Why I am Voting Conservative

In case you haven't noticed there's a Federal election on. The opinion polls indicate that the Conservatives will form a large minority or a close majority government. Frankly, I like the idea of another Conservative government. For verification please consult this website it is highly accurate, http://www.democraticspace.com/canada2008/

The riding I vote in is a Liberal-Conservative riding. There's only two parties that can win in Brampton West, and that's the Liberals or the Conservatives. In recent elections I've voted NDP. It's mostly a protest vote. In the past I didn't believe in the Conservative Party's platform, or the Liberal's for that matter. The NDP and I usually agree, I don't like their 'fringe' policies, but their general spirit is something I like, the 'conscious of the parliament.' There's something about a smug, self-righteous, pious, holier-than-thou voice that really appeals to me.

The projection implies its a toss-up between the Conservative and the Liberals in the 905, leaning towards the Conservatives, which I'm comfortable with. I don't like the Liberals - at all. There's something about a party who occupies the mushy middle that irritates me. I know the Conservatives, the Greens, the NDP, and the Bloc have broader philosophy that adhere to. The Liberals are the popular poll results, "The environment is polling pretty high... I guess that's something we should look into then..."

That brings me to the next point. I don't like this focus on the environment. While I think we should switch off the carbon economy, and also I think we should be stewarts of our environment. That being said I don't think we can "shift" our entire tax structure to punish "polluters." Carbon dioxide is not a pollutant, if they are we should really start taxing breathing, all things being equal.

This election also could result in something I've wanted, a Conservative minority supported by the NDP. The best of both worlds in my opinion. I don't think anyone needs to be worried about. If the Conservatives get a minority government they will be hampered by three or four political parties pulling them to the left. I understand that a majority government of the most right-wing party in this country would be upsetting. Considering is likely in such a result 60% of the populace would be voting for someone else, and yet they would have 100% of the power. Our electoral process sucks, I'll discuss this at a future time.

Let's look quickly at the people who want to be our Prime Minister.

Elizabeth May - The Green Party. Oh, Auntie May. Besides what I don't like about the Green Party (a lot, sorry Global Warming - I don't fully buy it) does anyone really believe Elizabeth May, with no parliamentary or governing experience is prepared to be prime minister? In addition she would have to election dozens of MPs to accomplish this. Highly unlikely.

Gilles Duceppe - The Bloc Quebecois. The separatists only run 75 candidates, and they're down in the polls. While Duceppe is a quite successful politician, and a pretty sharp fellow (for a separatist) he is unlikely to be PM, and the irony alone would be delicious.

Stephan Dion - The Liberal Party. I don't believe he's a bad guy, I think he's merely an idealist. Unfortunately I think the idealism is misplaced, and that the fight against global warming and carbon dioxide in the face of economic recession is ridiculous. The problems within his caucus, challenges to his leadership of the party, would make his government highly unstable.

Jack Layton - The New Democratic Party. Oh, the NDP, the far left of Canadian (elected) politics. They've never achieved government, nor come even very close. It's a shame, I'd like to see what it would look like, and if hell would freeze over, or Alberta sink into the sea. I think Layton has strong leadership, and I think he's a strong parliamentarian.

Stephen Harper - The Conservative Party. Forced into the middle. He has to moderate his views, being dragged by the other parties leftwards. He also has the concerns of a cautiously leftist people.

I'm a big fan of steady-as-she-goes government. We don't need any revolutionary policies. Sure, let's tweek it, but there's not need for a revoltion. I'm not really favouring any party right now. I'm not an environmentalist, I think we need to invest in social infrastructure, and I support the Afghan mission. No one exactly fits into my point of view, but we don't get to pick the policies, all we get is one vote. That's why I'm voting Conservative.