one man, one vote, no hope.

[crm]

It looks like we will be getting an election. So with all the parties starting their campaigns i would like to start one of my my own. A campaign to encourage you to vote for the grey line: the small parties, the underdogs, independents and marginals, its slogan should probably be 'Vote For Change' but im going to risk individual thought instead

Comments

[ninja_jay]

I think i should for my own party and run for the .gov, you'd vote for me right?

[crm]

only if you sign up to a minimum binding mortality rate.

[justtom]

Don't think there's ever been a post of yours that I disagree with more. Which is saying something. However, arguing on the internet and all that...

[organica]

"its slogan should probably be 'Vote For Change' but im going to risk individual thought instead"

"get in touch, ill make it worth your while if you vote for who i tell you to."

Oh, the irony.

[sesha]

Seems to me he's making a point.

[_pyromancer_]

Voting for small parties in an FPTP election is a completely and utterly futile gesture and a total waste of a vote.

With proportional representation things are different and small parties can be very effective (look at the Greens in Germany for example), but here it's reckless, even dangerous to vote that way as all you're doing is diluting the opposition to the entrenched system.

If the small parties had any sense they'd all withdraw their candidates and all campaign flat out for the Liberal Democrats in the hope of pushing for electoral reform.

Though beware, when (and I think it probably is a when) we eventually get PR, expect a massive surge in support for the BNP as millions of ordinary people finally realise they can get their anti-immigrant attitudes paid attention to.

[sesha]

Voting for small parties in an FPTP election is a completely and utterly futile gesture and a total waste of a vote.

True in the short term, sadly. But as long as people believe that and vote that way, they're just reinforcing it.

That situation is even worse in the US. People wind up voting against what they are most afraid of, and almost never for what they really want. I did it myself, with a vote for Obama after registering Green.

At best, votes outside the major parties send a message to the big guys that maybe they're not really addressing what people want.

[foxy76]

'votes outside the major parties send a message to the big guys that maybe they're not really addressing what people want.'

Though, of course, they are under no obligation to do anything about it! Political parties do not offer a public service, but are acting to meet their own ends.
Voting levels slumped to all time lows in 2005, a fact attributed to apathy about the lack of available options. And I think it's fair to say that the big guys have not subsequently acted on the fact that they weren't addressing what people wanted...

[sensibleken]

you need to vote strategically. yes the two main parties are all cunts. the only thing i know about the lib dems is that they support proportional representation which is the only system which minority parties get a look in.

problem is that if poeple dont want to vote for the main parties there is a high risk of ukip or bnp makeing major gains.

minority parties make good friends in local elections and PR european elections. with general elctionsl your stuck with the main parties untill someone changes the system