Liberals Preparing For A Summer Election

[Machjo]

I'd be curious to know how many non-voters stay home just because they're turned off by the partisanship?

After all, if we should look at it from a cultural perspective, those who are raised to 'be nice' are likely to be quite turned off by partisan politics, and as a result, lower their respect for the whole electoral process.

I'm not saying I know the answer. But if would be something worth looking into.

 

[Cannuck]

Sure they did JLM, but the point is, conservatives should be in the majority territory by now if they were any good at all. That is what normally happens, after one party has been in power for a long time, the other party comes in with a majority and usually gets at least two or three majorities in a row.

That's an overly simplistic view of the political landscape. The only reason the Liberals have had a majority in the last twenty years is because of the fractured vote on the so-called right. Neither the Liberals or the Conservatives have it in them to form a majority government. The have to sit back and hope one of the other parties self destructs in order to have a chance at that prize.

 

[Machjo]

That's an overly simplistic view of the political landscape. The only reason the Liberals have had a majority in the last twenty years is because of the fractured vote on the so-called right. Neither the Liberals or the Conservatives have it in them to form a majority government. The have to sit back and hope one of the other parties self destructs in order to have a chance at that prize.

A multiparty system at least brings us one step closer to a non-artisan one I suppose. Or does it? Well, anyway, it at least helps to keep their powers somewhat in check.

 

[Ron in Regina]

After this next confidence motion, assuming that Mr. Ignatius decides
that siding with the Conservatives is in the best interests of Canada,
while the NDP & Bloc vote against the Conservatives (just my guess),
that would make 70-what confidence motions since the Conservatives
came to power the Liberal Party sided with the Conservatives???

 

[Goober]

After this next confidence motion, assuming that Mr. Ignatius decides
that siding with the Conservatives is in the best interests of Canada,
while the NDP & Bloc vote against the Conservatives (just my guess),
that would make 70-what confidence motions since the Conservatives
came to power the Liberal Party sided with the Conservatives???

Ron
Another Liberal record – that along with broken promises and a 360 hr work qualification for EI, criticizing a plan that the Liberals implemented – a Leader that refers to himself in the NY Times –“As we Americans” should play well in Peoria. Sadly Peoria is in the States -

 

[SirJosephPorter]

I'd be curious to know how many non-voters stay home just because they're turned off by the partisanship?

After all, if we should look at it from a cultural perspective, those who are raised to 'be nice' are likely to be quite turned off by partisan politics, and as a result, lower their respect for the whole electoral process.

I'm not saying I know the answer. But if would be something worth looking into.

Machjo, I for one have never missed a vote. I even voted in Britain, when I lived there. In the 80s, Commonwealth citizens were permitted to vote in British elections, I don’t know how it is now.

I always used to vote Liberal or Social Democratic Party (both were the parties of centre there, Tories being the party of the right and Labour the party of the left). I think now the two parties have merged into Liberal Democratic Party.

 

[Machjo]

Machjo, I for one have never missed a vote. I even voted in Britain, when I lived there. In the 80s, Commonwealth citizens were permitted to vote in British elections, I don’t know how it is now.

I always used to vote Liberal or Social Democratic Party (both were the parties of centre there, Tories being the party of the right and Labour the party of the left). I think now the two parties have merged into Liberal Democratic Party.

We can't deny though that voter turnout has dropped significantly over the years. Even I naded in a blank ballot last election in part because I was sick of th epartisanship. I still don't know if I did the right thing, but I can certainly understand how many could be turned off by the whole process. I really would love to see a study on this if one hasn't been done yet.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

I don’t’ know about the others, Machjo, but I certainly take my duty to vote seriously.

 

[Machjo]

I don’t’ know about the others, Machjo, but I certainly take my duty to vote seriously.

So how do we explain the drop over the last decades?

Even those who do vote don't take it seriously. They vote for the most handsome candidate, or the one belonging to a party the colour of which they like, or of the party their parents always supported, etc. What kind of democracy is that, and how do we solve this? Elections aren't a fashion contest, or at least shoudln't be.

 

[L Gilbert]

This one votes seriously.

 

[Machjo]

This one votes seriously.

I wasn't really referring to the ones in this thread or even forum, but more to society at large. I'm wondering how much partisan politics is killing the system like a toxin. I dont know the answer, but I would love to see a study if one were done.

 

[L Gilbert]

Slow death, IMO. I wish people would can the either/or, my MP can p*ss farther than yours crap and think. Cooperation goes a lot farther and does a lot more constructively than the BS we've had.

 

[Ron in Regina]

Going back to the Thread title, about the Liberals preparing for a Summer
election. The Conservatives have been running Ads for weeks now so
they're preparing for something.

The Real question here, with the Seat numbers sitting where they currently
do, is "What are the NDP & Bloc (& Greens, I suppose) preparing for, if for
anything at all?"

The Liberal Party of Canada can prepare for an election, but they can't bring
one upon the Canadian voters without the Bloc & NDP also voting with the
Liberals to bring down the Conservatives. This isn't the Fall of 2008 anymore,
with Dion in the Hot Seat of the Liberal Party.

Can anyone honestly envision the NDP & Bloc siding with the Liberal's at this
time to bring another election anytime soon? If not, what would it take for the
Bloc & NDP to side with the Liberal's...and would whatever that takes be in
the best interests of the country?

This tells me that the NDP will not want an Election any time soon:
This also tells me that the Conservatives will not want an Election any time soon:

This tells me that the Bloc will not want an Election any time soon:

This tells me that without the NDP and the Bloc's support, the
Liberals won't be seeing an election any time soon:

The above together tells me that it wouldn't be wise to hold your
breath waiting for an election to be called in the next week.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

Why would be the Bloc against a summer election, Ron? According to the poll put up by you, Bloc seem to be doing quite well in Quebec. My guess is that the Bloc doesn’t care if we have a summer election or not. If Liberals do try to bring down the government, the Bloc probably would support the effort (they really wouldn’t want to bee seen siding with Conservatives, not in Quebec).

As to NDP, if Harper stays in power because of NDP’s support it is going to look very bad for NDP, in the eyes of its own supporters. But I suspect if the Liberals decide to bring down the government they will consult the other opposition parties and act in concert with them. If there is a no confidence motion, I expect all three opposition parties will support it.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

I wasn't really referring to the ones in this thread or even forum, but more to society at large. I'm wondering how much partisan politics is killing the system like a toxin. I dont know the answer, but I would love to see a study if one were done.

There cannot be any democracy without partisan politics, without political parties. There are many different Democratic models in the world, can you think of any which is not based upon political parties?

Political parties, with their money, resources and organization, can influence the debate nationwide. They have the ability to elect representatives from all the parts of the nation and get things done. Hundreds of independents, acting separately cannot accomplish that, however well intentioned.

It is similar to an army. An army needs an organization, a general, a chain of command. If thousands of soldiers decide to fight independently of each other, they cannot hope to accomplish anything, no matter how brave they may be.

 

[JLM]

Why would be the Bloc against a summer election, Ron? According to the poll put up by you, Bloc seem to be doing quite well in Quebec. My guess is that the Bloc doesn’t care if we have a summer election or not. If Liberals do try to bring down the government, the Bloc probably would support the effort (they really wouldn’t want to bee seen siding with Conservatives, not in Quebec).

As to NDP, if Harper stays in power because of NDP’s support it is going to look very bad for NDP, in the eyes of its own supporters. But I suspect if the Liberals decide to bring down the government they will consult the other opposition parties and act in concert with them. If there is a no confidence motion, I expect all three opposition parties will support it.

It would make a lot more sense to wait until at least spring 2010 to have an election, hopefully the political turmoil will settle down, the economy will have changed one way or the other and it give give the taxpayers some breathing room to raise the $300 million. Actually Fall of 2010 would be even better.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

Actually Fall of 2010 would be even better.

Perhaps, JLM. But politics is all about winning elections. If Liberals continue to lead in the opinion polls (and perhaps even increase their lead) and if the other opposition parties are agreeable, it is quite possible that Liberals may pull the trigger in the summer. It all depends upon how the opinion polls go.

 

[Cannuck]

Why would be the Bloc against a summer election, Ron? According to the poll put up by you, Bloc seem to be doing quite well in Quebec. My guess is that the Bloc doesn’t care if we have a summer election or not.

Yes, I'm sure the Bloc would love the added expense of an election when they have little, if anything, to gain.

In order for the Bloc to support an election, they must see an opportunity to gain a significant number of seats. The numbers don't show that as likely.

 

[#juan]

The Liberals continue to climb and depending which pollster you choose, they are leading with 36 percent of decided voters while the tories are sitting at 30 percent. Another factor is the upcoming Conservative economic report which will show the added debt, thought to be close to a hundred billion dollars and I don't imagine that will do them any good at the polls. A fall election seems like a pretty good bet

 

[Kakato]

I am anxious to hear all about the liberal's secret platform that will magically transform this global recession into another boom.

To date, all I've heard from Iggy is that EI should be altered to allow those that have worked 45 days to qualify for full EI benefits and that the libs are furious with Harper as he hasn't spent enough to ward-off the recession.

I'm totally against an election right now but if it happens I will scrap my bussiness,go hourly and go on EI because thats all that will be available for me and others and if you only have to work 45 days then I can just imagine how many will be on it.

Sure would be nice if the partys actually were doing something for the country instead of just focusing on staying in power at all costs.
The attacks from all sides are getting so childish now that it's hard to take any politician seriously anymore.
The libs lost,they should get over it and lets get down to getting the country back in shape,then next year they can run an election on how we are doing under the cons.