tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257578024925559189.post7224021297530062708..comments2023-08-03T03:59:01.255-04:00Comments on Democratic Voting Canada: Lawrence Martin just doesn’t get itRon Wallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08120060083437508997noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257578024925559189.post-82765571700382772042013-12-05T14:01:59.154-05:002013-12-05T14:01:59.154-05:00The Liberals have been leading in the polls since ...The Liberals have been leading in the polls since Trudeau became leader. It's absurd to suggest the Cons will win perpetually because of the Green party. Fact is, the Liberals won in 2004 when the Green party got more in votes (4.3%) than they got last election (3.9%.)<br /><br />The Liberals and NDP can also form the government even if the Cons win a plurality, especially if they have a majority of seats between them.<br /><br />It's unrealistic to believe the Green party can be bullied out of existence. So either build support to fix our joke of a voting system -- which idiots like Martin don't even talk about. Or get used to Cons calling the shots. Because that's the way it's going to play out, like it or not.Ron Wallerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08120060083437508997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257578024925559189.post-69420948249255821522013-12-05T07:32:30.879-05:002013-12-05T07:32:30.879-05:00To get to electoral reform, which both the Liberal...To get to electoral reform, which both the Liberals and NDP are supporting and would be to the Green Party's benefit, you have to get the Conservatives out, because they will never support it. The Green Party's current strategy is self-defeating, and that's really not debatable. Meanwhile, the Green Party gets to keep watching Harper treat the environment like a battered spouse.Ryannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257578024925559189.post-31333918879648870912013-12-04T14:06:01.340-05:002013-12-04T14:06:01.340-05:00You mean the third-place Liberal party should bow ...You mean the third-place Liberal party should bow out of the 2015 election to ensure we have "democracy"? That doesn't make a whole lot sense. <br /><br />People have the constitutional right to form parties and vote for whatever party they want. A two-party system means most voters are marginalized: like moderate conservatives in the Conservative and Republican parties; like left-leaning voters in the Liberal and Democratic parties. <br /><br />So let's deal with the real problem which is our corrupt voting system that produces the opposite of democracy by awarding absolute power to a 40% minority leaving the 60% super-majority out in the cold.Ron Wallerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08120060083437508997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257578024925559189.post-12184052868830490292013-12-04T13:39:09.078-05:002013-12-04T13:39:09.078-05:00Your argument doesn't make a whole lot of sens...Your argument doesn't make a whole lot of sense. The fact of the matter is that the election was held under the voting system we have, not a voting system we wish we had.<br /><br />Votes on third party (or lower) candidates really are wasted. In the absense of electoral reform, the green party acts to ensure a worse outcome than the people who cast their vote for it likely wish.<br /><br />Under our current system, Martin's suggestion that the green party seek to pressure particular candidates into adopting certain policies, rather than running candidates, makes sense. <br /><br />It is only after electoral reform is achieved that third and fourth party candidacies would be in any way effective.crfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10726414637021391906noreply@blogger.com