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This Democratic leader just broke the first rule of politics

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CNN

Rule No. 1 of politics goes like this: Don’t compare anything to Nazi Germany. Just don’t.

South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, the third-ranking Democrat in the House, broke that rule over the weekend in an interview with Fox News.

In the interview, Clyburn was pressed on comments he made last week that the US “is on track to repeat what happened in Germany.”

“The facts are very clear,” Clyburn said on “Fox News Sunday.” “I’ve studied history all of my life. I’ve taught history. And I’m telling you, what I see here are parallels to what the history was in this world back in the 1930s in Germany, in Italy.”

Clyburn went on to note that voting for “election deniers” and “lairs” amounts to supporting the same sort of structures that led to the rise of fascist states in Germany and Italy.

Clyburn was also asked another recent comment in which he said that “losing this democracy very well could be the end of the world.”

“Nobody’s saying the world is ending. Democracy will be ended,” added Clyburn of an election where those who denied the 2020 results wind up winning. “The world would continue to exist. The world was here before Hitler, the world was here after Hitler.”

Which is really saying something.

Pressed again on his “end of the world” remark, Clyburn said he “misspoke.”

Before we go any further, it’s worth noting here that comparing anything to the Nazi regime, which led to the systemic murder of more than 6 million Jews, is a mistake. It just is. There is nothing in our current moment that suggests we are anywhere close to that.

That doesn’t mean, however, that democracy is not under real threat. It is. There are people who deny that the 2020 election was free and fair running for top positions in states from Arizona to Michigan to Pennsylvania.

Not all of them will win. But some likely will. And it’s hard to imagine that the same people who denied the fairness of the 2020 election, without any proof, might not do the same if the 2024 election doesn’t go their way.

That represents a serious threat to our way of life. After all, if we can’t accept that our leaders were fairly elected and have faith in the system, it’s very hard to imagine how we can expect anyone to effectively govern.

Which is bad! Very bad! But it’s also worth remembering that democracy held in 2020 – even while it was under active assault from Donald Trump and his minions.

We absolutely should be vigilant about the potential rise of authoritarian politicians who would wipe out things like the rule of law to further their own political ambitions.

But let’s stop making the Nazi Germany comparison. For all of our sakes.

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Technology upgrades mean speedier results expected for B.C. provincial election

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British Columbians could find out who wins the provincial election on Oct. 19 in about the same time it took to start counting ballots in previous votes.

Andrew Watson, a spokesman for Elections BC, says new electronic vote tabulators mean officials hope to have half of the preliminary results for election night reported within about 30 minutes, and to be substantially complete within an hour of polls closing.

Watson says in previous general elections — where votes have been counted manually — they didn’t start the tallies until about 45 minutes after polls closed.

This will B.C.’s first general election using electronic tabulators after the system was tested in byelections in 2022 and 2023, and Watson says the changes will make the process both faster and more accessible.

Voters still mark their candidate on a paper ballot that will then be fed into the electronic counter, while networked laptops will be used to look up peoples’ names and cross them off the voters list.

One voting location in each riding will also offer various accessible voting methods for the first time, where residents will be able to listen to an audio recording of the candidates and make their selection using either large paddles or by blowing into or sucking on a straw.

The province’s three main party leaders are campaigning across B.C. today with NDP Leader David Eby in Chilliwack promising to double apprenticeships for skilled trades, Conservative Leader John Rustad in Prince George talking power generation, and Greens Leader Sonia Furstenau holding an announcement Thursday about mental health.

It comes as a health-care advocacy group wants to know where British Columbia politicians stand on six key issues ahead of an election it says will decide the future of public health in the province.

The BC Health Coalition wants improved care for seniors, universal access to essential medicine, better access to primary care, reduced surgery wait times, and sustainable working conditions for health-care workers.

It also wants pledges to protect funding for public health care, asking candidates to phase out contracts to profit-driven corporate providers that it says are draining funds from public services.

Ayendri Riddell, the coalition’s director of policy and campaigns, said in a statement that British Columbians need to know if parties will commit to solutions “beyond the political slogans” in campaigning for the Oct. 19 election.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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How Many Votes Are Needed for a Vote of No Confidence in Canada?

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In Canadian parliamentary democracy, a vote of no confidence (also known as a confidence motion) is a crucial mechanism that can force a sitting government to resign or call an election. It is typically initiated when the opposition, or even members of the ruling party, believe that the government has lost the support of the majority in the House of Commons.

What Is a Vote of No Confidence?

A vote of no confidence is essentially a test of whether the government, led by the prime minister, still commands the support of the majority of Members of Parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons. If the government loses such a vote, it is either required to resign or request the dissolution of Parliament, leading to a general election.

This process upholds one of the fundamental principles of Canadian democracy: the government must maintain the confidence of the elected House of Commons to govern. This rule ensures accountability and provides a check on the government’s power.

How Many Votes Are Needed for a No Confidence Motion?

In the Canadian House of Commons, there are 338 seats. To pass a vote of no confidence, a simple majority of MPs must vote in favor of the motion. This means that at least 170 MPs must vote in support of the motion to cause the government to lose confidence.

If the government holds a minority of seats, it is more vulnerable to such a vote. In this case, the opposition parties could band together to reach the 170 votes required for the no-confidence motion to succeed. In a majority government, the ruling party has more than half the seats, making it more difficult for a vote of no confidence to pass, unless there is significant dissent within the ruling party itself.

Types of Confidence Votes

  1. Explicit Confidence Motions: These are motions specifically introduced to test whether the government still holds the confidence of the House. For example, the opposition might move a motion stating, “That this House has no confidence in the government.”
  2. Implicit Confidence Motions: Some votes are automatically considered confidence motions, even if they are not explicitly labeled as such. The most common example is the approval of the federal budget. If a government loses a vote on its budget, it is seen as losing the confidence of the House.
  3. Key Legislation: Occasionally, the government may declare certain pieces of legislation as confidence matters. This could be done to ensure the support of the ruling party and its allies, as a loss on such a bill would mean the collapse of the government.

What Happens If the Government Loses a Confidence Vote?

If a government loses a confidence vote in the House of Commons, two outcomes are possible:

  1. Resignation and New Government Formation: The prime minister may resign, and the governor general can invite another leader, typically the leader of the opposition, to try to form a new government that can command the confidence of the House.
  2. Dissolution of Parliament and General Election: The prime minister can request that the governor general dissolve Parliament, triggering a general election. This gives voters the opportunity to elect a new Parliament and government.

Historical Context of Confidence Votes in Canada

Canada has seen several instances of votes of no confidence, particularly during minority government situations. For example, in 2011, the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper lost a vote of confidence over contempt of Parliament, which led to the dissolution of Parliament and the federal election.

Historically, most no-confidence votes are associated with budgetary issues or key pieces of legislation. They can be rare, especially in majority governments, as the ruling party usually has enough support to avoid defeat in the House of Commons.

To pass a vote of no confidence in Canada, at least 170 MPs out of 338 must vote in favor of the motion. This vote can lead to the government’s resignation or a general election, making it a powerful tool in ensuring that the government remains accountable to the elected representatives of the people. In the context of Canadian democracy, the vote of no confidence is a key safeguard of parliamentary oversight and political responsibility.

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MPs debate another Tory non-confidence motion after Liberals survive first vote

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OTTAWA – Less than 24 hours after the Conservatives lost their first attempt to topple the government the Tories are trying again.

A new motion being debated this morning states that the House of Commons has lost confidence in the Liberal government and “offers Canadians the option to axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime.”

That’s the list of slogans the Tories have been using for months.

On Wednesday, the majority of MPs voted against the first non-confidence motion that was put forward by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.

The series of confidence votes comes after the NDP ended the supply-and-confidence deal that had kept the government stable since early 2022.

The Bloc Québécois has given the Liberals until Oct. 29 to pass two private members bills related to supply management and old age security if they want to avoid an election before Christmas.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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