Paul Martin: RIP
*** I truly apologize if I offend anyone with this photo. It's meant to be funny and illustrate the fact that with Jean Chretien and Paul Martin behind us, we can only go up.
For quite some time, I've wanted to call myself a Liberal. My views, attitudes and beliefs have always been well reflected in the Party, but I've been hesitant in the past because of how the Party was run out in BC. LPCBC, for me, was a corrupt organization and I wanted nothing to do with it.
I became involved with the Liberals after hearing that Michael Ignatieff wanted to run. As a political science major, I've read and appreciated his works and ultimately it was him who inspired me to take out a membership. I'm glad I did.
The Party is really changing quickly. The hegemony that Paul Martin had is coming undone. Martin has been reduced to a footnote and his floor organizers have been dispersed, resulting in the greater democratization of our Party.
Good.
No more censoring opinions and keeping dissenters out of the fold. Now, it's time to debate and I couldn't be more excited about it.
Power is best exercised when it is evenly distsributed among the masses. History has proven that when power is so tightly concentrated, massive abuses take place (Tories, take note!).
I don't think every leadership candidate is equally qualified, but I am encouraged that there are so many. Power is being diffused and we are forced to go back to the grassroots.
The number of candidates is also forcing the contest to be kept rather "friendly". Now we all know that isn't the case at the executive level, but at least when dealing with the average Joe and Jane of the Party, people are open-minded and tolerant... well, with a few exceptions... but overall, at least people are talking and debating. That is what is important and that is what politics is about.
I'm happy to see the Party evolved for the better and I truly believe that there is no better time than now to get involved. The death of Paul Martin's administration has been, perhaps, the best thing for us. From here, we will only get better and stronger... well, we don't really have a choice.
posted by Pedro @ 10:22 AM
12 comments
12 Comments:
Glad to have you back in the party Pedro.
As a poli sci major myself, I've read a lot of Ignatieff's stuff. Which is the reason why I'm backing him 100% in the leadership race.
I'm prepared to get behind anyone who wins, personally I think we have great leadership hopefulls and we're going to have a great leader next time around.
Totally second you, Zac.
It's not surprising for an Ignatieff supporter to be so arrogant as to say the Liberal Party needs to evolve to a higher being from Chretien and Martin.
Sure, the guy's smart, but it boggles my mind how anyone with zero political experience who has been outside of Canada for 30 years can expect to be Prime Minister.
Paul Martin was a hack, it's true. But Jean Chretien was a great man.
Anon - what you want to stay where we're at in the Party (i.e. scandal, indecisiveness, lacking a solid, cohesive identity, etc)? That is assuming you are a Liberal. If not, than what do you care?
Second, yes Iggs has lots of political experience, whether it's advising senior political executives, working with the UN, or reporting on it with the BBC. That is absolutely, positively political experience.
Would you say a political science professor has no political experience because they haven't been elected? Absolutely not.
Hishighness: yeah, I'm more partial to Chretien. He was brilliant. And to be honest, I liked his attitude. It was nice to see a politician with balls (and by that, I mean, guts).
Iggs used to drive a Miata.
NOOOOOO, did he?! Now you are just trying to bug me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes.
It was fun though wasn't it?
Miatas rule!
Good write-up. While I supported - and will continue to support all Liberal leaders, the Martin-Cretien feud will serve as a good reminder to ALL of us as to what may happen when we stop thinking of ourselves as one big team, and start "compartmentalizing".
Let's make sure we are never feuding to such an extent (politics, after all IS about SOME feuding), that we hurt the party for the sake of individual egos.
Boo on the miata comment ;)
But I totally agree with you, westerngrit. I'm so sick of the way LPCBC and the YLCBC have been run. People like Thomas Marshall and Coco Lefoka make me cringe. They are all about personal ambition. Hopefully some of them will get weeded out or at least they will shape up.
Miata........Zoom..Zoom
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