Green Book
The Greens released their platform today - smartly trimming down their previous 160 page policy document to a slick 8 pages (including pictures!).
Although I know they'd disagree, from my view it appears the Greens are trying to stake out the left of the spectrum. While the Dippers have become a lot more populist and mainstream under Layton in a bid to replace the Liberals on the left, the Greens seem to be waving the flag on idealism in a bid to replace the NDP as the conscience of Canada. The NDP of old would have certainly been supportive of environmental taxes and a GST hike - not any more. A lot of the language about pulling out of NAFTA and NATO is also very retro-80s NDP.
Although I know they'd disagree, from my view it appears the Greens are trying to stake out the left of the spectrum. While the Dippers have become a lot more populist and mainstream under Layton in a bid to replace the Liberals on the left, the Greens seem to be waving the flag on idealism in a bid to replace the NDP as the conscience of Canada. The NDP of old would have certainly been supportive of environmental taxes and a GST hike - not any more. A lot of the language about pulling out of NAFTA and NATO is also very retro-80s NDP.
Labels: Elizabeth May, Green Party
posted by calgarygrit at
7:57 p.m.
10 Comments:
While I agree with your basic premise, the NDP 'of old' were staunchly opposed to the GST when it was implemented.
By
Anonymous, at 8:41 p.m.
And let's not forget that in the famous liberal redbook 1993 edition, so were the liberals. They campaigned on it, big time, along with rejigging NAFTA.
But after that big win, they scrapped all those "progressive campaign promises" and ruled on the right.
I know, I worked in my local liberal candidate's campaign office, telling folks all the wonderful things the libs were going to do.
So no surprise that Greens were campaign on raising the GST more, I mean she was working for Mulroney when he put that in place.
By
susansmith, at 9:42 p.m.
Man, that GST hike is not going to go over well with people who were going to be seduced by the idea of a fiscally-conservative environmental party. Though at least they're being honest about the cost of things.
Definitely "NDP of old", through and through -- though it does say "renegotiate", not pull out, of NAFTA.
By
Anonymous, at 11:11 p.m.
Fiscally conservative? Wow.. maybe under Cherneshenko but definitely not under May. Their budget is deeply flawed and I wonder how long its going to take for the media to point out what a joke it is.
There's only one way their budget's going to be balanced, and that's by using the carbon tax as a massive cash cow to fund all their other priorities. (ie raising foreign aid to 0.7% of our GDP will cost $5 billion alone)
So.. no pretense of revenue neutrality there. I'm really thinking that the Green party is going to act as a shield for the Grits so when they roll out their platform it will be more palatable than May's.
By
Eric, at 12:50 a.m.
Have the Greens costed this platform out? A lot of the promises (especially the foreign aid one and income splitting) are going to cost Billions - I can't see a carbon tax funding all of this.
By
Anonymous, at 2:50 a.m.
I once admired their non-left/non-right position, but May and her supporters have made it into just another leftist party, which we've already got.
If there was any danger of her actually winning Opposition or Government, I'd vote against her -- but I'm going on local candidates.
By
Jacques Beau Vert, at 10:49 a.m.
SO,
'm really thinking that the Green party is going to act as a shield for the Grits so when they roll out their platform it will be more palatable than May's.
Interesting - you may well be right, since everything else she does is purely for the Liberals' sake and fortunes.
By
Jacques Beau Vert, at 10:53 a.m.
I voted for Harris' Greens. I'd consider voting for Chernushenko's Greens. But I won't vote for May's NDP Jr.
By
Robert Vollman, at 11:11 a.m.
The Liberal plan does come into clearer focus - get the Greens onto the dais so that people can see how unpalatable their economic policy is, in an attempt to stop bleeding Liberal votes into the Greens.
Give May the spotlight in order to stop her party's growth.
Interesting strategy, that. I wonder if it will work as the Libs intended.
By
Paul, at 3:18 p.m.
It won't work in actual fact, that's exactly what I suppose.
By
escort marbella, at 6:04 p.m.
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