Apologies to my flist for repeat content

[mousme]

John Scalzi hits it out of the park.

Also, lest I be guilty of talking more about the American election than the election taking place in my own country, I really hope I'm not the only one scandalized by the fact that Elizabeth May has once again been denied a voice in the national debate because the damn Tories are too chickenshit to face up to the fact that their environmental policies suck like a Hoover on overdrive.

In fact, all THREE major parties are too chickenshit to debate her, it would seem. The Conservatives and the NDP are all saying that, really, the Green Party supports the Liberals, so why bother? Uh, hello? They have their own party! That indicates to me, and correct me if I'm wrong, that they might actually have different views on how to run the country. But clearly, that's just me.

The Liberals are being even bigger wusses, by hiding behind Tory skirts. Have you ever seen such bullshit?

Mr. Dion said yesterday his priority is to face off against his Conservative counterpart ahead of the Oct. 14 election.

"I would like her to be there, but I will not participate if Stephen Harper is not there," he said.

Give me a fucking break. This is a small party. They garner about 3% of the vote, if memory serves. Our stupid first-past-the-post system all but guarantees they'll never have a strong voice because they're not one of the Big Two (and occasionally the NDP) and they're not regionally based.

So what gives? Have our political leaders become such damned lame ducks that they cower before a fourth voice in debate?

As forthright said: for shame!

Comments

[fearsclave.livejournal.com]

I could see the Liberals and NDP having a lot to lose by letting the Greens in; the Conservatives don't attract a lot of environmentalists. In fact, I'm kind of scratching my head as to why the Conservatives aren't pushing to get May onto the stage.

I don't know whether it's the jetlag or not, but this election already has me wanting to curl up under my desk and not come out again...

[mousme.livejournal.com]

No, it's not the jetlag.

The fact that Harper called this election to begin with just about guarantees that I won't vote for his damned party.

Christ. Is it October 15th yet?

[caitlin.livejournal.com]

No... more like "is it November 5th yet" because then the election cycles in BOTH the US and Canada will finally be O-V-E-R. (whether or not the US will actually have a new "leader" is open for debate... remember 2000?)

[mousme.livejournal.com]

At least your election is going to be interesting. Ours just looks like it's going to be painfully embarrassing. >_<

Bleah.

[caitlin.livejournal.com]

Not to me...

Given how McCain/Palin are behaving, the US election looks potentially more embarassing than the Canadian one.

ANd Harper gives me the screaming heebie-jeebies.

C.

[dizietsma.livejournal.com]

and 2004. anyone who thinks the Shrub won that one wasn't paying attention.
and 2008. anyone who thinks Obama stands a chance isn't paying attention.

[caitlin.livejournal.com]

Gore won in 2000.

Kerry won in 2004.

And Moose and Squirrel will steal the election of 2008 from Obama/Biden.

(Yeah, I share that view, unfortunately.)

C.

[fearsclave.livejournal.com]

Sadly, no. We still have five weeks of this BS to put up with. My head hurts.

[dizietsma.livejournal.com]

That the conservatives and environmentalism are seen as political opposites is very sad, to be honest. Rural places tend to be full of conservative-leaning voters and those are the very people who need to be most involved in the subject, because they are the ones who have to make the decisions about whether or not to use the wild places responsibly whilst still trying to make a profit in life.

[mousme.livejournal.com]

Well, they wouldn't be seen as political opposites if the conservatives didn't insist on treating them as such. :P

[dizietsma.livejournal.com]

Perhaps that alienation treatment goes both ways, and not just in one direction?