On many vital issues, the NDP have been on the mark

[madmax]

An article making the rounds.....

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinio...article1299104/

What party is getting it right? Not on the political scoreboard, which is the journalistic obsession, but on the criteria that really count – policies that affect the country.

On that note, the question of track record, has anyone been looking at the NDP's performance? There have been several developments in the past week alone that bring the third party to mind.

First was the government's decision to amend the employment insurance system. The New Democrats were highly instrumental in that call, a decision that, as a healthy byproduct, prevented the onset of an unwanted election. In aligning with the Conservatives on the issue, they also turned the coalition debate and all its attendant paranoia on its ear.

According to this analysis, if you look past the hyperbole of bashing the NDP, the NDP have remained much the same as in the past. The conscious of Canadians. Its been a bit louder and roudier, but maybe not. I don't think there has ever been alot of love for the NDP, yet, there always appears to be NDP MPs and positions that Canadians are comfortable with, if not ready to embrace themselves in the immediate or with a majority position. Which is truly what our concious is. We may do things that are wrong, but there is a message in the back of our head saying, you shouldn't do that or you should do that... even if you don't.

I am not certain why people run in that party and take such abuse from media and punters and the public. It can't be for power and glory.

And like the media enjoys a good feast, like sharks when they smell blood, every now and then, an article like this appears.

Tommorrow, the media sharks will be out looking for blood, from any politician or party and its business as usual.

But this day, this media punter relieved his conscious.

[nicky10013]

An article making the rounds.....

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinio...article1299104/

According to this analysis, if you look past the hyperbole of bashing the NDP, the NDP have remained much the same as in the past. The conscious of Canadians. Its been a bit louder and roudier, but maybe not. I don't think there has ever been alot of love for the NDP, yet, there always appears to be NDP MPs and positions that Canadians are comfortable with, if not ready to embrace themselves in the immediate or with a majority position. Which is truly what our concious is. We may do things that are wrong, but there is a message in the back of our head saying, you shouldn't do that or you should do that... even if you don't.

I am not certain why people run in that party and take such abuse from media and punters and the public. It can't be for power and glory.

And like the media enjoys a good feast, like sharks when they smell blood, every now and then, an article like this appears.

Tommorrow, the media sharks will be out looking for blood, from any politician or party and its business as usual.

But this day, this media punter relieved his conscious.

They run because they believe in what they believe in but you have to realize that they can say what they think because they realize on their platforms, they'll never have a chance at winning government because most Canadians are simply not that far left. They can sound more honest than the next guy but to win they've got to run on a Liberal platform. It took the Canadian Alliance quite a few years to figure that one out. If they think they can serve a purpose every now and again by getting a piece of legislation or two through then so be it. However, they're mostly irrelevant for a reason.

[Goat Boy©]

They can't afford an election, as well as they are currently lacking the support they would like to see for said election.

Open and shut.

[M.Dancer]

He still a pencil necked collaborationist half man in my books. He could be a hood ornament of a gay pride parade float if it wasn't for his lack of masculinity.

[Shady]

On many vital issues, the NDP have been on the mark

By many vital issues, do you actually mean one? And let's not forget the many vital issues in which they've been absolutely wrong. This sounds like selective amnesia.

[Who's Doing What?]

He still a pencil necked collaborationist half man in my books. He could be a hood ornament of a gay pride parade float if it wasn't for his lack of masculinity.

Harsh but funny.

[Goat Boy©]

Harsh but funny.

X2

[Moonbox]

I am not certain why people run in that party and take such abuse from media and punters and the public. It can't be for power and glory.

Oh please. Where there are sheep there will always be a shephard. That goes for all the parties.

[punked]

They can't afford an election, as well as they are currently lacking the support they would like to see for said election.

Open and shut.

What a bunch of BS if an election was called today the NDP could secure the money to run one easily.

[punked]

They can't afford an election, as well as they are currently lacking the support they would like to see for said election.

Open and shut.

double post

Edited September 25, 2009 by punked

[Moonbox]

What a bunch of BS if an election was called today the NDP could secure the money to run one easily.

The advantage of being well-funded PRIOR to an election being called is pretty big.

[Argus]

The NDP are stuck in the past. That is their problem.

Getting over the boogeyman of Socialism shouldn't be that hard. The lifestyle of much of Europe - run by democratic socialist governments most of the last generation - is quite attractive. It's more laid-back than ours, with far better social services, and little in the way of poverty. The Nordic countries, for example, have always struck me as fairly well-run in most respects, well-ordered, comfortable places to live.

But the NDP is not like those governments. The NDP is still into class-warfare, eat the rich thinking. And for a long time it's seen itself as the protector of the underdog to the extent that it has, in effect, become the champion of the underdog, both in reality and preception. Which is fine if you're an underdog. If you're gay, lesbian or transgendered, if you're disabled, an aborigine, an immigrant or ethnic miniority, then the NDP loves you.

The NDP's problem is that most of the peole in this country are not in those groups. Most of the people in this country are still White, and the NDP has not spoken to them or made much effort to represent them in a generation. It makes some token efforts about women, of course, but they seem half-hearted unless the woman is a lesbian or black or Muslim or something. The NDP just seems to hate the middle class. And if you're white, straight and middle class, well, clearly the NDP is not your party, has nothing to offer you, and in fact poses a real threat to you.

I'm male, white, straight and middle class. What possible reason would I ever have to vote for a party whose primary objective seems to be to immasculate me as a male, to hem in my rights in order to not "offend" or "discriminate" against anyone of their favoured groups, and to take as much of my money as it can in order to give it to their favoured groups?

Maybe it's time for a new Democratic-Socialist party to be planted in Canada along European models, to push out the old fossils of the NDP and let them be the fringe representatives they so deserve to be.

[punked]

Another Columnist agrees.

No reward for being right in long run

RALPH SURETTE

Sat. Sep 26 - 4:46 AM

MAYBE it’s not much to latch on to, but a couple of moral tales worth repeating are emerging from the mess which is federal politics.

The first has to do with NDP Leader Jack Layton. Layton and the NDP, of course, decided to support the minority government in exchange for improvements in the employment insurance system when the Liberals said they would no longer prop up Stephen Harper’s Tories.

The scorn heaped on Layton’s head, mainly by national media pundits, especially those on those TV talk panels, has been gleefully relentless. According to the narrative, Layton, the sanctimonious pinko and prototype of his ilk who was always berating the Liberals for propping up the Tories, is exposed as a hypocrite at last. The guy who piously preached making minority government work but two-facedly voted relentlessly against the Tories, is now back to co-operating because he’s freaked by the prospects of losing seats in an election. How juicy..............

The rest is worth a read.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/1144599.html

[waldo]

The rest is worth a read.

and this point offered within the article:

proclaiming that minority government must be made to work and voting against the Tories is not contradictory. Co-operating with Harper is like trying to hug a porcupine. Harper only "co-operates" when he’s hit between the eyeballs. So now he’s hit and Layton is co-operating. Good for him, sanctimonious or not. The question here is why Layton’s the target and not Harper. Has the latter successfully intimidated, or at least bamboozled, the media?

has he... has Harper successfully intimidated, or at least bamboozled, the media? Punked, just why is Layton being portrayed as the "bad guy"? Is Surette implying the media are giving Harper a free pass?

[punked]

and this point offered within the article:

has he... has Harper successfully intimidated, or at least bamboozled, the media? Punked, just why is Layton being portrayed as the "bad guy"? Is Surette implying the media are giving Harper a free pass?

I think he implying that media is on this Harper bandwagon to blame everyone but Harper for the election. So when Harper refusing to give anything he should be blamed for the election not the other parties but the media refusing to say that.

[waldo]

I think he implying that media is on this Harper bandwagon to blame everyone but Harper for the election. So when Harper refusing to give anything he should be blamed for the election not the other parties but the media refusing to say that.

but is it a conscious refusal... in response to the indicated Harper intimidation or 'bamboozlement'? Or is it simply, in part, playing to the lowest common denominator within the "fog of minority government"?..... that it's easier for the media to be an enabler to Harper's assumed majority in governing, than to actually give consideration to the real workings of minority government?

[madmax]

Getting over the boogeyman of Socialism shouldn't be that hard. The lifestyle of much of Europe - run by democratic socialist governments most of the last generation - is quite attractive. It's more laid-back than ours, with far better social services, and little in the way of poverty. The Nordic countries, for example, have always struck me as fairly well-run in most respects, well-ordered, comfortable places to live.

But the NDP is not like those governments. The NDP is still into class-warfare, eat the rich thinking. And for a long time it's seen itself as the protector of the underdog to the extent that it has, in effect, become the champion of the underdog, both in reality and preception. Which is fine if you're an underdog. If you're gay, lesbian or transgendered, if you're disabled, an aborigine, an immigrant or ethnic miniority, then the NDP loves you.

Maybe it's time for a new Democratic-Socialist party to be planted in Canada along European models, to push out the old fossils of the NDP and let them be the fringe representatives they so deserve to be.

I snipped alot of your comments, but the whole analysis is pretty good and has something plausible behind it. Lead the way Comrade.....LOL

Seriously, what you describe, we do not have in North America. I don't know if it is possible or how long it would take for a political party to present these views.

[wyly]

The NDP are stuck in the past. That is their problem.

Getting over the boogeyman of Socialism shouldn't be that hard. The lifestyle of much of Europe - run by democratic socialist governments most of the last generation - is quite attractive. It's more laid-back than ours, with far better social services, and little in the way of poverty. The Nordic countries, for example, have always struck me as fairly well-run in most respects, well-ordered, comfortable places to live.

But the NDP is not like those governments. The NDP is still into class-warfare, eat the rich thinking. And for a long time it's seen itself as the protector of the underdog to the extent that it has, in effect, become the champion of the underdog, both in reality and preception. Which is fine if you're an underdog. If you're gay, lesbian or transgendered, if you're disabled, an aborigine, an immigrant or ethnic miniority, then the NDP loves you.

The NDP's problem is that most of the peole in this country are not in those groups. Most of the people in this country are still White, and the NDP has not spoken to them or made much effort to represent them in a generation. It makes some token efforts about women, of course, but they seem half-hearted unless the woman is a lesbian or black or Muslim or something. The NDP just seems to hate the middle class. And if you're white, straight and middle class, well, clearly the NDP is not your party, has nothing to offer you, and in fact poses a real threat to you.

I'm male, white, straight and middle class. What possible reason would I ever have to vote for a party whose primary objective seems to be to immasculate me as a male, to hem in my rights in order to not "offend" or "discriminate" against anyone of their favoured groups, and to take as much of my money as it can in order to give it to their favoured groups?

Maybe it's time for a new Democratic-Socialist party to be planted in Canada along European models, to push out the old fossils of the NDP and let them be the fringe representatives they so deserve to be.

I find the NDP are socialist lite in comparison to european socialists...

when people like Harper bring out the "socialist bogeyman" canadians eat it up because truth be told canadians generally aren't very sophisticated or smart...Saskatchewan, Manitoba, BC have had decades of responsible socialist governments there is nothing to fear but right wing propaganda...

[Wild Bill]

... truth be told canadians generally aren't very sophisticated or smart...Saskatchewan, Manitoba, BC have had decades of responsible socialist governments there is nothing to fear but right wing propaganda...

Well, you sure know how to appeal to Canadians for more support! Keep insulting them and who knows how well the NDP will do!

You could set Dale Carnegie to spinning in his grave!

[wyly]

Well, you sure know how to appeal to Canadians for more support! Keep insulting them and who knows how well the NDP will do!

You could set Dale Carnegie to spinning in his grave!

doesn't matter if I insult those who swallow rightwing propaganda, these are unsophisticated people who aren't deep thinkers nothing will change them, they're mostly in the boomer generation which does most of the voting, they'll die off in the next 30 yrs... the younger better educated generation that will follow aren't swayed by simplistic propaganda will become the voters that dominate the countries politics....the more educated a population becomes the more left leaning it becomes, the socialist hordes of secular environmentalists are destined to rule, it's enevitable,

[bush_cheney2004]

....the more educated a population becomes the more left leaning it becomes, the socialist hordes of secular environmentalists are destined to rule, it's enevitable,

It nice to know that those more educated, left leaning people still make spelling errors and typos...just like the rest of us.

Edited September 28, 2009 by bush_cheney2004

[Molly]

I...Saskatchewan, Manitoba, BC have had decades of responsible socialist governments there is nothing to fear but right wing propaganda...

The sky did not come crashing down, but that doesn't mean that the right-wing predictions of less than stellar economic performance, and individual opportunity reduced by committee decision-making/ collective action, were not accurate.

One need only compare Saskatchewan to Alberta to recognize that there are serious up- and down-sides to the choice.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

That is true, it is left up to the imagination what the dippers would do in Alberta, because it will never come to pass.

[fellowtraveller]

doesn't matter if I insult those who swallow rightwing propaganda, these are unsophisticated people who aren't deep thinkers nothing will change them, they're mostly in the boomer generation which does most of the voting, they'll die off in the next 30 yrs... the younger better educated generation that will follow aren't swayed by simplistic propaganda will become the voters that dominate the countries politics....the more educated a population becomes the more left leaning it becomes, the socialist hordes of secular environmentalists are destined to rule, it's enevitable,

I love this approach, the righteous arrogance it embodies ensures that the NDP will remain where it has always been, on the fringe and never able to form a national govt. It also overlooks that the 'younger' voters will soon become 'older' voters and abandon the lefty claptrap.

It is also amusing to think of any national party in Canada as being 'right wing'. Centrist is about as close as we get to right.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

I love this approach, the righteous arrogance it embodies ensures that the NDP will remain where it has always been, on the fringe and never able to form a national govt. It also overlooks that the 'younger' voters will soon become 'older' voters and abandon the lefty claptrap.

It is also amusing to think of any national party in Canada as being 'right wing'. Centrist is about as close as we get to right.

The exception is of course provincial politics which tends to be much different than the federal version.