I’m very sure that a sit down between Elizabeth May and Ron Paul would be a pleasant meeting, they would perhaps have a drink and a little nibble on some kind of healthy snacks. Paul, a Medical doctor might ask how the new hip was working out; May would inquire after Paul’s family.
Of course at some point they would turn to policy, Global warming, no, they can’t agree there. Social safety net, nope, no common ground. Monetary policy, to be honest I don’t know if May could even touch the subject?
Of course not all is lost, both are anti war and believe in non violence, both are pro pot, both have issues with NATFA and most importantly both are being screwed over by the media which feels they have the right and obligation to decide who is a valid Candidate.
In the 2006 election GPC leader Jim Harris was excluded from the televised debates. Today despite recent polls showing growing strength there is no sign from Canadian television networks that today's leader, Elizabeth May has the earned the right to be heard.
Ron Paul, a quirky but likable libertarian running for the U.S. Republican nomination is suffering the same kind of media bias and heavy handed interference in the democratic system not only from members within his own party but also from big media especially FNN (Faux or Fox News Network), which has not invited Paul to a televised debate just days before the Iowa caucus vote, inspiring numerous 1, 2, 3, news articles and blogs on the issue
One big difference however are how these slights have been dealt with by Greens and PAULites. Greens had a nice little petition
The PAULites however have taken it upon themselves to published all available emails and phone numbers for every executive and online personality at FOX and have them inundated them with complaints.
They have published lists of advertisers on FOX and have called for boycotts and complaints by their followers.
They have even called for a boycott and selling of FOX stock up to and including harassing pension and mutual funds that hold FOX stock as per Impolitcal
The thing is, most of these moves are not started directly by the Ron Paul team, they are started by eager and motivated individuals like those who raised millions of dollars of private donations in events like the Guy Fawkes and Boston Tea Party money bombs. True some supporters have gotten a little spam happy and down right rude and obnoxious in blogdom, but hell at least they are showing some motivation and vigour!
Greens have much to learn from these Paulites, Paultards,RevoPaulonaries;
aiming the message, asking for funds, volunteering, demanding to be heard, striking back at those news services that ignore us, and despite the recent surge in money, doing more with fewer resources.
Maybe it's time for Greens to stop being so passive!
Maybe it’s time for a Green Party of Canada, Earth Day Money Bomb!
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Thursday, January 3, 2008
The Ron Paul phenomena and Canadian Greens
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5 comments:
Passivity isn't winning the media war in Canada, it's time to turn a new page. Legal, yet edgy attacks on media will be required to earn May's rightful place in the House of Commons. The Paul supporters are going about it the only way they have a shot, because they don't have the money to fight Fox on its own terms.
Whooee! I keep seein' people linkin' Ron Paul to neo-nazis and Stormfront. The extreme right-wing LGF has photos of Paul with the guy who runs the Stormfront site.
From where I'm sittin' it looks like our Lizzie's gettin' more popular all the time while Ron Paul's fadin' into primary season oblivion. I ain't sure he's the guy to take lessons from.
Out in the real world, I been doin' some local GPC organizin'. I'm finding the public more receptive to the Greens than ever. It'd be nice to be in the debates and it ain't fair that we ain't. I wrote letters to the Broadcast Consortium members about it in 2004 and again in 2006. It won't hurt to have a massive letter-writin' campaign but I ain't got much faith in the MSM TV tycoons who run the show.
I reckon the real answer is to put Elections Canada in charge of the debates. Then King Steve could have another fight with EC.
JB
I don't buy most of the anti Paul stuff, people walk up to public figures and get their picture taken all the time that does not mean they are friends, know each other.
Paul has always been libertarian and for non violence, however his pro gun, pro liberty, anti illegal immigrant ideas can and do resonate with true constituionalists, libertarians as well as hate groups. You can only state what you believe you can't decide who agrees with you.
I don't want his libertarian world but his popularity has grown and I suspect he'll place 3rd in Iowa tonight, succeed or not his followers are doing something right not taking the abuse sitting down, they made networks include him in the polls on occasion, they made several straw polls include him that did not intent to. We need this kind of zeal.
Hey GAB. It's amazing what is happening to Paul in the U.S. How does a guy get 10% in Iowa and then get excluded from the NH debates? At least the NH GOP backed out as a co-sponsor.
If this isn;t the best example of media manipulation in an effort to determine the next President, I don't know what is. I may not agree with everything Paul says, but what is happening to him is democracy at its worst.
Peter
I don't agree with everything anybody says, but for every time there is an appropriate leader. Their warmongering and spending issues will not be solved by most of the others. Paul seems right for this role, considering his age and the probable makeup of the next Congress(ie no other libertarians) his most radical notions will not get enacted, and he'd probably only last one term.
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