I suggest that you start a new party, use tax payer funding to further your agenda
I didn't say I don't support any parties. I volunteer time and sometimes services but rarely money.
Pick ME.
Harper Colleague says Vote Subsidy Axe is ploy to kill Liberals??
- Thread starter mentalfloss
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I didn't say I don't support any parties. I volunteer time and sometimes services but rarely money.
Pick ME.
1100 is not that uncommon to give to a union, or dentist, or a favorite sport, or a church, or.......hmmmmm......a better government.
Better government? We would have to have a party that actually cares about Canadians. The closest thing we have is the NDP and that ain't sayin' much.
I wish caring was a prerequisite for everyone that takes 1100 dollars from me. So far, most dont.
And if it is a ploy to kill the Liberals, would that be such a bad thing?
What I have been seeing in the better part of the last decade is one of the primary political parties in this nation basically dragging it's tired old carcass around. While I am not a partisan person, I do tend to be fairly centrist in my political views, so personally I'd like to see my political views more aptly represented by a national party.
The Liberals need to rebuild from the ground up and they cannot do that as long as they continue to cling to the old party.
What I have been seeing in the better part of the last decade is one of the primary political parties in this nation basically dragging it's tired old carcass around. While I am not a partisan person, I do tend to be fairly centrist in my political views, so personally I'd like to see my political views more aptly represented by a national party.
The Liberals need to rebuild from the ground up and they cannot do that as long as they continue to cling to the old party.
Yes.
The liberals are already practically destroyed - but they have enough power to climb their way back up the ranks. Except they'll have to do it the right way if they want to get anywhere. Now, who is to say if this will definitely finish them off, but assuming it did, then a two party system would be pretty crappy for us. As it stands, I'm pretty sure the same people who voted NDP would prefer to have more than one alternative to vote for.
There's no way this would finish off the Liberal Party. Too many well-connected people, they will carry on just as the Conservative Party does.
We're dealing with hypotheticals here, but I think being 'well connected' at this point might only be enough to sustain them. I think they need to do a lot of hard (real) work to convince voters to make them viable competition again for the next election.
Nope, no hard work required. Simply find a leader who can connect with the voters. Harper will do the rest.
Hehe.. well right now I think Rae is a bad choice based on the mudslinging alone. They'll need someone really charismatic to take over his spot when he finishes his interim term.
If the Liberals (or any other party for that matter) are unable to develop a core group of supporters and sustain themselves financially, why on Earth would you want the taxpayer to keep these guys on life support?
The emergence and evolution of any party must be supported by a grass roots movement that is passionate enough about the political climate to WANT to do something about it... Taxpayer-supported options is the Walmart approach to governing a nation.
They need to be on the dole in order to come up with a good platform? The Liberals haven't had difficulty raising cash in the past, no reason they can't in the future either.
Fair enough. I'm really curious to see how well they can manage in the public eye these next 4 years.
Well, hopefully during their rebuild they once again develop a platform or ideas that middle of the road folks identify with, if they do, the money should follow. They're going to have a hard time staying visible though, playing second string to the NDP.... should be interesting.
A couple things...
First the old PCs totally disintegrated after the exodus of Mulroney, split into essentially 3 parties (the Bloc, the Reform/Alliance and what was left of the PCs) and had to re-invent themselves a bit. They spent a fair bit of time in opposition, won some minorities while they went through the process, but now they are back in power with a majority. I know there are those who want to rant about right-wing views, blah blah blah, but thats what happened. If the Conservatives can do this, there really is no reason the Liberals can't too, it may just take longer than they are used to.... not that it would be a bad thing in the face of the institutional arrogance that infects the Liberal Party...
Secondly, I am among many who are disillusioned with the partisan gamemanship and bickering that have become a fixture in parliament. Some claim that its the fault of one side or the other, but it has existed since at least Trudeau was in power and the problem hasn't gotten any better and perhaps only worse. The parties don't seem to exist to serve the country as much as themselves, and their bases. Thus, as a result if they are destroyed, I won't be shedding too many tears. I'm not naive enough to believe we can go back to a pre-party form of parliament, as the English had before Confederation, but perhaps the parties can be diminished in power and more independents can be elected to represent their constituents.
Third, I don't buy a need for tax-payer funding of the parties: if people support their policies, they will write them cheques, even in small amounts, and it will add up. I think the fear of corporate ownership of the parties is paranoia, given our laws in limiting contributions. I also believe it would actually behoove the parties to learn about fiscal responsibility by managing their own budgets before we allow them to manage the countries. Maybe they will be a little more careful with the taxpayers' purse, once in office...
I'll add the standard caveats: I was born, raised and lived most of my life in Alberta, so generally speaking a Liberal (especially a federal one) is something I wouldn't pee on if I saw it burning. I also think my prejudices identify part of the problem with them, in that their brand name is extremely polarizing in some parts of the country, so how can they govern it? Its not a problem unique to them (the Conservatives and NDP have it too, to varying degrees) but they suffer the most from it.
First the old PCs totally disintegrated after the exodus of Mulroney, split into essentially 3 parties (the Bloc, the Reform/Alliance and what was left of the PCs) and had to re-invent themselves a bit. They spent a fair bit of time in opposition, won some minorities while they went through the process, but now they are back in power with a majority. I know there are those who want to rant about right-wing views, blah blah blah, but thats what happened. If the Conservatives can do this, there really is no reason the Liberals can't too, it may just take longer than they are used to.... not that it would be a bad thing in the face of the institutional arrogance that infects the Liberal Party...
Secondly, I am among many who are disillusioned with the partisan gamemanship and bickering that have become a fixture in parliament. Some claim that its the fault of one side or the other, but it has existed since at least Trudeau was in power and the problem hasn't gotten any better and perhaps only worse. The parties don't seem to exist to serve the country as much as themselves, and their bases. Thus, as a result if they are destroyed, I won't be shedding too many tears. I'm not naive enough to believe we can go back to a pre-party form of parliament, as the English had before Confederation, but perhaps the parties can be diminished in power and more independents can be elected to represent their constituents.
Third, I don't buy a need for tax-payer funding of the parties: if people support their policies, they will write them cheques, even in small amounts, and it will add up. I think the fear of corporate ownership of the parties is paranoia, given our laws in limiting contributions. I also believe it would actually behoove the parties to learn about fiscal responsibility by managing their own budgets before we allow them to manage the countries. Maybe they will be a little more careful with the taxpayers' purse, once in office...
I'll add the standard caveats: I was born, raised and lived most of my life in Alberta, so generally speaking a Liberal (especially a federal one) is something I wouldn't pee on if I saw it burning. I also think my prejudices identify part of the problem with them, in that their brand name is extremely polarizing in some parts of the country, so how can they govern it? Its not a problem unique to them (the Conservatives and NDP have it too, to varying degrees) but they suffer the most from it.
The Liberal "brand" is severely damaged.........it will be a long hard road.
John Manley said it best when he spoke of the Liberal fall being a long time coming, and their rebirth will be a long long time building....
They alienated the west, destroying their base there in the 1970s, with the NEP.
They alienated nationalist Quebecers in 1982, with the Charter that did not include them.
They alienated the rural parts of Canada with excessive gun control.
The alienated the rest of Quebec with the Adscam mess and infighting.
That left them with support in the Maritimes...........and Ontario. Simply not enough anymore. They ceased to be seen as the Natural Governing Party, and their place on the political landscape of Canada has been usurped by the Conservative Party.
Once the right united, the writing was on the wall for the Liberals.....Goodbye! Cutting the subsidy is kinda like putting down your very sick dog.....an act of mercy. Now the Libs will actually have to attract real membership and support to re-build.....
I WANT the Liberals to come back. I do not like single party hegemony, I need an alternative to vote for when (not if) the rot sets into the CPC, and I will not vote for the idiot socialist Quebecois butt-kisser party.
John Manley said it best when he spoke of the Liberal fall being a long time coming, and their rebirth will be a long long time building....
They alienated the west, destroying their base there in the 1970s, with the NEP.
They alienated nationalist Quebecers in 1982, with the Charter that did not include them.
They alienated the rural parts of Canada with excessive gun control.
The alienated the rest of Quebec with the Adscam mess and infighting.
That left them with support in the Maritimes...........and Ontario. Simply not enough anymore. They ceased to be seen as the Natural Governing Party, and their place on the political landscape of Canada has been usurped by the Conservative Party.
Once the right united, the writing was on the wall for the Liberals.....Goodbye! Cutting the subsidy is kinda like putting down your very sick dog.....an act of mercy. Now the Libs will actually have to attract real membership and support to re-build.....
I WANT the Liberals to come back. I do not like single party hegemony, I need an alternative to vote for when (not if) the rot sets into the CPC, and I will not vote for the idiot socialist Quebecois butt-kisser party.
Another idea would be to simply totally delegalize political parties. I'm not saying ban them, but merely do not recognize them at all in law anymore. This would mean:
1. No more party names on ballots.
2. No more tax-deductions for party funding.
In fact, since parties would no longer exist in law, it would be difficult for them to borrow money. After all, who'd want to lend money to a non-existent entity? Also, people would be more hesitant to give any money to political parties seeing that since the party does not actually exist in law, technically you're just giving the money to an individual who happens to be a member of the party.
Of course this would also mean no more party recognition in Parliament either.
Again, we wouldn't be criminalizing parties, but merely no longer recognizing their existence i law at all. This would mean that for all political intents, they would be powerless.
1. No more party names on ballots.
2. No more tax-deductions for party funding.
In fact, since parties would no longer exist in law, it would be difficult for them to borrow money. After all, who'd want to lend money to a non-existent entity? Also, people would be more hesitant to give any money to political parties seeing that since the party does not actually exist in law, technically you're just giving the money to an individual who happens to be a member of the party.
Of course this would also mean no more party recognition in Parliament either.
Again, we wouldn't be criminalizing parties, but merely no longer recognizing their existence i law at all. This would mean that for all political intents, they would be powerless.