I'm willing to bet everyone in the UK had election burnout even before the polls opened, and it's not over yet. The Liberal Democrat's share of the vote increased slightly over the last general election, but because their support is spread over the whole country they actually lost a few seats in parliament. And yet, they're also the only party to emerge from the election with any power - not the power to rule, but the power to choose who does.
Given the huge gains made by the Conservatives, I think you could argue a Lib/Con coalition is 'the right thing' from a democratic perspective. Much as I hate David Cameron, I wouldn't hold it against the Lib Dems to take a piece of his government. What I would worry about is the longer term effect of the only truly progressive mainstream party getting in bed with the party of toffs and Daily Mail readers. In the next general election, might people then feel like the Lib Dems had nothing to offer anyone?
On a happier note, although I've stated before why I won't vote for the Greens myself, I think more left wing minority parties in parliament can only be a good thing, and I'm glad to see Caroline Lucas become the Green Party's first ever member of Parliament.
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The left-wing here is turning into a "let's have HUGE government and LOTS of cameras to protect us" sort of party. The only way I would be happy at this point would be to start my own party. I'd have to agree with myself first, though.
Oops. Meant to specify Democrats.
Well, good luck to the Greens then! Oh, and I'm pretty confident that the centrist nature of the Lib-Dem party wont be too hurt by joining forces with the conservatives.
We've had a mnority government here for years and it can be frustrating-difficult to get thigns done...but not enough political leverage either way to promote a change. I personally dislike the party we have in power right now...we have too many left wing parties and it splits the vote, leaving the conservatives in power time after time.
Tricky this political business...
@Michelle: Respectfully, weren't the Republicans the same?
@Geo: Although, I'd rather have an ineffective government than one that's capably screwing people over.
@Gnome: Actually, the British political landscape isn't too easy to map. The Liberal Democrat party was founded by the merger of the centrist Liberals and the leftist Social Democrats, and it's also home to a few vocal right-of-centre neoliberals.
Labour, meanwhile, are left wing in a few obvious ways, but have copied so many popular Conservative policies that they're also definitely on the right in key ways as well. Until the present economic crisis and the need to decrease the deficit, I'd certainly have put them to the right of the Lib Dems. Now, it's not so clear.
Right. I see. Also quite frankly believe you need a proper left party. We have two (major ones) and the fun wont stop. Well, sort of.
Oh, absolutely. I'm simply disgusted with the folks who hollered about privacy rights and an overspending, overbearing government when Bush was president, but are now silent. Grrr. Sadly, those issues have not gone away.
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