Hey, Yanks...think YOUR electoral system has problems?!

[CanuckAmok]

I already posted this in the Canada Forum, but it has me so hopping mad, that I need to post it here, too.

all together: :wtf:

http://vancouver.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=bc_polak-stephens20050425

"VANCOUVER – Langley Liberal candidate Mary Polak says the riding's former Liberal MLA Lynn Stephens has told her she has decided to run against her as an independent, but won't actually campaign.

If Stephens just retired, she would get no severance money. But if she runs again and loses, she would be entitled to one month's salary for every year she served as an MLA."


Footnote: the use of the word "liberal" by the Liberal Party is a pretty broad redefinition of the term. The Party is actually very centrist, and IMHO a little to the right of centre, although I'm sure many Canadians--some right here on DU--would disagree.

[HEyHEY]

1. I heard today she won't get anything

[CanuckAmok]

2. She better not, or I'm M. Emmett Walsh and she's cans.

get it?

[yvr girl]

3. Wouldn't it be funny if she got elected that way

Can we torture our elected officials?

[CanuckAmok]

9. that's hilarious!

elect her and make her go to the Legislature every day until the next election.

Too bad they don't have a chalkboard there:

I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer. I will not try to bilk the Canadian Taxpayer.

[Spider Jerusalem]

4. Yes, that's rather fucked up.

Oh, and that's not really a redefinition of "liberal"; it's Americans who have redefined the term. "Liberal" tradtionally means a proponent of free trade, laissez-faire economics and some degree of political equality (the Liberals pushed for universal manhood suffrage in the 19th century, for instance). The American "liberal" = "democratic socialist" in most of the rest of the world.

[Fenris]

6. Americans don't like the "s" word.

They'll stick with their denial, thank you very much.

[Fenris]

5. Hey, that's a creative way of bilking the state.

[GirlinContempt]

7. Well, if by 'centrist'

you mean they campaign on the left and govern on the right

[CanuckAmok]

8. Bingo!

I wish I had said that.

[GirlinContempt]

10. Well, you can always say it now :)

[LSdemocrat]

11. Inform an ignorant American: what does MLA stand for?

[burrowowl]

12. Gee!

I'm glad we don't have 'huge' problems like that in the U$
sarcasm off