‘And then we complain that politicians are “balimbing” and that our parties are a joke.’
LAST time I opined that Filipino politicians have many times taken a good idea and made it worse, using as an example the idea of a party-list system that is well executed in a country like Germany, but is a tragicomedy here.
I have a better example for today’s piece – our system of allowing voters to split their vote for President and their vote for Vice President. Isn’t that the stupidest thing? Think about it.
A fundamental element of a strong democracy is a vibrant party system where voters get to choose from candidates proposed by political parties with clear platforms based on clear principles. At the top of the list of candidates are the presidential and vice presidential ticket – in principle a tandem of two individuals sharing the same vision and ideals and committed to the same ends. They run together because they are a team and know they can work best together. No cross purposes.
Now explain to me why, in their infinite wisdom, Filipino politicians time and again write up a Constitution that allows for splitting the ticket, meaning, a voter can choose the presidential candidate of one party and the vice of another. For checks and balances? To make life harder for both of them?
Because we love drama and conflict?
Over the years, this practice has weakened the party system and caused discord within the administration where the vice president — one heartbeat away we must remember — can go to town creating discord and erecting stumbling blocks that hamper the success of the president. Or plotting much worse even.
This has been the case since our first elections after the end of World War II which was 80 years ago, except for the time when the American system of presidential government was shelved from 1972 to 1986. No one has made a serious attempt to abolish the split ticket voting system and establish a one-vote for one ticket set-up the way it is done in the US. No one.
And then we complain that politicians are “balimbing” and that our parties are a joke. Both are true. But that’s simply because we have accepted and happily embraced an electoral set up that allows it. Encourages it even.
If you ask me, it’s time to adopt a one-vote per ticket policy. Let’s vote for a tandem and not create instability by splitting tickets. Even in the absence of a law that mandates it, let’s practice it when we vote on Election Day.
Vote straight for your preferred ticket’s president and vice president. It will be better for democracy.
