RNG

See my post above.

That is true, however it also means that the NDP is supported by far fewer people, and the Liberals and so on. So what point are you trying to make. Is this a pitch for some form of PR?

Haven't most western governments agreed to not pay ransom any more as it just encourages more kidnapping?

Here is some good data. Too bad we can't post pictures. And note that CO2 change trails temperature change. http://www.daviesand.com/Choices/Precautionary_Planning/New_Data/

No one is advocating that. Violent crime is a subject on its own. I Would be OK with capital punishment for violent crimes. But some of the other non-violent crimes being discussed for mandatory sentencing is wrong.

Most of them were from criminologists working at universities. Admittedly, I fear that most of those tend to have a left-wing bias to some degree or other, but way too many facts and strong correlations. I'm very right wing economically, but this is one issue where the Cons are wrong.

But every study I have ever read or heard reference in fact says that mandatory sentences and harsher prison terms are counter-productive both socially and economically.

I mocked the pollsters all through this election and many kept asking me why they were so accurate. Well ...................

It appears to me that you are avoiding a fairly obvious conclusion here. The NDP are an accumulation of incompetents.

The closest I ever got to being beaten up was having a cup of coffee while my wife was pissing away money - sorry, shopping. So there are four guys sitting in the booth behind me, talking about how many days each had to work till they could get on pogey again. They had it down to the minute. I brought up the fact that I thought it was unfair that they expected me to fund their drugfests or whatever, and for some reason they got upset. Freaking a**holes.

I'm on Betsy's side. They did, both on CTV and CBC they just refer to him as "Harper". I think they should use "Most Honourable".

I wish I could remember who it was, but an economist I really respect, some time ago, said that if you took all the money in the world and divided it equally among all the people in the world, in about 10 years, the guys that are poor now would be poor again and the guys that are rich now would be rich again. And I believe it.

I really don't understand this one.

Yes, but using your math means that 81% of Canadians hate the NDP. It works both ways.

I agree entirely.

I got mine out of my savings. And I borrowed a bit from some relatives (that was paid back with interest within 6 mo.). You don't need much more than an idea, drive and desire.

Thank you. I stand corrected.

Isn't that the death knell of his leadership aspirations? An interim leader isn't allowed to run, I thought.

Yup. But my point is that the fanatics all are trying to use junk math to prove their points. The fact is Harper got 167 seats. That's it. He won, the others lost. Deal with it because that's the way it is. In four years, try again. And again, the electorate will speak. That's our system. You want it changed, do something about it and bitching on one of these here interwebz thingys isn't going to do dick. Contact your MP, write letters, start a petition. Whatever.

I don't think so. I'm probably what you would call lower middle class, and still think I'll have more green in my jeans and less government in my wallet with a Conservative government.

Yes, just like if those were the only choices I'd sooner have gonorrhea than syphilis. But like I said, I really wish we had another choice.

That is the same logic as saying that gonorrhea is better than syphilis. It may be true, but damn, don't we have better choices?

A British friend of mine told me via e-mail that in his opinion, and he is fairly politically astute, that this was more an anti-Lib-Dem vote than an anti-AV vote.

I see he still hasn't answered you.

Because after they pulled the money out, then there wasn't a surplus, and there developed a potential liability, silly.