Comments on: Swedes and Greens http://liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/23/swedes-and-greens/ creating a new liberal-left force Sat, 20 Mar 2010 23:04:34 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Lobster Blogster http://liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/23/swedes-and-greens/#comment-1342 Lobster Blogster Sat, 24 Nov 2007 01:09:03 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/23/swedes-and-greens/#comment-1342 I couldn't disagree with the final sentence of DonaldS' final sentence more. I live a short commute from Westminster. Three out of three of my ward councillors are Green, so is my County councillor. We need less chat, more engagement with the local community and more volunteers and members. On Wednesday a Green motion at the full council was unanimously approved, to get the whole town plastic bag free. The local Lib Dems spout a lot of greenwash but don't know how to engage with people. Without our small group on the council, no green initiatives would get done. Start small, show people their ideas are valued and can make a difference, then move on from there. I couldn’t disagree with the final sentence of DonaldS’ final sentence more. I live a short commute from Westminster. Three out of three of my ward councillors are Green, so is my County councillor. We need less chat, more engagement with the local community and more volunteers and members. On Wednesday a Green motion at the full council was unanimously approved, to get the whole town plastic bag free. The local Lib Dems spout a lot of greenwash but don’t know how to engage with people. Without our small group on the council, no green initiatives would get done. Start small, show people their ideas are valued and can make a difference, then move on from there.

]]> By: thomas http://liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/23/swedes-and-greens/#comment-1331 thomas Fri, 23 Nov 2007 21:23:13 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/23/swedes-and-greens/#comment-1331 This a confused post, typical of most Green party members and policies. It (like the members and policies) fall into the trap of allowing their ideals to be undermined by the processes by which they would bring them about. It is an appealing post, though. It appeals because behind all the conflicting rhetoric is a mind clearly focussed on positive outcomes. While this grabs attention with fluffy empathy it neglects the two eternal questions of politics, namely 1)do the ends justify the means? and 2)what precedent(s) will be set if the answer is yes? Frankly, the prospect that the (British) Greens will continue to practise that level of naivety is a threat to any levels of peace, prosperity and democratic inteligence that we may currently enjoy and the further they stay away from political power the better. The coaligned hodge-podge that comprises the (British) Greens has some serious analysis, debate and reform to do before it will be taken seriously as a separate and independent force in politics with any real and wide-ranging contribution to make beyond single-issue campaigning and publicity grabbing direct action stunts. And, please, Peter Tatchell is to the Greens what Robert Kilroy-Silk was to UKIP - he's a celebrity politician, get him out of there. This a confused post, typical of most Green party members and policies. It (like the members and policies) fall into the trap of allowing their ideals to be undermined by the processes by which they would bring them about.

It is an appealing post, though. It appeals because behind all the conflicting rhetoric is a mind clearly focussed on positive outcomes. While this grabs attention with fluffy empathy it neglects the two eternal questions of politics, namely 1)do the ends justify the means? and 2)what precedent(s) will be set if the answer is yes?

Frankly, the prospect that the (British) Greens will continue to practise that level of naivety is a threat to any levels of peace, prosperity and democratic inteligence that we may currently enjoy and the further they stay away from political power the better.

The coaligned hodge-podge that comprises the (British) Greens has some serious analysis, debate and reform to do before it will be taken seriously as a separate and independent force in politics with any real and wide-ranging contribution to make beyond single-issue campaigning and publicity grabbing direct action stunts. And, please, Peter Tatchell is to the Greens what Robert Kilroy-Silk was to UKIP – he’s a celebrity politician, get him out of there.

]]> By: Robert http://liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/23/swedes-and-greens/#comment-1318 Robert Fri, 23 Nov 2007 18:48:51 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/23/swedes-and-greens/#comment-1318 <blockquote>Labour, now properly classified as a ‘centre-right’ not a ‘left’ party</blockquote> I disagree with this. In the higher echelons of Westminster government, this charge carries some force, but I don't get that sense from actions and policies of Holyrood Labour, for example, or from any of the grass-roots activists I meet.

Labour, now properly classified as a ‘centre-right’ not a ‘left’ party

I disagree with this. In the higher echelons of Westminster government, this charge carries some force, but I don’t get that sense from actions and policies of Holyrood Labour, for example, or from any of the grass-roots activists I meet.

]]> By: sanbikinoraion http://liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/23/swedes-and-greens/#comment-1286 sanbikinoraion Fri, 23 Nov 2007 12:48:27 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/23/swedes-and-greens/#comment-1286 That's a really neat idea. That’s a really neat idea.

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