrote: »

Cotta I am not a member of any of the political parties in NI.

Apologies, I thought you were centre left.

shaz77_2

A.L.D.A wrote: »

So many lines in the sand.

If people used STV to elect people on issues like economy and employment I suspect that both SF and the DUP may decline and the place may be better off for it.

From what little I know about political parties there are good and bad in them all. There are the schemers, the people who get things done, the tacticians, the idealists, the cynical, the corrupt, and people who are just distasteful. If I were to disqualify entire parties because of 1 person I doubt if I would have much choice on election day.

In my experience the majority of politicians, from whatever background, do try, but some are just more capable than others. We do tend to criticise them unfairly as much of what they do has no entirely right answer or the matter is outside their control.

You're being a little wishy washy, exactly what sort of policies are you looking for?

A.L.D.A

I am well to the left on social issues and matters like student loans, health service, but a lot less idealistic when it comes to economics, though not so sure that the unquestioned 'free market' actually exists. Like us all I suppose a whole heap of contradictions.

duggan1

A.L.D.A wrote: »

I am well to the left on social issues and matters like student loans, health service, but a lot less idealistic when it comes to economics, though not so sure that the unquestioned 'free market' actually exists. Like us all I suppose a whole heap of contradictions.

I don't think the 'free market' exists at all. Capitalism is broken, in the same way that Marxist economics is broken. People are inherently greedy, either knowingly or unknowingly. Someone is unlikely to complain if the value of their pension has risen, even though it rose because the companies the pension fund invested in laid off 150,000 people in order to keep the shareholders happy.

Broken, but probably the best we can do without strong willed leadership.

NI21s stated policies fall nicely into place with my own views. I think it has been long enough since the GFA that we should start dismantling the apparatus that maintains the illusion of sectarian divide. The POC and designation system in Stormont is a prime example. Alliance/Green and now NI21 voters cheated out of the democratic process because they want to vote for jobs and education rather than petty sectarian squabbles.

Broken.

D.A.

By the way, do any of those making allegations about Basil on here actually have any proof? He has been known to set his solicitors on people after all...

D.A.

...although it looks like we might get proof on The View in about 5 minutes' time. ;-)

Cotta

D.A. wrote: »

...although it looks like we might get proof on The View in about 5 minutes' time. ;-)

All very exciting.