Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Let The Green Speak
No matter your political persuasion, you have to recognize that the Green Party is no longer a fringe party that should be dismissed. Partisanship aside, if principle is your guide, then no one should accept excluding the Green Party leader from the Ontario election debates. In the spirit of healthy debate, everyone should sign this PETITION, and it would be great if other non-Green bloggers posted the link to demonstrate a fairness beyond self-interest.
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10 comments:
Sorry Steve,
Unless they are guaranteed to garner more votes than Christian Heritage, Rhino, Canadian Action, Libertarian, Canadian Progressive, and the Marijuana Partys', they really have to wait their turn.
They have not elected anybody and their credibility is not rising, only their media coverage because CTV likes May's sound bites.
That being said, they elect someone and I'll sign up for the next election debates.
Tomm
"Unless they are guaranteed to garner more votes than Christian Heritage, Rhino, Canadian Action, Libertarian, Canadian Progressive, and the Marijuana Partys', they really have to wait their turn."
Actually they did, combined and then some. The last poll in Ontario had them statistically tied with the NDP. Your attitude is disappointing, because you endorse a system that yields tremendous bias in electing someone. What are you afraid of?
Steve,
I am afraid of media manipulation.
The Green's are a "cause celebre" by the media right now. It doesn't make them worthy of inclusion in a serious debate.
They need to earn it first. Let them win a seat.
Would you have suggested Reform be represented based entirely on pre-election poll numbers?
Tomm
tomm
Almost 700000 Canadians voted Green in the last fed election, well over 100000 in the last Ont election. What exactly does that have to do with media manipulation? Nevermind, this is just a diversion. The numbers are there, the Greens deserve a voice, let voters decide, period.
Steve,
I think its a close thing.
I understood your position and I think it is certainly a defendable one and I wouldn't be upset if they get a seat at the table. The Green's deserve to be treated with some respect.
But they still haven't won a seat and they really need to make it over some "bar". In Canada, the bar is set as an electoral victory. Credibility requires they contain parliamentarian's within their ranks and so far they have not had any luck.
Again, would you have allowed a Reform Party leader to participate with the same support?
The Green's are not saying anything dramatically different from the other left wing parties. They only have a stronger environmental focus. At least the Reform Party had fully a new perspective on issues and significantly different policies to share with electors.
Tomm
tomm
How many seats did the Reform party have prior to the 1993 debates? None. How many ridings did he Reform Party field a candidate in 1993? 2/3 Was Preston Manning allowed to participate in the french debate, despite not speaking french? Yes. In 1988, Reform scored a whopping 2.1% of the vote, with no MP's and yet they were in the debates in 1993. A great example actually, thanks for refreshing my memory.
Just to add, Reform had less than half the votes of the Greens in 1998.
Using your Reform, I guess I will assume that you would sign the petition now? Wouldn't want to be a hypocrite would you?
Steve,
If you are right, than I'm with you.
The media will be acting fairly and I'll be sold on the precedent.
Go Green!
Tomm
from the Green party ..
http://www.demanddemocraticdebates.ca/facts.html
''By the time of the 1993 election, the Reform Party’s only sitting member was Deborah Grey ...following her win in a 1989 by-election...
Preston Manning participated in the 1993 leaders’ debate..'
The Green Party gets more votes than the Reform did, because the Greens are a place to park a protest vote, Reform was not. Libs did a good job of demonizing the Reform, so unless you 'believed' you didn't go there.
In contrast, Libs rejoice the success of the Greens (in public, in private...I don't think so) thusly more votes.
Manning was invited to the debate because Reform had WON a seat.
Greens are anti-freetrade and pro-treehugging and aren't taken seriously enough to win a seat because they are just too 'Greenpeace'...
why would Libs want to SHARE the limelight with the Greens, actually invite the growth of the Green Party?
(IMO it is fake support in hopes of leading to the absorption of the Greens)
Be carefully what you ask for, Lizzy owes no one any favours.
wilson
Who cares what the Liberals think, its about fairness, not some partisan consideration. And, the reason the Greens received more votes than Reform is because it is national party, will full represenation, unlike the early Reform, which was a regional entity. Reform at its early core was nothing more than a protest party for wingers.
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