more proof that democracy is stupid.

if they would have done an issue-by-issue poll, they would have found out that:

(1) chrystia freeland was an acceptable candidate for most conservatives.
(2) linda mcquaig represented the views of most liberals better than chrystia freeland did
(3) as much as i think linda would have been a quality mp, most ndp voters would have probably preferred the green candidate on an issue-by-issue analysis.
(4) justin trudeau is sexier than thomas mulcair

i've been watching this race because mcquaig >>>> freeland in every possible metric. this was an objective choice between superior and inferior candidates, and democracy (yet again....) made the wrong decision.

we need to retain an assembly process. it's representation that does *not* achieve it's goals. the house received the inferior candidate here, and the people in the riding are not properly represented in their views. instead, the more popular party leader kept a seat.

the fastest, easiest way to reform the system meaningfully in a way that can have a large result is to abolish representation in favour of direct democracy. and, ironically, it's pierre trudeau that has the only serious working model in which we can draw on.

let ministries be run by a process that promotes from within, leaving accountability to a theoretical direct democracy. we don't even want elected ministers that are pawns of big business. our parliament incorrectly functions as an executive branch, as it is - why not accept that and make it a presidency, with a party list, but with dramatically reduced scope and power. in other words, let us have a president that must run a plebiscite to determine the exact process of ass-wiping.

this isn't working, and changing the way we do it isn't going to fix it. in an infinity of political positions within the complexity of a riding, the idea that we can find a perfect representative is outrageously absurd! it is reductionism to it's idiotic extreme!

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/liberals-win-in-toronto-centre-cbc-1.2439673

the pundits will spin this around every which way.

the optimistic way to read this is that voters prioritized turfing harper over maximizing their own representation.

the realistic way to read it is that voters don't know what they're voting for.