Are you a member of a political party?

[evan@cosocial.ca]

Are you a member of a political party?

#EvanPoll #poll

[preinheimer@phpc.social]

@evan I've never taken a deliberate act to join a party.

But I've given several of them money.

[anibyl@social.coop]

@evan Yes. Being able to vote for nominees and candidates in leadership races is pretty powerful, even if you don't do anything else.

[evan@cosocial.ca]

@Anibyl Does your red rose indicate that you're a DSA member?

[anibyl@social.coop]

@evan I am not an American, and had to look it up. The red rose is a common socialist symbol.

[mpjgregoire@cosocial.ca]

@evan Two in fact, federal and provincial.

[evan@cosocial.ca]

@Anibyl yes, it is! Thanks.

[evan@cosocial.ca]

@preinheimer I find that interesting! Why donate without becoming a member?

[preinheimer@phpc.social]

@evan I donate so they can buy more ads.

I don't put effort into "joining" because I'm not sure what value I'd get out of it.

That all said, I might be a member of the NDP just because of donations. I think I have a "leadership circle" pin somewhere.

[evan@cosocial.ca]

@preinheimer I think the big advantage of membership is having a voice in policy and leadership decisions. I'm a member of two parties (federal and provincial) and we have meetings and votes all the time. It's a big contrast for me compared to the US, where there's not really a party membership structure for most parties, although you can usually declare affiliation with electoral systems to participate in primaries.

[johnefrancis@cosocial.ca]

@evan usually >1. There's federal and provincial. And sometimes its good to join a few at each level and try to advance my values in all of them.

[virtuous_sloth@cosocial.ca]

@evan I honestly think it is a good thing that the vast majority of Canadians are not party members.