I have changed my mind, I was going to vote Wildrose Alliance, because my riding goes Liberal big time, and I was going to use my vote as a protest vote, but after watching the debate, I will vote PC, one more time. Why?
Plain and simple, I liked Ed Stelmach. He has been portrayed as a hick farmer from rural Alberta by the media, and he showed tonight that he is more than a farmer, and hardly a hick. You can tell he cares about Alberta. He knew what he was talking about, his passion for Alberta showed, and he didn't take any guff from the other 3 leaders. Of the 4 leaders, he is the only one that will fight the environmentalists, the feds, and other premiers, for the sake of Albertans.
Farmers are tough minded, he showed that tonight. Farmers live off the land, and know how to conserve it, better than any environmentalists ever could. Farmers are independent, they do not rely on others to make a living for them. Urban voters are too distanced from the land, are too busy being "progressive", to remember our roots, the farmer.
Add all that to the fact that I also liked how Stelmach walked out on the other premiers when they were trying to make the environment all about an Alberta bashing session. He has guts. With a good group of MLA's elected with him, he will safe guard Alberta, for the sake of Albertans, not for political goals.
My vote, goes PC, without reservation, for the sake of Albertans, and my kids future.
9 comments:
I agree with most of what you say.With a couple differences.I think Hinman did great in the debates and I will vote Alliance.
And second, Stelmach should of stayed at that meeting and told them to stick their enviro plans up their arses.Instead of running away.
Actually, I think Hinman WON the debate, and I like the party a lot. I am hoping that the rural voters will vote Wildrose Alliance, and give the PC's a run for their money.
My voting for the PC's is mainly because I am in a heavily Liberal riding in Edmonton. If I was in rural Alberta my vote would be Wildrose. But here in my riding, this election, it is between the Liberals and PC, so my vote goes PC, like I said, THIS TIME. Four years will give the Wildrose the chance to organize and do better in the cities.
I still like Stelmach, this election, next election will be different, especially if Wildrose concentrate on the rural areas and win 5 or 6 seats, then it will get fun!
I don't think Stelmach, "ran out", I think he thumbed his nose at the other premiers and said make me!
I don't think any of the Leaders won. I found the debate format to poorly thought out. The "free-for-alls" at the end of the questions were a disaster.
I think a more structured format where there are rebuttals, but no trying to out-shout each other is much better.
I was HOPING that Hinman would deliver a great performance and convince me to vote for his party. That didn't happen so I'm still undecided as to how I'll vote. I do know I'll not vote PC no matter what. I see absolutely zero difference between the Alberta PCs and the Liberals. I'd not vote Liberal so why should I vote PC if they're just the same?
There's still the "decline the ballot at the polling station" option to say "none of the above."
Remember that Wildrose has only been around for about 3 weeks, kind of hard to get an effective campaigne going. It was good that they were included in the debate, and he did a good job, he was the only one who talking about tax reduction, and freedom of choice in child care. He made some good points.
I don't even think I have a Wildrose candidate in my riding, if I do, I haven't seen anything from them.
Only candidate that has knocked on my door is the PC candidate, but we still have 2 weeks to go.
While the Wildrose Alliance has only been around for a month or so, Hinman and the Alliance have been around a little longer than that.
I already agree with alot of the Wildrose Alliance policy as posted on their website (but not all) and I was looking for something more last night. Not just a restatement of what I can find with a mouse click and a few keystrokes.
There very well may not be a Wildrose Alliance candidate in your riding. I think I heard on the news this morning that they are not running a full slate. Which is disappointing. While the Wildrose wing is new, you'd think that since the Alliance wing has been around for some time now they would of at least had all their candidates lined up so that in the event the new merged party had no candidate, they could have defaulted back to the Alliance candidate.
The AB Alliance was pretty much in meltdown which is why the Wildrose Party formed about 6 months ago. (I know, I joined it then.) In all truthfulness, since the merger a few weeks back, the new party really hasn't had a lot of time to organize and Hinman pretty much was given the leadership by acclamation.
If the election had been called in six months time, I believe Wildrose Alliance would have been better organized. They could have raised funds, increased membership, had a leadership convention, and selected a full slate of candidates for the election. As it was, things were done on a contingency basis and I am amazed that they pulled things together as quickly as they did. The fact they are even running at all in some areas of the province is nothing short of remarkable.
If anyone finds Wildrose Alliance uninspiring, please keep this in mind. Obviously I'll be voting for them, but I would encourage anyone with similar political philosophies to give them a chance. As time goes by, they will solidify and I believe be a credible alternative to the PC's in this province.
(P.S. If I was into conspiracy theories, I'd almost think Stelmach called the election to keep Wildrose Alliance from doing too well...if I was into conspiracy theories.)
billy jack, I think Wildrose will be a real force in the next election, and I have the same suspicion about the election being called just after Wildrose and Alliance joined together. Why have a winter election in Alberta? It is a "tiny bit" HA like what Chretien liked to do to the Reform party.
any possibility of a minority Legislature? most new parties have a difficult time keeping the energy alive for 4 more years especially if they are not represented and can't generate attention.
My choice is between Taft, Wendy somebody or other and staying home. I choose to stay home. Had the PCs selected Morton as leader I would vote PC but Eddie has been an electoral disaster of Dionish proportions. A province running billion$ $urplu$ year after year jacks the royalty rates then decides not to reduce personal taxes or healthcare premiums. The roads are a mess, the hospitals stack patients like cordwood, the teachers get a mammoth raise soon to be followed by the nurses and the snivel servants all without performance review and I'm supposed to vote for Eddie because he is a better money manager than Daffy or the socialist stone cutter? What pray tell is happening with all that surplus cash? I don't see any do you?
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