The Green Party has lost its soul and it knows it. Prominently featured on its website is a list of “Achievements in Government”. The tone is almost apologetic. Here are a few samples of the latest in Green Party achievements:
10 Feb 09: Incredible Edible campaign launched with packs going to every primary school in the country.
4 Feb 09: Double digit decrease in energy prices will be introduced this year
1 Jan 09: Green Party launches campaign to promote the Cycle to Work scheme
Marvellous. Taking credit for globally falling energy costs and telling people to cycle to work. Surely that more than makes up for propping up corrupt government and overseeing brutally unfair “recessionary adjustments”?
The problem is that the Greens have convinced themselves that growing up and becoming real politicians involves backing down on almost everything. This is why every Green politician that appears on television or radio protests that there’s only so much a small party can get in government (unless it’s the PD’s). They have been tricked into taking Fianna Fáil at their word, the worst of rookie errors. Their lack of confidence has given FF a carte blanche to govern as they will, knowing that the Greens will happily support anything as long as they’re given one or two little pet projects to tick away on.
With all of Gormley’s puffed-up attempts to prove he’s a hardball-playing street-fighting tough guy politician, he’s only exposing his own naivety. The Greens have FF by the balls now, if they want it. An election now would annihilate FF, while the Greens would stay pretty safe. With the loss of Seamas Brennan and Finian McGrath, Bertie’s “triple-lock” government is looking a lot shakier. Threatening an election could give them so many of the reforms they once stood for – cleaner politics and decent local government don’t cost the earth, and now is the perfect time to bring them in.
But they won’t. Gormley et al are convinced that being a big boy means playing nice. Meanwhile, Biffo cackles behind his back and occasionally throws him a CFL lightbulb.
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