Alberta Politics Thread v2

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Sitting at home and not voting as a protest or lack of interest is worse IMO. There are people in this world who would give anything to have that privilege in a legitimate democracy. Not voting is the very definition of "first world problem".

Freedom of choice includes the freedom not to choose.

Mandatory voting is the very definition of "draconian".

[Luder]

I wish Brian Jean won the UCP leadership *sigh*

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Kids can’t attend a rally/announcement because they can’t vote? What?

If you're bringing your kid to a rally to teach them what politics is all about, or simply because you're going and you have them with you, fine. If you're bringing them to deliberately use them for your political ends, I kind of think you've made a poor parenting decision.

Elementary-school aged kids being used as political props has always ground my gears, ever since I saw a few of them standing around holding signs at a pro-life rally outside an abortion clinic. Obviously this isn't quite as jarring as that, but it's still pretty scummy as far as I'm concerned. Those kids do not have political opinions, they cannot make an informed decision about any of this, so don't enlist them as scenery for your photo-op.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

At least kissing babies is mostly an American thing.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

not a good picture.

why are kids front and center at an announcement?

What? Why not? what a strange comment.

[Ozy_Flame]

Ha! Just because you can doesn't mean you should. You are lucky to be in a country with such democratic principles and respect for your rights. All that is required to is to show up every four years and cast a vote. Maybe treat that privilege with a little respect. It's not that hard.

[Resolute 14]

lol @ fighting over the fact that politicians use their kids as props.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by transplant99

The UCP would like Kenney to do the same pose, but he we would most likely eat them... haha

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by Wiggum_PI

The Left voted to get rid of the PCs and Stephen Harper the last two elections, so its time to balance that out this time around.

Why is it acceptable to vote to get rid of right wing politicians but not left wing ones?

It's not ok in any circumstance.....where exactly are you getting that from? I didn't suggest that in any way, shape or form.

The problem in our system now is that too many people put too much weight on the "vote for your party" or "get this party out" way of thinking. I voted liberal in the last federal election simply because in listening to my candidates, that specific one made the most sense to me. Looking only at the party leader as the sole reason for your vote is not what our current system is supposed to be about and is a irresponsible way to wield your vote imo.

If the majority of people are now making their minds up before taking the time to listen and educate themselves, it will only mean this province will be doomed for years to come.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

If you're bringing your kid to a rally to teach them what politics is all about, or simply because you're going and you have them with you, fine. If you're bringing them to deliberately use them for your political ends, I kind of think you've made a poor parenting decision.

Elementary-school aged kids being used as political props has always ground my gears, ever since I saw a few of them standing around holding signs at a pro-life rally outside an abortion clinic. Obviously this isn't quite as jarring as that, but it's still pretty scummy as far as I'm concerned. Those kids do not have political opinions, they cannot make an informed decision about any of this, so don't enlist them as scenery for your photo-op.

I agree with all of this, but again: it literally happens every single time. American politics, Canadian politics, kids that can’t even vote holding signs is older than sliced bread.

Asking why kids are at this specific one, or suggesting “I don’t take any rally/announcement with kids at it seriously!” is kind of bonkers considering how overwhelming common it is. Not that it should be common, but it is, so pretending it’s somehow unique is pretty transparent.

Or maybe Girly was “just asking questions” again. Who knows.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

cause they cant vote?

i don't take anything seriously if kids are there, protests, rallies, announcements.

There is no voting at protests and rallies is there?

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Ha! Just because you can doesn't mean you should. You are lucky to be in a country with such democratic principles and respect for your rights. All that is required to is to show up every four years and cast a vote. Maybe treat that privilege with a little respect. It's not that hard.

"Respect means doing what I say".

Now we're moving from draconian into authoritarian.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

It's not ok in any circumstance.....where exactly are you getting that from? I didn't suggest that in any way, shape or form.

The problem in our system now is that too many people put too much weight on the "vote for your party" or "get this party out" way of thinking. I voted liberal in the last federal election simply because in listening to my candidates, that specific one made the most sense to me. Looking only at the party leader as the sole reason for your vote is not what our current system is supposed to be about and is a irresponsible way to wield your vote imo.

If the majority of people are now making their minds up before taking the time to listen and educate themselves, it will only mean this province will be doomed for years to come.

When candidates are free to do what they want then you have a point. Until then its voting for the party you most align with unfortunately.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

"Respect means doing what I say".

Now we're moving from draconian into authoritarian.

No, now you’re twisting his words.

People who live in a democracy do not always understand or realise how very very lucky they are. We take it for granted. If everyone understood how important it was or actually respected the value of democracy, everyone would vote.

Pretty plain and simple. I don’t see Ozy advocating for forced voting, simply that it’s pretty embarrassing to have so little respect for democracy that you don’t even bother engaging in it.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Slava

Send them to the advance polls for sure. They run for five days and you can vote at any of them this time around. You don't have to go to a specific polling station.

The City had an advance polling station at UCalgary for the Olympic plebecite, I'm hoping Elections Alberta does the same for this election. Makes is very easy for students to vote (and staff for that matter).

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I agree with all of this, but again: it literally happens every single time. American politics, Canadian politics, kids that can’t even vote holding signs is older than sliced bread.

It can still grind peoples' gears, and when someone posts a photo in the Alberta Politics thread that raises those particular hackles, it's not crazy to expect people to point at it and say "well that's pretty obnoxious". Why this specific time? Probably because it was there to be commented on.

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

"Respect means doing what I say".

Now we're moving from draconian into authoritarian.

In general, okay, but who is the voter who makes a legitimate and informed decision to refuse to vote in this election? What are their values and politics?

I just don't understand the decision not to vote in this election where the AP is running so many candidates. That, it seems to me, would be the obvious protest vote for nearly anyone who can't bring themselves to vote for one of the big two.

I guess there are going to be some people who will say that the AP just doesn't represent anything they stand for, but you'd expect that those people are either a) going to be voting NDP because they're on the left, or b) really socially right-wing, in which case I don't know that they were holding their nose voting for the UCP in the first place, were they?

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Weitz

When candidates are free to do what they want then you have a point. Until then its voting for the party you most align with unfortunately.

And how do you think that change would ever occur, if not coming from the electorate?

Voting on party lines is a choice, not a requirement. The more people realise that and act on it, the more things are likely to improve.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

And how do you think that change would ever occur, if not coming from the electorate?

Voting on party lines is a choice, not a requirement. The more people realise that and act on it, the more things are likely to improve.

It's also not mutually exclusive. At least federally, the factors influencing my voting decision are, in descending order of importance, the quality of the MP first, the party platform second, the quality of the leader last, with any other factors (e.g. SNC Lavalin, previous broken promises or trustworthiness, etc) being appropriately weighted in the circumstances.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by Weitz

When candidates are free to do what they want then you have a point. Until then its voting for the party you most align with unfortunately.

Which is exactly why you educate yourself and choose people that are actually going to fight for you and your constituents to make real change happen. The big negative things are the ones that make headlines, but there are countless ways MPs and MLAs can effectively serve their communities beyond voting for a carbon tax or not.

When good old Jim Prentice jumped ship on my riding merely weeks after being elected last time around, it spoke volumes to the kind of guy he was. Pretty sad that he was prepared to lead the province for 4 years, but couldn't hack doing some actual political work and show he gave a damn about the people he had weeks before convinced he was dedicated to representing.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

There is no voting at protests and rallies is there?

Yeah but that's dumb too.

When I was little my parents went to a lot of rallies.
I was absolutely not allowed to go.