Some thoughts on the election so far....
I've had the privilege of attending several all-candidates debates.....here are some of my comments:
o Shouldn't the Green Party merge with the NDP? What exactly is the difference between the two parties?
o Why do they include the fringe candidates in many meetings? In Ottawa Centre, there have been meetings with 7 candidates. It kind of makes it hard to have any sort of meaningful debate. I'd like to stick with the top contending candidates.
o If I hear the NDP say one more time that they 're-wrote the budget', I'll throw up.
o For the National debates, shouldn't there be a 1:1 debate between Martin and Harper? Not all of them, but at least one.
o Where has all the serious debate about foreign policy gone? Even on health care, we just seem to get one-liners. We eventually have to have a serious debate about the future of health care.
o Isn't it obvious that minority parliaments will be with us for some time? If so, all the parties are going to have to start to learn how to operate in that environment. We can't have elections every 18 months.
o And, what about proportional representation? I think we need some of it....certainly if the Bloc keeps winning most of Quebec seats, it will make it obvious that we have to change our system. As soon as this election is over, let's start that national discussion.
o Hey, a winter election wasn't so bad, afterall!
o Can you believe how bad the Liberal campaign has been? They claim they are champions of minorities - yet, they just piss people off. They need some time in opposition, no?
o Let's not have one debate next election just on Quebec (or two). Maybe every election we can have 3 national debates with the major parites, 1 debate with the two top leaders, and a full debate on just one topic (like health care...or whatever). I'd like to see the leaders get more specific...and really get into an issue.
4 Comments:
Greens have a clause in their constitution banning their merging with another party. Sort of like how all those communist parties have international organizations.
Also, one Green candidate in Victoria put it as, "I have the heart of a socialist and the brain of the economist." They vehemently oppose things like the NDP's support for GM subsidies.
Also, a guy I know from Ontario - a Hayek enthusiast - pointed out that on many issues, the Ontario Greens were more right-wing than the Ontario PCs.
Hey, if the greens merge with the NDP they'll have the same support numbers that the Liberals have!
*Pleasant Chortle*
A few points...
~Considering Ottawa Center is a two way race, the Conservative candidate might well qualify as fringe. Hence, let's include the greens and be fair to all.
~The Greens for that matter are quite fiscally conservative.
~Good ideas on the debates. Can you imagine how the leaders would all squirm?:-D
~Proportional rep will never get passed in a majority government, but it is desperately needed. Either allocate seats for proportional or do single transferrable ballot.
~The Liberal campaign is based on this idea: Sure we're incompetent, but the other guys are scary! Interesting technique, non?
The Greens are more pro-business than the NDP, and are not beholden to Trade Unions as are the NDP
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