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Jordan Heron - The Vanity Card Series

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#059 - THE BENEFITS OF A TWO PARTY SYSTEM

It's looking like Rob Ford may be elected mayor of Toronto. That has the more liberal viewpoints in the big city predicting rains of fire and brimstone, as all right-minded folk are washed away in a conservative tide. Is this true? Hell, I don't know. As I work (but not live) in downtown Toronto, I must admit to a vague curiosity, but nothing like passion for the issues. What I do suspect is that Rob Ford's views are not held by a majority of people in this city, and there's nothing they can do about that.

When you have two people running for the position, you get the person wanted by a majority of voters. Or, perhaps, the candidate least despised by a majority of voters.

When you have a small crowd of people running for a position, you get what? Well, it's mathematically possible to get someone favoured by a majority. But what is likely, knowing human nature, is that you get a person who has no similar competition.

Let's say we were voting on blue or green. Let's say in a pre-election poll, 75% of people favour blue. But on the ballot, you find 10 shades of blue, and one green. Well, that gives you, on average, 25% voting green, and 7.5% voting for each of the ten shade of blue. Who wins? Green. What did most people want? Blue. Huh.

This is the reason, the only reason, I favour party politics at the city level. If we had a conservative politician and a liberal politician (and the odd oddball) we could make a decision. Especially as the nomination machination would likely weed out the more fanatical on both sides. But with a dozen or so candidates up for a position, the one with the least direct competition wins. Even if there is a severe minority of support for that candidate's position.

There. That's my foray into local politics. Take it or leave it...

22 September 2010

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