tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post725701337333499653..comments2023-09-22T06:22:50.820-06:00Comments on Ken Chapman: Alberta Party Becomes a Political Punching Bagkenchapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11384045981190810115noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-35017575614067118732011-02-06T20:34:14.221-07:002011-02-06T20:34:14.221-07:00Expect a major boost to the Wildrose Alliance if a...Expect a major boost to the Wildrose Alliance if anyone but Morton wins the leadership.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-45629079941285148022011-02-06T15:03:26.583-07:002011-02-06T15:03:26.583-07:00I don't consider either Gary Mar or Jim Dinnin...I don't consider either Gary Mar or Jim Dinning to be "centrists," which, by my definition would mean they are politicians who stand up for average Albertans. <br /><br />Rather, I see them as high profile players in a right wing party of elite interests who've stood by while their party (and what is the party made up of but people such as themselves?) pushed for private health care, diminished education and social funding, degraded Albertans' birthright royalties from the fossil fuel industry, and virtually ignored the environment and Alberta's dire water situation. <br /><br />There's nothing moderate about any of that, no matter how reasonable or mild-mannered they might appear in their outward personalities. <br /><br />If the Alberta Party desires to be at the vanguard of the opposition or take power, I suggest it needs to further define and greatly enlarge its current nebulous policies and that it work with the other progressive parties to ensure they don't cancel out each other in winnable ridings in order to help a progressive movement catch the attention of voters, old and new.<br /> <br />Further to that, I believe the Alberta Party needs to take a stance on supporting Proportional Representation. Even Graham Thomson's latest article in the Edmonton Journal decries our first-past-the-post voting system as being one that "never allows the underdog parties to win." To my mind, no progressive party worth its salt supports FPTP, and without collaboration of all centre-left parties to have PR enacted, the AP will always and ever remain one of those "underdogs."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-11084167063679348712011-02-05T17:49:44.693-07:002011-02-05T17:49:44.693-07:00Chances of those three joining AP any time soon: D...Chances of those three joining AP any time soon: Dr. Raj, fair to good. Jim Dithers and Garrey Marlebois, slim 'n' none (and Slim's been sick).Herbert B. Patrotagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10272879754958843136noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-48970901686719092082011-02-04T15:48:39.147-07:002011-02-04T15:48:39.147-07:00@Ken,
What you need Ken is some high level defect...@Ken,<br /><br />What you need Ken is some high level defections to the AP. You need Gar Mar, you need Jim Dinning and dare I say it, you may have guys like Dr. Raj Sherman even cross the floor into the AP. <br /><br />Ken, you need to get these three centrist moderates that are likeable, all heavy weights in Calgary and Edmonton, then you will pose a seriously huge threat to the PC's and the Wildrose combined. <br /><br />If you can get those three to come, I guarantee you, you will bleed more than half the PC party away, at least the progressives and merge the remaining Liberals, lo and behold, almost overnight the AP will become a heavy weight contenter, a seriously new and viable option that All Albertans are dying to have.<br /><br />You will have a party that will represent most Albertans and what most of them want. You will still have a weak opposition on the left and a weak WRA and PC to the right. <br /><br />If the AP has any vision, this can be done NOW, not two elections from now, which is almost an eternity.<br /><br />Just think about what I said. Gary Mar, Jim Dinning and Raj Sherman, all great progressives and good fiscal points of view to offer, they will add huge weight and unity to the party and all of this will work, unless, you still have a loyalty to the PC brand, do you? I hope not.Make the AP a serious contendernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-57057363393763210792011-02-03T21:05:45.590-07:002011-02-03T21:05:45.590-07:00Anonymous is as anonymous does!Anonymous is as anonymous does!Berry Farmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03447299342398591508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-4960559784856165132011-02-03T18:10:26.059-07:002011-02-03T18:10:26.059-07:00The problem with the left and right is that think ...The problem with the left and right is that think the centre doesn't stand for anything. Or that we compromise on everything, instead of standing for anything. That is so simple and not true. Centrists are the majority of Canadians and don't have to see everything through ideology. Think about. Harper will not have a majority becasue he's an ideologue. Even Kim Campbell, Mulroney and Joe Clark have alluded to thisAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-55337348841627215682011-02-03T15:05:02.263-07:002011-02-03T15:05:02.263-07:00The reason the Alberta Party is everyone's pun...The reason the Alberta Party is everyone's punching bag is because of the meaningless & contradictory rhetoric. Example:<br />Rhetoric: We don't believe in left of right political spectrum<br />Action: We're a centre party<br /><br />Rhetoric: Let's do politics differently<br />Action: First MLA goes back on written & verbal promise for by-election<br /><br />Rhetoric: We welcome all ideas!<br />Action: But if you disagree with us on Twitter we will attack you<br /><br />Everyone wants to see Alberta continuously improve through innovation of ideas and all parties try to foster it. It's the hollier than thou attitude displayed by Alberta Party members that put the target symbol on the Party itself.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-31713082148771854662011-02-03T15:03:54.791-07:002011-02-03T15:03:54.791-07:00I think DJ Kelly's comment, above, touched on ...I think DJ Kelly's comment, above, touched on the real problem with Alberta's politics. Why do we even care about what side of center a party is on? Probably because each of these parties is set on using the same sorry electoral and legislative system that has caused problems for decades. One member elected (probably by less than half of his/her constituents) per riding - basically disregarding the majority of said constituents' voices/opinions.<br /><br />Even parties that will be allowing MLAs to vote individually don't change this, especially when said MLA can vote against the party and platform (which is why most people voted for the party) and/or also against what their constituents are telling them based on what that individual (the MLA) thinks is best for the riding. That is, except when it comes to stuff that's important - like the budget (with respect to the Alberta Party), which will influence all other legislation enacted over the course of the year.<br /><br />Nothing changes with anything that is being offered by any of these parties at this time. Except for the promise of recall legislation from the WRA - and even that isn't enough to correct the issues that are faced as a result of an inadequate electoral system.<br /><br />Every one of these parties should be offering electoral reform as the basis of their platforms. Once the Government has been elected reforming the process shouldn't be a huge problem despite the Constitution Act, based on Section 1 of the Charter of Rights & Freedoms.Gary Reinschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13603753517619500912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-85328154492960896242011-02-03T14:34:16.354-07:002011-02-03T14:34:16.354-07:00The reason the Alberta Party is everyone's pun...The reason the Alberta Party is everyone's punching bag is because it is centrist. Meaning your fighting a battle on two fronts: left and right. Basically the party has no idealogical "home team" making them everyone's easy target. Get used to it because once the party gets successful it will only intensify.DJ Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10668598813872376166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-52895928440601935592011-02-03T14:05:35.220-07:002011-02-03T14:05:35.220-07:00Personally, I'm still unclear as to what the A...Personally, I'm still unclear as to what the Alberta Party is offering that is so new and exciting - perhaps someone could explain it to me over a coffee or two.Gary Reinschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13603753517619500912noreply@blogger.com