SHOPPING FOR A POLITICAL PARTY LIKE SHOPPING FOR A CAR?
So I was sitting in my Canadian Political Parties class the other day when my prof just happened to mention something about how most people will not put as much effort into choosing a political party as they would into shopping for a new car. When people want to buy a new car they are going to look at all of the makes and models and packages and warranties and such. Do you think they go into that much detail when they vote or choose a political party? For most, the answer is no and for good reason but something about her comment got me thinking. What if choosing a political party was like buying a new car and what would that be like? So, after thinking about it for a little while here is what I came up with.
I think that all of the political parties in Canada can be easily coverted into a car company. Now obviously there are more car companies in this world then there are major Canadian political parties but this is my best attempt.
The Conservatives would easily have to be FORD. They are one of the BIG THREE automobile manufacturers and have been around for a very long time. They are very traditional and are trying to keep up with all of the new competition that's out there. They're trying to find new ways to continue to appeal to Canadians and remain one of the biggest companies in the world. This analogy make not look the greatest for the Conservatives because it makes them look like they're on the decline but it is quite the opposite because they have been very successful in maintaining a firm grip on the market.
The Liberals would be a TOYOTA or a HONDA. They are one of the well-established foreign manufacturers that have also been around for quite a while and have established a big following and are challenging the BIG THREE for the top spot in the automobile manufacturing world. This may not be the greatest comparison because it makes the Liberals look like they are not as powerful as they actually are. Maybe it's just hopeful thinking on my part but it was my way of showing that they are more progressive in a sense.
The NDP is the hardest of all to label as one specific company but I would have to say it is MITSUBISHI. One of the biggest up and coming car manufacturers out there that are continuing to develop a larger following as they continue to grow. They haven't really challenged any of the major companies as of yet but are taking a pretty good chunk out of the market. I think comparing the NDP to Mitsubishi may be overrating the NDP a little bit but it's the best I got.
The Bloc Quebecois? I thought about this for a long time and once I came up with something I realized how perfect it is. The BQ are LADA. So I can see most of you saying, "Lada? What the hell is a Lada?" That's a good question. They are made in Russia primarily for the Soviet market and have showed no success anywhere else in the world. If you wanted a car during the Cold War you had to but your name on a waiting list for over 5 years and when your time finally came you were delivered a used old Lada. Lada's are known for their horrible fuel economy, outdated technology, and drive like a tank (and I'm not talking power here). However, the people who drove Ladas swore by them. They were the dominant car in all of Russia but once you go past the Russian borders you would not see them. There is more than one reason behind the Lada being the best analogy for the Bloc.
I'm not going to bother to go any further into it than this but I think you can see where I'm going with this. If anyone wants to take this and go with it be my guest. Maybe you can think of a company for the Green party or want to argue with one of my analogies. I'm interested to see if this goes anywhere. Well, that's all for now.
- DM
I think that all of the political parties in Canada can be easily coverted into a car company. Now obviously there are more car companies in this world then there are major Canadian political parties but this is my best attempt.
The Conservatives would easily have to be FORD. They are one of the BIG THREE automobile manufacturers and have been around for a very long time. They are very traditional and are trying to keep up with all of the new competition that's out there. They're trying to find new ways to continue to appeal to Canadians and remain one of the biggest companies in the world. This analogy make not look the greatest for the Conservatives because it makes them look like they're on the decline but it is quite the opposite because they have been very successful in maintaining a firm grip on the market.
The Liberals would be a TOYOTA or a HONDA. They are one of the well-established foreign manufacturers that have also been around for quite a while and have established a big following and are challenging the BIG THREE for the top spot in the automobile manufacturing world. This may not be the greatest comparison because it makes the Liberals look like they are not as powerful as they actually are. Maybe it's just hopeful thinking on my part but it was my way of showing that they are more progressive in a sense.
The NDP is the hardest of all to label as one specific company but I would have to say it is MITSUBISHI. One of the biggest up and coming car manufacturers out there that are continuing to develop a larger following as they continue to grow. They haven't really challenged any of the major companies as of yet but are taking a pretty good chunk out of the market. I think comparing the NDP to Mitsubishi may be overrating the NDP a little bit but it's the best I got.
The Bloc Quebecois? I thought about this for a long time and once I came up with something I realized how perfect it is. The BQ are LADA. So I can see most of you saying, "Lada? What the hell is a Lada?" That's a good question. They are made in Russia primarily for the Soviet market and have showed no success anywhere else in the world. If you wanted a car during the Cold War you had to but your name on a waiting list for over 5 years and when your time finally came you were delivered a used old Lada. Lada's are known for their horrible fuel economy, outdated technology, and drive like a tank (and I'm not talking power here). However, the people who drove Ladas swore by them. They were the dominant car in all of Russia but once you go past the Russian borders you would not see them. There is more than one reason behind the Lada being the best analogy for the Bloc.
I'm not going to bother to go any further into it than this but I think you can see where I'm going with this. If anyone wants to take this and go with it be my guest. Maybe you can think of a company for the Green party or want to argue with one of my analogies. I'm interested to see if this goes anywhere. Well, that's all for now.
- DM
Comments
P.S. I vote Liberal and I drive a Honda.
PS. I drive a Ford.
If you wanted to make an awesome analogy... you woulda said DODGE!! (even though I hate the conservatives and we all know that). No. But seriously. Dodge takes something old, repackages it, and the people are AWESTRUCK!!! We saw this example with the Charger. Dodge recently rereleased the Charger with promises of it being better than ever, and while it doesn't look as amazing, it certainly is a powerhouse. Maybe that's what we have with the Conservatives.
The THUNDERBIRD?
oh darcey.