Sunday, November 21, 2004

Tomorrow is voting day in Alberta

Tomorrow, the campaigning stops, and the voters of Alberta head to the polls to give their verdict on what should follow Ralph Klein's last four years.

I'm not exactly among those that Ralph could call "backer" - I've got a stack of grievances with the man longer than a repeat offender's criminal record.

In the Calgary Sun today appears this article in which Ralph claims:

"A positive campaign is often a quiet campaign -- you know, I've never bad-mouthed the opposition members the way they've bad-mouthed me," he said.
Sure, Ralph. It's hard to bad-mouth your opposition when they are all relatively new, and you're running from campaigning instead of doing it. Besides, you reserved your sneering attitude for those that need the government's assistance. (Don't think I've forgotten about your less-than-charitable comments on AISH)

In the same article, Ralph further claims that he's happy with the way the campaign has gone:
Klein also said he's been happy with the way the campaign has gone: Even if a little quiet.
Maybe it's the conspiracy theory freak in me coming forward, but I think that this campaign has taken the quiet path for some deliberate reasons:

  1. Ralph's candidates tried staying out of any of the all-candidates debates.
  2. Ralph was on hiatus from the campaign for two major blocks of time - at the very beginning, and after the first week.
  3. Voter fatigue - this is the fourth election that we've had to endure this year - Federal, Civic and now Provincial, and additionally, a lot of people were following the US Presidential election. - that's 4 major campaigns in one year, one of which has been running for most of the last 18 months.
  4. A conservative platform that is more retrospective than forward looking, and a Premier who has made it clear that he doesn't want to talk about the issues.
I'd have to guess that Ralph and his cronies figure that a fatigued voter will simply put their 'X' beside the PC candidate out of habit. Cynical, I know, but probably more correct than I'd really like to know.

The optimist in me wants to believe that there are enough people who are upset with Ralph's Reign that the apathy lands purely in the Conservative camp - giving those who want a change of government in Alberta the chance to send back a loud, clear message. The perverse logic Alberta voters says that the optimistic best we can hope for is a Conservative Minority. (In my perfect fantasy world, we rise up as an electorate and turf the tories out on their over-paid, arrogant butts) Realistically, I'd be moderately happy if we sent back a 25-30 seat opposition. (Ralph's no longer a benevolent dictator, he's just a dictator - period)


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Voter Apathy 101...

I must admit that I am so disgusted with this entire election campaign, especially with my candidates, that I have seriously considered not voting. It takes time. It takes energy. And, will anything seriously change? Will there be a difference... they are all sleepers, the only bright spark in the batch seems to be Alliance. And, well, even though he has dropped my mailbox about four times, and left me little notes "sorry I missed you" - and the nice part is that they are ALL in the same handwriting (!!!).. there has been an honest effort there.

But, effort aside, I have to consider the political platform. I do not want another four years of King Ralph... hell, I do not want another four days of him! I do not want Alliance. NDP doesn't have a snowballs chance in my riding... The Liberal Candidate is a sleeper... And Green? Well... See where my choices are limited? I feel as if there IS no choice this election.

So, when I drag myself to the voting station tomorrow, I resolve to vote for the lesser of five evils. And I just hope that our government is not selected by a minority again... it would be so NICE to actually have a real turnout at the polls; but if I am feeling apathetic and electioned out; how does the REST of Calgary feel?

MgS said...

Vote Beelzebub !
- Because you're tired of voting for the _lesser_ of two evils...

Anonymous said...

Not Cthulu?

MgS said...

No, not Cthulu ... Hastur perhaps?

BTW - just to be clear - for all of my complaining about Ralph, yes, I did get out and vote. {and no, I did not vote for him or his minions)

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