[FuckingRotter]

If a party puts some thing in its manifesto and it wins a majority, then sure, it gives that party a mandate to legislate accordingly. That doesn't necessarily mean that thing is important to the people that voted for that party.

In Sinn Feins case, that mandate is tenuous because it only has a majority amongst the nationalist population, not the entire population. Of course, it could easily be the case that the DUP opposition to gay marriage is unpopular amongst the loyalists, but they are not the ones insisting that it be done.

Wiser heads would find a way, because if you take the shear bloody obstinacy of the situation out of it, gay marriage and dual language road signs are not important. Politically, Sinn Fein are making a huge mistake. They are making exactly the same mistake that forced voters away from Labour in droves, and with the benefit of hindsight they appear to be doing it purposefully, deliberately, just on a very small, unimportant point.

Personally, I'd sack the fucking lot of them. Sinn Fein, DUP, SDLP, and who ever bloody else, but apparently that can't be done. So unless they can come to their senses and realise what are the priorities of the people that put them in their positions, and who pay their wages, ie the people they serve, then there is no real alternative but direct rule and administration from either Westminster or Dublin.

Perhaps it is the case that Sinn Fein actually, quietly and unofficially, want the inevitable violence that will come with that situation?

Originally Posted by tom8517

To answer your question, given that the overwhelming majority of the nationalist population voted for Sinn Fein, running on a platform of the issues you described, then yeah,does think that.