tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538424.post3822157273260212306..comments2024-02-29T23:31:03.341-05:00Comments on Out Of Left Field: Get out and vote! I guess. If you want to, anyway.sagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08757652892056684490noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538424.post-29298805496890795012008-10-14T15:26:00.000-04:002008-10-14T15:26:00.000-04:00For the record, I chose to highlight Votepair beca...For the record, I chose to highlight Votepair because it was the only vote swapping site that did not have an "anti" agenda. There are other, more popular, "anyone but" sits out there.Duane Rollinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16512076277116230020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538424.post-25637826245174069202008-10-14T14:54:00.000-04:002008-10-14T14:54:00.000-04:00When I look for political wisdom, I always look to...When I look for political wisdom, I always look to the demo that's responsible for <I>The Hills</I> and <I>Dancing With The Stars</I> being on the air.sagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08757652892056684490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538424.post-67675037444017226972008-10-14T14:51:00.000-04:002008-10-14T14:51:00.000-04:00It looks like 1900 people registered. Pretty fair...It looks like 1900 people registered. Pretty fair to describe the whole exercise as a flop.<BR/><BR/>The problem with the vote pairing concept is that it is dreamed up by hard core political junkies with an agenda. Your average voter is not a political junkie and doesn't have a detailed agenda. If they are going to show up at all, they just want to feel good about their vote. Therefore, you are never going to convince a significant number of real people to abandon their first choice in order to "stop" another candidate. One of the hardest lessons in politics is that the average voter doesn't hate your opponent nearly as much as you would like them to.<BR/><BR/>To paraphrase a line from 40 Year Old Virgin, want to know how I know Harper is going to win big? I heard this young girl on the bus, early 20s or so, iPod, basic campus wear, and someone I never in a million years would have pegged as a Tory voter, tell her male friend that she was voting Conservative. It was the best of a bunch of bad choices, she explained, and the most responsible decision she could make. I was floored. If Harper is picking up the votes of female U of O Arts students, he is going to do a lot better tonight than people think.Dennis Prousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01117649570711228161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538424.post-69631497117201919312008-10-14T14:39:00.000-04:002008-10-14T14:39:00.000-04:00There are issues, no doubt. For one, there is the ...There are issues, no doubt. For one, there is the potential for manipulation by members a political party who sign up looking to double up their vote.<BR/><BR/>Votepair matches two voters and provides each with the other's contact information. It's then up to each voter to negotiate the terms of the switch...a buyer beware kind of thing<BR/><BR/>It's perfectly legal by the way...so long as money doesn't change hands.<BR/><BR/>I cast my own vote for a party that won't win my riding about two hours ago. I've actually only ever voted for a winning candidate once in my life, which probably says something about me...Duane Rollinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16512076277116230020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538424.post-26832317249820340072008-10-14T14:18:00.000-04:002008-10-14T14:18:00.000-04:00That doesn't do anything to repair a broken system...That doesn't do anything to repair a broken system, however.<BR/><BR/>Ethically, I have a real problem with that. How do I know for sure that the other person would cast her/his vote that way?sagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08757652892056684490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538424.post-79989211241781994382008-10-14T13:46:00.000-04:002008-10-14T13:46:00.000-04:00One more quick thing...Although it's too late to t...One more quick thing...<BR/><BR/>Although it's too late to take advantage of it now, if you feel like Neate (that your vote doesn't matter because of the First Past the Post system) there are options out there. Cote pairing--where you join up with another voter in another riding and agree to cast each others vote. So, if you are a NDP supporter living in Oakville, where the NDP is a non-factor, you agree to vote Liberal for a voter in Saskatchewan (where the Liberals area swear word), while they vote NDP for you. <BR/><BR/>www.votepair.caDuane Rollinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16512076277116230020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538424.post-59945934809695484752008-10-14T13:06:00.000-04:002008-10-14T13:06:00.000-04:00I'm not advocating this--people get told what to t...I'm not advocating this--people get told what to think too much already--but a vote for the Greens does accomplish one thing. It gives the party $1.50.<BR/><BR/>So, if you like their platform, like the idea of having a new voice in the political discussion and aren't inspired by the other three choices...then there are probably worse things to do with your vote.Duane Rollinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16512076277116230020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538424.post-85709993393393832322008-10-14T12:37:00.000-04:002008-10-14T12:37:00.000-04:00GO GREENS!Alright I'll admit I'm pretty environmen...GO GREENS!<BR/>Alright I'll admit I'm pretty environmentally conscious however I'm not voting Green - even if they do have the most detailed platform in regards to sports. <BR/><BR/>I really was glad to see the Green Party included within the debates just to shake things up, offer different perspectives rather than the same old stagnant ones offered time and again by all the major parties. But like Duane said the parties aren't throwing the Greens any bones here even on their good ideas, which really just hurts us in the end in my opinion...at least consider changing up the tactics maybe? No?<BR/><BR/>Ah well, regardless I'm heading out to vote tonight, and agreed so should everyone - make your voice heard, even if it doesn't change much it's still essential!Mike Radoslavhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00186979931088512463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538424.post-18137107673433619132008-10-14T12:36:00.000-04:002008-10-14T12:36:00.000-04:00What, nothing about Gerry Boyle and the Newfoundla...What, nothing about Gerry Boyle and the Newfoundland Separation Party?<BR/><BR/><I>If you can mark an X, you're my kind of people</I><BR/><BR/>I've lived in safe Tory ridings the last 3 elections and safe Liberal ridings the 2 before that, so when my vote actually counts again, maybe I'll cast a ballot.sagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08757652892056684490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538424.post-73029888696760696102008-10-14T11:03:00.000-04:002008-10-14T11:03:00.000-04:00Pretty much. There will be some shifting of the de...Pretty much. There will be some shifting of the deck chairs on the Titanic, but I doubt the total change amounts to much of anything.John Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03167982369392920262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538424.post-65872388154685261872008-10-14T09:15:00.000-04:002008-10-14T09:15:00.000-04:00The beauty of the Canadian electoral system is its...The beauty of the Canadian electoral system is its simplicity and brevity.<BR/>A campaign that lasted barely a month and a half...although Harper was running anti-Dion ads for months before the election was called.<BR/>The US election process seems convoluted and protracted by comparison, seeming to have been going on for at least a year and a half by now.<BR/>The only problem with this election here at home is that it will probably change nothing.<BR/>Harper will likely have another minority government, failing to capitalize ultimately on Dion's infamous Carbon Tax policy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com