[belsarius]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

It's not like Nenshi is some centre-right Biden equivalent with baggage/murderous intent; he's always been a centre-left pragmatist with strong cache in the province.

A Nenshi-led NDP isn't going to dramatically change the focus and stances of the party provincially, but it certainly will get more done.

Being a giant baby (not you, Team Ganley) who cares more about purity testing than actually viably forming government is disappointing at best and hilariously self-defeating at worst.

That's true, but I already think the focus and stance of the party has changed dramatically since 2015. There has been a lot of giving up on ideals to appease the masses. There has been backing down on stances and a very real shift towards conservative politics. Nenshi won't make a big tip, but it will be another gradual shift. You add that to an identity change, then you aren't asking if the ANDP will beat the UCP, you are wanting a totally different party instead.

Originally Posted by Canadianman

I understand this mentality, but it would result in the UCP continuing to win elections.


I guess you will have to decide what is more important to you.

This is the mindset that worries me. It is exactly how the Reform party gained power, how the Wildrose gained power and how the Tea Party gained power. People willing to suspend their own beliefs and ideals just to win.

I get what you are saying, but if the UCP was so terrible for Alberta, then a majority of Albertans would go against them, even if it was a new PC type party... which is what it seems like what is trying to happen to the NDP.

I'm judging the system itself who put us in this position to have to vote for someone to represent us, who doesn't actually represent us, because its better than the one alternative.

Originally Posted by Locke

I understand and appreciate your concerns, but heres another issue.

I couldnt pick Ganley out of a Police Lineup.

I know exactly who Naheed Nenshi is and what he stands for and have actually voted for him civically in the past.

Who do you think is going to haul the Team over the hump?

Who is going to win Calgary?

Absolutely all true. But at what point do you say, this isn't the same party anymore, this is something completely different. I feel like a PC supporter when Kenney came to power. He sold the party off to the Wildrose to win an election because of how dangerous the NDP were to Alberta.

Now the NDP supporters are being asked to do the exact same thing for the exact same reason. I don't want to support a party who will win an election but only represent me in a very small way. Its the same as asking me to vote for the Liberals federally, no I really don't agree with much they do, but its better than the alternative.

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

So you'd prefer the UCP stay in power indefinitely just so you can feel a bit better about who you vote for? An NDP purity test is more important than fixing the UCP destruction being wrought on our province?

I believe Democracy is voting for someone who will represent your interests. FPTP has taken that away and perverted it into an all or nothing game. And what that has done, is taken the party I support and forced it to change to win, not because the base supporters believe in it.

If the UCP were that bad, then people will vote them out. The province needs a centre-right option back. I just don't like that it is sacrificing my party to do it. I feel as abandoned as a voter, and its even worse than not having a party to vote for, its having that party then having it ripped away.

Originally Posted by nik-

political hipsters don't want their favourite band to become popular

You don't have to be a hipster to not like your band selling out, even if it is for a good cause.


I get it, the UCP are bad, like Republican party bad, for this province (in my opinion). But what I am seeing in the discussions is not just how can the NDP beat the UCP, they've already shown they can't. The discussion is now:

- Change the name
- Change the colours
- Change the leader
- Change the focus

This isn't making the NDP more popular to get more votes, it is replacing the NDP with a bigger tent party.

So yes, I understand all of the points, and they are damned good ones, and pragmatically they make sense if the end goal is simply to oust the UCP. I just wanted to interject into the conversation a perspective of someone who is a full lefty, who supports the NDP, both in Alberta and Federally, and how all the talk of changing the party reflects on me.