How electable would the GOP be in your country?

[A18]

Britain? Mexico? Canada?

[phk]

They'd lose most everywhere.

[A18]

I'm not necessarily asking if we could be the 'ruling party.' I mean how well could we do.

[Gabu]

Not very.  They're further to the right than our Conservative Party, and those guys only do so-so.

[Richard]

Very.  My county elects Progressive Conservative on provincial level and Conservative on federal level.  Think about it.  It is a rural town, ~50,000 people, 97% white middle-to-upper class, Christian town.  The Grand Old Party would easily win.

[A18]

Actually, I said country, not county.

Not very.  They're further to the right than our Conservative Party, and those guys only do so-so.

How many seats in Parliament could we win? Do you have proportional representation, or is it like the United States?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

It is a rural town, ~50,000 people, 97% white middle-to-upper class, Christian town.  The Grand Old Party would easily win.

that's not too far off from my town. We are definately not Republican.

http://www.city-data.com/city/Mankato-Minnesota.html

voted over 55% for Kerry.

[Gabu]

How many seats in Parliament could we win? Do you have proportional representation, or is it like the United States?

Our Parliament is basically the exactly the same as your House of Representatives, except we have "ridings" instead of "congressional districts".

I'd imagine that the GOP would do very well in Alberta, probably fairly well in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and would probably be able to pick up a few very rural ridings in BC.  That's probably it, though.

I can't think of anywhere that you'd gain seats that the Conservative Party doesn't already have.

[A18]

What are our main disagreements with the Conservatives?

[Richard]

It is a rural town, ~50,000 people, 97% white middle-to-upper class, Christian town.  The Grand Old Party would easily win.

that's not too far off from my town. We are definately not Republican.

http://www.city-data.com/city/Mankato-Minnesota.html

voted over 55% for Kerry.

Well,

(Take whatever I say at yuour own risk.  I had an exam tonight and just finished half a bottle of tequila.  AAAH, sweet tequila.  I'm feeling quite happy happy with the world right nwo.)

most of the people in my town is in the service industry.  I don't know how your town is made up.  We voted over 80% conservative.


And yes Philip, you sauyd country, not county, I read it county for some reason... rpobably the tequalia talking.  In Canada?  Well, err, they'd be a very minor party I think.  Most Canadians suffer from liberalism for some odd reason.  I blame decades of propaganda by cbc.

be back late,r need more tequila.

[Richard]

What are our main disagreements with the Conservatives?

The Conservatives are a bunch of  liberal-lites.  ou woldn't even get a real argumant egainst national ehalth care from them.  I still vote fror them, but that is about as right as they come in canada.  I'm very upset with them.  But then, I hate the rest even more.  Especially our ndp.

The New Democratic Party is our Communist Party.  They got power in Ontario for a short while, and wow, did the province go down the toilet.  The NDP is like a disease.  UGH.  They're Democrats on steroids.

[Gabu]

What are our main disagreements with the Conservatives?

See Richius' post.  I can't think of anything specific at the moment, but the Conservative Party of Canada tends to be especially a lot more socially liberal than the Republican Party.  They do oppose same-sex marriage, but they're in favor of civil unions as a compromise.  I forget what the GOP's stance on civil unions is.

[Gabu]

Oddly enough, I actually agree with Richius' opposition to the NDP, shockingly.   BC got turned into a "have not" province during their time.  Shortly after they were booted out in a landslide victory for the BC Liberals, the province got much better and we're currently on an upswing.  I really hope that Campbell gets re-elected; I don't like Carole James at all.

[2952-0-0]

The Conservatives are basically like John McCain, except with an imaginary layer of populism.

[A18]

What are our main disagreements with the Conservatives?

See Richius' post.  I can't think of anything specific at the moment, but the Conservative Party of Canada tends to be especially a lot more socially liberal than the Republican Party.  They do oppose same-sex marriage, but they're in favor of civil unions as a compromise.  I forget what the GOP's stance on civil unions is.

Our official stance as a party is opposed to civil unions, though the president favors them.

I don't know what the general consensus is within our party.

[A18]

From what I'm hearing so far, it sounds like the Conservatives are a lot like our Democrats.

How about this: what are the Conservatives' main disagreements with the United States Democratic Party?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

France had a Kerry like candidate (Chirac) running against a Bush like candidate (Le Pen). It was a shock that none of the socialist parties made the runoff. Chirac of course won 82%-18%.

[2952-0-0]

France had a Kerry like candidate (Chirac) running against a Bush like candidate (Le Pen). It was a shock that none of the socialist parties made the runoff. Chirac of course won 82%-18%.

How is Bush Le Pen? Le Pen is like, say, Roy Moore? Trent Lott?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Chirac is like Rudy Guiliani. Le Pen is like Pat Buchanan.

[Platypus]

The GOP could win here, if it wasn't running under Bush and the religious right was ostracised. It'd still be a struggle, but it could happen. They'd have to focus heavily on WA, SA and QLD to pull it off.

[Bono]

Chirac is like Rudy Guiliani. Le Pen is like Pat Buchanan.

This time you're right. LePen is actually very fiscally conservative.

[scorpiogurl]

It is a very difficult question to answer, because the USA and the UK are very different countries with different aspirations and outlook.

In general the UK electorate is probably left of centre and lays a strong emphasis on the social responsibilites of government for health, social security, education etc. Since WW2 up until the advent of Margaret Thatcher in 1979, the UK was run by a certain degree of consensus politics, with conservative and labour governments competing to build more council housing. Thatcher smashed the consensus and introduced the concept of the individual..."there is no such thing as society". In my opinion, much of Thatcher's ideas are now discredited, and two successive unprecedented landslide elections have shown that society is as important to the British electorate as it ever was.

To get back to the point, I think that with this background the GOP would struggle. Many would find it's economic policies of interest, but social conservatism and overt shows of religious piety would drive people away in thousands.

There is no doubt that if the UK had a US system Democrats v Republicans.......the Democrats would win by a landslide.

Also on a final point, too many people associate the Republican party with Mr Bush. I know politics are not about personalities.....but most British citizens seem to personally loathe the man with a passion.

[Middle-aged Europe]

In Germany, the GOP would either be forced take much more moderate stances on the issues (McCain/Giuliani-style) or be damned to an eternal existence in opposition.
But they could probably do well in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. North of those states they wouldn´t have a chance though.

[Democratic Hawk]

It is a very difficult question to answer, because the USA and the UK are very different countries with different aspirations and outlook.

In general the UK electorate is probably left of centre and lays a strong emphasis on the social responsibilites of government for health, social security, education etc. Since WW2 up until the advent of Margaret Thatcher in 1979, the UK was run by a certain degree of consensus politics, with conservative and labour governments competing to build more council housing. Thatcher smashed the consensus and introduced the concept of the individual..."there is no such thing as society". In my opinion, much of Thatcher's ideas are now discredited, and two successive unprecedented landslide elections have shown that society is as important to the British electorate as it ever was.

To get back to the point, I think that with this background the GOP would struggle. Many would find it's economic policies of interest, but social conservatism and overt shows of religious piety would drive people away in thousands.

There is no doubt that if the UK had a US system Democrats v Republicans.......the Democrats would win by a landslide.

Also on a final point, too many people associate the Republican party with Mr Bush. I know politics are not about personalities.....but most British citizens seem to personally loathe the man with a passion.

I agree. The UK would be predominantly Democrat

The Republicans would be sunk under GWB as far as us Brits are concerned. You know me, I'm no fan and I'm about the only person I know who can remotely say anything good about the man!

I know from electioneering a common gripe many traditional Labour voters have with TB is because of GWB

Dave

[Jake]

In my country the Republicans would do very well.  They would hold the presidency and majorities in both houses of congress.