How-to-vote for the young and disillusioned

1. A mate on his blog raised some interesting issues about the upcoming election, and I though I’d have a go here.

Howard wants me to vote for either him or Latham, not any of the minor parties. Am I the only one left who recognises that the only reason 95% of voters vote for either of those two parties is because of inertia? If enough people decided The Greens, The Democrats or even the Smoke More Pot party should run the country, it would be so.

2. Inertia may have something to do with it, but it’s probably more accurate to say that people identify more with the major parties. If in the future environmental issues dominate the political landscape we may see the Greens rise to become a major party, but I rather doubt it. If something like that happens no doubt one of the major parties would have addressed that issue. Australians are, by and large very conservative, and don’t like discussing politics, so the policies of the niche parties tend to get lost because people don’t want to listen. There’s a real feeling that all politicians are the same, and that they are all as bad as each other. All I have to say is, these are the people who make the laws that you have have to abide by. Still think it’s ok not to pay attention to politics?

3. On a more serious note, I think there’s also a strong feeling of helplessness that fuels the apathy. After all, millions of people converged in cities around Australia condemning Australia’s involvement in Dubya Dubya 2, but Howard ran roughshod over the wishes of the people and committed troops anyway. If that many people can’t make a change, then what’s the point? All the more reason to vote, and to make your vote count, I say.

4. With regards to Howard wanting everyone to vote one way or another, I think it’s because he doesn’t want to play the preference game. If you look at the polls, Howard and Latham are pretty much neck and neck, the Greens are getting about 9 points, the Democraps 1. As far as I know the Greens are directing preferences to Labor, but that’s assuming they don’t actually win the seat in the first place. The real tie-breaker is the 9 points tied up with the “other” parties, which includes all the independents. If Howard or Latham can secure the majority of those votes, they’ll cruise comfortably to victory. Howard is probably a little worried about the Greens getting too many seats as well, since they are closer ideologically to Labor and will prove to be a pain in the arse even if Labor loses. All the more reason to vote Greens.

5. I do however feel that this is an important election for those of us in the Anti-Howard camp. And as such I do feel that if you wan to get rid of Howard then the only course of action is to vote 1 Labor. I have nothing against the minor parties, but I want to make my vote count. I would hate to think that Labor loses the election by the seats won by the Greens. The Greens will live without those seats for three years. I’m not sure I can live with Howard for another term.

6. As for what to do if one is young and disillusioned. Well, I just talk about politics a lot, in the vain hope that others in my (our) situation might take an interest (or at least pretend, to shut me up). I think this election closely follows the US Presidential race — it’s not really about who has the better policies, but who you can live with for another three years. It’s about who you would rather have representing Australia for the next three years. To paraphrase Howard, who you can trust. To take the cynic’s view — you don’t vote for who you’d like in office, you vote out the one you don’t want.

7. (vote Labor)

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