New Liberal Party

[sabotabby]

EWWWW it's Mulcair. Do. Not. Want. I mean, I'm still obligated to vote NDP, since the alternative is Harper and we now have an American two-party system, but I'll probably not renew my membership if he does as everyone's predicted and shoves the party even further to the right.

We are so screwed.

Comments

[lienne.livejournal.com]

:(

[sabotabby]

I mean, I had some pretty strong disagreements with Layton, but at least I could say, "yeah, this guy's politics and values are more or less on the same page as mine." The best I can say for Mulcair is that he might be able to keep the angry Quebec vote going. I don't want to underestimate the angry Quebec vote, but I also don't think it's enough to get into power and reverse the catastrophic damage that the Tories have done.

[lienne.livejournal.com]

So basically, we're fucked.

:(

[sabotabby]

We're in TINA territory.

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

I don't think he can hang on to the soft sovereigntist vote (at least not and keep seats west of Ottawa). So one election and he's shot his bolt because he has nothing to offer outside Quebec. Basically he's in the same bind as Mulroney was.

[sabotabby]

He's not as caricatureable, though.

But yeah. The worst thing about him is that I think people voted for him because they perceived him as able to beat Harper, but I don't think he can actually beat Harper.

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

That plus there is this illusion that there is a natural "Progressive" bloc that includes the Liberals.

[sabotabby]

I heard a rumour that there was a Conservative MP who was going to challenge Justin Trudeau to a boxing match. I'm not sure what I want to see more—any defeat for a Conservative, or Justin Trudeau getting punched in his smug face.

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

I believe it's a Tory senator, Patrick Brazeau. They look quite well matched. If I were 20 years younger I'd take either of them!

[90pointmetaphor.livejournal.com]

Just like the rumour that the Liberals are somehow, well, liberal?

[frandroid.livejournal.com]

Hmm, good point on the sovereigntist vote.

[queerasmoi.livejournal.com]

Didn't Layton also receive accusations of moving the party too far to the centre? And then we didn't hear those anymore when he started to prove incredibly popular. I don't actually think Layton's politics were much different from Mulcair's.

Anyway, there's always the approach of focusing on the individual candidate in your riding if you're queasy about the leader. What do you think of your new MP Craig Scott?

Of course mine is Libby Davies whose awesomeness is unquestionable. Although I hear murmurs she might not run again under Mulcair - I guess we'll have to see how they manage to get along in close quarters!

[audrawilliams.livejournal.com]

I think their politics are pretty different. Mulcair for sure disagrees with Jack's stance on drug laws and the oil sands.

He also hasn't spent his life working for the oppressed, the way Jack did.

[queerasmoi.livejournal.com]

Oops, this fell into spam and I didn't catch it until now.

True, Mulcair does not have a grassroots social justice background. His pre-political law career prominently included advocating for the rights of abused patients, and his pre-NDP political career was very environment-focused. Those are certainly encompassed in what the NDP can get behind even if he's of a different background.

[sabotabby]

Didn't Layton also receive accusations of moving the party too far to the centre? And then we didn't hear those anymore when he started to prove incredibly popular. I don't actually think Layton's politics were much different from Mulcair's.

I was one of the people making that accusation! But I think his social justice background and his personal charisma made up for a lot of flaws. We'll have to see how Mulcair deals with the socialist and labour party base—if he's willing to listen and compromise, that's one thing; if he takes an autocratic approach, as I fear, I might as well be voting Liberal.

Anyway, there's always the approach of focusing on the individual candidate in your riding if you're queasy about the leader. What do you think of your new MP Craig Scott?

Well, I'm not in that riding anymore. I was technically still living there for the advance polls (as in my rent was paid up to that date) so I voted for him anyway. :)

Of course mine is Libby Davies whose awesomeness is unquestionable. Although I hear murmurs she might not run again under Mulcair - I guess we'll have to see how they manage to get along in close quarters!

She's deputy leader! That gives me a bit of hope, as she's amazing and espouses the kind of politics I can get behind.

Anyway, my current MP is one of the new NDP MPs, and sounds really good. So I can enthusiastically back an MP, probably. I'm just not sure I want to remain a party member if the party is going to abandon all of its principles.

[queerasmoi.livejournal.com]

Oh! Where did you move to? I did not know this.

[sabotabby]

East York. For now. Whether I'll be able to remain in the house is an open question right now.

[symbioid.livejournal.com]

Who was your choice?

[sabotabby]

Saganash until he dropped out, then Nash. I felt that all of them save Singh, who is a tool, were better choices than Mulcair, and there were some really strong candidates.

I mean, technically speaking, my first choice would be Stephen Lewis, who would have won the leadership easily if he'd entered, and could probably have become Prime Minister. He has his own reasons not to, but I'd have enthusiastically campaigned for him.

[bcholmes.livejournal.com]

I mean, technically speaking, my first choice would be Stephen Lewis

I just want to live in this fantasy for a little while.

[90pointmetaphor.livejournal.com]

Yup. Halfway through his eulogy for Jack, rbowspryte and I decided he was our pick.

[queerasmoi.livejournal.com]

Lewis explicitly said in an interview with Mansbridge that he ruled out running because he doesn't speak French and not for lack of trying. Apparently he went to an immersion program in France years ago, and he was the first in decades of their history to fail the program.

[sabotabby]

I am making scowly faces.

[90pointmetaphor.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping that his re-appointment of Libby Davies as deputy leader is a good sign. But yeah, definitely worried and unimpressed that my last choice of candidates with a chance of winning won.

[cannibal-x.livejournal.com]

I don't think he's that bad. I voted for him. Sorry, dude, but he has a few things going for him, and his politics aren't that far off from Layton.

For one thing, without him there wouldn't be dozens of progressive NDP mps from Quebec. I'm dubious of the notion that a Nash or Topp could have got them elected or would be able to keep them elected in the next election. Even if i personally don't think Mulcair is great, that alone makes it worth it. Better a tepid leader of a progressive gang (including many POC) than a slightly better leader of a few white people.

Second, he is immersed in a political culture (Quebec) that is much to the left of the ROC on many issues. Even if he is not the most leftwing in that context, compared to NDP mps from the rest of canada he is hardly a tory in hiding.

Third, you can't hate on him for being a liberal considering there is no provincial NDP in quebec. AND he quit on principle.

Finally, he came out swinging left on a few issues right after getting elected leader, such as the interview where he didn't mince words about the tarsands and how they are ruining the environment of large swaths of the country. I say, give him a chance to show what he is going to do before bashing him. sure, he'll probably disappoint us all, but so what, I'm pretty sure he's the best of a sorry lot of leadership candidates, after saganash dropped out.