Seriously, dems should NEVER take any constituency for granted. Canada is proof

[Very_Boring_Name]

In Canada, immigrants have historically, by an overwhelming majority, voted for the leftist Liberal party of Canada. This was due to a number of policies the Liberals had brought in over the past 50 years, which had embraced immigrants and fostered multiculturalism. It eventually got to the point where they became such a sure bet on voting day, that the liberals didn't feel they needed to court that particular vote anymore. The conservatives, on the other hand, spent the past 5 years courting that vote, appealing to the social conservative values of new canadians. After the recent election, one conservative pointed out that he had been to every single ethno-cultural event in his riding in downtown Toronto during the past year, and he hadn't seen a single Liberal member of parliament at any of them. It paid off, the immigrant bloc abandoned the liberals and voted Conservative, practically destroying the liberal party and giving the cons a majority in parliament.

Anyways, my point is this. It's easy to grow relaxed and *think* that your "guys" will vote for you no matter what, just because they have done so in the past. But if you're a socially conservative union worker who votes Dem or a "fiscally conservative" gay/lesbian person, and the democratic party stops fighting for you or ignores you, don't just assume that they won't vote republican. Luckily, republicans seem too stupid at the moment to even attempt to pick up these votes, but it could happen. It only took 5 years in Canada for an entire voting bloc to completely switch parties, and dont think it couldn't happen in the USA.

[Electric Monk]

1. So, in light of that, explain the NDP surge in Quebec or the Green party success there.

The Greens even actually won a seat in Parliament for the first time.

[Very_Boring_Name]

2. I don't understand how your question relates to my OP

The greens didn't win a seat in Quebec, and the NDP success had to do with a number of factors, including the decline of separatism in Quebec, Harpers abandoning the province and instead focusing on Ontario, and a serious desire for change.

[Electric Monk]

3. The Conservatives only got 39% of the vote.

Canada would better reflect Canadians if it was governed with a proportional representation system, instead of first past the post. Harper knows how to exploit the first past the post system and turn it into seats.

[Electric Monk]

5. By "there" I meant in Canada, not Quebec. Sorry, I can see how that could be misread. nt

[Electric Monk]

6. Ok, let me summarize / rephrase

The implication I got from the OP was "without a centrist/middle/establishment left party the voters move right", but the evidence from Canada is that an informed electorate moves even further left and leaves the mushy middle to wither.

[Very_Boring_Name]

7. The votes the NDP gained in Quebec came almost exclusively from the Bloc Quebecois party

Which is arguably to the left of the NDP. Anyways, my point was *NOT* that voters move right. My point was that when you ignore your base you can't simply assume that they will keep voting for you.

[Electric Monk]

8. Ok, I'll totally agree with you it's better to target those who otherwise wouldn't even be voting.

If all the people who didn't vote got out and voted as a block together, they'd win most places.

That's what democracy looks like :/

[Electric Monk]

9. Harper took Quebec for granted, and it didn't hurt him at all.

I don't think that's the point you were going for, though.

[Very_Boring_Name]

10. Harper did not take it for granted, he abandoned it when it became clear

that he wouldn't make gains there. Besides, Quebec was never a conservative voting base.

[Electric Monk]

11. Good night, I'll check this thread again tomorrow.

Charest. Mulroney. Martin. Chretien. Trudeau (well, ok, he was a liberal).

(to name a few)

Quebec has always been a big part of Canada, and will continue to be.

G'night.

[LetTimmySmoke]

4. Yeah. THe GOP is acting incredibly stupid and is off the deep end.

But the Dems aren't really anything to write home about. Comparing the parties in America is kind of like comparing the C student who does crappy work, skates on most things, and barely gets by (Dems) to the failing student who is absent most days, does absolutely nothing, has several outside issues, and frequently has to be removed from class when he/she does show up. (GOP)

[Enthusiast]

13. Pretty accurate assessment....nt

[Ya Tzarone]

12. The Conservatives didn't "court,"

they pandered.