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Read more about: Gay Rights, Green Party
The Green Party have produced a policy document supporting Gay Marriage and Civil Partnership. It will be interesting to see will the more liberal parties now follow suit and whether there will be any backlash against this.
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techPresident – The Future of Campaign Technology: The Ground Game
Irish Parties looking at learning online and database lessons from Obama could do worse than bear this post in mind. Almost as soon as the election is over, improvements and evolution are making some parts redundant and others essential. Get your campaign an i-phone for everyone? Might be better than printing flyers, it goes to show how parties, if they take it seriously, need to keep ahead of the wave - not just follow.
Colman at the EuroTrib give his reasoning on why Lisbon is dead. The Government's incapable handling of the budget cuts are the nail in the coffin.
Fine Gael’s Leo Varadkar offers his view on how the SBP Opinion Poll would translate in an election.
Think tank: Time for democracy to click into place
Dan Sullivan gets himself into The Sunday Times, calling for the internet to connect citizens to a more meaningful democracy. Its an argument I agree with wholeheartedly myself. Have a read and let him know what you think.
Colm Burke MEP reckons that we need to get honest and tell people we will be holding a second Lisbon Vote in Oct 2009 with protocols desigend to secure a yes vote.
No backlash. It won’t suit anybody.
The PDs are at pains to show that they are a Liberal Party. FF can’t upset the PDs. Labour won’t oppose it because they like to be seen as liberal and FG can’t upset the Greens or Labour.
If there’s opposition, it will be to the particulars and not the idea.
Backlash isn’t the right word because the far-right hasn’t got a strong enough base at this time; that said FF/PD will simply keep quiet while resisting change.
FG have come out today calling on immediate legislation to allow UK-style Civil Unions and the fact is that it will come eventually, just like the smoking ban it’s something that one after the other, each country will realise the logical need for change… In fact what is the standing of an couple who are united under a civil union in Belfast when they come to Dublin? Keeping in mind their legal right to Irish citizen status (passport etc. included).
The PD’s aren’t a religious right party at all; they’re economically liberal and socially conservative but their base (the rich) are probably dis-interested by the morals of gay marriage.
FF and FG would be the ones who appeal to the old Catholic population the most, and so FF are the only party likely to come out against civil unions, but they’ll just keep their mouths shut until they have to speak.
The PD’s are as liberal as Labour. It is easier to come out with policy documents then it is to come out with law especially with a conervative coalition partner
Fair play to the Greens for this.
Back in 2004, Sinn Féin tried to amend the Civil Registration Bill to allow gay marriage. The Greens were the only party to support the amendment (along with a couple independents). The Government parties voted it down and Labour and Fine Gael abstained. It’s since been confirmed by Labour members on politics.ie that Labour officially have “no policy” on gay marriage - which I assume means they can’t reach agreement internally about it.