General Election

[Aloone_Jonez]

The Lib Dems have been in, not since WWII though!

That was way before my time!

Why can you remember when they ran the country?  

 I can see what you all mean about the green party I think the have some good ideas, but I won't vote for them as they are no where near popular enough to become a big enough opposition party.

My prime hate second to Labour is the Conservative party, to see them in 3rd place would be a very good thing, as they clearly don't even know the first thing about economics.

[Orethrius]

I won't vote for them as they are no where near popular enough to become a big enough opposition party.

...and it's statements like those that fulfill themselves.

[Kintaro]

Id vote Jesus.

[Aloone_Jonez]

...and it's statements like those that fulfill themselves.

There's nothing wrong with tactical voting, if more people vote Liberal then the Conservatives will become less of an opposition, but what would a few extra votes for the green party do? Not much is the answer, if the Liberal Democrats were the main opposition with the conservatives third then the Green party would make more difference -  they'd push the Conservatives further away from power.

Anyway why are we discussing this on the Microsoft Eradication society forum?

[Orethrius]

Anyway why are we discussing this on the Microsoft Eradication society forum?

Yes, why are we exercising our First Amendment rights in The Lounge?  What's up with that anyway?  :p

There's nothing wrong with tactical voting, if more people vote Liberal then the Conservatives will become less of an opposition, but what would a few extra votes for the green party do? Not much is the answer, if the Liberal Democrats were the main opposition with the conservatives third then the Green party would make more difference - they'd push the Conservatives further away from power.

You're talking about idealism versus base concepts though.  Unfortunately, since we don't live in an ideal world, we have to rely on such measures to ensure the public's rights.  I assure you that the concept is not to vote for who might win, though, but to vote for who you want to win.  Too many people don't vote today because they're more concerned with the outcome than the process.  That's how Diebold sneaks in, that's how the Republicans grab power, and THAT'S why Orrin Hatch is chairing a subcommitee on a bastard-child philosophy.

As Captain Planet would say, "The power... is YOURS!"  Get off your duff and vote for who you want to see running the nation.  The only true losers are those who abstain.  

[Aloone_Jonez]

Yes, why are we exercising our First Amendment rights in The Lounge?  What's up with that anyway?  :p

CoS POLLitTics Sux sHiTt!!!!!!!!!

No seriously politics rule, and I mean this literally and it has a lot to do with Microsoft because the US government should have done something about them many years ago.

You're talking about idealism versus base concepts though.  Unfortunately, since we don't live in an ideal world, we have to rely on such measures to ensure the public's rights.  I assure you that the concept is not to vote for who might win, though, but to vote for who you want to win.  Too many people don't vote today because they're more concerned with the outcome than the process.  That's how Diebold sneaks in, that's how the Republicans grab power, and THAT'S why Orrin Hatch is chairing a subcommitee on a bastard-child philosophy.

To be honest, I wouldn't like any of the party's in their current state to be in power. The Liberal Democrats aren't ready to run the country and neither are the Green Party, and you know what I think about the Labour and Conservative party. I'm voting for the one party that will do the most damage to the Conservatives and Labour, and who are the most likely to become a stronger opposition the coming years.

As Captain Planet would say, "The power... is YOURS!"  Get off your duff and vote for who you want to see running the nation.  The only true losers are those who abstain.  

Oh yes I remmember Captin Planet, and unfortunately I can still remember the theme tune, and now I've got it going round in my head - thanks a bunch!

[Orethrius]

To be honest, I wouldn't like any of the party's in their current state to be in power. The Liberal Democrats aren't ready to run the country and neither are the Green Party, and you know what I think about the Labour and Conservative party. I'm voting for the one party that will do the most damage to the Conservatives and Labour, and who are the most likely to become a stronger opposition the coming years.

As long as you're voting for who you want in office, as opposed to who might best damage the opposing party, that's your perogative.  Good on ya for not standing idly by, I say, but I just happen to believe in the conceptual integrity of the voting process.  Call me naive, but I believe in our founding fathers.  

[Calum]

either reason is a good reason for voting.

it's better than not voting at all and then moaning about how nothing gets done properly etc.

now:

The Lib Dems have been in, not since WWII though!

actually the liberal democrats have never been in power. The Liberal party were voted out of office in 1936 and did not merge with the social democratic party until the 1980s to become the Liberal Democratic Party.

also, in answer to sjor's question, who actually will win, it'll be labour, because the british public needs a lot worse than what labour has been to be convinced to elect howard after his association with several unpopular conservative concepts in the past. and not enough people will vote liberal democrat, because everybody thinks that not enough people will vote for them for them to get in, despite the fact that (i think) a majority thinks they should get a chance in office.

tony blair really annoys me conceptually, because he is a conservative prime minister leading the labour party. usually if you have a conservative prime minister, you can just vote labour in (as a nation), but with tony blair you can't do that, because he leads the labour party, and the only other choice is howard's (or whoever is conservative leader this week!) bunch of upper class goons.

[sjor]

The Liberal party were voted out of office in 1936 and did not merge with the social democratic party until the 1980s to become the Liberal Democratic Party.

well uve done ur research!

as much as i dont like it, it'll probaly be labour.

[KernelPanic]

now:
actually the liberal democrats have never been in power. The Liberal party were voted out of office in 1936 and did not merge with the social democratic party until the 1980s to become the Liberal Democratic Party.

oh

[Aloone_Jonez]

tony blair really annoys me conceptually, because he is a conservative prime minister leading the labour party. usually if you have a conservative prime minister, you can just vote labour in (as a nation), but with tony blair you can't do that, because he leads the labour party, and the only other choice is howard's (or whoever is conservative leader this week!) bunch of upper class goons.

I agree fucking hate the Conservatives and I now hate new Labour because they have a Conservative leader. The Liberal Democrats are the old Labour, their manifesto is an old Labour manifesto. I think the Liberal Democrats make sense, the Conservatives are stupid, and Labour are liars.

 :fu: Conservatives.
 :fu: Tony Blair.

Vote for either the Green Party or Liberal Democrats, preferably the latter!

[Lord C]

Can't stand Michael Howard - he really really gets on every last one of my nerves.

I don't like conservatives anwyay, and I'm not a fan of Tony Blair either, so Labour have lost my vote.

Green Party for me.
Good stance on the environment (DUH), and on Open Source Software, which is an important issue to me.

[KernelPanic]

For those members not in the UK check out this link for a quick idea of who and what the main parties are.

[Lord C]

For those members not in the UK check out this link for a quick idea of who and what the main parties are.

I like their political compass.

My results were:
Economic Left/Right: -4.63
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.56

I'm very like Nelson Mandella or Ghandi, and very far from Hitler. Which made me happy

[Calum]

yes, i'm down there next to Ghandi again,

Economic Left/Right: -6.63
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.97

i did do this test a whilee ago, see http://honeybug.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=13090#13090