General Election 2024 - Offaly Constituency

[Lone Shark]

Completely agree on Trump. He's an abhorrent human and a stats/oddsmaking type whatsapp group I'm in came to the conclusion that the chance of humanity not surviving past 2028 is probably around a 16/1 or 20/1 shot - i.e. not likely, but not at all impossible either. That said, he was very clear about who and what he was, and people voted for that. Whether they'll ever get to vote again is another story, but for the next four years, he's the democratically elected president.

When I say the system went against Corbyn and Sanders, I mean it in different ways. In Corbyn's case, the Murdoch-led media drove a campaign painting him as an anti-semite and a Marxist, of which he is neither. Absolutely, his position on Brexit was weak and lacked credibility, but considering he ran against Boris Johnson, that shouldn't have been a difference-maker. But the UK electorate are not well-read and thoughtful on such things, so when the Mail/Sun/Times/Sky all decide that you're a modern day Enver Hoxha while Boris is allowed to go on with his "Cheeky Chappie" skit, then it's not exactly a fair fight.

And when it comes to Sanders, I'm not talking about the run against Biden in 2020. I'm referring to the assorted shenanigans that went on to ensure that Hilary Clinton won that nomination process, ranging from the Superdelegates system to other trickery in Nevada etc.. Absolutely, the general public wanted Biden instead of him four years later, even though the same institutional corporate/AIPAC money was a factor as well.


Is Mary Lou a blueshirt in disguise, a la Hilary and Kamala? No idea, we'll have to see if she gets into government before we'll find that out. And absolutely, the issue of left wing parties losing their base in a bid to capture the much-coveted "centre ground" is a universal one.

[Anonymous1]

Completely agree on Trump. He's an abhorrent human and a stats/oddsmaking type whatsapp group I'm in came to the conclusion that the chance of humanity not surviving past 2028 is probably around a 16/1 or 20/1 shot - i.e. not likely, but not at all impossible either. That said, he was very clear about who and what he was, and people voted for that. Whether they'll ever get to vote again is another story, but for the next four years, he's the democratically elected president.

When I say the system went against Corbyn and Sanders, I mean it in different ways. In Corbyn's case, the Murdoch-led media drove a campaign painting him as an anti-semite and a Marxist, of which he is neither. Absolutely, his position on Brexit was weak and lacked credibility, but considering he ran against Boris Johnson, that shouldn't have been a difference-maker. But the UK electorate are not well-read and thoughtful on such things, so when the Mail/Sun/Times/Sky all decide that you're a modern day Enver Hoxha while Boris is allowed to go on with his "Cheeky Chappie" skit, then it's not exactly a fair fight.

And when it comes to Sanders, I'm not talking about the run against Biden in 2020. I'm referring to the assorted shenanigans that went on to ensure that Hilary Clinton won that nomination process, ranging from the Superdelegates system to other trickery in Nevada etc.. Absolutely, the general public wanted Biden instead of him four years later, even though the same institutional corporate/AIPAC money was a factor as well.


Is Mary Lou a blueshirt in disguise, a la Hilary and Kamala? No idea, we'll have to see if she gets into government before we'll find that out. And absolutely, the issue of left wing parties losing their base in a bid to capture the much-coveted "centre ground" is a universal one.

While there’s plenty to worry about from a second Trump Presidency, not least our own corporate tax system I also don’t buy into a lot of the hysteria.

Whatever your view on his domestic policies, he’s one of only a few US President in decades not to start a new war and there absolutely will be free and fair elections in 2028. Not least because it’s in his VP-elect’s interest for there to be one.

Corbyn’s position on Brexit was the difference maker though because the entire election was fought on that issue. “Get Brexit Done” etc.

The Murdoch press never give any Labour leader an easy time of it but you don’t hear Gordon Brown or Ed Miliband blaming the “system”

I hear Joe Brolly rolling out this line all the time that the only reason Corbyn didn’t win 650 seats in 2019 was because the press labelled him an anti-Semite yet I’ve never seen any evidence to back that claim up. If I was to guess what % of voters considered Corbyn allegedly being an anti-Semite as their top issue it would be at most 1%.

It is worth noting that the Labour Party itself suspended Corbyn after an investigation into his handling of anti-Semitism so it wasn’t just the Murdoch Press.

If you stripped out all of the super delegates (which are an affront to democracy) Clinton would still have been the nominee. She won 11 more primaries and 4 million more votes than Sanders.

If money was the deciding factor in the 2020 primary race then Michael Bloomberg would’ve been the nominee but that didn’t transpire.

On Mary Lou, if you compare the Sinn Féin manifesto from 2024 to that of say 2002 or 2007 etc there’s no way in hell you’d think you were reading a document produced by the same party. They’ve u-turned on every issue imaginable in a race to the centre which is simply an attempt to seize power at all costs so they can attempt to jam a United Ireland down our throats and actually damage the cause of Unity in the process, a la the SNP in 2014.

[Bord na Mona man]

Just FYI, before I clicked "submit" on this post, I looked up her website, to see if I was doing her a dis-service.

I absolutely am not. She claims to represent the "silent majority", but gives no indication as to who those people are. Am I in it? Am I not? I dunno.

Carol's silent majority refers to people who don't post on the INTERNET!

[SearingDrive]

Bord Na Mona man is correct. Carol Nolan’s voters are concerned with the day to day issues that affect them, and that is why she wins a seat, and will retain it next week. In this week’s Offaly Independent there are interviews with all 11 candidates, not just Carol Nolan as highlighted by a poster today.

The PBP candidate did not answer when asked, what were her ties to Offaly, but said the party was fielding candidates in all Dail constituencies. Why not pick a person with ties to the county? Hard to see them doing well outside Dublin, and possibly Cork next Friday.

[frankthetank]

We clearly have a lot of posters here who’s only news consumption is from the the FF/FG supporting mainstream media.

Maybe turn off RTE and utilise your own analytical skills.

Just as a bitesize example:
RTE held a leaders debate this week. Israel/Palestine discussed as a pressing matter for the incoming Irish government.

Not a dickiebird about immigration into Ireland.

[Anonymous1]

We clearly have a lot of posters here who’s only news consumption is from the the FF/FG supporting mainstream media.

Maybe turn off RTE and utilise your own analytical skills.

Just as a bitesize example:
RTE held a leaders debate this week. Israel/Palestine discussed as a pressing matter for the incoming Irish government.

Not a dickiebird about immigration into Ireland.

1. The quip that people only support government parties because they consume propaganda from the state broadcaster is an imported trope from the MAGA movement and is best left there given the damage it has caused to that country.

2. Immigration was discussed at the end of the debate so maybe if you used your own analytical skills you’d have noticed.

3. According to all polling, health is 3x more of a concern than immigration for Irish voters yet you didn’t mention that that wasn’t discussed.

[Anonymous1]

Bord Na Mona man is correct. Carol Nolan’s voters are concerned with the day to day issues that affect them, and that is why she wins a seat, and will retain it next week. In this week’s Offaly Independent there are interviews with all 11 candidates, not just Carol Nolan as highlighted by a poster today.

The PBP candidate did not answer when asked, what were her ties to Offaly, but said the party was fielding candidates in all Dail constituencies. Why not pick a person with ties to the county? Hard to see them doing well outside Dublin, and possibly Cork next Friday.

1. 5 of the interviews were carried in last week’s Offaly Independent and 6 this week, the reason I specifically shared Nolan’s is because I was replying to LS who was discussing her views.

(On a side note there’s a good 24-page pullout on Offaly GAA’s year in that paper so I’m sure LS won’t mind me giving it a plug)

2. The PBP candidate didn’t answer because she has no ties to Offaly. She’s what we term a “paper candidate” put up by the party to increase its % of FPV’s nationally as 2% is required for a party to receive state funding.

They obviously couldn’t find anybody in the county willing to run, similar to Labour or the SocDems.

[Anonymous1]

Just FYI, before I clicked "submit" on this post, I looked up her website, to see if I was doing her a dis-service.

I absolutely am not. She claims to represent the "silent majority", but gives no indication as to who those people are. Am I in it? Am I not? I dunno.

Carol's silent majority refers to people who don't post on the INTERNET!

The silent majority - The majority of people, regarded as holding moderate opinions but rarely expressing them.

I’m not sure I’d term a candidate who’s received 8% and 11% of FPV’s as being in the “silent majority”

Again, she was on the wrong side of the “silent majority” in 2018 when she voted against a woman’s right to choose.

[frankthetank]

Just FYI, before I clicked "submit" on this post, I looked up her website, to see if I was doing her a dis-service.

I absolutely am not. She claims to represent the "silent majority", but gives no indication as to who those people are. Am I in it? Am I not? I dunno.

Carol's silent majority refers to people who don't post on the INTERNET!

The silent majority - The majority of people, regarded as holding moderate opinions but rarely expressing them.

I’m not sure I’d term a candidate who’s received 8% and 11% of FPV’s as being in the “silent majority”

Again, she was on the wrong side of the “silent majority” in 2018 when she voted against a woman’s right to choose.

I’ll fix your shortcomings in semantics:
She voted against the legalising of abortion of babies
in Ireland.

Amazing for someone who is clearly pro abortion you don’t seem to like to use the term.

[Anonymous1]

Carol's silent majority refers to people who don't post on the INTERNET!

The silent majority - The majority of people, regarded as holding moderate opinions but rarely expressing them.

I’m not sure I’d term a candidate who’s received 8% and 11% of FPV’s as being in the “silent majority”

Again, she was on the wrong side of the “silent majority” in 2018 when she voted against a woman’s right to choose.

I’ll fix your shortcomings in semantics:
She voted against the legalising of abortion of babies
in Ireland.

Amazing for someone who is clearly pro abortion you don’t seem to like to use the term.

She voted against giving women the right to choose what happens to their own bodies.

Call it anti-abortion or pro-life or whatever other term you like, that’s the simple reality of what her vote meant.

Thankfully for all of our mothers, sisters, wives, daughters and nieces the people of Ireland voted in favour of compassion so we never again see what happened to people like Savita Halapannavar.

[Hasselhoff]

She protected the unborn who have no voice. I'll vote for her.

She didn't go along with the populist view and bow to the party line to further their own political career like a lot of others did.

[Anonymous1]

She protected the unborn who have no voice. I'll vote for her.

She didn't go along with the populist view and bow to the party line to further their own political career like a lot of others did.

Populist- a person, especially a politician, who strives to appeal to ordinary people who feel that their concerns are disregarded by established elite groups.

Are you calling 66% of Irish people “populist” because if so you have no understanding of populism.

[SearingDrive]

She protected the unborn who have no voice. I'll vote for her.

She didn't go along with the populist view and bow to the party line to further their own political career like a lot of others did.

Very few people stand by their principles in politics, that is why Carol Nolan attracts those people who did not follow the so called, ‘ Liberal agenda’ in supporting abortion, which is the deliberate killing of unborn babies.
People voted because there were supposed to be strict guidelines, which were eased in the last few years, thanks to the PBP.

There were a lot of politicians in the major parties, including the current government, who initially opposed abortion, but followed the populist line, wrestled with their conscience, and the conscience lost. People do not forget that. Anyone who supports a pro life line, will be ridiculed, derided in the media as dinosaurs, when they are expressing an opinion.

The silent majority usually wait for an election to express their views on politicians.
The rise in Independent candidates is because they represent the real people, not the trendy woke generation, or the cultural elite who have a solution for everything, and are opposed to ‘traditional values’.

[Anonymous1]

She protected the unborn who have no voice. I'll vote for her.

She didn't go along with the populist view and bow to the party line to further their own political career like a lot of others did.

Very few people stand by their principles in politics, that is why Carol Nolan attracts those people who did not follow the so called, ‘ Liberal agenda’ in supporting abortion, which is the deliberate killing of unborn babies.
People voted because there were supposed to be strict guidelines, which were eased in the last few years, thanks to the PBP.

What strict guidelines have been eased?

There were a lot of politicians in the major parties, including the current government, who initially opposed abortion, but followed the populist line, wrestled with their conscience, and the conscience lost. People do not forget that. Anyone who supports a pro life line, will be ridiculed, derided in the media as dinosaurs, when they are expressing an opinion.

It’s a bit rich to be taking aim at politicians whose views have evolved over time on one hand but on the other hand praise Nolan whose views have evolved from supporting a party that espouses democratic socialism to now claiming to represent the Catholic conservative element of Irish society.

The silent majority usually wait for an election to express their views on politicians.
The rise in Independent candidates is because they represent the real people, not the trendy woke generation, or the cultural elite who have a solution for everything, and are opposed to ‘traditional values’.

The rise in support for independent candidates is largely due to the fact that the lead opposition party have provided very little opposition to the current government.

[SearingDrive]

She protected the unborn who have no voice. I'll vote for her.

She didn't go along with the populist view and bow to the party line to further their own political career like a lot of others did.

Very few people stand by their principles in politics, that is why Carol Nolan attracts those people who did not follow the so called, ‘ Liberal agenda’ in supporting abortion, which is the deliberate killing of unborn babies.
People voted because there were supposed to be strict guidelines, which were eased in the last few years, thanks to the PBP.

What strict guidelines have been eased?

There were a lot of politicians in the major parties, including the current government, who initially opposed abortion, but followed the populist line, wrestled with their conscience, and the conscience lost. People do not forget that. Anyone who supports a pro life line, will be ridiculed, derided in the media as dinosaurs, when they are expressing an opinion.

It’s a bit rich to be taking aim at politicians whose views have evolved over time on one hand but on the other hand praise Nolan whose views have evolved from supporting a party that espouses democratic socialism to now claiming to represent the Catholic conservative element of Irish society.

The silent majority usually wait for an election to express their views on politicians.
The rise in Independent candidates is because they represent the real people, not the trendy woke generation, or the cultural elite who have a solution for everything, and are opposed to ‘traditional values’.

The rise in support for independent candidates is largely due to the fact that the lead opposition party have provided very little opposition to the current government.

I stand by what I posted. If you have a problem, that is democracy. Other posters have expressed similar views.