Liberal Conservative

[madmax]

Interesting article in the Star suggesting that the Liberals and Conservatives are more alike then different.

http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/821970--walkom-tories-are-the-real-coalition-partners-for-liberals

I believe a majority of Canadians (not partizan hacks) would support a Liberal Conservative Merger.

Answer this poll as best as you can.

[Machjo]

I voted 1, 2 and 5.

Since I'm not a member of any political party, who am I to tell them they can't merge or form a coalition. And of course this would apply equally to a Liberal NDP merger.

In the end it would all balance out.

If we had a Lib-Con merger, many red Libs would leave and join the NDP, the NDP would likely shift right a little and so sweep up more Lib seats, and so we'd see the NDP or some other party suck up the centre.

It's it's a Lib-NDP coalition, again many blue Libs would leave and join the Cons or some other party, the Cons would shift left a little to such up the centre vote, and all would be back to normal again. Only difference in the end would be a shift in parties, party names, etc. All cosmetic in the end.

[Machjo]

I believe a majority of Canadians (not partizan hacks) would support a Liberal Conservative Merger.

You're probably right. The non-partisan would see it as none of their business if this or that party merge, and that any merger would merely be a cosmetic change since parties would then have to realign themselves according to the voters, since they'd still be facing the same voters anyway.

So looking at it that way, sure a non-partisan would support a Lib-Con merger since he wouldn't see it in his place to oppose it, but then again he'd be equally supportive of a Lib-NDP merer, though granted Libs and Cons have more in common with each other probably.

But again, it's all cosmetic in the end.

[Machjo]

Actually all we have to do is look at the old Con-Alliance merger. The new party stood in the middle of its parents ideologically speaking, some red tories left and joined the Libs, Greens, Progressive Canadian Party, and perhaps some other parties. With the Progrssive Cons having shifted right a little in the new merger, the Libs also shifted right a little.

You see, it all balanced out in the end. All that work for nothing, just to come full circle in the end. And like before, some on the right are disappointed. Well, what do you expect? A blue tory party merges with a red tory party, in the end you end up with acentre tory party with both the true blues and birght red tories disappointed.

Same happens with any merger. It's all cosmetic and achieves nothing more than name changes and party shifts along spectrum just to refind equilibrium as before.

[William Ashley]

I'm non partisan or self partisan. I don't like the Conservatives record or tactics.

This is not to say everything the liberals have said or done I am 100% behind. There are some things such as religious garment bans that I didn't support.

The liberals are too pro US as far as I can tell right now. Harper was a bush lapdog and I got the feeling Iggy would be a Obama lap dog. I could be mistaken but this is the feeling I get.

I'd rather see a coalition in power because it represents reduced partisanism - which can only be good for the people of Canada - it would allow a fresh perspective to government.

I do fear though that the budget will be stripped and maybe pushed through, then the fall will be the earliest point - winter elections are not likely - and harper always dances around and plays the parties upon resumption every year - he sabre rattles or prorouges. He may have no more prorouges up his sleave now though. But the liberals are polling way down (5 points from where they should be)

A coalition could form a government - but a conservative appointed GG may put death to that - and that is coming up before fall. So the optinos are pretty clear - if an election is dropped Harper may pull the GG (but they would likely loose the election if they did that) so it is a problematic situation.

CPC is downsizing canada though... so the longer they are in the more debt and less assets Canada will have as they continue to give the money away to big business and right wing fronts.

Edited June 12, 2010 by William Ashley

[dre]

I'm non partisan or self partisan. I don't like the Conservatives record or tactics.

This is not to say everything the liberals have said or done I am 100% behind. There are some things such as religious garment bans that I didn't support.

I dont support any mergers at all. The last thing we need is for our political system to pair down around ideology or the false and divisive left/right dichotomy. Well end up like the US where the government hasnt done a single usefull thing for decades.

[Machjo]

I dont support any mergers at all. The last thing we need is for our political system to pair down around ideology or the false and divisive left/right dichotomy. Well end up like the US where the government hasnt done a single usefull thing for decades.

In the end it's up to the party membership to decide. Also, who's to say that a merger between two parties would not just lead to a vacuum allowing a third party to fill that vacuum, thus bringing things back to square one with just the parties having shifted places?

Edited June 12, 2010 by Machjo

[Topaz]

I've voted both PC and Lib but now after the adscam, I'm more on guard and won't let myself be pulled in to any particular party. Most of the Liberals today are all new but then again most of the Conservatives are new people and look at the country. A Lib-Tory party could work but the biggest block to that are the two leaders. Harper and Iggy couldn't work together because there's too much of a generation gap..11 years. This talk could be for nothing and we'll just have to wait until Harper calls another election and see how the libs supporters vote.

[Bonam]

I think our party layout is just fine as it is. Conservatives have the center/right. Liberals have the moderate left/center. And the NDP is there as a safety valve to make sure the hardcore socialists stay out of the Liberal party. Of course there's also the bloc but that can't be helped.

[eyeball]

I believe a majority of Canadians (not partizan hacks) would support a Liberal Conservative Merger.

I believe Canadians have been under the thumb of a de facto Liberal Conservative merger since 2006.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

I believe Canadians have been under the thumb of a de facto Liberal Conservative merger since 2006.

I don't think so. The two ends of the reality spectrum don't meet there. Big government verses big business, at least we should all hope that they don't ever meet.

[madmax]

This thread has went way better then I expected.

Keep the comments coming. Its been great reading!

I have enjoyed all the posts here.

[madmax]

Also when I made this poll, its not all that clear that you do have choice.

You can vote

I am a Conservative

or

I am a Liberal

and leave it at that.

You can also vote for multiple outcomes.

Its just a fun poll and like I said, the outcome so far has surprised me both in vote pattern and comments.

ITs why I like MLW.