None of the Above?
So, if Angus Reid were to call me today, and ask, "If a federal election were held today, which party would you vote for?", the interviewer would be faced with a long pause, followed by "None of the Above?"
"So, you are undecided?"
"No, I am decided, and I don't want to vote for any of the federal parties."
Having been a loyal federal Liberal all my voting life, I nevertheless find myself unable to vote for any party led by Stephane Dion. He was elected as an agent of change and principle by the Liberal youth vote, and his first change was to remove the spine from the federal Liberal party. His decisions to vote up or down a bill is not based on whether or not the bill would forward Liberal principles, but only on whether or not he thinks (at that very moment) the Liberal party can win the next election. By abstaining, the Liberals are allowing laws to pass that they don't feel are good laws. So much for being a man of principle. At this point, the federal Liberal platform is meaningless because they aren't willing to advance with any sort of seriousness for fear they might have to face the voters.
My next option is to vote Conservative. At the provincial level, I have voted PC for at least the last two elections, because Dalton has done nothing to convince me that he isn't a typical lying, evasive politician. John Tory at least seems willing to work with the governnment to pass legislation that he feels are good for Ontarians (such as the TTC back to work order). (I know, I know, they voted for their pay raise, but at least they voted on principle, even if it means pissing the voters off).
But Stephen Harper is a different type of conservative. He advocates accountability, but limits the press' ability to ask questions to his MPs and staff. He advocates transparency of government, but even the auditor general feels that his new laws in this area would hide things like Ad-Scam due to the numerous new loopholes it creates. And boy, does he love loopholes. Just look at the "In-and-out" scandal. The official position is, "We didn't do anything wrong because we interpreted election law differently". Wow.
I can't bring myself to vote for any political party, at any level, led by Jack Layton. I danced the Lotto 6/49 Happy Dance when Olivia Chow lost in Spadina Centre.
Greens? Maybe, but voting for a one issue party is bound to bring nasty surprises.
So, to summarize:
Liberals - not willing to stand up for their principles
Conservatives - lives too much by the "do what I say, not what I do" principle
NDP - ABJ (anyone but Jack)
Greens - a party where everyone wants to be the environment minister doesn't make a good government
"So, you are undecided?"
"No, I am decided, and I don't want to vote for any of the federal parties."
Having been a loyal federal Liberal all my voting life, I nevertheless find myself unable to vote for any party led by Stephane Dion. He was elected as an agent of change and principle by the Liberal youth vote, and his first change was to remove the spine from the federal Liberal party. His decisions to vote up or down a bill is not based on whether or not the bill would forward Liberal principles, but only on whether or not he thinks (at that very moment) the Liberal party can win the next election. By abstaining, the Liberals are allowing laws to pass that they don't feel are good laws. So much for being a man of principle. At this point, the federal Liberal platform is meaningless because they aren't willing to advance with any sort of seriousness for fear they might have to face the voters.
My next option is to vote Conservative. At the provincial level, I have voted PC for at least the last two elections, because Dalton has done nothing to convince me that he isn't a typical lying, evasive politician. John Tory at least seems willing to work with the governnment to pass legislation that he feels are good for Ontarians (such as the TTC back to work order). (I know, I know, they voted for their pay raise, but at least they voted on principle, even if it means pissing the voters off).
But Stephen Harper is a different type of conservative. He advocates accountability, but limits the press' ability to ask questions to his MPs and staff. He advocates transparency of government, but even the auditor general feels that his new laws in this area would hide things like Ad-Scam due to the numerous new loopholes it creates. And boy, does he love loopholes. Just look at the "In-and-out" scandal. The official position is, "We didn't do anything wrong because we interpreted election law differently". Wow.
I can't bring myself to vote for any political party, at any level, led by Jack Layton. I danced the Lotto 6/49 Happy Dance when Olivia Chow lost in Spadina Centre.
Greens? Maybe, but voting for a one issue party is bound to bring nasty surprises.
So, to summarize:
Liberals - not willing to stand up for their principles
Conservatives - lives too much by the "do what I say, not what I do" principle
NDP - ABJ (anyone but Jack)
Greens - a party where everyone wants to be the environment minister doesn't make a good government
posted by Frank Yao | 11:27:00 AM
2 Comments on "None of the Above?":
Always seems like being principled in (Canadian?) politics is inverse to competence.
That's why I never used to vote. Didn't want to help legitimate any politician I knew of.
But lately I rather like federal minority governance. Seems a bit more genuinely representative and less arrogant that way. When lack of confidence can really turn the political tables.
And that might just be a plus for the Canadian parliamentary system, no? In the States, the political table's almost set in stone once you win. However slight the margin. While in Italy, say -- good luck getting a table :-)
"But lately I rather like federal minority governance. Seems a bit more genuinely representative and less arrogant that way. When lack of confidence can really turn the political tables"
That would only be true if THE opposition party was focused on trying to use the minority government to push their agenda, to demonstrate to Canadians that they are the better choice. However, in act after act of cowardice, we see that the federal Liberals are more interested in whether or not they can win the election their principles might cause.
I hate to say it, but Jack Layton is right. The Liberal rhetoric and Liberal action don't match. There's nothing genuinely representative about the federal Liberals when I get letters from my MP telling me how bad the new immigration law is, and then they allow the measure to pass.
How can I vote for any political party that demonstrates on confidence motion after confidence motion that it lacks any of the integrity required to run a country?
It's time for Mr. Dion to show that he and his party have the strength and vision to stand up for their principles. Otherwise, they are just Mr. Harper's lap dogs. They are just telling me that they have no real alternatives that they feel they can win an election with.
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