Maybe not "endorses". Everybody sucks. We can't endorse any of them. However, I got together with my advisors and the Anybody Want A Peanut? editorial board to decide who I should vote for.
Here's the thing: An NDP government would be a disaster for the nation. They are a well-intentioned bunch, but the misguided economic policies, spending increases and economic interventionism would be bad news. Fortunately, I don't believe the NDP will win the election. They may be surging, but I think there will be some pull-back today at the voting booth. Just like the first time you go sky diving: when the moment of truth comes, you look out the door of the air plane and say to yourself "what the hell am I doing? This is crazy!" Plus, if the announcement of Osama Bin Laden's death will have any any impact of the Canadian election, it will be to detriment of Jack Layton. It brings an issue to the forefront that Jack is in the minority on, plus it brings new hope that the war in Afghanistan is not futile. In fact, it may be more winnable now than ever before, making an immediate pull-out of troops irresponsible.
Likewise it is clear that the Liberals will not win the election. This is a good thing, because Ignatieff, who could have chosen a fiscally conservative platform, instead chose to veer left into NDP territory. Not quite as far off into the socialist bramble, mind you, but too far for my liking.
I happen to live in a riding that is a battleground between the Liberals and the Conservatives. Between incumbent Conservative Shelley Glover, and former MP Raymond Simard. Those are my only two meaningful choices. Andrew Coyne puts the decision this way: "would the Liberals do more harm to the economy than the Conservatives would do to democracy?" That is a tough question to answer, however, since the Liberals will not win, I don't have to answer it. Instead, the question becomes: do the Conservatives deserve (or need) a majority government?
I have argued before that Harper would be on a path to an easy majority if he was only less of a dweeb. He is his own worst enemy. Every time he gained in the polls, he pulled some aggressive or mean-spirited move that turned off marginal voters and knocked his rating back down. I do not like his style of leadership. I do not agree with many of the things that he has done, and I think his current campaign that primary revolves around coalition fear-mongering is absolutely terrible. I think the Conservatives would do much better under a different leader, and I think the Canada would benefit from that change as well. As a result, I am inclined to say that Harper does not deserve the majority that he is looking for. To give him a majority is to give approval of his horrendous campaign and his systematic destruction of parliamentary process in Ottawa. When this election is over, I want the Conservative advisors to sit down and say to themselves: "Okay, that didn't work. What can we do differently?". Politics in Ottawa is sickening, and it's largely because of Harper.
If there was a chance that any other party would win, I would probably vote Conservative, because the alternatives are even worse. For various reasons I don't believe there will be a Liberal/NDP coalition government if Harper gets a minority, and if there is, I don't think it will last long. Therefore, my decision is based on giving a vote of disapproval to Harper and the Conservatives by voting for Liberal Raymond Simard.
At least that's the decision that my advisors and I came to. I might get a sky-diving flashback and change my mind in the voting booth.
*****
Hey look! A couple of bloggers have awoken from their comas to post special election-edition commentaries!
Good to see your blogs come alive again.
*****
My election predictions, as tweeted on Friday:
CPC 140, NDP 85, LPC 61, BQ: 21, GPC: 0, Ind: 1
CPC 140, NDP 85, LPC 61, BQ: 21, GPC: 0, Ind: 1
4 comments:
I have to agree with you. People are voting more for the IDEA of conservatism than anything Stephen Harper has done. He hasn't shown himself to be a worthy prime minister. His fake smile angers and enrages me. He takes credit for the Liberals years of fiscal prudence when he would have dismantled everything that saved us from the same fate as the Greeks or Americans. He is a clever wily man, but I don't want a weasel to run the country.
I'm voting for Jack Layton, I honestly don't think he'll win, and even if he does, I don't think he can screw up the country any worse than a conservative majority would. The only difference between the two is who our tax dollars are funneled to. Corporations with the conservatives or Unions and redundant social programs for the NDP.
In any case, I hope Stephen Harper doesn't get his majority. He's no fiscal conservative in my mind. If he can't boost his numbers despite the fact that every private media agency is practically handing him the keys, well.. that's pretty sad. The man does not reflect Canadians, nor has his government stood up for Canadians.
Well, I guess we'll find out now, eh? It may not be as bad as you fear. Yes, it's four more years of Harper, but I'm hopeful that a majority will do away with the partisan nonsense and increase the focus on actual policy.
Not a bad guess,very good!
the sun will still come up tomorrow despite what liberals believe. i hate when people get rewarded by playing it paint by numbers like harper ran his campaign more than anything else.
Post a Comment