Countering the Nanny State: MMP will allow a diverse group of voices to be represented and heard. Even anti-statist ones.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

MMP will allow a diverse group of voices to be represented and heard. Even anti-statist ones.

I found the following excerpt below by Greg Staples (aka Political Staples) very interesting indeed, especially considering he was on record [originally] as an anti-MMP advocate:

The fact the PC party is a "less left wing option" is why I am seriously considering MMP. You ask "Do we really have a greater need for nanny statism in Ontario?" and if the answer is no then who do you vote for? They are all statists to one degree or another as all parties chase the middle. Under FPTP a vote for a party like the Freedom Party of Ontario is a complete waste of time whereas under MMP a "classical liberal" party has a chance to grow and can shift the centre back towards less government intervention whereas the current situation have parties chasing the ever left moving centre.

3 Comments:

At Aug 30, 2007, 7:01:00 PM , Anonymous said...: I see there are a few blogging tories responsible for organizing this initiative against MMP.

http://www.nommp.ca/
At Aug 30, 2007, 10:27:00 PM , Unknown said...: Yeah, that's the reason for my mixed feelings on it as well - I think anyone who says that because the party candidates would be democratically elected by the membership and therefore not be party hacks selected by the leader either has no idea how party politics works or is extremely naive (or both)... but at the same time, how are we *ever* going to get an anti-state vote in the legislature without some sort of proportional representation?

It would be awesome to have Libertarian or Marijuana Party candidates in office, and while I'd be holding my nose to vote Freedom Party (which is sad, but McKeever is such a purist it borders on bigotry), but I'd gladly vote for them over the mainstream alternatives.

I have a feeling this decision is probably going to go right down to the wire for me... I have to look into how it's worked out in New Zealand (I've heard rumours they've passed nothing but sweeping socialist policies since its implementation, but that source is against MMP.)
At Aug 31, 2007, 11:35:00 AM , NB taxpayer said...: Anon: not sure?

janet: Great points. If MMP is adopted on the 15th, you and Matt should try to get nominated (by the Libertarian party) as list candidates. Then, and maybe then, you both could fight "the good fight" from within. It really is the only way to make change.