Wasted vote!
Caveat: It is strongly encouraged that one reads Dr. Saravanamuttu’s article “Rajapakse vs Fonseka: Tweedledum vs Tweedledee” before proceeding. Also, in this fragment I have failed to adequately define terms such as “moderate” and “extremist”; however, I hope my readers will be considerate of the informal, conversational nature of this fragment.
In previous presidential elections, although the (generally) two primary candidates were far from satisfactory, one was generally the lesser of the two evils. The question whether President Rajapakse or General Fonseka is the the lesser of the two evils cannot be convincingly answered. Dr. Saravanamuttu, in his latest Groundviews post, aptly used the cliché, “between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea”. There will be enough and more banter about the merits and demerits of each candidate; everyone trying to vilify one candidate more than the other. But there will be no resolution to the question in the foreseeable future (ie before the election)
Nevertheless, the terrible choice that has been put before us is an opportunity as well. I don’t believe there has been an instance in living memory where one has come to the point where a presidential candidate has been more or less as bad as his/her opponent. Moderate voters who cannot reconcile voting for one of the two candidates have no strong reasons for voting in the current election. Therefore, vote for a moderate candidate would not be a wasted vote which provides some political leeway for a third candidate. Such a candidate could leverage the distasteful choice being faced by voters and build a critical mass around which a wider presidential campaign could then be fought, hopefully uniting moderates under a common banner. Some wishful thinking: if the Opposition Alliance splits with a significant proportion supporting a third candidate the protest vote against the incumbent may shift away from General Fonseka to the third candidate giving such a candidate a possibility of victory.
Furthermore, even if such a candidate does win the election (which is admittedly highly unlikely) it would provide a opportunity for a renaissance (or naissance for that matter) of moderate politics by bringing moderate politicians and policies to the forefront of political discourse. This provides a unprecedented, ready-made political platform from which a moderate candidate can engage with the electorate and present a viable alternative to the corrupt, xenophobic, incompetent etc. politics that prevails in Sri Lanka today.
Yet, as always there are problems. A strong moral hazard is likely to ensue as the moderate vote will converge on such a candidate. Hence, President Rajapakse and General Fonseka will have no incentive to appeal to moderate voters and may shift tactics viz trying to out do each others extremism. If one of them is elected they will be more than aware that they are in office due to extremist votes rather than moderate ones and will be, to some degree, compelled to act accordingly which may have worse results than allowing the political process to continue its current course. The question in my mind is whether it is worth the risk? As a voter and citizen I feel I virtually no chips left- nothing lost by going all in.
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Hurrah for Wickramabahu Karunaratne.
‘AMEN’ old Man!
Let’s face it Wickramabahu Karunaratne has no chance in hell of winning. He joined the fray to take away the minority vote from the UNF, and will likely succeed in that endeavour Let’s not forget that he has been sitting pretty with Mahinda Rajapaksa all this time, with not a whimper against the war despite his prolific writings on “minority rights” and the odd screech or two thrown in for good measure. In my opinion he is nothign but another fake who is sick of sitting on the sidelines and is now greedy for power; he’s tasted it under Mahinda and now he wants more. Unfortunately the Sri Lankan political scene is not looking pretty at all these days. At least people’s true characters are showing through, heck these days even the UNP and the JVP don’t mind going to bed together.
The ordinary voter whether a he or she in Lanka be of whatever race will have no clear reply if asked which of the two candidate is best preferred for a post which both promise to abolish if elected. The voter is confused and confounded because of the lack of a clear cut choice and is like the fish with the hook struck in the throat and being slowly hoisted out of the sea on to the boat..
As I see it, the incumbent has an edge because of his incumbency and already hold the reins of power when compared with the dark war horse ridden by the serial loser and his affiliates.The consequence of that for the voter is the same as for the fish; to be fried,grilled or stewed,or rot.The last would be the preferred and the most viable under the circumstances and so Presidency will continue.as willed by the Old Fox……….
I would vote for Wickramabahu Karunaratne if I could.
The Sinhalese moderates need to stop being so passive.
Vickremabahu Karunaratne is hardly a ‘moderate.’ He is just as bad as the far right – he’s the far left.
Wickremabahu would certainly be the best of the three declared candidates.
With the collapse of World Marxism it is meaningless for “Someone” to say that Bahu is “extreme left.” Bahu is no doubt a committed Marxist, and he, himself, may be disappointed at our not taking Marxism seriously. But that’s his personal business. It’s like religion, in that respect. What matters is that he’s honest, educated and intelligent. The West will certainly welcome such a man. As I write it looks as though Gordon Brown’s Government in the U.K. and Canada are determined that Sri Lanka should NOT be allowed to host the Commonwealth Conference. I’m sure they’ll be quite happy with Bahu; not because he’s a stooge of the West but because he has not transgressed the common human decencies that the Liberal West holds so dear. For instance, he will never invite the Burmese dictator here.
But he has two great handicaps:
He’s being IGNORED by commentators from Sri Lanka who feed the World Media – e.g. search the Internet and discussion is in terms of a two CANDIDATE election (never mind equine vocabulary). Also, few realise that his doctorate is not in some esoteric and non-practical discipline like Philosophy, but in Engineering.
Secondly, for some people, like “Someone”, Marxism is regarded as something so dirty that any “religious” person should have no truck with a person infected by it.
Let’s keep clear of such religiosity and vote Bahu ‘cos he’s the one person who can straddle the ethnic divide. He’s been sincere and consistent for forty years in this. (I hasten to add that I have never met him.) He is most unlikely to win, but giving him the “First Preference” will send a powerful message to all chauvinists. After that, toss a coin and give the Second Preference to “Tweedledum or Tweedledee” just to satisfy yourself that you voted for “one of the main candidates”.
Bogus Name, Just someone:
What is important about Wickramabahu Karunaratne is not whether he leans to the left or the right but that he is a democrat.
If either of the other two get in that may be the last election we will have.
I agree with Old Man. The situation is dire indeed. Wickramabahu is an admirable and principled individual. I am surprised he doesn’t get more support in Sri Lanka. He could be like Iran’s Mousavi, if only the general population would wake up before it is too late.
A Marxist AND a democrat – I’d like to see one of those in power. For the first time ever. In Sri Lanka. What a coup that would be (if that;s the right term).