As I peruse the many articles in this blog and take a summary of everyone's opinion regarding our current "Democratic" system and how some "independent" webhosts and organizations have designed a system to "make it easy" to use your vote best, I find myself appalled.

You have the right to choose who you vote for. You have the right to vote for the party you wish to see gain seats. I personally, do not see the logic in voting for a party I do not believe in simply because they aren't likely to gain any seats. By using the "swing vote" system, I am not letting "my" voice be heard, but rather giving my vote to the party who is most likely to take seats away from the current popular vote.

How exactly does that reflect my views or my opinion? When political analysts get together to review an election they typically don't think "gee, I'll bet that vote was really for the Green party, but this individual gave it to the NDP, or the Liberals because they want to send a message...."  Is that truly what swing votes do? I highly doubt it. The only message that counts is to vote for the party you believe is best for the concerns YOU have at YOUR kitchen table - NOT who will win, NOT who will get the most seats, and NOT who is most likely to become the "official opposition" party.

I don't understand this warped psychological thinking that believes that "if I want my vote to count, I have to vote for a party or candidate I don't believe in because the party I really want to have representing me won't win."

If, as everyone believes, the environment is a very important topic, how can we possibly justify "waiting around" for a party such as the Green Party to "gain popularity" before we make our vote count? I have seen this backwards belief system take place every election day for the past 20 years. I have news people....It doesn't work!!!

Remember Brian Mulroney (PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE)....acid rain, airbus....?. Or perhaps Paul Martin (LIBERAL)....Grant progam? Or how about Kim Campbell (PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE)...how long was she there and why  didn't she come back? Or maybe Jean Cretien (LIBERAL)...everyone's favorite Liberal?

Why is it that Canadians' memories are so short? And if they aren't short and I'm missing some important fact, why is it that the change the majority of Canadians seek isn't shown in the results on election day?

I believe that if you have a voice and want it to be heard, you should ONLY vote for the party that most closely represents you and your interests and not the party that some "independent" webmaster has designed to help you cast YOUR vote.

Change can happen quickly if we stop thinking in absolutes and whether or not our chosen party will "win." We all lose if we don't speak what's in our hearts NOW.