[Psudo]

CanadianJeff wrote:

a) Political education (Ie. understanding the election process and how politics work) NEEDS to become a mandatory part of high school education.

Civics should definitely be a basic part of anyone's schooling. The structure and operation of government is relevant to every voter, but faulty education leaves them awkward and shy at best and confidently ignorant at worst.

CanadianJeff wrote:

b) Allowing everyone to vote does have it's downsides. I just have to remember that as much as I might hate it there are worse evils in politics then idiotic voters. Lobyists come to mind. As do floor crossers.

Floor crossers? Meaning, people who vote against the party line? In the US system, they're the best. Ideally, we'd elect individuals and expect them to hold the party in line rather than the reverse. I understand that in the Canadian system, you vote for the MPs and they elect the PM, so it's a betrayal of the vote. That's more analogous to electors (electoral vote people) voting against the state's popular mandate (like Barbara Lett-Simmons).

[CanadianJeff]

No I mean David Emerson and Belinda Stronarch. People who change parties after they have already been elected. Otherwise I agree 110%

[Psudo]

Oh, yeah, I can see that. Republicans sure weren't happy with Jim Jeffords when he left the Republican party, thus denying them the majority in the Senate.

[Pseudonym]

We are rarely happy nowadays, after the 2006 elections.

[CanadianJeff]

Psudo wrote:

Republicans sure weren't happy with Jim Jeffords when he left the Republican party, thus denying them the majority in the Senate.

Ouch. That's going to leave a sore spot. "Ways to not get relected 101!"

[Psudo]

He didn't actually run again. He retired, citing his and his wife's deteriorating health. He was already a New England Republican, and the most liberal Republican in the Senate; his betrayal of the Republican Party might actually have helped him with his base. But we'll never know for sure.

[CanadianJeff]

Assuming of course that he survived the no doubt massive smear campain that would have been run against him.

I can't even imagine the outrage that the hardcore Republican supporters must have had.

[Mustang1]

CanadianJeff wrote:

a) Political education (Ie. understanding the election process and how politics work) NEEDS to become a mandatory part of high school education. In a way it's just as important as history. In fact I would argue one won't fully work without the other.

GREAT Point. The ignorance regarding basic political science from some on this site is staggering! If you're going to post about politics, then you should, at least, possess a passing understanding of ideologies and government. Too many wannabes here just post other's blogs or sites and then blissfully carry on like they're now somehow politically aware because they've aped something. Nope. A basic lack of education - and intellectual insecurity - do more to create problems than anything. They'll never be discourse with this level of unawareness, so often, it becomes, why bother?