The United States is not the only country with an election battle this fall. Our friends to the North have had their own federal election a mere two days ago. In case you missed it, I wanted to provide a synopsis from the frozen tundra intermittently rainy/sunny city of Vancouver.
First, an advertisement for Top Comments!
If you find a notable comment during the day, send it into topcomments at gmail dot com for inclusion! Anyone can submit comments! Remember to include your screen name, so we can credit you.
The United States is not the only country with an election battle this fall. Just two days ago, our friends to the North had their third federal election in four years. In case you missed it, I wanted to provide my very biased synopsis from the frozen tundra intermittently rainy/sunny city of Vancouver.
For some background, here is an interactive map of Canada with detailed election results. A riding is equivalent to a district in US parlance.
Orange refers to the New Democratic Party (NDP) led by Jack Layton.
Red refers to the Liberal Party led (?) by Stéphane Dion.
Dark blue is the Conservative Party ruled with an iron fist by Stephen Harper.
Light blue is the Bloc Québécois conduit par Gilles Duceppe.
Green (which doesn’t appear on the map) is, not surprisingly, the Green Party led by Elizabeth May.
In the last election in 2006, the Conservatives ousted the Liberals and obtained a minority government with 124 seats in Parliament and just over 36% share of the total vote. In comparison, the Liberals had 103 seats and just over 30% of the vote. The Bloc: 51 seats, 10.5% and the NDP 29 seats, 17.5%. Independents had 1 seat and 0.5% of the vote and Other (including the Greens) had 0 seats and 5% share of the vote. It is notable that the Greens picked up a seat in a subsequent by-election.
Support for the Liberals had been declining in recent years, ostensibly because of a number of scandals. I personally think that because the Liberals had been in power since 1993, the people were in the mood for a change. That in and of itself isn’t inherently bad, though I wish a different party than the Conservatives were viable on the national stage.
Thankfully, a minority government cannot inflict too much pain on the populace. But Stephen Harper had menace in his heart. With the Liberals selection of the feckless Stéphane Dion, support for the Liberals continued to decline. Harper knew that this fall was his best chance of gaining a majority. So even though the country was suffering from severe election fatigue, he called for a new election, backtracking on his promise (and a new law) that elections would be held every five years.
So, amidst controversy over reversing this decision (he claimed that the law didn’t count for minority governments – pfui), Canada was plunged into yet another election. The Conservatives began advertising before they were legally allowed to do so and also had a considerable monetary advantage for subsequent ads.
Even so, a series of gaffes brought renewed attention to the nastiness that pervades the Conservative machine and support that once was in majority territory dropped off precipitously to a collective sigh of relief in the Pickle Jar. So, here are the results from the 2008 election.
The Conservatives gained 19 seats, but only a 1% increase from 2006 in their share of the total vote. The Liberals were eviscerated, losing 27 seats 4% of the total vote. The Bloc lost a seat and 1% of the vote share. The NDP gained 8 seats and 1% of the vote share. Independents gained a seat and a fraction of a percent share. The Greens, while not gaining a seat, were finally recognized on the federal stage and amassed nearly 7% of the vote. The category "Other" obtained half a percent of the vote.
In other words, while the Conservatives did gain seats, they did not get a majority. And the big winners of the night are the lefty parties. And the vote share is relevant, as that now relates to campaign funding – greater vote share equals more money.
So, what does this all mean? Here are my pickly predictions (mind you, I haven’t actually read any analysis of the election, so I could be waaaay off jar):
Layton: going strong
Dion: out
Harper: this was his last chance
Duceppes: out
May: going strong, even though she lost in her riding
There you have it! Now onto the next election for major of Vancouver. Here’s Gregor Robertson, one of the contenders.
::
On to Top Comments!
::
First, from the inbox, topcomments at gmail dot com Special thanks to all those who submitted comments. You’ll notice a certain, ahem, preserved cucumber didn’t find time to mine for comments.
From raines:
pattisigh in the post-debate "avalanche" thread shows the original Joe
the Plumber video and runs the numbers.
From mypetrock:
huckleberry had this comment in a diary about McCain’s autism gaffe in last night’s debate.
From mierts:
mrblifil explains why Joe the Plumber is still not registered as a voter in response to Halcyon's comment in Hesiod's diary Here's how Obama should deal with Joe the Plumber.
From Isara:
Hehehehe. True North figured out how McCain is going to build 45 nuclear plants in 4 years. After all, not all of those troops coming home will want to become uncertified teachers.
From Man in the Middle:
Gangster Octopus nails the importance of knowing one's limitations.
From pmukh {Ed. note – great find from a first time TC contributor!}:
Comedy is all about timing, and below, responding to The Creator rechristening Joe the Plumber, Weasel absolutely nails it. Biggest laugh I've had in a while....
From sardonyx:
abbysomething writes an elegant post-debate haiku: Poor John.
LBK writes I want to run my life... and ends with a boggled mind.
winter outhouse is tired.
soaquarian points out that There's a lot more to teaching than knowledge.
Pickle’s picks:
litigatormom comments on the possibility of McCain dumping Palin in favor of Joe the Plumber.
WhenIsItEnough starts off a funny thread with Nottingham jokes, in response to the news that Ed Nottingham, a corrupt federal judge, is stepping down.
::
Thanks to the wonderful brillig and sardonyx for compiling Top Mojo!
::
Top Mojo (cskendrick/sardonyx-style) excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first diary comments, and Cheers and Jeers:
1) HES BLACK!?!?!?!?!?! by DuppyConqueror — 379
2) That's the best thing about snap polls. by Frank — 307
3) It was always cool by plf515 — 262
4) And just LOOK at WaPo's ending! by begone — 200
5) Yeah, baby! by Muzikal203 — 189
6) A slap at teachers, typical right wing thingy. by pikkel — 186
7) Sammy Davis Jr??? by justiceleague — 166
8) How many times can Joe the Plumber vote by Muzikal203 — 156
9) fascinating how CNN changed their tune by ahyums — 156
10) Well, ya know... by Leigh3352 — 154
11) Once again, your morning Joe! by Patch Adam — 153
12) I'll tell you one thing . . . by dbratl — 153
13) Exactly what I thought by sheddhead — 131
14) Help! by mrblifil — 128
15) It's cool to be a Democrat again by David Kroning — 128
16) ... by yg17 — 126
17) Sadly, Joe won't be voting for McCain this year. by Patch Adam — 121
18) I so love our candidates and our campaign by Muzikal203 — 118
19) The best part was the smackdown at the end by MAORCA — 116
20) Blue Georgia by radarlady — 112
21) Story ALSO is that Repugs throw guy under the bus by Aynsley — 112
22) There were three moments by Delilah — 111
23) Sweet Potato is the best, with Pumpkin by Muzikal203 — 111
24) well, this is what Mister too Cool said today by daddy4mak — 110
25) Just like me in high school. n.t by NMDad — 105
26) T/J by yaddab — 103
27) Sorry. :) by Leigh3352 — 101
28) Another bone to the right wing by stitchmd — 99
29) press release by distraught — 97
30) He also by TimeZoned — 96
Top Mojo with No Exclusions:
1) Tips for being "presidential" by wmtriallawyer — 966
2) Tips for Victory! n/t by Blue Orb — 649
3) tip jar by DuppyConqueror — 590
4) Tips for qualified Teachers out there! by carolh11 — 549
5) tj n/t by Kula2316 — 534
6) Tips by psycho liberal — 527
7) tips/recs for exposing a fraud. by icebergslim — 519
8) tip jar by zenbowl — 507
9) this is beautiful by Palicro — 411
10) HES BLACK!?!?!?!?!?! by DuppyConqueror — 379
11) Secretariat in the home stretch, pulling away by Dallasdoc — 351
12) Tips for great ads! n/t by charlieg — 331
13) Realize what they've done by MrMichaelMT — 329
14) tip jar? by teacherken — 326
15) That's the best thing about snap polls. by Frank — 307
16) Tips for my daughter... by revelwoodie — 284
17) I'll stick around and chat with you for awhile by Mary Sorteberg — 284
18) It was always cool by plf515 — 262
19) We need video of this behavior by darthstar — 255
20) Use this as the diarists tip jar. by psilocynic — 220
21) And just LOOK at WaPo's ending! by begone — 207
22) Tips for McCain's Disfunctional Plumbing by Hercegovac — 206
23) Tipppppppppppppppppppppps by Muzikal203 — 204
24) Yeah, baby! by Muzikal203 — 194
25) A slap at teachers, typical right wing thingy. by pikkel — 186
26) In other news, Mark Halperin is a tool by glory789 — 180
27) He is talking about pie again. n/t by nellie525 — 172
28) Sammy Davis Jr??? by justiceleague — 166
29) How many times can Joe the Plumber vote by Muzikal203 — 156
30) fascinating how CNN changed their tune by ahyums — 156