Wednesday, May 12, 2004

ANYONE IS ELECTABLE

Former NDP premier Ujjal Dosanjh has said that voting for the federal NDP in the next election is no better than voting for the Conservatives. Dosanjh is running for the federal Liberals and know seems to favour a two party system.

Dosanjh statement's only help to stoke the beliefs of those ambivalent about the democratic process that their votes are meaningless. No vote is meaningless; no 'fringe party' (not that the NDP is one) is beyond electability. Anyone is electable if you have the conviction to vote for them. Ed Broadbent won is first federa election by fifteen votes.

I could turn Dosanjh's question around on him. Why 'throw your vote away' on the Liberals when you would just be contributing to the election of the most vapid Prime Minister in history?

Dosanjh's statement reflects an inherently undemocratic attitude. He is not seeking to promote himself or his party but simply using fear to limit the range of choices people consider on election day.

I think this is reflective of the type of campaign we can expect from the Liberals in the next election, if PM PM ever decides to call it.

[Link via Pogge]
For more discussion see Pogge's post at the Election Blog.

Posted by Matthew @ 12:39 a.m.