Conflict in Alberta's Wildrose party

[avb3]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

Still don't fly?
2012 total votes cast:1,290,223
Wild Rose vote :442,429
PC vote:567,060
Liberal vote:127,645
NDP vote:126,752
Total of major parties to left of WR: 821,457

821,457 is > 442,429. 821,457 constitutes a majority of 1,290,223.... unless you went to a Wildrose school apparently.

Man, this is like arguing with someone who contends that the sky is purple. A party loses an election. You make the comment that they didn't connect with or reflect the views of the majority, and you get denial. If they HAD connected and reflected, they would have WON. They didn't. Patent dishonesty or delusion at work on the part of some WR members here.

A more authentic answer might be "Yeah, we didn't connect with the majority and get their votes, but we will next time". I could respect that.

You know as well as most that it was the commentary on social issues and the way those were handled that lost the election for WR.

I suspect that you and most others understand that on fiscal matters, WR was where most Albertans are.

The trouble was that Alberta is in a boom right now, and people are feeling pretty good. They voted on the emotional issues, not the fiscal ones.

Personally I think Smith is doing the right thing by defusing the social issues now. Although there may be a moral perspective that some citizens think are important, the reality is that whether Brucie 'marries' Gordy, although objectionable to many, it really won't affect the well being of most Albertans.

How money is collected, spent and allocated does.

[markg]

Oko your right that we didn't win, frankly that's quite obvious. As to the reason we didn't win, well that's up for debate. I believe the reason lies in confidence in a new party. I think the majority of Albertans are still right of center. They didn't think WR was ready to govern yet. Could I be wrong. Yes. Could it be our province has shifted left? Maybe. We won't know until next election. If WR wins then I think it validates my point. If they loose then maybe the province has shifted left. Who knows, it's all conjecture at this point.

[rugatika]

mark and avb both make excellent points. I think the WR did have the majority leading up to the election. (ie: the polls were right). They just didn't have the experience to instill the confidence in a certain portion of the electorate that has always voted PC. And no doubt, there were many long term relationships MLA's had with their constituents that brought in their votes as well.

I don't think the loss is as much of an indictment of WR policy as many on the left would like to believe. More a matter of seasoning. They came absurdly close to winning for an upstart party.

And yes...there is no doubt the province has moved left with the recent influx of people from Eastern Canada who no doubt are comfortable with largesse in the government. The next election will tell the tale.

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by markg

Oko your right that we didn't win, frankly that's quite obvious. As to the reason we didn't win, well that's up for debate. I believe the reason lies in confidence in a new party. I think the majority of Albertans are still right of center. They didn't think WR was ready to govern yet. Could I be wrong. Yes. Could it be our province has shifted left? Maybe. We won't know until next election. If WR wins then I think it validates my point. If they loose then maybe the province has shifted left. Who knows, it's all conjecture at this point.

Makes total sense to me. I may not agree with every point, but your analysis is rational.