Just quickly, the idea that the PLP is "breaking new ground" by polling individual constituencies rather than national polls, and that the result of this is a "deepening of the democratic process" is utter nonsense.
The UBP has been doing it for years. I worked on the last election and it was done extensively then, and it's been done this time around as well. I've been polled myself.
What it probably does mean is that the PLP is more organised and has more resources than in the past, likely a result of the special interest money that they raked in during their Gala in January.
I'll give it to them though, they really are shameless in trying to suggest that things which have been done by others forever are somehow revolutionary when they do them.
I wasn't going to comment on this as it was so childish, not to mention preposterous, but take the PLP Chairman's comment over on the Progressive Minds blog when announcing their own site:
On a side note, I see that the UBP (not to be outdone...) has now decided to put video on their website. ... Oh wait, now they are putting up a blog on thier site (at this time its still empty)....Imitate my flattery! Its so typical of the UBP always reactionary.... Guess that's why they are the conservative party of Bermuda.
Funny that. The inactive blog link and video were added before the PLP rolled out their site, and, here's a tip-off PLP Chairman...why did they film a special video clip of Donte Hunt's roll-out a week before the PLP website went live?
The PLP website is well done. It looks good. But it just speaks to an over-riding insecurity that they can't let it stand on their own, opting to try and inflate what has been done and run down the other side.
The two sites actually to me show the different personalities of the parties. The PLP's is visually appealing, geared around presenting an image of vitality, whereas the UBP's is much more geared towards presenting actual information.
Both are a work in progress, but I see no need to run down either one. They're just different, and frankly if this kind of mindless taunting is a precursor to an election campaign, it really is going to be a dull one.
There are politics, and arguments worth having, but this tendency is just purely juvenile.
Posted by Christian S. Dunleavy