Some political commentators have been saying that if the Liberal Party is not successful then the political left will inevitably triumph. But is this true? Might the political right actually be better off without the Liberal Party?
In US presidential elections, the party with the most Electoral College votes wins. Therefore, in the US there is some benefit to having a big party.
In the US, smaller parties are a danger to the big parties because they can take votes from the bigger parties. Smaller parties on the right, say, can take right wing votes from the Republican Party. So, if there are successful smaller parties they can stop a major party on the same side from winning.
There were accusations a few US elections ago that the success of the Greens hurt the Democrats and allowed the Republicans to win.
So, in the US, successful small parties can destroy their political sides chances of winning. Naturally, small parties in the US are treated with some wariness.
However, we don’t have that problem in Australia.
In Australia we have a preferential voting system. That means the preferences from small parties can be passed along to bigger parties or other smaller parties.
That means the political right does not need one big party. It means it is possible for a collation of smaller parties to form a government. And that means the right does not need the Liberal Party.
But does the right even want the Liberal Party? Is the Liberal Party of any great benefit to the political right? Is it leading the right? Is it fighting for freedom and all things good? Is it impressing the voters with its strength of character and trueness of spirit?
No. Not even close.
And, as a result, people have been abandoning the Liberal Party for smaller parties that seem purer of intent. One Nation, Australian Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats are all looking better options for many people.
What is more, under the leadership of Malcolm Turnbull and his cabal of leftist lackeys, the Liberal Party has become an embarrassment to the political right.
Its compromised washy-washy quasi leftism does not seem to be impressing anyone—anyone except Malcolm Turnbull, that is. It isn’t impressing people on the right and it isn’t impressing people on the left.
The Liberal Party might actually be reducing support for the political right. It might actually be reducing the total right wing vote.
Now this is important so pay attention. It is possible that a collection of smaller parties might do better than the Liberal Party.
A collection of smaller parties might do better ideologically as they can each be less compromised. They are in a better position to stick to the views they believe in.
And a collection of smaller parties might also do better in terms of winning votes. Each smaller party can potentially appeal more strongly to a particular market niche. And each smaller party can appeal to a slightly different niche.
The sum total vote of these smaller parties can therefore potentially be bigger than the vote the highly compromised and disliked Liberal Party is getting now.
And the way things are going, getting more votes than the Liberal Party does not look very hard to achieve. If the Liberal Party continues its decline, it won’t be long until it is one of the smaller parties.
If the Liberal Party can reinvent itself then it can be successful. But if it continues on the path it is on then it will make itself redundant.
And the right might be better off if it did.
Michael J. Thompson
