Can the NDP survive Jack Layton?

[Kliege]

Wow..This is great news for Harper with the Liberals and now the NDP going after him and the CPC its is now clear that Harper is now the man to beat. While the NDP and the Liberals are force to make nasty and American style attacks upon Harper both politically and personally, Harper can campaign as the front-runner always calm and collective and talking about the issues that matter to Canadian....While the Liberals( Martin will be out of the country for most of next week at the G-8 and President Reagan state Funeral) and the NDP are forced make attacks upon Harper and go out message about there own agendas.

This means serveral things:

1. The NDP will do worst in the rural areas of Canada. With Layton running on a hard-left agenda and attacking Harper ridings in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northern Ontario and Nova Scotia will be harder to win.

2. More NDP voters will go to the Green party and Liberal party, espcecially in British Columbia stopping any inroads they might have had in this election.

3. The NDP may risk making inroads in the major cities of Canada. This may even put Laytons bid to win Toronto-Danforth at risk.

4. NDP could actually do worst in this election then what was once believed

4. Harper will be and look like the front-runner throughtout next week and going into the debates.

5. With Martin out of Canada for most of next week look and the Focus being more on Harper and Layton look for Layton to make more silly and foolish statement, such as homelessness and the Clarity Act.

With next week virtially being an outweek for Martin because of events such as the G-8 and Reagans state funeral. So the debates will be make or break for each other the three national campaigns. But one things will be for certain Harper will going into as the front-runner and with the big MO.

Jack Layton might be to the NDP what Kim Campbell was for the Progressive Conservtives

[takeanumber]

I'll posit that the Greens are superior to the NDP in that you get a socially progressive/fiscally conservative platform WITHOUT the likes of Buzz Hargrove et. al.

[Stoker]

I'm really quite enjoying watching the vote splitting done by Comrade Organizer Layton's party to the Libs......now add to the growing support of the Tories, I'm getting more and more confident each day that we will see a Conservative government.......

Two questions though:

1. How much vote splitting is going on between the Greens and the NDP? Nation wide and in BC would be nice

2. If the NDP doesn't show a marked improvement in the number of seats it gets (and if Jack doesn't win his seat) will the politburo sack Jack?

[Kliege]

I don't even think that Comrade Organizer Layton will even win the riding of Toronto-Danforth.

The fact is Layton is a bit of a lose canon, but I would perfer for him to stay leader of the NDP that way it will die a quick death.

Plus remember the number of votes the partys gets is the amount of money they will have in the next election.

The NDP are like children, never take anything they say seriously.

[takeanumber]

Some form of PR would be the most democratic thing that could happen in this country.

That, combined with one vote per person.

I don't think anybody, including the NDP or the Cons (and esp. not the Liberals) are really interested in improving democracy.

[Michael Hardner]

I don't even think that Comrade Organizer Layton will even win the riding of Toronto-Danforth.

This characterization isn't apt. Layton is fiscally to the right of any NDP leader yet, maybe even to the right of Mulroney !

[Stoker]

This characterization isn't apt. Layton is fiscally to the right of any NDP leader yet, maybe even to the right of Mulroney !

Having one Conservative trait doesn't make a socialist a moderate.........

I've always found the NDP puzzling, in that for a party that gets so much support from Unions, I'd think they would be a little more "inviting" towards their Union members employers..........

Now if I was a gay, anti American, tree hugging, fuzzy forest creature lovin, unionized worker, I'd most likely vote Green.

[idealisttotheend]

Socialism  n.   A theory or system of social reform which contemplates a complete reconstruction of society, with a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor.  Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary , © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.

This differs from communism and is inherently democratic. Most of the anti-NDP rhetoric on this forum is not factually based and is just that, empty rhetoric.

Mr. Hargorve had a significant falling out with the NDP after his leadership candancy never really took. The NDP revised it's rules to make it less union oriented. Many union members routinely vote liberal or even conservative.

Mr. Layton may or may not be any better than Mr. Martin or Mr. Harper insofar as being a political opportunist but is by no means worse. I'm livid with the man about the Clarity Act (and may very well vote Liberal because of it) but he seems like a good man who does stand for what he believes in.

[Dennis]

I don't even think that Comrade Organizer Layton will even win the riding of Toronto-Danforth.

This characterization isn't apt. Layton is fiscally to the right of any NDP leader yet, maybe even to the right of Mulroney !

Complete nonsense.

To say Layton might be to the right of Mulroney is politically ignorant at best. He's also not even close to being more right than other recent NDP leaders.

Have you actually read the NDP Platform Manifesto?

Let's get serious, please.

[caesar]

The Green party is a wasted vote; at least here in BC. The NDP are increasing in popularity mainly due to G Campbell and his arrogant policies that make the rich richer and the middle class poor. Stephen Harper and his loud mouth support of Bush during the invasion of Iraq makes him a very undesireable leader and very unpopular here in BC.

There are no good choices for the middle income working man or seniors but so far the NDP seems to be the least harmful. I would have voted for Chretien but do not trust Paul Martin He promised no more patronage appointments; then handed them out like candy. He has done nothing to bring the Liberal party together with his hand picked candidates and disrespect for long time elected members like Sheila Copps and many others; most were bought off with patronage appointments,

[Hjalmar]

Jack Layton could be the best thing that happened to Canada. Socialism and the welfare state, dating back to the 50's and 60's, is dead and most forward thinkers know this. Throughout Western Europe, countries are abandoning socialism for more progressive policies that enhance their countries ability to compete in a global economy.. This includes a move towards more fiscal responsibility, freer trade policies as well as measures to enhance a countries ability to compete on a global scale. Jack Layton is yesterdays man and he could very well destroy the NDP in Canada forever and that would be Canada's gain. Protection from cradle to grave is passe, over, finis, done, dead, gone the way of the dodo bird.

[Slavik44]

if the NDP can survive Alexa McDonough, they can survive Jack layton.

[Kliege]

'I wish I could take those words back'

DOUG BEAZLEY, EDMONTON SUN

Malcolm Azania, New Democrat candidate in Edmonton-Strathcona, penned an Internet essay that characterizes white people in general - and many Jews in particular - as "white supremacists." "Whites will, consciously or unconsciously, continue to defend and extend Whitesupremacy (sic), either by action or inaction," wrote Azania in the 1994 newsgroup posting.

Titled "Jews: Enemies? Friends?" the essay touches on the role played by Jews in civil rights and on Holocaust history.

"The group that is defined as 'Jews' in the United States is most notable for their relations to us ... in that they are WHITE," Azania wrote.

"Although they are low on the White social ladder, and of various states on the White economic ladder, they are well-placed on the White media and academic ladders.

"What's clear is that a great many of them are (in aggregate terms of their actions) White supremacists.

"For us to exonerate (Jews) as a group because they have been persecuted by their fellow Whites seems to me short-sighted. Worse still, I think many of them use their exploitation/slaughter by other Whites to make us believe they understand us and sympathize with us better than do other Whites."

Contacted by the Sun yesterday, Azania was quick to repudiate the opinions he expressed 10 years ago.

"I am very sorry that I said these things," he said. "It was wrong of me, first of all, to make so little of one of the greatest crimes of the 20th century.

"I wish I could take those words back. I have Jewish friends ... my mother is white. I can't express how sorry I am."

That wasn't enough for Azania's opponents. Liberal candidate Debby Carlson called the essay "appalling" and called for Azania's withdrawal from the race.

"These statements are absolutely racist... I'm surprised the New Democrats let him run as a candidate," she said.

"Saying that he was young when he wrote it, that doesn't cut it for me. Why didn't he tell people about this up front? I think people in the riding will be shocked."

Conservative incumbent Rahim Jaffer - whose family is Indian African - called Azania's statements "outrageous."

"Anyone who holds these views - I've got to ask whether they've got any business running for public office," he said.

"I think this is something the New Democrats should look at very carefully. Malcolm's always talking about equality, but this kind of rhetoric just divides people."

Azania said he wrote the essay during a "brief period of political foolishness" when he was wholly focused on anti-black racism.

"I don't think I had the appropriate level of perspective," he said. "Growing up here, I had to face some racial discrimination and it made me angry.

"But I was dead wrong in what I wrote."

So much for the all inclusive NDP.

I wonder if Jack Layton has the same views.