A personal opinion:
Well we did it. Voted in the NDP race. As you can see it took a bit of fine tuning to get to the final decision – one you folks will not see, due the sanctity of the secret ballot – but perhaps you may guess. The reasoning behind this strange and unconventional choice is simple. The success of the NDP in the last election, in my opinion, was due to Jack Layton – he was the NDP, and in this age of personality politics when he died so did the votes of many of his voters. If that is the premise then what the NDP needs is a new look, the old look kept the party at 17% for years. The new look is not old faces but new ones consequently all but one over the age of 50 did not make my list. The party cannot rely on aging boomers and the usual leftists. The policies of the NDP are fundamentally sound and need a new package and a new leader to present them. The younger candidates can relate to the younger voters a lot better than a leader who is on a pension and reminds them of their grandparents, no matter what they are saying.
So of the candidates under the fifty line, who can do it for me? Two will do it admirably well but for different reasons. Nathan Cullen is pushing the idea of electoral collusion, an idea that I like, unite the left, and govern as a coalition when in power. Paul Dewar does not subscribe to that solution to getting rid of the Tories but prefers to rely on community organising and the power of persuasion a much harder path to power. PD was my number one choice, and that is no surprise. I am not put off by his bad French. He will improve just as Jean Chretien improved but he will attain a much better level of fluency. Niki Ashton has to grow into her role as a power in the party and has plenty of time. Thomas Mulcair is in the mix, as insurance, even though he runs against the fifty rule because of the stature he has in the party and in Quebec. I like the passion he displays even if he does need, as his critics say, “Anger Management” the official opposition needs a dragon who breathes fire to take on the sleazy, slimy scumbags on the government benches.
Who will eventually win is beyond my predictive powers, but unless the voters who were attracted to Layton see no real change from the present dated outlook presented by ‘old-style’ leadership then those votes are lost. It is going to be interesting when the HoC gets back and the NDP has an actual leader across from PMSH.
Now for other blogger’s opinions:
- Hill Queeries
- Progressive Proselytizing
- Terahertz
- Accidental Deliberations
- Curiosity Cat – Cullen’s two-punch plan
Good reasoning and I hope it works out. My vote, if I had one, would be for Peggy Nash. As a seasoned trade unionist, she has the strength to stand up to the tories and the solid sensibilities of the “average” Canadian. Being female doesn’t hurt either since I’m sure I’m not the only one sick of old white men running everything.
Just wishing it was over and that the NDP proves to be ready for the challenge of besting Bob Rae at the opposition game. He’s going to be a hard one to beat.
Who hasn’t seen the letter in the Sunday Star quoting Bob Rae somewhat as follows–can’t find it in the online edition:
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“All that is needed for the Liberal Party to rise from its defeat is four years of Conservative government and four years of NDP opposition.”
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You’re right, Deb: in this age of “personality politics” (as Ben put it) Bob Rae is going to be a hard one to beat. Having previously defeated the NDP from the inside, he is now poised to do it again from the outside. And after that, what . . . ?
Just read an interesting article about Niki Ashton from Carol Goar in Torstar. Age 29 and already in her second term as a Manitoba MLA. Performed very well at her interview with the Torstar board of inquisitors according to Goar, showing great poise and world knowledge, with well thought out positions on just about everything.
Goar figures she is getting a raw deal from the Party, who all treat her like a kid who’s just an understudy for a part later in the Big Time. But not yet. Sentiments much like those spoken about her by our Ben in his article. Must be that there’s young, which he wants, but not too young either.
I am not a member of any political party but am watching the NDP leadership process with some hope that the eventual winner will be a performer in Parliament. I have one thing against Brian Topp, Broadbent-supported as he may be. I noticed that at the formal funeral service for Jack Layton in Toronto City Hall he was chewing gum. Chewing gum! It may seem a small thing, but I have absolutely no time for anyone as uncouth as that.
Your having absolutely no time for anyone who chews gum is, indeed, a small thing.
No – it is not that I don’t have time for people who chew gum. I do myself. But not at funerals, and not at the equivalent of a state funeral. really bad judgement – would he do it in session in Parliament?
Hey Merk, you remember Nathan Cullen’s stunt with Faye More? If that were my list, Ben, Cullen wouldn’t even make the rankings.