Comments on: So Much For The Polls

By: Bryan

Bryan — Tue, 03 May 2011 18:58:22 +0000

In reply to Badtux.

I’m going to do a round up with the confirmed numbers, but the Cons actually “deserve” about 122 seats. Hell, the Greens should have a dozen seats based on their showing, and there should be 3 independents. The NDP number is only a bit high. but the Liberals and BQ were robbed.

Preferential voting should definitely be the future of elections if you want actual democracy. This plurality system that we and Canadians have, is pure bullshit.

By: Badtux

Badtux — Tue, 03 May 2011 18:05:39 +0000

Thanks for updating with the actual numbers, Bryan. It makes my point clearer the way no end of examples could. The Cons may have a majority in Parliament, but it is clear that the majority of Canadians do not support the Cons and do not support their agenda. First-past-the-gate polling needs to just die, already, because it allows a minority to impose their will on the majority. We have a name for that in civilized countries, and “democracy” isn’t that name…

– Badtux the Democracy-lovin’ Penguin

By: Badtux

Badtux — Tue, 03 May 2011 15:12:45 +0000

Not so fast, Mr. Duff. First, Barry O’Bama is already more conservative than P.M. Harper in his wildest dreams. Secondly, this appears to be an artifact of first-past-the-pole voting.

Remind me, again, why a minister is allowed to be elected without having received the majority of votes in his district? In more enlightened U.S. states, if no candidate receives a majority of votes the two top vote-getters do a runoff because democracy is supposed to reflect the will of the majority, not the will of a minority. You don’t get this nonsense where a 31% vote for Conservatives, 30% for NDP, 29% for Liberals, and 10% for Greens ends up electing a Conservative from that riding despite the fact that it’s clear that the vast majority of voters did *not* want a Conservative elected from that riding. But that’s what just happened in Canada, thanks to the NDP moving up in the polls and splitting the anti-Conservative vote with the Liberals.

– Badtux the Numbers Penguin