Liberals and New Democrats together could unseat Harper

[jbg]

This article provides some needed comic relief on a grinding, hard work day. I would love to see the reaction of the MP's whose electoral chances are thrown overboard. I would also love to see how people who never in their lives have conceived of voting NDP or Liberal would react to this diktat.

The results could almost be slapstick.

Liberals and New Democrats together could unseat Harper

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Electoral ceasefire would put nation's centre-left majority in political control

(link)

There is only one surefire way to prevent a Harper majority. The Liberals and NDP should agree to not run candidates against each other in the next campaign.

In each riding, the party whose candidate fared worst in the last election would pull its current candidate out, or refrain from nominating one.

Both parties would win more seats, with the Liberals potentially forming a majority government.

Based solely on the results from October 2008, the agreement would, in itself, deliver 30 to 40 additional seats to the Liberals and another five to 10 seats to the NDP.

The Bloc Québécois would not be part of the deal but could be expected to win around 40 seats in total.

Importantly, what is proposed is not a coalition, but a one-time ceasefire between two opposition parties whose combined vote share last time was significantly higher (44.4 per cent versus 37.6 per cent) than the Conservatives.

************************

The chances of the Liberals forming government appear to have slipped away. The future of the country is in the balance. Whether we like it or not, the parties of the progressive centre have reached a decision point.

Will we let an outdated electoral system deliver a majority Conservative government on the basis of the preferences of less than 40 per cent of voters – and less than 25 per cent of those Canadians who are eligible to vote?

Or will we seize the moment, pull together, and put the country back on course?

[wyly]

This article provides some needed comic relief on a grinding, hard work day. I would love to see the reaction of the MP's whose electoral chances are thrown overboard. I would also love to see how people who never in their lives have conceived of voting NDP or Liberal would react to this diktat.

The results could almost be slapstick.

Liberals and New Democrats together could unseat Harper

-

Electoral ceasefire would put nation's centre-left majority in political control

(link)

There is only one surefire way to prevent a Harper majority. The Liberals and NDP should agree to not run candidates against each other in the next campaign.

In each riding, the party whose candidate fared worst in the last election would pull its current candidate out, or refrain from nominating one.

Both parties would win more seats, with the Liberals potentially forming a majority government.

Based solely on the results from October 2008, the agreement would, in itself, deliver 30 to 40 additional seats to the Liberals and another five to 10 seats to the NDP.

The Bloc Québécois would not be part of the deal but could be expected to win around 40 seats in total.

Importantly, what is proposed is not a coalition, but a one-time ceasefire between two opposition parties whose combined vote share last time was significantly higher (44.4 per cent versus 37.6 per cent) than the Conservatives.

************************

The chances of the Liberals forming government appear to have slipped away. The future of the country is in the balance. Whether we like it or not, the parties of the progressive centre have reached a decision point.

Will we let an outdated electoral system deliver a majority Conservative government on the basis of the preferences of less than 40 per cent of voters – and less than 25 per cent of those Canadians who are eligible to vote?

Or will we seize the moment, pull together, and put the country back on course?

I just want my vote to count, not this first past the post crap...

[jbg]

I just want my vote to count, not this first past the post crap...

And have every government be a faceless, unaccountable coalition?

[M.Dancer]

Michael Byers lives on Salt Spring Island and teaches political science at UBC. In October 2008, he ran for the New Democrats in Vancouver Centre.

Salt Spring in an unusual place.

Years ago, a British soap salesman made a sales call there. He call reprot back said that they were all hippies and no one bathed.

An American soap salesman visited the island, he sent his report back. "Vast untapped market" he proclaimed..."Send Soap..sales to follow"

Normally this anecdot would illustrate the differences between the american and british and their regard to opportunity except that the american went bankrupt and the Islanders are still unwashed hippies.

[wyly]

And have every government be a faceless, unaccountable coalition?

coalitions work very well in many countries and they're held accountable just as they are here...are you afraid of a true democracy???

[jbg]

coalitions work very well in many countries and they're held accountable just as they are here...are you afraid of a true democracy???

As much as I admire Israel I don't admire their government. Too many fractious coalitions. It's essentially insiders endlessly settling scores against each other. Israel's a great country despite its government.

Other notable examples are the French Third Republic and Italy. Nothing admirable there.

In Germany, one country which supposedly "works" the center-right coalitions are indistinguishable from the center-left coalitions, largely because any deviation in policy towards what the voters want would trigger an endless series of elections.

[Wild Bill]

coalitions work very well in many countries and they're held accountable just as they are here...are you afraid of a true democracy???

Of course! This idea would mean that leftist politics would predominate. Many if not most of us do not think that would be a positive thing.

For that reason we would refuse to support it and if necessary actively fight against it!

[dre]

Of course! This idea would mean that leftist politics would predominate. Many if not most of us do not think that would be a positive thing.

For that reason we would refuse to support it and if necessary actively fight against it!

I couldnt bring myself to vote for any of our parties right now. Ill probably abstain or piss on my ballot.

[capricorn]

This article provides some needed comic relief on a grinding, hard work day. I would love to see the reaction of the MP's whose electoral chances are thrown overboard. I would also love to see how people who never in their lives have conceived of voting NDP or Liberal would react to this diktat.

The results could almost be slapstick.

In 1967, Byers and a cohort wrote to the International Criminal Court accusing Gordon O'Connor and Rick Hillier of war crimes.

We write to draw your attention to possible war crimes committed with respect to the transfer of detainees from Canadian custody in Afghanistan. In particular, we request that you open a preliminary examination under Article 15 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court to determine whether there are reasonable bases to investigate Mr. Gordon O'Connor, the Canadian Minister of National Defence, and General Rick Hillier, the Canadian Chief of the Defence Staff.

http://thetyee.ca/Views/2007/04/27/WarCrime/

My guess is Byers is miffed because his government grants dried up when the Conservatives came into power. It appears he's been trying to get even with them ever since.

I don't know what came of the complaint to the ICC and I can't find anything on the net.

[wyly]

As much as I admire Israel I don't admire their government. Too many fractious coalitions. It's essentially insiders endlessly settling scores against each other. Israel's a great country despite its government.

Other notable examples are the French Third Republic and Italy. Nothing admirable there.

In Germany, one country which supposedly "works" the center-right coalitions are indistinguishable from the center-left coalitions, largely because any deviation in policy towards what the voters want would trigger an endless series of elections.

and in every country mentioned democracy works...geez we can't have that now can we...

[wyly]

Of course! This idea would mean that leftist politics would predominate. Many if not most of us do not think that would be a positive thing.

For that reason we would refuse to support it and if necessary actively fight against it!

you're right democracy is such a stupid idea, what was I thinking...

[Michael Hardner]

Even though I consistently vote left-of-centre, I'm against proportional representation.

It would give the NDP an almost permanent balance of power, and thereby change our current system to unknown ends. This is the same system that our country used to develop a balance of social safety net and fertile business environment.

[punked]

What a dumb article I would never vote Liberal in my life unless they made some serious changes which they never will. Deal or no deal with the NDP I would not vote Liberal if the NDP didn't run here, that is a fact.

[wyly]

What a dumb article I would never vote Liberal in my life unless they made some serious changes which they never will. Deal or no deal with the NDP I would not vote Liberal if the NDP didn't run here, that is a fact.

and that's the same for any party some won't, but most would... enough would to change the balance of power...

[punked]

and that's the same for any party some won't, but most would... enough would to change the balance of power...

It really wouldn't it would be enough to kill both parties. What it would do while the Liberals and NDP might win some more seats they would lose millions in federal funding due to losing in total vote count, then they are behind the 8 ball again with the Cons kill them in both fund raising and federal money. It seems to me people are making this a much more simple problem then it is. Of the NDPs 16% most of it would not go to the Liberals they would just stay home and most likly not be happy with the party. Look what happened when the Liberals didn't run one candidate last year in West Nova? The Liberals were pissed, and Liberals across the country were pissed that was the end of Dion there because people gave up on him when he cut that deal with Lizzy. Nope this is a dumb idea.

[BubberMiley]

It's actually more democratic than the current scenario. We would be more likely to have MPs elected by a majority of their constituents.

Political parties are coalitions of MPs anyway, and there would be absolutely nothing "faceless" or "unaccountable" about it. It's just a way to unite the left like the PCs and Reform united the right.

[punked]

It's actually more democratic than the current scenario. We would be more likely to have MPs elected by a majority of their constituents.

Political parties are coalitions of MPs anyway, and there would be absolutely nothing "faceless" or "unaccountable" about it. It's just a way to unite the left like the PCs and Reform united the right.

Fine go to run offs if you want people elected with a higher percentage of the vote. Killing a party through some backroom deal is not "more democratic" in the system.

PS. The left is united it is one party the NDP the Liberals are right of center right now.

[DrGreenthumb]

Fine go to run offs if you want people elected with a higher percentage of the vote. Killing a party through some backroom deal is not "more democratic" in the system.

PS. The left is united it is one party the NDP the Liberals are right of center right now.

That kind of thinking will get us nowhere. There are degrees of left and right. To any NDPer the Liberals should be a much better option than a Conservative when it comes to having to work with that person. The liberals are a lot closer in ideology to the NDP than the Conservatives are. A stronger showing of NDP setas in a Liberal government would be good for Canada. I have been sending emails constantly to jack layton and michael ignatieff suggesting that they do something like this, not a formal coalition, just some cooperation to take this country back form the Fascist Conservative Party. Together the Liberals and the NDP could save Canada.

[wyly]

It really wouldn't it would be enough to kill both parties. What it would do while the Liberals and NDP might win some more seats they would lose millions in federal funding due to losing in total vote count, then they are behind the 8 ball again with the Cons kill them in both fund raising and federal money. It seems to me people are making this a much more simple problem then it is. Of the NDPs 16% most of it would not go to the Liberals they would just stay home and most likly not be happy with the party. Look what happened when the Liberals didn't run one candidate last year in West Nova? The Liberals were pissed, and Liberals across the country were pissed that was the end of Dion there because people gave up on him when he cut that deal with Lizzy. Nope this is a dumb idea.

no more so than when the PC and Reform combined

[punked]

That kind of thinking will get us nowhere. There are degrees of left and right. To any NDPer the Liberals should be a much better option than a Conservative when it comes to having to work with that person. The liberals are a lot closer in ideology to the NDP than the Conservatives are. A stronger showing of NDP setas in a Liberal government would be good for Canada. I have been sending emails constantly to jack layton and michael ignatieff suggesting that they do something like this, not a formal coalition, just some cooperation to take this country back form the Fascist Conservative Party. Together the Liberals and the NDP could save Canada.

I would rather burn the tent down then open it up to a party who is trying to destroy the left in this country in order to moderate it. The Liberals are the ones who killed affordable social housing, who stole from EI, and who cut all health care transfer payments. No thank you Liberal Tory same old story. To give power back to the Liberals so they can stab you in the back is silly. We should be fighting for progress yes but we get as much progress from the Tories as the Liberals the point is to make them bend when times are tough. You promise the Liberals NDP protection times aren't tough anymore and they wont bend they have our vote they don't need it. It is silly to think otherwise. This is a good way to kill the NDP and I wont stand for it.

[M.Dancer]

The only scenario that has me voting NDP is where the alternatives are either National Socialists and the Marxist Leninists...

....wow, what a nightmare....3 socialist parties hell bent on tyranny.

[punked]

The only scenario that has me voting NDP is where the alternatives are either National Socialists and the Marxist Leninists...

....wow, what a nightmare....3 socialist parties hell bent on tyranny.

Hey 1950 called and they want their fear mongering back.

[M.Dancer]

Hey 1950 called and they want their fear mongering back.

Did the NDP stop being a socialist party and have rejected the collective, embrace personal freedom and the respect for private property?

[punked]

Did the NDP stop being a socialist party and have rejected the collective, embrace personal freedom and the respect for private property?

Yah that happened when they were called the CCF and it happened in 1956 with Winnipeg Declaration you might want to read and catch up on Canadian politics a little. It might also shock you to know that the PC's stopped being a party in 2003 and the current Prime minster is Stephen Harper, the Liberal leader is no longer Louis St. Laurent and the cold war is over. We won.

[M.Dancer]

Yah that happened when they were called the CCF and it happened in 1956 with Winnipeg Declaration you might want to read and catch up on Canadian politics a little. It might also shock you to know that the PC's stopped being a party in 2003 and the current Prime minster is Stephen Harper, the Liberal leader is no longer Louis St. Laurent and the cold war is over. We won.

Uh huh.

I don't believe you, I still see the NDP as a collection of socialist do gooders who will do good on you whether you want it or not, press your children into experimental schools, redistribute other people money, would nationalize anything and everything if they had half a chance, out law the shaving of women's pits and legs and make post coital crying mandatory for men under the age of 76.

The only redeeming factor of the ndp they make the other 2 real parties seem normal.

HELLO SHAVLUK!!!!!