Friday night CTV news channel had a political expert on to talk about how globally coalition governments are considered good because they are more moderate, at least generally speaking. Because two or more parties have to negotiate every piece of legislation, the theory goes that they need to make compromises that appeal to a larger segment of the population. I would be curious to see the data of what happens when a left wing party forms a coalition with a party even further to the left. If the Liberals team up with the NDP, the compromise is going to be more left wing, not closer to the center. Two lefts don't make a right. That's not going to please Liberal swing voters in the center.
In Britain right now, they have a large right wing party in a coalition with a smaller left wing party. Ergo, the zone of agreement shifts towards the center. But if you have a left of center party and an extreme socialist party, policy will be shifting left, not right. The expert on CTV did not discuss this nuance.
Why does everyone seem to think compromise is sooooo good. What happens when you compromise is the worst of both sides more time then not. Instead of finding solutions to problems you end up either not solving the problem you are trying to address or creating new problems. Compromise usually ends up being window dressing that costs a lot of money or a down right payoff for support.
ReplyDeleteIt depends on the political example and where one places the political middle. A coalition of parties will be expected to act more moderately than the individual parties would on their own,with the obvious exception of the truly centrist party governing alone. The British case of a right of center party governing with a center-left partner is a good example. A Liberal/NDP coalition would be less moderate than a straight Liberal government but whether it would be less or more moderate than a CPC alone or CPC led government is an open question IMO.
ReplyDeleteUsing Britons right wing coalition as an example is kinda off I think. The furthest right party in Briton multiplied by 2 is still farther left than our NDP. In fact our NDP would almost be considered right wing fanatics in Briton I think.
ReplyDeleteI saw that expert on CTV too. He forgot to mention that in the UK the party with the most seats formed the coalition, unlike the situation being discussed here, a coalition of losers. An "expert" that leaves out pertinent facts isn't really an expert are they? They're partisans. It's nice of CTV to dress-up a partisan hack and trot them out as experts.
ReplyDeleteThis coalition is very different in that it means three parties have to work together and one of the three parties is only concerned about one province and will okay only legislation that favours them. What are the Liberals and the NDP going to have to give to keep the Bloc on side? Will every Government contract have to go to Quebec? Quebec always complains and is offended whenever a contract goes to another province. It is obvious they think everything should go to Quebec and no other province deserves a contract. If legislation is good for Canada as a whole but not excessively profitable for Quebec, the Bloc will veto it.
ReplyDeleteOld Lady
WTF.. You are correct. In the case of Jack Layton it is outright black mail . His idea of a compromise is to give HIM exactly what he wants.
ReplyDeleteHe was offered parts of what he wanted and turned it down.
Rob C
"II saw that expert on CTV too. He forgot to mention that in the UK the party with the most seats formed the coalition, "
ReplyDeleteI don't think he "forgot"
On another hilarious tangent.
ReplyDeleteI just read in the glob that Bucky is promising to promote civility in parliament if she beats Gary Lunn.
I laughed so hard it made Ricky Gervais seem like Buster Keaton.
Oh, God.
It hurts.
I just read in the glob that Bucky is promising to promote civility in parliament if she beats Gary Lunn.
ReplyDeleteShe'd be crossing the floor to the liberals.
There is rioting in the streets in London and NOW the Govt. isn't the Cameron Coalition on CBC...its the Cameron Conservative Govt. Too funny but expected with those guys at CBC & Ctv.
A coalition gov't is a gov't by committee. A camel of course is a horse designed by a committee.
ReplyDeleteI have to be honest, I think CTV is feeling a little bad for all of those Liberals who were left standing there red-faced yesterday for demanding an answer from Ignatieff over the whole coalition government deal. Leave it to them to get on their knees at the appropriate time, put on the kneepads, and, well, you know the rest. I believe CTV Newsnet today had the same guy who was going on about how "good" coalitions were state that coalitions are usually very very expensive with all of the pandering that goes on to secure votes, etc.
ReplyDeleteI should add, and I forget who said this, that if everything is important then nothing is important. That never became truer then when Paul Martin was PM. A coalition of losers would have so many priorities that important would have to be redefined by the Webster people!
ReplyDelete