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In Praise of STRATEGIC VOTING (Cardozo)

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October 17, 2019

In Praise of STRATEGIC VOTING (Cardozo)

By Andrew Cardozo

IN PRAISE OF STRATEGIC VOTING

Opinion column by Andrew Cardozo

In virtually every facet of our lives we are encouraged to be strategic. But when it comes to voting, we are being told that’s bad. Don’t be strategic. Throw caution to the wind.

If you run a small business you develop a “strategic” plan and follow it. In such a plan you consider as many factors as possible, such as the market you are entering, the need for your service, your competition, financing, taxes, location, your service or product, etc. Invariably you are going to have to alter your original dream so that the business is viable, otherwise it may not last long.
To live is to be strategic. You think about what time you want to wake up and what time you go to sleep, and you do that strategically, for example to get enough rest while waking up in time for whatever you want to do during the day. You can’t binge watch Netflix every night if you want to go to work or school or ride a bike the next morning. Seriously.

We vote for Governments

Elections are about deciding on the kind of government we want. Do we each get what we want? Likely not. There are only so many options and in reality none will meet all your priorities. The way the numbers work there is usually a majority of voters who do not get the government they voted for, as few governments get over 50% of the vote.

Regardless of the electoral system, voting strategically will always be an issue. You can certainly vote for a smaller party if you choose, to make the point about what they stand for. But you also have the option to vote for a major party to decide what kind of government you want or to prevent the government you really really don’t want. And what in heaven’s name is wrong with that?
In this election there are two parties that have the realistic opportunity of forming government. In the 2015 election there appeared to be three parties at the start of the election and then two when voting day got closer – in part that’s because as the campaign went on, there were enough NDP supporters who felt it was more important to vote out the Conservatives, than stick with the NDP and have both the NDP and Liberals in opposition – on the sidelines – with a strong Conservative government.

Strategic voting happens in all directions

I talked to a soft NDP supporter in Carleton, Ontario who wants Conservative Pierre Poilievre defeated more than anything else, so will vote Liberal. I spoke with a soft Liberal supporter in Toronto Centre, who thinks Bill Morneau will win, but wants to register his urgent concern that we need stronger climate change action, so he will vote Green. In Edmonton Strathcona a lot of Liberals and Greens will vote NDP as the only hope of not electing a Conservative in the province where Conservative support tops 65%. Likewise in Edmonton Centre, New Democrats and Greens will vote Liberal. In Nanaimo Ladysmith many Liberal and New Democrats will vote for the new Green MP, Paul Manley, to keep out the closest challenger, the Conservative candidate. And across many ridings, many voters will park their vote with the Greens because they like Elizabeth May’s style of politics and want to send a message of discontent with the three older parties, even though they don’t want her to win.

If we have proportional representation, people would still vote strategically for the same reasons they vote strategically in a riding.
Last year Ontario overwhelmingly voted against Kathleen Wynne and the provincial Liberals. A year later the victor is the most unpopular premier in recent memory. Was that so smart? So strategic?

Electing a government is a solemn responsibility. We consider our priorities, but in the end we vote for a government that will guide the economy, ensure good social services, address the environment, respond to the needs of various peoples, and represent us on the world stage. We ask a lot of our governments to do all sorts of things. Its more than liking this cause or that fad. It’s serious stuff. and make no mistake it is complex because there are so many issues to balance in our decision.

Strategic in our lives

We need to be strategic in life. About what we study, where we work, what we eat, where we exercize, who we befriend or don’t befriend, who we network with (that is super strategic stuff), where we live.

On that last one, many people don’t get to live in their dream home, because they can’t afford it, or because it’s too far from work or not great for the family, or…..

I’m not sure what the opposite of strategic is. May be disorganized, selfish, rash, unrealistic, foolish, or even stupid. The thing is to vote carefully, wisely, seriously, smartly, realistically, and smartly, afterall, you vote for the country and society you want . You may not get exactly what you want, but it may be more important that you not get something you really don’t want to see. Not sure what’s wrong with that!