Do Liberal supporters think complaining to NDP supporters will help them?

[V. Kid]

I'm not starting this to be intentionally cheeky, but it seems, and this is a common phenomenon in many situations where the bigger party thinks that they have a devine right to represent "the cause" against "the enemy" that the (capital-L) Liberals, on this board, are generally quite pissed at the NDP. As if the NDP in itself is the cause of all the Liberal Party's troubles. As if it doesn't really have a right to exist, and is some how just in the way. There are a lot of digs at the party's supporters, along the lines of them being un-patrotic because they're not helping the Liberals, heck even the Party itself is evil because it's not waiving the white flag and saying "run to the Liberal Party".

Now denying the opinion of many NDP supporters, that the Liberals and Conservatives are in general closer on the issues than the NDP and Liberals, I don't see why complaining about the NDP being in the way is going to help. The Liberals always say that they share the values of the NDP, but then don't really do anything about it when they have the power to do so. But it seems that the big rhetort is that the NDP's supporters are idealogues and what not, and can't wait for progress to come slowly, which some NDP supporters rhetort would either not be true, or that the Liberals aren't progressive in the first place.

Thinking about all of this, I don't think the two parties are particularly close. They've been seperate forever, mostly because the base political ideologies of both parties are diffrent (liberalism, democratic socialism). And yes the Liberals are ideological too. It's not a bad word persay. And because of the history between them. It seems like the major connection between the two is that they can work together in parliament, and of course there are people who would consider voting for either, but never the Conservatives, nothing much more. But what I find strange is that the Liberals supporters think insulting NDP supporters will some how get their votes. Last time the Liberals killed the NDP with kindness, of course since time has gone on with the Liberals in an incumbent position racking up corruption points, that won't work as well. But I don't see why saying "Layton loves Harper" will do anything to help the Liberals. It just seems desperate and silly, and won't sway any voters or at least I don't think it will.

Heck to many NDP supporters the whole "vote Liberal" schtick, is just silly. Because its so oversimplified. If they really believed in stopping Harper at all cost, they'd say, "look at your riding, and whoever has the best chance at defeating a Conservative, vote for them". Which in some cases means vote NDP. But since they don't do it, it looks self serving, which it ultimatley is.

[V. Kid]

1. Well...

...do you?

[iverglas]

2. can I get back to you on that?

I'm hungry. ;)

[daleo]

3. All parties do a bit of this (guilt techniques)

Some Liberals use guilt techniques on soft NDP support - "an NDP vote is really a vote for Harper".

The Conservatives and NDP are doing something similar in terms of guilt tripping - "a vote for the Liberals is really a vote for corruption".

I agree with your point about strategic voting, but it can be difficult at the riding level.