25 May The lying bastards

David Croft, Green Party Candidate in Dartmouth South-Portland Valley, hopes to get 500 votes. He blogs about the pressure to pretend he can win the riding, where the 2003 Green Party Candidate won 308 votes to New Democrat Marilyn More’s 4493. Moneyquote:

I count lying as manipulation… [T]his is what I would be doing if I stood in someone’s door and said to her face I could win. And it would be that most awkward kind of lie, because both of us would know it was a lie and neither of us would want to say it. Me, for the shame of having to admit such a thing, and her, because it would cut precious nanoseconds off in her attempts to close her door in my face.

Croft, who stays home to care for his two autistic children, links the presumption that politicians must lie to the resentment and disgust he has encountered on the doorstep:

Here are some things we heard at various doors describing the current crop of politicians at Province House: Bastards, crooks, criminals, in it for themselves, don’t care about Nova Scotia, screwing us.

Jeesh. Talk about electoral dysfunction. No wonder we have such low voter turnout – political cynicism is keeping us away from the voting booths in droves. And so people were somewhat surprised to hear from me, surprised to meet someone out campaigning but readily acknowledging that there is no way he can win. And let’s face it – I won’t win. In fact, I don’t think I’m giving away any state secrets when I say that nobody from the Green Party will be sitting in Province House come June 10.