FPTP WTF

There is an obvious logistical nightmare of creating legislature for tens of millions of people (or seven billion people, for that matter). Developing any strategy on such a scale is inevitably going to involve some compromise. Even if you accept representative democracy as the best solution to these issues, the system has significant shortcomings and flaws that need to be addressed.

In Canada, there has been some growing support for electoral reform; specifically proportional representation. This is at least a step in the right direction. The “first-past-the-post” means of electing officials is definitely one of the most worrisome aspects of the whole system for me. It ensures that every minority position is marginalized. In a nation that aims to protect minorities and secure the rights of all people, this is inexcusable. Because this is such a vast country and our parliament's seats are divided by geographic boundaries rather than popular support, it is quite possible for significant groups of people to be left without any actual input in the decision making process. I am not fond of party politics but there is a huge disconnect in the proportions of seats that a party gets and the percentage of the popular vote that they receive. The NDP consistently receives far fewer seats than their support warrants, mainly due to the size and boundaries of the districts that the seats represent. In 2008, the Bloc Quebecois won 49 seats with only 10.0% of the popular vote while the NDP had 18.13% of the popular vote while only winning 37 seats*. The proportions for any other segment or issue could be even greater. The issues that have caused the most controversy involve significant portions of the population that are widely distributed and lack the concentrations necessary to earn representation. A complex issue like marijuana decriminalization, can have significant support** but will likely never have the unified, geographically-specific, movement needed to force change. There are other issues that have greater consequences, with far-reaching social and moral ramifications just around the corner.

Don't get me wrong, there are things about pop politics that terrify me; but I pretty firmly believe that everyone deserves their say.

* Clearly this was an intended effect of the system of electoral districts and is an artifact of the long and tricky relationship the Canadian government has had with La belle province. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Democratic_Party http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloc_Qu%C3%A9b%C3%A9cois

** http://www.nationalpost.com/news/Majority+Canadians+support+legalizing+marijuana+poll/2911881/story.html

The First Grievance

I am interested in politics. That is not to say that I have any significant education, knowledge or experience in that field. I admit my interest in politics is very general. I am interested in the way that people exist, how we exist together and the mechanisms that allow us build the societies we build. It is a broad interpretation, that includes philosophy, psychology, sociology.

I am not politically active. As a Canadian citizen, I am extremely frustrated by my native land's current system of constitutional monarchy and the parliamentary democracy that comes with that. I am proud to be Canadian, and appreciate that this nation is a great place to live but it can get better. We can get better. I feel very strongly about veterans, and the costs that our freedom demands; a lot of people have selflessly fought for Canada but I really don't think that any of them intended to fight for our right to choose who chooses for us. The flaws, issues, and conflicts that I perceive, have led me to stop exercising my right to vote. I have voted exactly once and found the experience tremendously disappointing. I am an opinionated individual and I sincerely value and cherish the ideals of democracy. I want to be an active participant in the affairs of my community, on the local, national and global scale, but I don't see how passing my right to an opinion to a stranger with a nice chin could even be rationalized.

The first grievance isn't with the corruption, the exclusion, the inefficiencies or the ineffective. The first grievance is with my fellow subjects of this flawed state that insist that "if you didn't vote you don't get to complain." I don't know how many times I've heard variations of this line, and every single time, I am absolutely levelled by it. If you relish choice and say in the operation of your government, then representative democracy should offend your every sensibility. Substituting the simplest model of representative democracy into any social problem is comical. The analogies aren't perfect, but if there was a discussion at the dinner table about what to have: would you ever have a poll to pick which neighbour will tell you what to eat?

This illusion of choice has got to be the best grift going. It's the ultimate diversion and there's hardly any accountability to the people, other than voting someone out by voting another, possible worse candidate in. I don't mean that it's a malevolent conspiracy or anything. In fact, I'm pretty sure the fathers of confederation did their best to create a fair and balanced system, given the insane logistics of governing a nation prior to the invention of the telephone, but in today's connected world; it's just a joke. The government is quite happy to trust on-line banking when it comes time to take my taxes or pay a fine but somehow it isn't secure enough to handle my opinions?

Essentially, by voting, you give tacit approval to someone else to make your choices for you. You likely have never met this person and may not have even voted for this individual. In most cases, the person who "wins" doesn't even get the majority of the votes, meaning most of the voters would have actually preferred someone else; they just couldn't agree on who.

No wonder voters think they deserve exclusive rights to gripe.

Civil Discourse-The Purpose and Procedeure of What Will Follow

I am young, ignorant, and ready to be wrong. I am full of ideas that are partially developed and partially false. I am not affiliated with any organization or movement, and I don't espouse any specific ideology or dogma.


I have notions and beliefs that need to be tested; that I need to adapt and define. I hope that others will help me in this. I will begin posting essays and opinions of various lengths, as I finish them. In time, I would like other thinkers of contrasting and complimentary views to be able to share their unique perspectives here as well. I intend to make this space as engaging as possible and encourage any feedback, be it criticism, comments, corrections, or chatter. Sincerely, Leonard Sprout