by frog
Gordon Campbell’s interview of Russel on Scoop’s Election 08 yesterday is a fascinatingly read. Campbell, with his background in the Green Party’s parliamentary team, knew the tough questions to ask and seemed determined that his interview could not be perceived as a patsy, or lacking journalistic credibility.
The first half of the interview deals with a lot of policy issues including a detailed discussion on the ETS. The second half gets into what is often referred to as ‘the game’. That is, not what political parties stand for, but how they present themselves and interact with other parties.
Campbell: But as the race tightens it can also become a dilemma, as we saw in 2005. One that can threaten the Greens’ survival. Some people portray it as a choice between voting with your head or with your heart.
Norman: Vote with both your head and your heart. If you care about the issues the Greens care about, vote for us. If you don’t, vote for some one else. It’s that simple.
Campbell: That’s saying to them there isn’t a dilemma. You’re not helping them sort out the tactical choice. Which under MMP may help – or hinder, you tell me – the chances of getting a centre left outcome.
Norman: Well, my response is to say if you want the issues the Greens care about promoted in parliament, you want a strong Green Party. And Labour will do whatever Labour does, which is to suck up to United Future or NZ First or whatever. And they’ll sell you out. If you care about social justice and environmental sustainability, vote for the Greens.
As Labour and National both move to the centre, a voter thinking in ‘terms of the game’ would note that no matter what you vote, neither Labour nor National is likely to stand up strongly to the other party (except in terms of name calling). They often have too much invested in appealing to the middle ground to risk principled advocacy for things they claim to believe.
Nice photo from Scoop too:
Published in Campaign | Media by frog on Wed, May 14th, 2008
Tags: election, Gordon Campbell, labour, national, Russel Norman
on the trolls and those who are unable to keep on topic
“And Labour will do whatever Labour does, which is to suck up to United Future or NZ First or whatever”
And Green will do whatever Green does, which is to (begrudgingly,I’m sure) support a Labour government and keep National out.
So the message is clear – if you want Labour out, do not vote Green?
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Peter raised a good point about Peak Support (elsewhere) with out a change of direction away from current ideology towards a more rational approach. People have a price whereby the will fades as the shower turns cold or the factory is threatened with closure. Other parties are going Green (even Roger Kerr and Rodney Hide). To steer a pure course we need build an on line base of argument mappers, rise above the uncouth (of course it’s a two way street). Just a suggestion.
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BP is right, the Greens run the very real risk of being “collateral damage” because of their association with Labour.
Had Nandoor succeeded in his co leadership bid then perhaps the voting public might have not had had to make the choice between Labour/Greens and voting for the Nat’s to rid themselves of Labour.
Nandoor might well have presented the voters with an option that could have conceivably included doing a deal with the Nat’s thereby ensuring the survival of the Greens.
The problem the Greens have created for themselves with the dramatic shift to the hard left is that the public now know that you will never go with the Nat’s under any circumstances.
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please post my comment
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Hard left or not, how can one not like that:
“Our policy has always been to use environmental taxes to take off the first quantum”
OH! Strong language, I like it.
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BB – I agree with you – Greens are being dragged down by Labour
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the question is what would national do to get the greens – at the moment they are like Helen Clark – no compromise – in essense it would be an abusive relationship with little gain.
National refuse to release their environmental policy. so how can one choose wether to work with them or not – all they do is slag off labour and talk about the economy and how they are anti youth.
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trees
It is irrelevant what policy the Nat’s release you and I both know that the new leadership in the party will NEVER go with the Nat’s.
It is a pity that your party has been hijacked by the hard left.
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Oh come on Frog/Toad..is everything I write now going to moderation?
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