Election time

[Don Corleone]

Also... is there any hope for an American to ever hear or pronounce accurately the difference between Fianna and Fine? I know to you all, they sound like 'red' and 'green', but frankly, I cannot hear a difference, let alone speak one.

[Don Corleone]

And this one goes out to Europeans in general. England's experiment with "New Labour" aside, what would be the difference between 'Labour' and 'Socialist' as actual parties?

I'm amazed to find that if one looks only at their platforms (I know, a foolishly naive way to pick a political party affiliation) I would most likely be a Progressive Democrat were I an Irish citizen.

I was also floored when I read there are UK citizens as TD (members of the Dail, the lower house of the Irish parliament and the one with the actual legislative authority).

[Tribesman]

I know to you all, they sound like 'red' and 'green', but frankly, I cannot hear a difference, let alone speak one.

fienner -----finna would be close enose Don .

I'm amazed to find that if one looks only at their platforms (I know, a foolishly naive way to pick a political party affiliation) I would most likely be a Progressive Democrat were I an Irish citizen.

What they claim to stand for and what they actually do are in no way related .
They were a good idea at their inception , but now

I was also floored when I read there are UK citizens as TD

Why ? there are Irish citizens as MPs .

[Don Corleone]

fienner -----finna would be close enose Don .

So fianna is pronouned 'finnah' and Fine is pronounced "feenah" or do I have them backwards?

What they claim to stand for and what they actually do are in no way related .
They were a good idea at their inception , but now

Yeah, it's the same over here. Politicans may make a good stand on being socially liberal, fiscally conservative, but it's the rare one that can keep from caving to the social conservatives to get the foot soldier volunteers to knock on doors for them. It's a shame. On the other side of the fence, Blue Dog Democrats have a really hard time living up their reputation when their party whip calls them up...

Why ? there are Irish citizens as MPs .

I repeat myself, floored as well... In order to be a member of Congress, House or Senate, you must be a US citizen. What's more, I don't think you can even be appointed to any executive offices, even low level ones.

[Tribesman]

do I have them backwards?

yes you do .

[Kralizec]

A minority government, then?

And this one goes out to Europeans in general. England's experiment with "New Labour" aside, what would be the difference between 'Labour' and 'Socialist' as actual parties?

In the Netherlands at least, the labour party has for the most part embraced the free market as an economical model. Our socialist party is much more archaic ideologically (kinda like the French PS or the old Labour of the UK, I suppose) and besides is much more a watchdog then a party with real ambitions of government.