Greens Uber Alles

Charles Mandel, "What's Left?" editorial in HERE, Sept. 30: "Ideally, the Greens should recognize the longer history of the NDP and allow themselves to work with that party—so long as the NDP is willing to abandon their ridiculous platform of imitating Liberals and move itself further to the left. . . embrace a so-called Red-Green alliance. . ."

Hey Charles: I agree with most of what you said in your editorial on the election. But the NDP has an 80 year history in this Province and has accomplished very little. The Greens are barely two years old, started in 2008, ran 50 candidates in 55 ridings, and have already almost matched what the NDP did in 80 years in terms of voter support. Why should the Greens capitulate to a failed party?

The Greens have a totally different mission and set of policies. The Greens have a "conservative" streak that involves protecting the environment and not overspending the budget, which would then require economic growth in order to pay back the debt. The Greens have a "liberal" streak in that they support all human rights and most social service programs. The Greens have a "radical" streak in that they would fundamentally reorganize society on ecological principles, and thus alter the policies and priorities of the whole economic system.

Radical Greens like myself are as vehemently anti-Capitalist as any NDP Socialist, perhaps even more so, because you know what Boss Hog? I don't want your stupid job either, so you can't hold me hostage to Capitalism with "the good job" schtick, union or otherwise.

The Greens have a platform that appeals to all these tendencies that exist within the electorate. If anything, the NDP should give up the ghost and get behind the Greens, who have a real future, especially with the next several generations of voters, the age 35 and unders, who didn't vote in droves in this last election.

Shaun Bartone