Quote:
Originally posted by Bend it like Bourgeois@May 17 2005, 06:29 PM
Here's why: we already have a country so politcally tuned-out and jaded that a party literally stole - and then covered it up - and by and large people don't care.
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I disagree. I think people really care about the scandal. But that doesn't mean someone will change their votes to a party that has opposite beliefs to their own. It seems like some Conservative supporters believe the Liberals should automatically be voted out. That would be fine if there was an alternative party that could appeal as widely. But there isn't. NDP is a niche party, BLOC is a niche party and the Conservatives are a niche party.
I think you have to point the finger straight at the Conservative party if the Liberals are voted back in. Why? Because their platform is a niche platform, a minority platform. If they seriously wanted to be in power they should have dropped some of their unpopular socially conservative policies and ran on issues that the majority of Canadians could get behind and support.
IMO people really care about the scandal. IMO the majority would love to punish them and vote them out. However if there is no better alternative then you can't fault them for not doing so. And I don't.
As you know full well I think our current electoral system is part of the problem. First past the post not only keeps the Liberals as strong as they are but it concentrates their power in the most populous region of the country. They are overrepresented in Ontario because of our electoral system and underrepresented in most other places. NDP should be more powerful than it is.
IMO if people are unhappy about corruption then they should be looking for electoral reform. It makes it easier to punish the big parties for misbehaving. I hope we concentrate on that instead of talking about western separation.