I consider myself a mushy middle politically. When I do all those surveys for basically political ideology I come out often on the barely left or barely right side. I think that I have over the years modified my political views as I have experienced various sides of life. At one time I was an NDP voter and at others I was a social/fiscal conservative voter.
Now? Well I am a Tony Blair Labour voter from 1997 or a Stephen Harper voter from 2006. I am wanting good government that takes care of people and considers it important to be democratic and fiscally prudent. Of course my two leadership examples are on shakey grounds for these subjects. Yet my support for the federal Conservative party has been unshakable. Since Reform was founded I have voted for the Reform/Conservative brand in each of the elections I could vote (2000 being an exception due to being in the UK.
So why is that? Well I am a partisan.
Partisan:
1. A fervent, sometimes militant supporter or proponent of a party, cause, faction, person, or idea.
Anyone who are in politics and say that they are not partisan is lying. There is no such thing as impartiality in politics. People who cry about how mean politics either have an agenda (Jack Layton), or are looking for excuses not to get off their butts and actually consider issues and vote.
Being a partisan does not mean I have to agree with everything being said by my side or categorically disagree with what is said on the other side. In fact I would argue that there are contributions that can and often are made by both.
Now I know that goes against the views of those who see conservatives as raging rednecks out to destroy social programs and bring religion into our bedrooms or the progressives as pychopathic communists out to control all our taxes and freedoms. This is why I consider myself as a moderate.
However, I do support parties. Conservatives federally and the Wildrose Alliance provincially. They are the closest to my views who have not been in power for forever. For me at this point I prefer my politics from the centre right. I think because of this I get defensive when others belittle my side. I suggest that is ok. There is nothing wrong with defending your view point.
This is why I have liked the internet. It allows us to try and sway people who may be interested in our views and to build dialogue between those who are not on your side. Yes there is the nasty side, but that can be either ignored or taken on.
Recently I had a Twitter conversation with Ken Chapman. Ken was at the Wildrose leadership convention speaking on using social media. It was an interesting and intelligent instruction. I was both impressed with his knowledge and pleased to see that the party was able to think outside the box.
Yesterday I got a little perturb by the characterization of the Wildrose Alliance as extreme right. The party is from my reading of policies, discussions with various members and players at a number of levels has presented a face that is far from hard right. It is a mix of social, fiscal and libertarian conservatives. That does not, by its nature, make them extreme right.
Is there some “interesting” people in the party, absolutely. But it is a centre right party. Some of its policies might be considered harder and softer to the right depending on your view point or bias.
To me bias is what it comes down to, some have made up their minds on the party without going beyond the simple hard right/extreme right view. They see the party as somehow eternally ruined because it dares to have social conservatives. The fact that Danielle did not repudiate these people immediately shows a flawed party.
Personally I have never had a problem with anyone joining the party no matter their view. If they can express it in a policy which people will vote for at the convention or at least the constituency level then more power to them. An open and frank discussion of policy is the problem with the Alberta government at the moment.
Those on the left see the party as Satan incarnant. I almost understand that, not because I agree with it but because their partisanship allows for nothing else. Just do not try and dress your partisanship up in something else. If you go for the jugular from the get go, before the party can define itself under the new circumstances going from 1,000 to 14,000 members for example, then you never really were giving it a chance.
As well just because you are open to views from one ideological side still makes you partisan. You are not looking for some recognition of common goals with all sides you just want to win for yours. That is fine, if Reboot Alberta wants to become the next big thing on the left, either as a party or pressure group go ahead. But do not try to tell me, as some do, that you are welcoming all sides.
It is for that reason alone that I gave Reboot a pass. They do not really want my opinion and so why should, I as a partisan, waste time trying to make inroads. As much as I like to have a progressive (or liberal) view on our policy I am not open to being the whipping boy for those who have closed their minds already.
On the other hand I am prepared to continue to defend my party even in the 140 words I am allowed to do. I will be honest and recognize where I disagree with the party, yet I will defend it when there is an effort to besmirch the party as some kind of extreme right wing crackpot.
I know crackpots and this party is not a crackpot organization. It wants to govern and as such it can only do so by representing the middle-right. Where, much to the dismay of those on the progressive side, most Albertans have been in that category for a long, long, long time.
So I am a partisan, and proud of it.
Tags: conservatives, partisan, Politics, progressives, Wildrose Alliance
Of course, we all modify and adapt our political views and priorities. If we didn’t, we’d be dead.
I, too, have supported different parties or movements over the years. I have found as well that priorities really do change as you grow older and/or circumstances vary.