The Inhumanity of MMP

[CLIFFORD ILKAY]

Mike Kallies wrote:
[snip]
> If this passes, I might just become a card carrying Liberal.... PC,
> NDP, and Green.  That way I can have some say as to who is appointed
> and as to whether or not the parties degrade into the state you
> describe.
[snip]

What stops you from being a member of any or all of those parties today? 
How is MMP going to magically create more time so that you can 
participate in the party politics of each of those parties?

Political parties are comprised of people just like you and me. The 
argument that FPTP is inherently unfair because majority governments can 
be formed by parties that get 30% of the popular vote is a red herring. 
Pay attention to the candidate and leadership nomination, and policy 
setting processes for the various parties. If the process is transparent 
and "one member, one vote", that is as good a reflection of the 
electorate as any. Parties that hope to form governments have to be "big 
tent" parties and as such, they have to accommodate a diversity of 
opinion that is more or less reflective of the electorate.

If you have the time and the inclination to get involved in party 
politics, pick a party that best reflects your political views and 
devote yourself wholeheartedly to it. Go to their policy conventions and 
have your say in setting their policies. Go to their nomination meetings 
and vote for the candidate whom you think will best represent your views 
but be prepared to accept the fact that your candidate may lose and that 
you may have to support a candidate you did not vote for. If you believe 
you can do a better job of "getting the message out", stand for election 
yourself. All those options are available to you today without having to 
change a thing about how we elect our representatives.
-- 
Regards,

Clifford
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