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Idealistic Pragmatist: One of several options

http://idealisticpragmatist.blogspot.com/2008/12/one-of-several-options.html

Resisting the pull of cynicism since 1969. Friday, December 05, 2008. One of several options. Was the Governor-General wrong to prorogue? Hell if I know. It seemed like a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" sort of situation, and there really was no good choice. Harper should not have asked for it, that much is certain. But what's done is done. Us the parliament we vote for, but we still have the possibility (and, I would argue, the responsibility). I've never had a lot of faith that these things wil...

idealisticpragmatist.blogspot.com

Idealistic Pragmatist: MMP and me

http://idealisticpragmatist.blogspot.com/2007/09/mmp-and-me.html

Resisting the pull of cynicism since 1969. Saturday, September 22, 2007. It occurs to me that some of you may not realize that I wasn't born a statistics-spouting, FAQ-writing, electoral reform geek- I was made that way. This post is that story. For them- it actually produced policies that most of the country agreed with. What a wonderful thing this 'parliamentary democracy' thing was. Program for the benefit of the rapidly democratizing East Germans. Your ballot has two votes,. And then came the results.

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Idealistic Pragmatist: We have polling

http://idealisticpragmatist.blogspot.com/2008/12/we-have-polling.html

Resisting the pull of cynicism since 1969. Wednesday, December 03, 2008. Has released polling data about the proposed coalition. Here are their answers to the main three questions:. Which of these statements comes closest to your own view? The Conservative party deserves to continue in government: 35%. The Conservative party does not deserve to continue in government: 40%. Should the opposition parties get together and topple the Conservative minority government headed by Stephen Harper? Just as fascinat...

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Idealistic Pragmatist: On the backroom

http://idealisticpragmatist.blogspot.com/2008/12/on-backroom.html

Resisting the pull of cynicism since 1969. Thursday, December 04, 2008. Consider this: When people in the same party get together to talk about plans for laws or governance or strategy, we call it a caucus meeting. But when people from different parties do exactly the same thing, we call it a secret backroom plot. Is that really the message we want to send to the people who govern us? Wall off the parties and make sure no one leaves their bubble? Posted by Idealistic Pragmatist. There'll be a new Throne ...

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Idealistic Pragmatist: In defense of proportional representation

http://idealisticpragmatist.blogspot.com/2005/09/in-defense-of-proportional.html

Resisting the pull of cynicism since 1969. Tuesday, September 20, 2005. In defense of proportional representation. It was inevitable, I suppose, that someone was going to come out and blame the crazy results of recent elections in Germany and New Zealand on that gosh-darned proportional representation. And if it was inevitable that someone. Was going to do that, then I suppose it was equally inevitable that that someone was going to be Jeffrey Simpson of the Globe and Mail. Finally, Simpson attempts to m...

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Idealistic Pragmatist: And you guys make fun of the U.S. education system?

http://idealisticpragmatist.blogspot.com/2008/12/and-you-guys-make-fun-of-us-education.html

Resisting the pull of cynicism since 1969. Monday, December 01, 2008. And you guys make fun of the U.S. education system? Can you retroactively flunk high school social studies in Canada? Because I'm hereby nominating everybody who refers to a potential coalition government as " overturning the results of the last election. For that dubious honour. Posted by Idealistic Pragmatist. Recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers. IP, you live in Edmonton. Are there cars burning in the streets? Everyone's gone...

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Idealistic Pragmatist: Retirement

http://idealisticpragmatist.blogspot.com/2010/11/retirement.html

Resisting the pull of cynicism since 1969. Thursday, November 11, 2010. From day one, the tagline of this blog was "resisting the pull of cynicism since 1969." Well, in case it isn't obvious from the few posts I have managed to eke out since early 2009 or so, I've stopped resisting. I guess part of me always thought the cynicism would disappear as quickly as it descended, and I would eventually come back to blogging (I actually still do believe what I once wrote about cynicism. Over and out,. Alberta: Ge...

idealisticpragmatist.blogspot.com

Idealistic Pragmatist: Pearls from Wells (with one small correction)

http://idealisticpragmatist.blogspot.com/2009/09/pearls-from-wells-with-one-small.html

Resisting the pull of cynicism since 1969. Monday, September 28, 2009. Pearls from Wells (with one small correction). I am extremely thankful to Paul Wells for his insightful commentary on yesterday's German federal election. And their supporters will cheer. And the SPD does the same with the Greens. Freak out a little bit. We know this very well, because it's exactly what happened during the Germans' last federal election in 2005. Because that would be freaking presumptuous! It's up to the voters. But I...

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Idealistic Pragmatist: I guess they're trying.

http://idealisticpragmatist.blogspot.com/2008/12/i-guess-theyre-trying.html

Resisting the pull of cynicism since 1969. Tuesday, December 02, 2008. I guess they're trying. As you've probably heard by now, there are rallies being planned across Canada, both for. The proposed coalition. Well, in Edmonton, the "anti" folks are said to be rallying at "Duncan Office," which I have to imagine is shorthand for "Edmonton-Strathcona MP Linda Duncan's constituency office.". So are they going to be rallying at an office that isn't open yet, then? Which is not only not. Will take place on Th...

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Idealistic Pragmatist: Political culture and the post-2008 NDP

http://idealisticpragmatist.blogspot.com/2008/11/political-culture-and-post-2008-ndp.html

Resisting the pull of cynicism since 1969. Friday, November 14, 2008. Political culture and the post-2008 NDP. There are some terrific conversations going on out there right now about what's next for the NDP after the 2008 election. First, we have the NDP Strategic Review. Series over in Accidental Deliberations (parts one. We have the Globe and Mail. Between Brian Topp and Les Campbell, we have NDP Outsider's thoughts on the election. And analysis of the Topp-Campbell discussion. As I've mentioned before.