Question about Harper's honesty.

[pegger]

You see, this is the problem with strategic voting. If the Conservatives cheat, you vote Liberal, and if the Liberals cheat, you vote Conservative. Many are like you, and the Liberals and conservatives aren't stupid. They know that as long as people vote strategically, all they have to do is wait awhile before the pendulum swings their way again, no sweat off their backs. What we have to do is stop voting for the party and start voting for the candidate. If we do that, then we're making things less certain for all parties, keeping them on their toes. After all, if a candidate knows that you voted for him based on his personal character, then he'll know that if he wants your vote come next election, he'd better vote on his principles and not along party lines. Once that happens, party strength diminishes. In addition to this, if you're voting for the candidate rather than the party, then even an independent candidate stands a chance. At that point, the party system collapses and MP's have no more choice but to all stay on their toes.

But as long as we keep voting in a Liberal/Conservative seesaw fashion, they'll just keep laughing in our faces... and rightly so. We deserve it. We get the government we deserve.

Ideally you would be correct. However it does not take into account the majority of people that don't bother to educate themselves at election time, or that vote partisan-ly every election.

The fact is that "party politics" has corrupted the system the entire way through. Our system is so flawed at the moment, that short of revolution, I don't see what else I can do to register my digust with the PM.

 

[Machjo]

Ideally you would be correct. However it does not take into account the majority of people that don't bother to educate themselves at election time, or that vote partisan-ly every election.

The fact is that "party politics" has corrupted the system the entire way through. Our system is so flawed at the moment, that short of revolution, I don't see what else I can do to register my digust with the PM.

If you vote strategically, pegger, then you're part of the problem too. I've always voted for the candidate and I always will, even if I know from the outset that he'll lose. I vote on principle and that's that. No strategy can win my vote. So are you willing to join the ranks or continue to contribute to the problem, pegger?

 

[Machjo]

I'll add to that that I don't even care what his party affiliation is. An independent candidate stands just as much of a chance as any to get my vote if he has the right character.

 

[Machjo]

Come election time, I'll generally e-mail every local candidate whose email I can find asking him questions on matters that interest me. if he just gives me the party line, then I know he's just a yes man and move on. I want to read something, some new idea or imaginary or unique solution to a problem that hasn't been tried before, that's uniquely his. I want to see if he's a team player but can still think outside of the box, and what his ideal world would look like, etc.

He can't hide behind a party's brand name with me. I'll suss him out. That's the reason I voted none of the above last election. They were all a bunch of party yes-men. Some had good ideas, but they weren't their own, just the party's. I want the candidate's idea. i want to know that something is ticking between his friggin ears.

 

[Machjo]

For any promise a candidate makes, I also ask how he's going to achieve it, and any problems he might see with it and alternatives solutions, does he have a plan B, etc.

 

[pegger]

I will join you - the second Harper is no longer leader of the CPC. Until then I can't risk it.