Canadians now in favour of merging NDP & LPC

[madmax]

Does voting for a party mean you agree with their platform lock stock and barrel? You never disagree with a single thing they do ever? This is the problem with many political "debaters". Calling someone a "leftist" or a "right winger" summarily dismisses their arguments wholesale and shuts down debate as clearly using those terms refutes all possible counter points.

In reality we simply cannot make sweeping statements like "no liberal would xyz". Many Canadians do not self identify with one party over the other, they vote one way in one election and an entirely diferent way another. Often the doubt and ambiguity favours the incumbunt.

[Tilter]

rofl at people saying liberals would jump ship to the cpc.. liberals hate Harper.. they won't be voting for the conservatives if there is a merger

Right now there are 2 Tory Cabinet Ministers that left the Libs with the rats when the libship sank.

[bleeding heart]

If you'd like I can take a picture of my membership card just for you. But you better be ready to ask for the same from people like Scott Brison, as he and I both think the Liberals need to move further into the Centre, and not to become Socialist Lite.

Any more "Centre," and they'll be to the Right...which is where, yes, a fairly large contingent of Liberals reside anyway...and always bizarrely unaware.

They're certainly not "Socialist Lite"....the NDP are barely "Socialist Lite."

[TheNewTeddy]

Another good reason to oppose merger: Attitude.

I've attacked Conservatives on twitter. Sometimes straight to their account. Despite that I still follow Tony Clement and Mike Lake, and, I converse with them from time to time.

I've told Liz May she's done some stupid things on twitter, and despite that, I still follow her and converse with her from time to time.

I attacked Bob Rae something fierce when I heard he was going to run, and even ended up debating the issue with Carolyn Parrish, who disagreed with me. Despite that, I've had conversations with her, and I still follow all the Liberals I had been. (Parrish is actually quite a joy to talk to!)

When the NDP talked out the clock on the budget, I attacked the NDP. Since then I've not heard much from the NDPers that I follow. I found out part of the reason why: Pat Martin has blocked me.

I find this rather amusing, but it does outline why I will never submit to the NDP. The Attitude. It's the same Attitude that the old Reformers had: if you disagree with me you are a bad person who needs to shut up and go away.

Remember that I was a card-carrying New Democrat back in 2003. A personal friend ran for (and won) the leadership of the PEINDP and I supported him, and, ran in the provincial election. As the only youth member interested in... anything, I became President of the youth wing by default, and, had a seat on the provincial executive. The kind of thinking that went on there is what made me quit the NDP eventually. These people were so sure they were right, and, were socialist, that I was really a bit sick. It also helped me realize: I am not a socialist. I am a left leaning capitalist, who has some right-wing views on justice, foreign affairs, and labour unions. It was, in fact, my experience with the NDP in the past that is the key thing keeping me from backing that party.

Edited June 14, 2012 by TheNewTeddy

[westguy]

Ego?

No thanks.

If NDP garner enough support for a majority, a merger is pointless. Hell, if they reduce the CPC to a minority, a merger is also pointless as the two can vote similarly and defeat the minority government anyway.

the NDP will nver be government and hence they can say/promise what they want

One thing we do know for sure is that if a leftist party screws up, people have no where to run but to the right if there is a merger.

[westguy]

Does Bob Rae jumping a sinking ship back to the NDP party count as a "merger"?

only to Bob Rae