madmax

I have seen many well intentioned Conservative policies meant to help people, end up being a total flop. I have seen many social experiments be a total flop. If you don't try, you won't always know. Some are obvious, and some Conservative policies are hate driven or marketed by tromping on the poor and downtrodden. Fact is, the number of working poor using food banks has risen to never before seen levels and it is going to increase dramatically. Eventually the problem, like future unemployment levels and the lack of available opportunity for skilled workforce will no longer be able to be hidden with spin, and hiding behind globablization talk. We are about to have the largest pool of middle class enter the lower class regions not seen since the depression. The fact that even today, most middle class people believe it won't be them, put there faith in Conservative policies that can and will hurt them in the long run should there be a downturn. Many of these Conservative policies were adopted by the Liberals and still supported by Liberals. Funding the Green Party with $1.95 or the Liberals or the Cons isn't going to change the above facts, nor are these parties considered the social conscious to stand up for the poor. The NDP has stood up for the poor and they have done it without the $1.95 handout. However, many Conservative/Liberal/Green activists will boldly state that NDP economic policies put people out of work. I guess George Bush is a Socialist, as he is been effectiving in showing Americans the unemployment line. His fiscal policies have also put the nation near bankruptcy. Harper has blown a massive surplus. Nobody knows where it went. Its just gone. He is showing charity towards banks.... you have to start somewhere. Mulroney was a total failure when it came to deficits, and unemployment. Yet Harper is on the way to surpassing Mulroney and apparently Trudeau as unemployment has hit its highest level since 1982. Yet many of those job loses were layoffs with return dates. It was not unusual for factories to shutdown for months and reopen when things pick up. Since the Mulroney era, the practice has been to close down operations and relocate. The attrition has taken on a rapid pace, and the tidal waves are yet to come in. So, if you really think that $1.95 is really that important to political parties. I would like to hear them deal with the massive failure of government, yes this Harper government, who is also collecting $1.95/vote. I don't hear the NDP on this either.

Harper has a way with words. No it didn't go over well. What made no sense is why he said it in such a provocative manner. That is what caught the medias attention. Once it spread, Artists of all stripes took it personally. Politics doesn't have to make sense. Recently I have seen entire election campaigns based around a shell game. Avoid the real issues, make a bogey man, after the election put the bogey man in the closet, and bring him out again, and stir.

I thought his hair was painted on?

What I don't like about this, is that it is like the .... Stephan Harper said, Stephen Harper said, Stephen Harper said, adds that the LPC used to run. Feels like running to mommy, which is something that Harper does, not says. I also don't believe that Stephen Harper is a flake. I believe he is disconnected in a different way then Ignatieff or Dion. One of the more troubling recent statements from Harper was that he said, he didn't think that a company relocate a whole industrial operation outside of Canada. I didn't think he was a flake. I thought of alot of things, but flake didn't come to mind.

Nice to have the freedom to vote again. NEWSFLASH: NOs take the lead.....

Sorry Mr. Canada, that you showed up late to the party, but the invite has been since the poll thread started. Alta4ever and myself have been discussing public funding of political parties since November the 6th. I was wondering how many people shared our perspective, and Alta4ever made this poll. I was using the term political party welfare for sometime. Perhaps it isn't that I am feeling rational today that you find yourself liking one of my posts...... what if today was the day you were rational Scary thought Who knows now, the poll numbers are moving up up up. Maybe there will be 86 votes here to..... I figure you just voted. Please send alta4ever $1.95

One thing I can always count on blueblood. I know exactly where you stand and it always passes the acid test and BS detector whether people like it or not. You are consistent in your views on Quebec. Personally, I think Dumont can bring the CPC one seat (his). Maybe some credibility, but not necessarily so. He could be the guy to shore up the loss of any potential Quebec seats should their be an election.

I can only judge your comments based upon the "scream factor" when the public funding cuts were announced. The LPC treated it like certain death. The Green Party screamed, but were hard to hear over their screaming, or was it asking for a Senate seat..well, and the BQ would lose ALOT of money, they don't need. I think the NDP bought into the change, because it provided them extra revenues above and beyond their regular fundraising, and they could always use more. The CPC have so much money, they can't spend it all. They don't need more. The NDP might be pissed at the Tories for not being upfront about the change, prior to the September election. A political party spends whatever it can get its hands on, and the NDP has been economical in doing with less since their creation. The CPC would lose the most, but they can afford the hit. The LPC were broke and still are, the GP don't have money unless its given to them by government, and the NDP sounds like they borrowed on the expectation of the current fundraising policy. August is correct. The $1.95 helps people that have no organization or members. And as for defending poor people. I believe every party attempts to defend/help poor people. Its just that, no matter which party it is, sometimes those policies unintentionally create more poor people. I believe Blue Green said it most succinctly about his Green Party. They needed the $1.95 so that they could have a convention. Never mentioned anything about helping poor. He mentioned that people on welfare were undeserving, whereas the Green Party he felt was deserving of money.

Good to see you have joined us... I have seen other polls that have a mechanism to change your vote. I don't think MLW has that feature. If it does let me know. That said, you would swing the results in favour of ending the political welfare to parties..... Interesting logic. I didn't realize it would be the way the LPC choose its dictator that could influence this choice. That $10 fee is biting.... interesting and controversial. Maple Leaf Forum is publicly funded... but... its not mine.... the polls not mine? I need your $1.95 This is another poll which may get some more exposure in the new year....

The CPC are in power now and have been since 2006. The meltdown and job losses, major job losses, have occurred under their watch as a government. The CPC couldn't care less.. I also lived in Windsor..... PS. Still haven't voted, I would be dead centre on the poll, but this is a nicely polarized vote happening. I may still end up on the fence...come January 27th. I think this poll should hit 80 votes easily by then.....

He only had to work to December 12th???? He didn't have it in him to keep working? sad sad sad.....

You mean the CPC couldn't care less.

They are great MPs. I liked Brian Masse right to repair bill. Obviously they are very smart men. Perhaps there is something that is tainted and stinky, that keeps them away from the LPC or CPC. One thing about NDP MPs is that they have to work 5 times more then a regular slug MP from the old line parties in order to keep their seats. Apparently both Comartin and Masse bucked the tide and increased their vote amongst people from Windsor. Most MPs are useless, particularly government backbenchers or any LPC MP in opposition is usually a dud waiting to land a useless backbench chair on the government side. I am certain that Neither Brian Masse or Comartin are too thrilled about being laid off by the Prime Minister. But the Prime Minister is kind. Full perks, pay, benefits, travel and accomodation for all parties..

Not quite the explanation I was expecting. That is a surprising/disturbing answer. I give up Thanks for the insight. Not that I am any smarter for it.

I have no patience for Harper either.

Am I to understand that a Quebec Separtist, defeated a Quebec Separtist? QS over PQ? Ok, and these splitters, spliting from the ones who want to split from Canada, still got more votes then the Green Party, and A Seat on top of that? The Green Party had a 26 year head start, and this party that "appeals to environmentalists who want to leave Canada" and was created in 2006.... , just won a seat.... But wait.... it gets better The ADQ candidate finishes a dismal 5th And there is an another, 3rd Separtist Candidate.... Now it is an entertaining riding. I just don't get it... that's all. Party Candidate Votes % ±% Québec solidaire Amir Khadir 8,861 Parti Québécois Daniel Turp 7,989 Liberal Catherine Emond 4940 Green Olivier Adam 833 3.58 Action démocratique Élisa Fortin-Toutant 575 Parti indépendantiste Jean-Marc Labrèche 83

Well, I hate to follow a Mr. Canada Post.... but he is on topic. If you can't financially contribute to a political party, then get off your butt and help them. Just because you have no money, doesn't mean you can't help fundraise or provide a skill. Like Web pages.... etc. Regardless, the poll indicates that even here, the parliment does not have the confidence of the house. However, I would expect that many of these votes are people who want to see the government fall, and our counting on an election. I see this is a polarized vote and very few people in the middle. Perhaps there are more sitting on the fence, like me, before they take the plunge and vote. And CyberComa, good choice topic, 403 votes and counting.. that is good by any standard.

Ok not a song.... but it is funny. http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/C...ishColumbiaHome Yes We CAN ARE the butt of jokes

Um, who cares? This thread is about naming the coalition. I was thinking of a good name for the coalition.... Maple........ Maple Syrup Maple Fudged

I find little difference between Ignatieff and Dion. Ignatieff is the English version of Dion. He says and does just as many stupid things. So far, his biggest benefit has been hiding in the bush. Dion was very popular the less we heard from him. Harper wasn't liked and still isn't. Dion was an idiot and still is. It isn't that Ignatieff isn't liked, it is that he is an unknown. Another unproven commodity. He will likely sleep with Harper if that makes you feel better.

I will have to take your word for it. Your predictions were pretty damn good....

20% is a very high threshold under any circumstances. More Realistic would be in the 10 to 13% range. And I think 7 seats would be enough for official party status under any circumstance.

Did he lose his own seat? Yes I do re Fed Canadidate. I would agree with you, if I had any understanding of Quebec Politics...

Check this out.... Jack and DianneDion