Over the next few days there will be further re-confirmations about Fianna Fail and Fine Gael local election wins regarding seats. To a lot of people who feel that there is a tide of unhappiness, frustration and puzzlement over how two principal main parties are still gaining seats back again. There are eight main reasons that I will write about, that jump out at me right away.
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FOR THE RECORD: My training, qualifications and business experience are in marketing and other related areas – besides my decades of background working in political situations and on various issues.
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For those that can’t be bothered to read this full post, here is the short version –
* Short-sightedness,
* “It’s who you know!”,
* Marketing,
* Money,
* Media,
* Voter turnout,
* Social media,
* ‘The devil you know…’
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For those actually willing to learn and possibly do better, feel free to read on.
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ONE: At local elections there is a great deal of “Parochial voting”. This happens everywhere and its hard to overcome it. “Aaa, sure I know Mick and his family for years. Sure, I will give him a vote! It doesn’t matter for some if “Mick” (or indeed “Mary”) is from a raving party or a setup of brainboxes. A lot of Parochial voters only major see the person first, not the actually party they are representing – even if that party is bloody useless at national level and taxing the crap out of people! It’s major short-sightedness of the highest order. Due to “Parochial voting”, local election results must NOT be taken as a solid indication of what way a future general election will go – although certain parties and people might try spin such results – but if they have half a brain, they do indeed know better!
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TWO: Many of the runners have been only seen on our local streets in the last few weeks or even months – and even then, it’s been on a very rare basis. Any opportunity of having a decent conversation with any potential opposition, have been very rare opportunities indeed. A lot of people are understandably weary of voting for someone they simply do not know, have not ever heard about before (local media do not help here but I will come back to that) and do not vote for strangers that just seemed to have popped up out of nowhere with little experience or training to back themselves up. In marketing terms (something I next will come back to), this is a complete disaster.
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THREE: The marketing practises of opposition have been a complete utter disaster. In fact, I will state that their professional marketing methods used, are
(a) either decades out of date and/or
(b) frankly non-existent.
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At best, some opposition parties throw money at social media companies to share their adverts – which are in fact, then seen by very few, despite what Facebook or Twitter quotes as “Viewing numbers”. The “ROI” (return of investment) just doing this social media activity is crap. Take this from a professional trained, qualified and experienced marketeer alone – never mind one also political experienced.
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There are DEFINATE marketing methods and steps that opposition parties can bone up on and apply. Will they? Do they? Do they hell! What the feck is wrong with them! They need to stop being stupid. They need to stop out of date methods and get up off their chairs, do some proper marketing and yes, actually listen to the likes of a good marketer. So far, they are only too much listening to themselves – and its repeatedly getting them nowhere.
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I would IMMEDIATELY list a number of professional marketing methods opposition could apply and use. I could IMMEDATELY address how to connect with geological, sociological and other pre-defined, known Ireland demographics, then apply professional known methods of marketing and communication proceedures through prior situational analysis (and more) – but I won’t here because I do not wish to gift the old corrupt parties who would also then take onboard and apply such advice. I could IMMEDIATELY advise on the major influences of cultural, social, personal and psychological applications in regard to selling a party or person as a ‘product’ to an audience or nation – but I won’t here for also just stated prior reason.
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I WILL SAY THIS. Opposition ought to be ashamed of themselves for not doing proper marketing research/analysis (beyond just listening to their own, most of the time) and then not doing the application of proper marketing procedures after that. This is a whopping major reason why we still are the way we are, with the same old elected people and party crap. At the moment, I cannot see this changing as certain opposition parties are glaringly ignoring obvious professional things that they should be doing – while still stupid unwilling to cut out stupid stuff they shouldn’t be doing.
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One example. I advised others in a number of ways to do other forms of alternative marketing and so, address other issues. Did they? No. The end result for them was a disaster for them. This is not the first time this has occurred. Within the last three years I was advising a business that was setup. I implemented a marketing strategy for them and for the service they offered. In three months alone, I increased from NOTHING, public knowledge of their new existence, their social media public awareness and interaction 18,000+% through applied known digital marketing methods. They then decided, to give up on such methods (because they thought they knew everything anyway by that stage – and had all they needed). Within two years their entire Drogheda based business collapsed up in a M1 retail park. They would not listen to what I was telling them (that they were making a BIG mistake cutting out what I was doing and/or not even continuing my methods). The business that stopped doing even what I advised, is now gone for good. Kaputt!
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The point is this. Proper professional marketing methods DO work, especially when seriously and consistently applied. They can make a significant inroad toward public perceptions and then various subsequent ‘buying’ behaviours. Any party or person that is completely unwilling to apply decent, proper marketing methods (selling themselves and/or their party as a ‘product to be public bought’) are only shooting themselves in the foot FROM THE VERY START. It’s frustrating to be repeatedly saying this – and again people/parties don’t listen – then they later wonder why they are again seriously failing to make proper needed inroads. The reason in short: they are their own worst enemy. Moving on…
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FOUR: Connected in part to the previous – and I will use myself as an example. I prior ran in two local elections. I ran KNOWING that I would not get anywhere in end result, and I didn’t – but that is not why I ran (I did so, in order to try raise more public awareness regarding a number of local and national issues. As an ordinary citizen, like 99% of the population, we are mostly media ignored – but at election time, media but at least give us some airtime if we are running for election – so I ran to use – exploit – this small given open door of opportunity, to raise awareness about concerns).
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I KNEW I was going to vote fail from the very start – and here is why. Money. Be it a local or national election, it costs money to run. If you want to make a serious attempt, you have to spend serious money. Anyone thinking otherwise, they are fooling themselves. Each of the standard street posters you see hanging up, cost around €6 to €8 on average. So, for 100 of such posters, we are talking a started price of €1,000, factor in tax, use of a vehicle (anyone remember the small political scandal of the past regarding a runner using someone else’s business vehicle?), petrol, paying for others time, newspaper advertising (Drogheda papers change the guts of €1,000 for a single one-page advert. €700+ (inc vat) for a half page, add in other diamond street posters, many thousands of leaflets, clothing merchandise, and more – and you get the picture – before we then even get to radio or social media marketing!
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This is why long-established parties are repeatedly running internal raffles and other major fundraising efforts. Fianna Fail even trying to con people at one stage by registering itself as an official “Charity” – in order to squeeze a few more Euro’s away from prior setup, tax applying legislations.
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Don’t get me started about how old parties have created rules and legislation acts, in order to actually hamper single individual election runners from better accessing a democratic process. From fees that apply to single people (but a party can just letter sign off on a person with no election charge-to-run to be attached), from laws that say the person is then if elected, seen as “self-employed” in certain cases – so they are taxed/PRSI’ed more (and later gain nothing in return), to the antics of specific state departments who investigate certain election runners – as they refuse to legal recognise “seeking election” as a person going for greater work, and then gaining it! You are not supposed to know all this and more.
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So, it takes serious money to run a genuine serious election attempt effort. I didn’t and still don’t have that type of money, and knowing how little others like me have, I was not going and still not going to go begging off my fellow local humans who are equally just trying to get through an average week. So, I ran just to try raise issue awareness in the small open-door openings I was given within two rare presented opportunities. I digress…
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To run and try get anywhere today, you need serious money behind you. If local media regular declines to even mention your very existence – so you are always a ‘stranger’ at election times, if a local radio station (like LMFM in Louth) even regular declines to let it’s listening audience know that you even exist, never mind your additional ground-breaking efforts (like founding a national party within one’s own county/town, or for example, I being the first person to ever put a party that I founded, into a permanent virtual online location), then you most definite are seriously up against things – unless you can buy further public awareness though the possession of serious finance amounts for purchasing advertising print space or radio airtime. (Yes, you guessed it, I am like others, being massively media blanked. One radio presenter, possessing station influence, has specific political friends). Unless you have money and are willing or able to spend it, you are SERIOUSLY up against a long existing political establishment that knows all the old political tricks possible – while ever inventing even more!
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Money means votes – and for the unscrupulous, votes then mean money for them in particular!
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Pre-existing opposition parties that do have money, are clearly not applying use of its finances in better alternative proper ways. I won’t state here how they could be better used – so not to tip off other parties of long-established dodgy character, as to how they can do better. I will say that money just needs to be better utilised – and so far, opposition parties have consistently made a complete shambles of such efforts or not made any at all in certain directions, traditional or new possible unique ways. It’s clear they are not running certain analytic professional examination methods regarding the use of what finances they do have. That’s the short version! Moving on…
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FIVE: Just to be clear on this one. Voter turnout and voter apathy are two connected, but at same time, distinct concepts. Voter turnout is the percentage of voters who actually cast a ballot in an election. On the other hand, voter apathy refers to a lack of interest or motivation to participate in the political process.
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Apathetic voters believe their votes don’t matter and have no interest in being involved in the elections. Low voter turnout can signify apathy but is not the only possible cause. Reasons such as vote suppression or even intimidation, greater difficulty (than others) accessing polling stations and other barriers, including distances or timings, to participation can all impact a voter turnout rate. To be further clear, indeed, high voter turnout does not necessarily mean there’s no voter apathy. Voters may still feel dissatisfied with an Ireland political process even if they participate in elections.
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Anyway… Low voter turnout has several negative consequences, such as a greater unrepresentative government, decreased legitimacy and marginalisation of more minority groups /and/or sections of society. When a significant portion of a local (or national) population declines not to vote, those left elected may not accurately represent the will and preferences of far more people. Subsequently, this means that policy decisions might not in a majority’s best interests. Low turnouts favour the already entrenched – and we have all repeatedly experienced this in Ireland, care of repeated reinstallations of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail characters. The evidence speaks for itself.
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Fine Gael and Fianna Fail in particular, know how to play the local political ‘game’ by emphasising the person rather than the party they actually represent. They have this down to such a fine art skill, you don’t even see or know they are doing it! It’s parochial tactics at its best. Subsequent low voter turnout then allows their own local ground supporters – both for party, not just for the person – to higher percentage emerge and thus make a greater percentage impact on ballot box results that don’t actually reflect a large local or national population. If voters were disillusioned before they even considered voting – because they think the usual character will “just get back in” – then by later not turning out to vote, they are exacerbating such an opportunity for the usual knowing lot who know their own likely turn out more! Meanwhile, the non-voter becomes an enabler or creator, towards a situation that they in fact, often grumble about prior existing! Irony indeed.
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If people want to gain greater chance of greater change, they must turn out – otherwise, yes, it will bethe same old, same old” once again. History has proved this repeatedly. We are refusing to learn from history. Opposition parties are not brothering in genuine professional serious effort, to create better turnout. Truth. Such a lack of effort helps sow more seed towards their own eventual defeat yet again. Truth.
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Someone might say “People deserve what they get, voting the same old crap in again” – and to some extent there’s part truth in that sentence – however, it must be recognised that often it’s just the same old numbers coming out (and no more) to support the ‘usual parties’ while a higher percentage of opposition party supporters just don’t turn out in equal or greater numbers – so yes, consequently the usual lot do indeed get back in…
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SIX: Social media users… Yes, this might be you or someone you know. This hard-hitting part might hit close to home. Nevertheless, it must be stated, even if I have to suffer some consequences of stating the following. Two principal factors.
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(a) Others and I often share information that standard – possible biased – media at local and national level, regular declines to further mention or investigate. On Facebook, such information is “Liked” by people, and this is much appreciated by others and me. However, not then sharing this information is definite not further helping. It’s (1) leaving people in the dark educationally, which leads to (2) another non-reinforcement regarding why it’s important that greater knowledge and subsequent action based on this greater knowledge, is more required. “Liking” is great but not “sharing” is genuinely not helping to further awareness, but also not helping to create greater action as a subsequent follow-up.

In marketing terms, there is a process called “AIDA” This breaks down to Awareness -> (leading to) Interest -> (leading to) Desire -> (leading to) Action. Getting the people to do more is that “action”, …but not even aiding the first step of greater awareness, does not later help to create a wished for, alternative better outcome.
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We could become analytical about why some people won’t share stuff – even if they strongly agree with it. Maybe they are afraid to expose themselves in some way as being greater political minded, maybe their social media look is more of a pacifist, neutral stance (pictures of meals, random lighter thoughts, cartoons, tv shows, jokes, family stuff, etc). Maybe they run a business and fear consequences of posting something political. There are many reasons why many people don’t share things – but the result of non-sharing certain items, aids to create and exacerbate the same unfortunate end result. Less chance of action/change occurring. It’s a further simple truth. Things that end with actions, always begin with some form of awareness – and if we are not each creating it, we are equally a problem to issue resolving than we are to awareness creation. So, get better sharing!

Others are making genuine efforts, show your support by helping them. In the long run, you could also be doing yourself or those you like/love a favour too, if later, greater actions are to come. A dam only overflows in action when enough is put into it, to do so.
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(b) We have a major issue care of opposition attacking one another. There is an exception to this that I will get to – but generally, we see it too often across Irish forums, Facebook posts, Twitter post and more. We – as opposition – are doing the job of those that we want to actually see the back of. We are undermining ourselves by. I can speak of this from personal experience and my prior situations are similar to many. As soon as I mentioned that I was even considering running for local election the first time, I was immediately slated on internet forum sections – from one that were local estate connected (so I would be deprived of any vote gaining opportunities there alone, to national forums on the likes of boards dot ie. I was slated as one pay being a leftwing nutter, next day and week, a right-wing nutter, an alcoholic, a druggie, a wife batter, a chronic gambler and more. Apparently, I was a dumb mother**ker and a near criminal mastermind at the same time. My home was even physical attacked multiple times. There was more but you get the gist! Many friends or family of opposition candidates, attack anyone at all that might just steal a few votes away from the person they support. Two separate people might have the same ideas or agenda – but because one might gain a few votes away from the other, even though they are ultimately on the same side, they must be attacked. The attackers are so blind, they cannot see a bigger picture. Namely, not helping to get rid of what they really want gone from local or national office.
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This is what too many people do. Rather than better spend their time analysing issues online and then formulating their own positive solutions and then putting them forward, it’s easier for them just to attack others that might deprive a close friend or family member, who the attacker feels might take votes away from the people they know that is also election running. Rather than better spend their time holding to account those that have lied in local or national office, hold them to question over matters, etc, too many people or “Trolls” instead waste their life away just attacking opposition, doing the job of the main dodgy people that we all want rid of, in the first place. We too much undermine our own opposition efforts. It’s entirely self-defeating stupidity being carried out by too many – who still gripe about bad government parties, then go off and too much attack the parties that oppose the very things they too oppose. It’s headshaking, exasperating lunacy!
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Here’s a simple truth. Very few is going to agree with everything some else says or thinks. However, we can all have timely same thoughts or want to take something in a certain particular direction. We can (and should) discuss how to go that direction in parallel with each other without unnecessarily having to undermine one another by default action, before the main source of our united ire’s further tries to finish all opposition off. A job that too many in opposition are already doing, for those they actually want to see the back of! It’s just nuts.
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Doing the just above, is self-defeating regarding our combined ultimate wish, to get rid of the real bad and try replacing the old with new and hopefully better.
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Three people are at the bottom of a staircase. Tom, Dick and Harry. Tom is the government and wants to get to the top again. Dick and Harry immediately start attacking one another before they get onto the first few steps, are wasting their own time and efforts, while Tom looking on and laughing, is then able to race ahead while the other fools are holding each other back. That is where we still are again in Ireland politics.
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I mentioned there was an exception (to opposition attacking one another). It involves the far-right mob. I’m NOT just talking about those that have genuine concerns about out of state people coming into Ireland. I’m talking about those that are largely exploiting that possible issue for their own personal political gain. These more extremists (possible racists) are cowardly attacking opposition instead of actually braver confronting the very government parties that have created situations that the extremists harp on about in exploitation for public vote gain, in the first place. It’s easier for them to cowardly attack opposition rather than actually have a go at holding to account those that have actually created the issues they say they object to, in the first place. Again, the real far-right nutters don’t get the ‘bigger picture’ about going after the real culprits. In case you still don’t know who that is? It’s those that actually do instigate government policies and then with Dail majority numbers, ram bad by-laws, legislations and Acts though! No. It’s much easier to attack those that are in a Dail minority and blame everything on them instead. It’s more utter self-defeating stupidity of the highest ranking.
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Finally, because we are so much infighting and by own stupid effort or non-effort, allowing more dodgy extremes to infect society while we distract ourselves, onlooking voters are deciding to remain voting for the ‘usual lot’ in a decision along the lines of “Better the devil you know, than the devil you don’t!” …Truth – and that too is why the same old crap is overall again seeping back in with every local, European and general election.
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CONCLUSION: To sum up, in many situations we – opposition – have become our own worst enemy. Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Labour and the Green Party are quietly laughing at the rest of because we often individually or combined, cannot get our ‘crap’ together.
* We are not doing what we should be doing. Old politic ways are alive and screaming.
* We are too much opposition infighting, instead of uniting around what we have in common.
* We are being too personally unactionable, too complacent and too unwilling to inform others more.
* We allow bad local and national media (there are good ones – The Ditch, The Village, The Phoenix, etc) to get away with too much.
* We are certainly not implementing better internal and external party procedures.
*We are still too close-minded regarding parochial voting.
* We are not doing the proper year on year, month on month, proper local conversations with voters on their door steps and streets. A short pre-election effort just once every five years just doesn’t cut it!
* We are not using social media right at all.
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Each of us, individually and collectively in opposition MUST DO FAR BETTER. Until we better start doing this, then yes, the same old lot will return in too big numbers and this we all ultimately know. History teaches this yet again this weekend.
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Jeff Rudd.
9th June 2024