Voting strategically

[eyeball]

Perhaps this might help. http://votestrategic.ca/index.html

I'm still leaning towards spoiling my ballot but maybe there's more than one way to skin a cat. If anyone else has any suggestions please pass them on.

As depressing as the thought might be does anyone want to start a new party? How about some sort of political underground with operatives that invade parties like viruses and try to subvert them from the inside? Insert a few infectious memes here and there and see what happens. Perhaps a few people could be enticed into doing something akin to what suicide bombers do - in this case we'd need suicide verbal gaffers.

I imagine people like Charles McVety, Vic Towes and Randy White are tied up and gagged with duct-tape in some underground Conservative bunker somewhere.

“I don’t think my fundamental beliefs have changed in a decade.”

- Stephen Harper, January 11th, 2006.

[M.Dancer]

Spoil your ballot....vote green...no really...vote green!!!

[OddSox]

Or...

Pick the party that is closest to your 'ideal'. Join the party - work from within to raise your preferred issues, and perhaps actually make a difference. Perhaps it's a novel concept, but it's likely more effective in the long run than whining about how you're never understood and someday the system will be fair...

[capricorn]

Pick the party that is closest to your 'ideal'. Join the party - work from within to raise your preferred issues, and perhaps actually make a difference.

A noble path indeed. But that requires personal motivation and independent thought. It's HARD.

[eyeball]

I don't doubt it and I've been involved in local governance for long enough to know that politickin' is hard work. I see nothing ignoble however in doing anything I can in the short term to defeat an ideology I think is as dangerous as it is unrepresentative of what the true majority of Canadians like myself want.

The only thing worse than a pizza parliament is a fractured wing in a FPTP democracy.

[Richie777]

I don't doubt it and I've been involved in local governance for long enough to know that politickin' is hard work. I see nothing ignoble however in doing anything I can in the short term to defeat an ideology I think is as dangerous as it is unrepresentative of what the true majority of Canadians like myself want.

The only thing worse than a pizza parliament is a fractured wing in a FPTP democracy.

I love that bit about "what the true majority of Canadians want". If the true majority of Canadians are so opposed to Harper then they can quit fighting on stage left and vote Liberal, unless they really don't know what they want after all.

[eyeball]

I love that bit about "what the true majority of Canadians want". If the true majority of Canadians are so opposed to Harper then they can quit fighting on stage left and vote Liberal, unless they really don't know what they want after all.

It sounds like what most don't want is a majority government of any stripe. There's little doubt there'd be an ABL campaign afoot in the event the Liberals were in the same shoes as the Conservatives and so there should be if that included the possibility they might win a majority with the same sort of voter percentage the Conservatives are poised to win with.

[Topaz]

IF everyone that voted last time votes the SAME WAY, Harper would return to a minority government. BUT, I think the NDP are going to pickup some seats and I think the Cons are going to lose some seats in Ontario and I'm not quite sure about the Libs as yet. I guess it will depend on the weather and how many young people vote this time.

[blueblood]

IF everyone that voted last time votes the SAME WAY, Harper would return to a minority government. BUT, I think the NDP are going to pickup some seats and I think the Cons are going to lose some seats in Ontario and I'm not quite sure about the Libs as yet. I guess it will depend on the weather and how many young people vote this time.

i think you need to quit listening to the toaster.

Countdown to Harper majority 11 days!!!

[Chuck U. Farlie]

i think you need to quit listening to the toaster.

Countdown to Harper majority 11 days!!!

While I think Harper will make the best leader, I am worried about him getting a majority.

For the most part I am a fiscal conservative but not necessarily a social conservative.

In fact, I don't think I would be comfortable with any of the parties in a majority position... the best is in a minority where there are checks and balances in any major decision.

Thanks for the link to vote strategically... I will consider that in my decision.

[blueblood]

While I think Harper will make the best leader, I am worried about him getting a majority.

For the most part I am a fiscal conservative but not necessarily a social conservative.

In fact, I don't think I would be comfortable with any of the parties in a majority position... the best is in a minority where there are checks and balances in any major decision.

Thanks for the link to vote strategically... I will consider that in my decision.

Keep this in mind, if Harper invokes his *scary scary* agenda, he is toast in the next election.

The check and balance is the always upcoming election. Minorities are expensive and parliament often grinds to a halt.

[independent]

Keep this in mind, if Harper invokes his *scary scary* agenda, he is toast in the next election.

The check and balance is the always upcoming election. Minorities are expensive and parliament often grinds to a halt.

Minorities work quite well. It keeps parties from doing anything stupid just for politically idealogy instead of what is best for the country.

[independent]

While I think Harper will make the best leader, I am worried about him getting a majority.

For the most part I am a fiscal conservative but not necessarily a social conservative.

In fact, I don't think I would be comfortable with any of the parties in a majority position... the best is in a minority where there are checks and balances in any major decision.

Thanks for the link to vote strategically... I will consider that in my decision.

Harper can not operate in a vacuum. I hope you are looking at Harpers team. He was very hard pressed to come up with ministers last time.

[Wild Bill]

I wonder how many appeals for a strategic vote in another riding are phony?

I mean, how can you tell if it's not really someone just trying to split the vote in a particular riding to allow someone else, even a Tory, to come up the middle?

It seems to be totally an honour system and in politics that's an oxymoron.

[independent]

Perhaps this might help. http://votestrategic.ca/index.html

I'm still leaning towards spoiling my ballot but maybe there's more than one way to skin a cat. If anyone else has any suggestions please pass them on.

As depressing as the thought might be does anyone want to start a new party? How about some sort of political underground with operatives that invade parties like viruses and try to subvert them from the inside? Insert a few infectious memes here and there and see what happens. Perhaps a few people could be enticed into doing something akin to what suicide bombers do - in this case we'd need suicide verbal gaffers.

I imagine people like Charles McVety, Vic Towes and Randy White are tied up and gagged with duct-tape in some underground Conservative bunker somewhere.

Interest quote from Harper on your link. "I do not think by funtimental beliefs have changed in the last 20 years." That is when he headed the Right Wing National Citizens Coalition.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/parliame...r-mulroney.html

So if you want to know what Harpers beliefs are google National citizens Coalition. He is not hiding any kind of an agenda. He told us back in 2006 what he is all about. Too me in means the Americanization of Canada. I hope everybody does the research and find out for themselves who Harper is. Some peoples hate for the Chreitien Liberals have distracted them from using their head and picking the best party that represents what we believe in. I am very proud to be a Canadian and have no desire to become Americanized.

********** If you love Canada do the research and stop the idea of voting out of spite because of some politian nolonger in politics.*******

[M.Dancer]

IF everyone that voted last time votes the SAME WAY, Harper would return to a minority government.

You should consider a career teaching polisci...

[M.Dancer]

While I think Harper will make the best leader, I am worried about him getting a majority.

For the most part I am a fiscal conservative but not necessarily a social conservative.

I think he will be the best leader, minority or majority. While I tend towards fiscal prudence, I would be considered a progressive and tend tp vote Liberal.

[OddSox]

Interest quote from Harper on your link. "I do not think by funtimental beliefs have changed in the last 20 years." That is when he headed the Right Wing National Citizens Coalition.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/parliame...r-mulroney.html

So if you want to know what Harpers beliefs are google National citizens Coalition. He is not hiding any kind of an agenda. He told us back in 2006 what he is all about. Too me in means the Americanization of Canada. I hope everybody does the research and find out for themselves who Harper is. Some peoples hate for the Chreitien Liberals have distracted them from using their head and picking the best party that represents what we believe in. I am very proud to be a Canadian and have no desire to become Americanized.

********** If you love Canada do the research and stop the idea of voting out of spite because of some politian nolonger in politics.*******

http://www.nationalcitizens.ca/ says "We are Canada’s largest non-partisan organization that stands for the defence and promotion of free enterprise, free speech and government that is accountable to its taxpayers".

Pretty scary stuff.

[independent]

http://www.nationalcitizens.ca/ says "We are Canada’s largest non-partisan organization that stands for the defence and promotion of free enterprise, free speech and government that is accountable to its taxpayers".

Pretty scary stuff.

Not at all scary if you prescribe to the ultra right wing way of doing that. Even the NDP back free enterprise, speech and government accountability.

[capricorn]

Even the NDP back free enterprise

For the NDP free enterprise consists of companies that are unionized and the rest are gougers and opportunists.

Reverse the Liberal and Conservative giveaways. The New Democrats will not implement Mr. Harper's profligate, wasteful and unproductive corporate tax breaks. We'll restore a uniform 22.12% tax rate – what it was before the Martin and Harper governments began these giveaways.

http://www.ndp.ca/platform/jobsandaffordab.../corporatetaxes

This NDP policy proves that they haven't a clue about how free enterprise functions and how free enterprise accounts for most job and economic growth.

[independent]

For the NDP free enterprise consists of companies that are unionized and the rest are gougers and opportunists.

http://www.ndp.ca/platform/jobsandaffordab.../corporatetaxes

This NDP policy proves that they haven't a clue about how free enterprise functions and how free enterprise accounts for most job and economic growth.

It proves no such thing. It depends on whether you want quality jobs or a bunch of low paying no benefit type of jobs where companies make a lot of money and have no corporate responsibily. I believe for a system to work well you need some checks and balances. The amount of checks and balances needed is what seperates one government from another. Bush economics failed. Russian near total government control failed. You need some balance some where in between.

[blueblood]

It proves no such thing. It depends on whether you want quality jobs or a bunch of low paying no benefit type of jobs where companies make a lot of money and have no corporate responsibily. I believe for a system to work well you need some checks and balances. The amount of checks and balances needed is what seperates one government from another. Bush economics failed. Russian near total government control failed. You need some balance some where in between.

Like in Alberta and Saskatchewan where it isn't failing

[capricorn]

If I was a Liberal, NDP or Green supporter, I would consider the aspect of unintended consequences of strategic voting. As pointed out in the following short analysis of strategic voting, it's worth a try but in the end, it's a toss up.

It might not work, but it's valid to try.

http://www.thestar.com/FederalElection/article/510716#

I'm grateful I don't have to consider that choice.

[eyeball]

In light of what happened to the Tories after winning in 1930 I might yet reconsider strategic voting and go back to spoiling my ballot and let Mr. We're-not-the-US get what he wants.

As the economy worsened, 1930 proved to have been an election worth losing

A Conservative majority now might prove to be even more disastrous to them.

On Oct. 14, 1935, the Liberals crushed the Conservatives, 173 seats to 39, with others taking 33. The Conservative party didn't return to office until 1957.

Sweet.

Edited October 4, 2008 by eyeball

[DrGreenthumb]

In light of what happened to the Tories after winning in 1930 I might yet reconsider strategic voting and go back to spoiling my ballot and let Mr. We're-not-the-US get what he wants.

As the economy worsened, 1930 proved to have been an election worth losing

A Conservative majority now might prove to be even more disastrous to them.

Sweet.

punch in your postal code to the widget at www.anyonebutconservative.com and the widget will tell you which party in your riding has the best chance to defeat the conservative there. I checked my riding and it was right. It told me to vote NDP, the liberals were a distant 3rd in my riding. I checked the vote totals and the widget was accurate.