The Shore

The Shore

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Election!

Well I was working on FB but there is just too much to say. . . too many links I want to share . . .  so many feelings. . . so much to comment on. . .  so much to worry about. . .

First, my views are NOT reflected by any of the current political parties.   I have voted NDP for 25 years, love Megan Leslie and  will be supporting the NDP in this election.   (and I ask you to do so too )

I was actually impressed by Elizabeth May in the last election,  until she indicated that she was in fact a Liberal - just another opportunist apparently with no ideology/positions to speak of,  just a desire for power.   So although the CBC - find which party you are closest to -  poll today indicated that I was a Green (seems like if you come out on the left socially and economically you end up a Green - though truly I don't think that reflects where they are on the spectrum. . . ) I think that poll was either inadvertently skewed or intentionally telling people that they are Green and not NDP to split the progressive (though many of us holding our noses either way) votes.

I don't think that there is a lot of difference between the Conservatives and the Liberals - although I do think that the Conservatives have "fascist" tendencies, and so I fear them more.  I think that they were less transparent and border on corrupt. They hate women, and immigrants, and anyone who is not an able-bodied white male.  They certainly have no respect for parliament or for process - the only things that protect us in a democracy - along with Citizen participation, of course,  which is ebbing away in every election as people believe it makes no difference which party you vote for. . .

I no longer want armed revolution (aggressive violence seems pointless to me and just results in the death of too many innocent men, women and children) but, I am not sure that it is possible to vote ourselves outside of neo-liberalism.  Even the NDP,  I think, would only be kinder/gentler neo-liberals and ideally I want a whole new system that valourizes public good, that is centred around reproducing people (in reasonable numbers) and not producing "widgets", that is truly democratic and reflects the will of the majority, but defends the rights of minority views and communities. So yea, I am a democratic socialist.

So without another option I am supporting the NDP in this election and ask you to do so. (even though they for example, continue to, too often, defend Israel - what should be a pariah state - among other things)  I ask you to vote.  In fact, I beg you.  I suggested to my oldest son one day that the country had moved right (and it was depressing me) and he said - no it hasn't,  it is just that we have lost 15% of voters in the last 10 years -- please come back. See the table below from Elections Canada and Please vote.

4 September 1984 24,343,181 16,774,941 12,638,424 75.3
21 November 1988 25,309,331 17,639,001 13,281,191 75.3
26 October 19922-3 20,400,896 13,725,966 9,855,978 71.8
25 October 1993 27,296,859 19,906,796 13,863,135 69.64
2 June 1997 27,296,859 19,663,478 13,174,698 67.0
27 November 2000 28,846,761 21,243,473 12,997,185 61.25
28 June 2004 30,007,094 22,466,621 13,683,570 60.9
23 January 2006 30,007,094 23,054,615 14,908,703 64.7
14 October 2008 31,612,897 23,677,639 13,929,093 58.8

So more on this election. . .

I believe that a coalition government is a good idea unless the NDP can actually take power.  Not impossible as LaPresse poll indicates that the NDP is now at 20% in Quebec and the Liberals at 11%!!! (Bloc 38% and Cons 23%)   I don't know why we cannot at least discuss it now and I don't know why Canadians don't like it - perhaps I should blog about how Parliament works - we elect parliament and they elect the government. Once parliament is elected the members that represent the largest party normally become the government and their leader becomes Prime Minister but in a very minority situation many permutations are possible including a "coalition government" which is common in other countires - that's what they have no win the U.K.

Harper is constantly "on" about how this is some sort of "coup" or doesn't reflect the "will of the people". . . but I think that the people should be demanding that the government of Canada be made up of the largest number of  MP's possible and not just one party. . .   that is simply not working.   Harper shows his ignorance and pettiness and meanness and small mindedness and apparently gets away with it - as he himself signed onto a coalition of this sort in 2004.

So, just in case you have not yet got the message - support the NDP - no strategic voting please!  And if you need a history lesson on why Harper is sooooooo  bad - check this out. 10 reasons to oppose the Harper government - the Harperium. . .   those with contempt for Parliament and Canadians and who care more for coporations