Canadian Election Tread (part deux)

[Tingkai]

Just look at the results here. The Conservative policies are so extreme that they get very little support (0% from St Leo, 4% Krazyhorse, 7% - Joncha, 17% from me).

The NDP have a much more moderate position. You agree with half of the questioned policy. Even an extreme right-winger like Ben agrees with 42%.

[notyoueither]

Three communists are representative of the centre? You I can never figure, but I'd guess you buy into the scare somewhat, so...

[notyoueither]

Let's put some balls on the table, and see what is extreme, or not.

1. PRIVATE SECTOR ROLE IN HEALTH CARE DELIVERY:
Keep health care system 100% public
Open to provision of some services by private providers - Strongly agree.

I went that way because I think we need to reappraise what we are doing with healthcare rather than blindly shovelling untold billions into the status quo. My option was not represented, so I went with the option that indicated change.

2. NATIONAL HEALTH CARE FUNDING:
Support increase federal share of funding to pre-1995 levels - Somewhat agree
Do not support increase federal share of funding to pre-1995 levels

I do think the fed should spend a bit more on health, if it is spent wisely.

3. PERSONAL INCOME TAX:
Supports immediate cuts to personal income tax - Somewhat agree
Do not support immediate cuts to personal income tax

I like the reduction of taxes on the lower middle class. It might be better if they reduced the lowest bracket and that bracket a bit each though.

4. BUSINESS TAX:
Support cuts to business taxes - Somewhat agree
Do not support cuts to business taxes

Not sure how much can be cut while spending goes up at the same time. Encouraging jobs is good, but this could go if anything needed to give.

5. MARIJUANA:
Support decriminalization - Somewhat agree
Oppose decriminalization

The only problem I could see is if it caused complications for trade with the US.

6. MISSILE DEFENCE:
Support missile defence - Somewhat agree
Oppose missile defence

We are part of NORAD already. The shield would be protecting North America, not just the US (I would imagine). On the off chance someone with one or two long range missiles went nuts, and the thing worked, I don't see the harm in letting the US have a rocket site or two in Northern Canada. They already have the radar bases.

Also, in the aftermath of Chretien's follies, we have other issues to expend capital over with the Yanks, like lumber and other trade issues.

7. GAS TAX:
Immediately reduce federal gas taxes - Strongly agree
Maintain federal gas taxes

This should be a no-brainer. High gas prices are costing everyone, but the poor more than others proportionally, as the prices they pay for products is driven up by gas prices, and they are driven off the road and away from job prospects.

8. GUN REGISTRY:
Maintain current gun registry
Abolish current gun registry - Strongly agree

It's useless for crime prevention, unless someone can explain to me how knowing which farmers have which deer rifles and shot guns will have an impact on gun violence in the cities. The stated reasons do not match with reality. Buh-bye!

9. IRAQ:
Support U.S. policy on invading Iraq - Somewhat agree
Oppose U.S. policy on invading Iraq

I said I was for it to get rid of Saddam then, and I won't talk out of the other side of my mouth now, even though the Yanks appear poised to win some kind of self inflicted wounds award. *sigh*

10. NATIONAL UNITY:
Support working with separatists or former separatists
Oppose working with separatists or former separatists - Somewhat agree

I see the Bloc's position as problematic. No one could have them in a government, could they? However, if they wipe out the Liberals and others (effectively) how can the country be run without Quebec? Sacre bleu!

11. MILITARY SPENDING:
Increase spending on military equipment - Somewhat agree
Provide adequate funding for a peacekeeping role

As mentioned, this question is silly. We don't have funding sufficient to maintain what we are doing now. Obviously more has to be spent, within reason.

12. KYOTO:
Implement Kyoto Accord
Do not implement Kyoto - Somewhat agree

I am still waiting to hear how Canada can reduce our emissions while we have a growing population and we are one of a few countries with climates where burning fossil fuels is required to maintain life, literally.

13. SAME-SEX MARRIAGE:
Support new definition of marriage - Strongly agree
No change to the traditional definition of marriage

I don't think this needs another thread to be argued in.

14. ABORTION:
'Pro-choice'
'Pro-life' - Somewhat agree

I think things have gone too far. Very controversial, but I don't agree with abortions within weeks of a live birth. At some point, the critter is firing synapses and feeling. We wouldn't allow an animal to be treated with so little regard. Of course, this is as likely to come to a party vote anytime soon as would a proposal to endorse the Anti-Christ.

15. ELECTED SENATE:
Support elected senate - Strongly agree
Oppose elected senate

I looked for the 'Own Goal' response, but it wasn't there.

16. POST-SECONDARY TUITION FEES:
Support tuition fee cuts - Somewhat agree
Oppose tuition fee cuts

I think we should boost funding for uni's and colleges a bit, and look at more creative ways to allow students to pay down debt (like the taxation schemes proposed from time to time).

17. FIXED ELECTION DATES:
Support fixed election date
Oppose fixed election date - Somehat agree

I thought this was fine, except what heppens in the event of a non confidence motion passing? Could probably be cobbled together and made OK.

18. MORE NATIONAL HOLIDAYS:
Support new holiday
Oppose new holiday - Strongly agree

When did this become an issue? Anyway, we already get about 7% of the year off with pay. No crushing need for more.

19. TERRORISM:
Support citizenship
Oppose citizenship - Strongly agree

If the bum's rush is good enough for Zundel, it's good enough for Ma Khadr who wasn't supposed to want to come here to have her sons turned into fags anyway.

There you go. Very extremist, I am.

[Tingkai]

Did I say you were extremist. No.
I said Harper's policies are extremist.

Eliminating the middle income tax bracket at a cost f $16 billion in tax revenues. That's extreme. A more moderate position would be to reduce taxes somewhat.

Buying new tanks, helicopter carriers, fighter jets, destroyers and helicopters for the Forces. That's extreme. The Forces need to be better equipped, but we have to make sensible and fiscally responsible choices.

Creating a Minister of US Relations (Canadian ambassador to US) plus creating a Secretary of US/Can relations. Might need one, but both? That's extremely. And a cabinet minister for American relations, forget it.

Paying for a missile defence system that doesn't work and isn't needed. That's extreme.

[Richelieu]

Weird results

Layton - 100
Duceppe - 93
Harper - 57
Martin - 57

[Drake Tungsten]

What the hell? The Conservatives are actually challenging the Liberals? What a world...

[Kontiki]

Dunno about these results myself:

Duceppe - 100 (what the.....?)
Layton - 80
Martin - 80
Harper - 60

Hmmm....Layton and Martin the same, huh?

The funny thing is, I don't think I differ too much from NYE on a question by question basis. I'll go over them like he did in a bit.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Tingkai
Did I say you were extremist. No.
I said Harper's policies are extremist.

Eliminating the middle income tax bracket at a cost f $16 billion in tax revenues. That's extreme. A more moderate position would be to reduce taxes somewhat.

Buying new tanks, helicopter carriers, fighter jets, destroyers and helicopters for the Forces. That's extreme. The Forces need to be better equipped, but we have to make sensible and fiscally responsible choices.

Creating a Minister of US Relations (Canadian ambassador to US) plus creating a Secretary of US/Can relations. Might need one, but both? That's extremely. And a cabinet minister for American relations, forget it.

Paying for a missile defence system that doesn't work and isn't needed. That's extreme.

These things seem extreme... to someone occupying an extreme. The centre looks extreme from the far wings.

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by notyoueither


These things seem extreme... to someone occupying an extreme. The centre looks extreme from the far wings.

Own goal

[Asher]

What the **** is this supposed to mean?

# Jack Layton Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada (score = 100)
# Stephen Harper Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada (score = 100)
# Gilles Duceppe Leader of the Bloc Quebecois (score = 67)
# Paul Martin Leader of Liberal Party of Canada, Prime Minister of Canada (score = 44)

[Kontiki]

Meh, started to type out my responses to each one. Too much effort required.

[optimus2861]

I'm with Asher: WTF?

Duceppe - 100 (!)
Layton - 92
Martin - 83
Harper - 50

I had very few "Strongly"s: 1995 health care funding (it's time for the feds to put up or shut up), abolish gun registry (pure waste of money), increase military spending (we're not far off being a complete joke to our allies), legalize same-sex marriage (no justifiable reason to ban it), and support citizenship for the Khadr family (if the state decides it has the power to strip citizenship, we're all going down a slippery slope to hell; the sole exception I could see would be a fraudulent application).

I wonder how much some of those other issues play into this -- fixed election dates and elected Senate I came in at middle-of-the-road, and I've got a partial lean toward allowing some private health care (I rationalize that with the 1995 funding by saying if the feds won't put up the money, they forfeit the right to tell the provinces what to do any longer). I'm somewhat pro-choice and neutral on Kyoto. And national holidays? Who gives a ****?

[Ben Kenobi]

Even an extreme right-winger like Ben agrees with 42%.

Well, recall that I am a pacifist, so that tends to shank things off to the left.

This is why I score higher for the NDP than for either the BQ or the LIB

[Ben Kenobi]

# Jack Layton Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada (score = 100)
# Stephen Harper Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada (score = 100)

Ahh, another closet lefty smoked out.

[joncha]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi


Well, recall that I am a pacifist, so that tends to shank things off to the left.

This is why I score higher for the NDP than for either the BQ or the LIB

the BQ are just as "pacifist" as the NDP (if not more), so that can't be it...