Sunday, January 20, 2008
Exact Change: The NDP and the Prosperity Gap
This campaign by the Federal NDP to address the growing gap between the rich an the rest of us should resonate with traditional NDP voters. However, decisions like this are sure to repel the exact same demographic. The more the NDP acts like the Liberals and Tories, the more people will dismiss the party as an option.
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5 comments:
This reminds me of the ONDP retreat in the 1990s that was held at Queen's Landing in Niagara on the Lake. 2 MPPs, Peter Kormos and Mark Morrow refused to stay there and brought their own lunches from home. I think that had more to do with the venue being non-union although it is a very high end hotel.
Respectful disagreement with you, on that story.
The NDP is the only party that has been consistantly raising the prosperity gap and affordability issues like bank fees, credit card interest and cell phone charges.
Because they have a meeting at a hotel, just like the other parties, doesn't mean they don't want a different kind of world than those parties.
It's just not a credible arguement for anyone to make, least of all the other polticial parties.
Right on, about the quiz though.
It's not the fact that they met in a hotel that is the problem. It's the fact that it is such a posh hotel. The NDP should consistently be booking affordable unionized (if possible) places to meet.
Because they have a meeting at a hotel, just like the other parties, doesn't mean they don't want a different kind of world than those parties.
So you are saying that it is okay for the NDP to conduct business in an over priced hotel because, they are better than any of the other parties?
Right, glad you cleared that up.
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of far greater concern to me is whether a good progressive and viable policy comes out of the meeting (though it should still be vetted through federal council until it can be passed at a convention).
The cost including 3 meals of $230 a day isn't that outrageous, many hotels near convention centres charge close to $200 just to stay with maybe a continental breakfast.
What I will say regarding the choice of venue is that my reaction ranges from approval to disapproval depending on what money was spent.
If it was on MP's dime, then who cares, rock it go somewhere even nicer next year. I do think NDP MP's in general work harder then their counterparts.
If it was government money being spent I'm somewhat ambivalent. Its perhaps luxurious, but certainly well within the norm of conducting government business. My disapproval there falls more in the general government culture that exists rather then at the NDP Caucus.
If it was NDP money being spent on the retreat then they should have been staying somewhere cheaper.
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