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**SmokenScion** · 04-08-12, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by Fovezer

He's from Alberta. That's pretty much Canadian Texas.

I think the most important thing is to figure out what is most important to YOU, personally. We can't really give you any real advice without knowing where you stand politically, and we can't tell you what to believe. Once you have figured out your priorities, then you can look for the party that is the closest to your views and then decide if their candidate in the election is one you can support.

From party lines you may figure out why the Newbie is Running, ie Great business man with terrible ethics and a love for Oil and greed, or the School board member who says she can make a change for the better.

**-Sauso-** · 04-09-12, 12:48 AM

Here is a start for ya.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/albertavotes2012/
Sent from my SGH-i917R using Board Express

**judedeath** · 04-09-12, 01:34 AM

Originally Posted by -Sauso-

Here is a start for ya.

Alberta Votes 2012 - CBC News
Sent from my SGH-i917R using Board Express

Thanks for the link, the election compass was pretty cool even though it pretty much affirmed what I already knew.

**dex71** · 04-09-12, 05:20 AM

Originally Posted by Pint

I don't vote

Sorta surprised me, especially given your station in life. Mind if I ask why?

For me, I feel it's my civic duty, and I do it out of respect for those who died to give me the right. Respect for guys like you, Pint, who are on the front lines of safeguarding that right. I know you are a pretty bright guy who has some strong opinions, so I was a little taken back to hear that you don't exercise your right to vote.

**deputyfestus** · 04-09-12, 06:51 AM

Originally Posted by judedeath

Ok, I'm starting this off by saying the only reason this is in High Drama is cause it involves Politics so I'm hoping that you all can talk nicely about this, even more so as it isn't about your american politics.

Ok, now that that's out of the way, I'll start this off by saying I turned 18 last year, but with an election coming up I'm facing my first time voting, now I haven't really been paying attention to politics on this level recently or at all, so I'm wondering if you guys have any tips on where to start getting informed before vote time.

Use the best credible Canadian resources

**Pint** · 04-09-12, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by dex71

Sorta surprised me, especially given your station in life. Mind if I ask why?...........For me, I feel it's my civic duty, and I do it out of respect for those who died to give me the right.

Well the short answer is that I do not see it as a duty to decide which pig gets let into the pen, it is a duty to be vigilant that they stay there.

Long answer.

Voting at the national level gives nothing but an allusion of choice. To be a name on a ballot that people recognize to get elected, and then reelected, takes money first and votes second. So who was the decider? The people?

The biggest blow to American Democracy in living memory was the Citizens United decision. Your average Human is a moron, a slope brow'd, drooling, garden utensil. They will vote, within reason, for the candidate who they are exposed to the most. Money means exposure, which means votes, which means elections are bought not debated nor 'decided'.

The catch phrase in that last paragraph is 'within reason', that is why culture is the variable in the equation that has some wiggle room and is where the real fight is. Approaching equality for women wasn't done by electing some guy who campaigned on it before we ever heard of the concept, it came to a point that in order to be 'within reason' meant you had to support more equality for women or you had diminishing chances of being elected. The politician doesn't matter at that point, the concept had enough critical mass to mitigate the effect of money.

If you want something to be different don't expect that to happen by voting, expect it by playing your small part in convincing people the merit of one small facet of culture at a time, go find the garden utensils in other words and sharpen them up.

Make it unreasonable to be elected if you are homophobic or think government should keep a 18 year old from knowing about contraception, or that people should be jailed for smoking a joint. (If you disagree with these points then please go vote and dismiss my entire rant.)

I play the long game, the short game is for suckers.

AMS

**SpecOpsScott** · 04-09-12, 01:36 PM

Guys.... we need more like buttons, one is simply not enough.

**SmokenScion** · 04-09-12, 01:46 PM

I would suggest Pint for President but I think that misses somewhat of his points.

**Bubbasam** · 04-09-12, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by Pint

Make it unreasonable to be elected if you are homophobic or think government should keep a 18 year old from knowing about contraception, or that people should be jailed for smoking a joint. (If you disagree with these points then please go vote and dismiss my entire rant.)

AMS

Getting them out of the bushes and in the open is good, but the vote is what keeps them from getting to the dance.
Sometimes I think we underestimate the intelligence of the common people. After all, we are common people here at TPG, and some of the views, ideas, and opinions expressed here are sometimes quite illuminating. I think what is really happening is we are underestimating the intelligence of the candidates. They know from years of experience and trial and error how to play to ANY voter.
I like WickedTribe's answer, see where you stand politically and then ........
go and find like minded candidates, and support them until they are no longer like minded with you.

**dex71** · 04-09-12, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by Pint

Well the short answer is that I do not see it as a duty to decide which pig gets let into the pen, it is a duty to be vigilant that they stay there.

Long answer.

Voting at the national level gives nothing but an allusion of choice. To be a name on a ballot that people recognize to get elected, and then reelected, takes money first and votes second. So who was the decider? The people?

The biggest blow to American Democracy in living memory was the Citizens United decision. Your average Human is a moron, a slope brow'd, drooling, garden utensil. They will vote, within reason, for the candidate who they are exposed to the most. Money means exposure, which means votes, which means elections are bought not debated nor 'decided'.

The catch phrase in that last paragraph is 'within reason', that is why culture is the variable in the equation that has some wiggle room and is where the real fight is. Approaching equality for women wasn't done by electing some guy who campaigned on it before we ever heard of the concept, it came to a point that in order to be 'within reason' meant you had to support more equality for women or you had diminishing chances of being elected. The politician doesn't matter at that point, the concept had enough critical mass to mitigate the effect of money.

If you want something to be different don't expect that to happen by voting, expect it by playing your small part in convincing people the merit of one small facet of culture at a time, go find the garden utensils in other words and sharpen them up.

Make it unreasonable to be elected if you are homophobic or think government should keep a 18 year old from knowing about contraception, or that people should be jailed for smoking a joint. (If you disagree with these points then please go vote and dismiss my entire rant.)

I play the long game, the short game is for suckers.

AMS

I asked because I knew your answer would be good. And I was right.

I mostly agree, but I've always seen voting as "getting involved" while burning the least amount of calories. If nothing else, it gives us the right to bitch, as we have at least "done something". If everyone went down the road you are on, the only ones left voting would be people truly out of the loop. Your one sane vote, if nothing else, cancels out one you would disagree with.