Sunday, May 12, 2013

I am not scared of an NDP government, I am resigned to it

I look at the NDP campaign I do not see a party that really gets the scale of crisis we are in terms of the civil service.  I also do not see a party with any sort of a bold vision.  I do not see a party willing to address climate change.   I do not see party that will address aboriginal title and rights.   I am not convinced they are willing to consider the sort of innovative thinking required to deal with problems in health or education.

I think we could be leaders in many areas of governance but it feels like the NDP is mainly going to reinforce the status quo

I do not expect sweetheart deals for the public sector unions, I do not expect any radical change to oil and gas, I do not expect NSR lands to be planted.   I really expect very little

On the other hand I think the NDP will likely be a workmanlike government and not really screw up.   Most people learn more from their mistakes than they do from their successes.   Adrian Dix, John Horgan, Harry Lali, Mike Farnworth, Leonard Krog, Sue Hammell and Jenny Kwan we all around for the 1991-2001 NDP government, they have learned and that alone makes the coming NDP government different than when they came to power in 1972 or 1991.

I expect the finances to be moderately well run but I do not expect us to have any real discussion about taxes  - which taxes should be levying and now high?   We do not collect enough revenues in BC to cover the costs of the government that we need.   We need to talk about what government should be doing and how to do it the best but that requires talking taxes and being willing to consider higher taxes.  

I will be moderately happy if the NDP does follow through with electoral finance reform and places restrictions on government advertising.   I hope that the NDP will allow for the legislature to sit for more days and allow the legislative committees to actually do work.    I have no expectation that we will see a reduction in power from of the executive and I find that depressing.

I do expect the NDP to be better at day to day governing that what we have seen with the BC Liberals under Christy Clark.   For the last two years we have seen a government without a core mission trying to figure out what might be popular or what might make the opposition look unpopular.  

My hope in this election rests with the independents  Greens and Conservatives.   If we have enough of them elected they could push the incoming NDP government to try harder and maybe do something bold and inspirational.

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