I had not intended to write this post, if anything, I had decided that I would not turn an individual decision to join a group or not into an issue of public debate in my blog. I had no desire to appear to be potentially fisking those who have freely chosen to join. Nor did I wish to be perceived as discouraging any others from participating in what could be construed as a noble endeavour; but after reading this post on my alleged view and never published before on my blog, I am compelled to wade into the fray.
I have never been a political partisan. I have never joined a political party nor desired too. I have voted more often than not for a conservative leaning party but I try to base my vote on what I perceive to be the issues and whose party’s stance most closely mirrors my own notions of what is best for the country. Call me what names you will, but I would vote liberal tomorrow in a heartbeat if the Liberal Party of Canada could resurrect Laurier from the dead and have him re-shape the Liberal Party of Canada. If Margaret Thatcher would run in Canada on the same platform as she did for the Tories in Britain as leader of the NDP, I’d cast my vote her way without hesitation but perhaps I can be forgiven for thinking that the apocalypse must be close at hand.
Among my many and varied character flaws is the inability to commit to anything that I cannot wholeheartedly endorse. Buying into 51-60% per cent of a party platform and rejecting outright the rest, is in my mind, how to cast a vote but not enough of a cause to align one’s loyalty to any given party platform. Loyalty is more than just a word for me but a concept that requires that I live out with my words and acts in a given manner. I refuse to align myself to anything that requires my own concept of honour to shelf 40-49% of my principles for as the price to be paid for power. Though I recognize that there are many principled others who would disagree with me on this; I am just not ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’ kind of woman.
Before you accuse me of being high and mighty let me state that I am not a leader or a visionary. Occasionally my youngest child accuses me of prophecy but that is only because I have lived long and experienced enough to foresee the potential consequences of any given action. The argument has been made that the Conservative Party has a secret agenda that it will not hesitate to implement if it ever gains the necessary power in Canada which I reject outright but it is often hard to discern where the conservative lies in the Conservative Party when it supports or mirrors liberal policy think: transfats, missile defense, Quebec, abortion. The Conservative Party wins and wins big, when it takes on a conservative mantle and keeps its backbone rather than practicing its pandering technique – think Mike Harris versus Ernie Eves. And yes, I did vote for Ernie Eves and not because I approved of his job performance per say but I had hoped there were enough Harrisites left to keep him in line and the alternative would be untenable - so now I live in untenable times and the best I can hope for is another red tory to defeat the McGirliemen Fiberals next time round; and that the red tories will somehow manage to keep their hands off what’s left of my liberty or paycheque.
The Conservative Party of Canada probably has my 'hold my nose and vote’ vote. I don’t hold the CPC in the same level of contempt that I hold for liberals or NDP, but alas, I can recognize a door when I am shown one. Here’s a thought, if voters like myself are feeling alienated from the current platform does the CPC really believe if it morphs full blown into Liberal Lite its pick-up vote will include enough former Liberal voters to carry the election without us?
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