well. I would be in favour of putting them in glass containers and sticking them in Irish museums, so that future generations will not forget. I think Bertie would be a nice specimen to start with.

So, if FF were such a disaster during their tenure in Office…why did the Electorate return them to Office so consistently?…Could it be that Irish people mostly think of “ME” and not enough about Society as a whole?

No John, FF were utterly convincing in their lies buried under their PR spin, professional gained media influence of RTE (and primetime presenters!) and more lies made as their opened their mouth with promises.

The only mistake a portion of the public made was actually placing their trust in the crap that are FF.

A simple example of FF utter lies and crap: http://unitedpeople.ie/fail.html

You want to speak about how FF members just looked after themselves MORE so – then read at the above link and kop yourself on!

Could it be that Fianna Fail people mostly think of “ME” more so?
…Going by previous MUCH recorded history – DAMN RIGHT!

This information about alleged corruption in FF has been well documented and has been in the public domain for years but this didn’t stop the Electorate from returning FF to Office time & time again…and it does raise the question – why was this the case?
Let’s suppose the Country’s Economy was currently in a healthy state – with full employment, would FF/Greens still be in Power up to the original General Election date 2012?
Party Politics is local, and the consequence of this can unfortunately be seen all around us today because each elected representative is looking to the next election to keep their job…this is, I feel where our Senior Civil Servants have failed this Country so dismally and consistently over the years, they are the ones who have failed in their caretaker role by not critically scrutinising the viability and the long term sustainability of differing political party’s policies…some of which border on the ridicules – much to the detriment of social policy long term.
BTW, I’m not affiliated to any Political Party and I vote according to – what I consider to be sustainable policies a party puts forward over time.

John,

FF were very good at appealing to the older generation from the start to begin with, they would appeal and sympathise to a certain extent (“we are with you” tactics) with the some of the elderly whom would partly be afraid to rock the boat as regards change.

FF was – and this CANNOT be understated – very professional in how they put themselves across to the public of younger years. Slick, well organised at local ground level, always has the answers (or so it seemed!) they were convincing to many that was frankly too complacent to look under the covers of what they were really up to – and as such a good deal of trust was misplaced into them.

Add to that the tactics they consistently used of sweetening sections of the public just before election times (in one case they altered the timing of the nations dole Xmas bonus payments so that it would be paid out just before an election day!) , then they (as others even now do!) made sure that election days was ALWAYS mid week, rarely if ever on a Saturday or Sunday, making sure that for a a great deal of the third level youth electorate, it was awkward to say the least, of them to vote. Their voting card in one end of the country and they actually in collage elsewhere far away!
FF was also very professional too at the scare tactics. Their PR machine would churn out relentlessly the reason why the public should stick with them.

Add to the above the simple fact that FF was also very good at seeing that it was family orientated – or at least came across as that!

Add even more to the above that FF was able to put them across at local; levels that they were the ones that fixed your local road, your local street light that went out or tackled an issue that frankly had nothing to do with real national issues but in the eyes of local public that chats, was even more good PR tactics to boot!

For the above reasons and MANY more, the suited goons of FF won over the trust of the public. The public was sold a false bill of goods.
…Now they (you and I too – and sadly probably our children) are going to cough up for it and by god are we going to pay!

…What’s happened to FF individuals at the top though? They have just got richer and richer – even now still collecting their massive and multiple massive pensions!!

I agree, going forward

The bank guarantee is the only issue. It was enacted to protect Fianna fail’s builder cronies.
Biffo and lenihan are guilty of economic treason.

Agreed both Brian Lenihan and Cowen and many others are traitors.

Ciaro
I remember being in tallaght Hospital in september 2008 ,visiting my mam,and we were discussing this bank guarantee. I had at that time come into some cash and my mam ( Elderly) was saying to me to be careful with it and
that the banks were not safe …. I remember looking at her and thinking , that the government made very sure that the banks were secure , because my few squids was only a fraction of what these guys and their cronies had to lose . And it made me feel that there was dodgey dealings afoot….
Ciaro ,
your comment just reminded me of how I felt that day , and it is so clear in my mind now , that I can not believe
that I brushed it aside at the time. I am glad that I trust my instinct more now these days and will continue to do so.

Fair point FG or Labour or other combination would have done the same.All Irish politicians are f***ing useless.No accountability.You only get to kick them out at a General Election.If there was Recall like what they have in the states they would do their job correctly and in the interests of the people.But then again if they had honour they would do their jobs right in the first place.

….. Gilmore sitting on the fence re Syria.

. . . . for starters.

And what then, lets shake hands and forget about it?
This is a group of people whose ideology was all about themselves and their mates.
They never did anything in the national interest, they continued to produce policies that were solely put in place to guarantee their own re-election.
The thoughts of them stinking pigs living it up at their Ard Fheis, talking about renewal and trying to whitewash history makes me want to vomit.

do not worry Gerard we will keep reminding people for the next 20 years of the carnage that ff caused in this country through one thing CORRuption

Never ….
While any of that shower are still
holding the reins there . In fact as long as there
is a FF party . I will never forgive them.