tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post6144241272474105362..comments2024-03-29T00:44:42.046+13:00Comments on Bowalley Road: Figuring Out the GreensChris Trotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09081613281183460899noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-80932784878710523242009-09-29T11:33:39.552+13:002009-09-29T11:33:39.552+13:00Hi Chris
A better argued post than the Sept 25th ...Hi Chris<br /><br />A better argued post than the Sept 25th one, IMHO ;).My reply there addresses some of what I see as the errors of that post.<br /><br />I think that here you are absolutely right that the Greens have been extraordinarily naive at times about the power of evidence. One of my questions over the years has been 'what is the Green extra-parliamentary power base'?. Votes are not enough, as the so-called 'winter of discontent' (2001?) demonstrated. Labour has the union movement. National has sheer economic power. If the Greens want to make serious moves to address the causes of ecological degradation, this will entail, ultimately, a new economic system - a steady state economy of some description that does not depend on increasing consumption. And those who most benefit from the status quo won't give it up very easily.Nandor Tanczoshttp://www.rasnandor.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-13102730204351713852009-09-28T22:50:05.978+13:002009-09-28T22:50:05.978+13:00Good post Chris.
Labour has realised that it need...Good post Chris.<br /><br />Labour has realised that it needs to be a wide church but one with a coherent centre to succeed. Sue Bradford was the voice of the left for the Greens (all due acknowledgment to Keith Locke).<br /><br />Without her they look like an environmental party that could go right wing or left wing, and Russell Norman's behaviour is a strong indicator of this.<br /><br />I have been a pretty strong green supporter. I have donated money to them and delivered their pamphlets. I do not think that I could do this now.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16293708548352713924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-6384538515066168922009-09-28T16:42:38.225+13:002009-09-28T16:42:38.225+13:00I was an electioneer at the last election, admitte...I was an electioneer at the last election, admittedly at a small voting station in the inner city, and I was surprised at the end of the night, when I was waiting for the early results to ring through, at the number of National/Green split votes. I wondered at the time if it was our version of the Bradley effect - give your party vote to National, and your candidate vote to a Green who is unlikey to get a seat - thus you can say with a clear conscience that you voted Green (to match your recyclable shopping bag) while you look forward to your tax cut. It would come as no surprise to me if the Greens abandoned or downplayed the socialist aspect of their platform, but I am not sure this would mean a win-win situation for them: they might gain among the new urbanites with the recyclable bags, but would lose the people who have voted for them as left-of-labour. They remain, after all, the largest part of what is left of the Alliance.Olwynnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-79502337695877636122009-09-27T17:26:45.696+13:002009-09-27T17:26:45.696+13:00And lets hope they go sooner rather than later.And lets hope they go sooner rather than later.Swimminghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12913329810121951824noreply@blogger.com