Do you think the liberals are harming or helping their popularity by voting to legalize marijuana?

“Delegates also supported changing the way Canadians elect their federal representatives, with voters ranking candidates in order of preference.”

Does that mean they voted to abandon ranked-preference voting for reps, or that they voted to adopt it? I would very much like to see the Democratic Party (USA) adopt that system, to do away with “lesser evil” voting and free people up to vote our principles instead of trying to calculate the odds like we’re betting on a horse. If the Liberals have found it unsatisfactory, I’d like to hear why.

Regarding marijuana, I advise everyone here and elsewhere not to use it, and I enthusiastically support the Liberal Party’s decision. The popularity of their new position is one question; the popularity of a party that is seen to be capable of adopting and fighting for bold, controversial positions is another. My own country could save many thousands of lives and billions of dollars by doing away with marijuana prohibition and treating it as a public health issue, like tobacco.

That was the point I was going to make but you beat me to it. Certainly politicians have to be sensitive to the desires of voters but basing every vote on how well it positions the party is the wrong approach. Every vote should be based on merits rather than politics.

Early bird gets to vent first…LOL

Ohhhh I soooo agree about getting rid of the ranked preference voting here in the US. If candidates here even burp…they televise a poll on it. “Like betting on a horse”, is an excellent analogy!

I gave up marijuana …let’s just say…many moons ago. So whether it’s legal or not, wouldn’t make a difference for me. I was never a big fan of it even back then. However the creative alternatives the younger generation is killing themselves with …is far worse then natural marijuana could ever be and that includes the legalized Big pharma meds that have played a role in addictions and deaths. And when all we here about is the deficits and how bad it is and the type of necessary cuts being proposed ….legalizing marijuana is a no brainer as to how much that burden would lighten. Treating it as alcohol or tobacco is just plain common sense.

Marisha, I’m a little confused when you say you “agree about getting rid of the ranked preference voting here in the US.” We don’t have ranked-preference voting in the U.S. now (except maybe in a few localities), so how can we get rid of it? I meant to say (sorry if I wasn’t clear) that I wish we had it, and wonder if there’s some reason the Canadian Liberals may have turned against it (if they have, which I couldn’t tell from the article).

Yep.. I took it to mean something else, entirely different, Hayyim. I had to look it up after your post on Wikipedia…(Which by the way is shutting down in 12 hours in protest of SOPA.and PIPA ). Actually after reading it and understanding what you were referring to (my bad) I do agree but then again that would make to much sense. What I initially thought you meant was how these candidate debates have turned more to be about some Hollywood acting ability in seeking the Oscar nominations . (Might as well be a beauty pageant) And journalism playing along with their polling on topics and responses that provide little substance much less full disclosure of truth. Not a candidate here in the US has backbone enough to address the urgency this nation faces, head on with facts….over their made for movies typecasting presentations. Sorry, the more I see the more I’m getting the common people and the majority of politicians live worlds apart in the welfare of this country, planet, and people.

Marisha, what are you and I and our friends going to do about that? (Serious question!)

I think what we are going to do, has already begun. Common folk/middle class ….the backbone of this nation are realizing business as usual in government is not serving us but special interests….and it’s getting too costly. First the marches on the real controllers of our government, Wall street. Need to know they are no longer in charge, petition that exemption from regulations is no longer acceptable and need to be in place to avoid collapse. Otherwise this is all a mute point as I feel we are destined to total collapse and governments will collapse along with it. Cleaning up the government is another mass project and although it’s sadly laughable what Republicans offered as candidates for President. The absolute arrogant culture elected to the House of Representatives. It’s wonderful people are paying more attention to the candidates and less and less people are doing away with the “vote straight ticket” principals of old. But a single Presidential focus is not going to make the necessary changes. Mass focus to effect change isn’t going to happen starting from the top….it needs to really be focused upon moreso locally and masses state by state. To that end the bright spot of what to do is happening as I post, in Wisconsin. And it’s something everyone in this country needs to pay attention to, if they really want to see an end to business as usual government officials. A petition was started to recall the newly elected Gov Walker (R), another arrogant detached ivory towered sob. The petition required over 500,000 Wisconsin votes…nobody was sure because of the divide if it would even happen….Well power in the hands of the people to act …now have one million votes in requesting recall so Wisconsin likely sometime this summer will be allowed to vote again. This is a landmark, history making, message to governing officials everywhere….no you may govern but you were elected to the job and we the voters don’t like how you do your job…so we’re firing you !!!! It’s not going to be a full term free ride for you….and yes you are now the example to this nation …we as the people in fact do have more power then you or your special interests. If more people rise up to show being an elected official, is not a guaranty of their living out a full term doing whatever…They may take their job more seriously in focusing on the peoples interests rther then special interests. Special interests can help to get them there but there duration is going to depend on the accountability to the people. Wisconsin was also another beacon of refreshing light in it’s Madison race for Mayor. Both existing and former mayor candidates running agreed to a no mud slinging campaign…just pointed to the facts and merits. Something else we should as a people demand to petition for regulations that abolish candidates doing any mud slinging ….I personally don’t want to hear finger pointing unless that finger is pointing at yourself. I don’t want to see it in debates nor advertising. And candidate advertising regulated so advertising $$$ pooled and disbursed evenly across the board. Getting the word out shouldn’t be based on he who has more money…that just means they have more special interests. The other would be to start marching and or petitioning the bipartisan news and journalism….a shake up notice as well. Cease the blatant favoritism or you too can be shut off and go blank…but yours won’t be as a result of your protest, it will be ours. I could go on but my 26 yr old cockatiel …(1 month from 27) passed yesterday evening and I’ve known for days this time he wasn’t going to spring back. His cage is in the same room as my computer and aside from being clued to watching him the past few days …it’s somewhat surreal not to see him in or on top of it…. just empty and quiet in the room. I’m still processing and digesting the 26 year connected experiences and that time has come to an end.

On second thought after rechecking my post….I don’t think I’m glad I’m not going on and on about this topic….Yikes is this long!!!

I meant to say I’m glad I’m not going on and on. Sheesh I don’t believe me today.

Nice rant, Marisha {;^) I’m so sorry about your bird!

Who me??? Rant??? :) I prefer to call it manifesting that which is out of balance in me. LOL Thanks….Moving his cage to storage yesterday, has helped enable me today to think about the good times rather then reliving the final one.