Changing my politial stance! The Green Party

[Hemlock]

I am totally disillusioned with the political parties I usually vote for and indeed all the others, it seems to me that year by year they are all mouth and no trousers, full of fine words and presentations but do absolutely nothing and look at the resulting dreadful state this country is in now.
Time and again we've thought about moving abroad but it seems like such a cop out.
I had a look at the Green Party manifesto today and was really impressed by what I saw, it is everything we personally believe in - also they are actively promoting veganism (see "Food" in the manifesto). I think I will join the party.


http://policy.greenparty.org.uk/mfss/

[cobweb]

I did the same this year, Hemlock after feeling a bit let-down in some ways by our Tony :( . I was a member of the Labour Party Young Socialists when I was a teenager and have been a loyal Labour voter ever since I was old enough :rolleyes: .

[philfox]

the depressing thing is that under the current voting system we are only likely to have a tory or a labour government. so much for democracy or indeed any room for real change :(

[Corum]

I spent about six months as a member of the Militant Tendency in Bradford when I was younger (major socialist), but I got fed up with Marxism got twisted into communism along the way and got sick of being called Comrade all the time.

[BlackCats]

I am an armchair supporter of Green Party.
They sound good but any information I have read sounds so idealistic I just don't know if people will vote for them en masse. I think humans are too selfish in general (sorry to sound so pessimistic.)

The borough where I live has the choice between a vote for Labour or vote for BNP for particular wards.:mad: :mad: :mad:

[mjnewbould]

my husband and i are Green Party supporters - we find ourselves agreeing with almost all they say on just about everything. I think that Caroline Lucas is absolutely excellent. Last general election we put up the money for someone to stand - but I have to say we did'nt get anywhere - but i just hope that the compaign did something to raise the profile of the issues! However in our area (Rossendale) the BNP is the biggest of the small parties and they take a lot of the vote from those that don't like the big three. Our political system is so skewed against small parties - its so difficult to get publicity and quite often the small parties are not invited to debates with the canidiates for the big three (the excuse is usually given that it just gives a chance for the BNP to give their views - so what - they've every right to). Anyhow it was great going to the count even though we did'nt get anywere!

[twinkle]

I voted Green in the last local election we had here, and 2 out of the 3 candidates got in for the ward! I was at work when I found out and had a minor silent fit in my chair. My colleagues didn't ask why I was punching the air, I wonder if they noticed :D

[absentmindedfan]

My vote is worthless in my borough. I do vote, but it's such a pointless and demeaning exercise here that I'm not sure I'll bother in future.

[Holly78]

I was very annoyed to find that in the last local election the candidates were almost all Conservative with a couple of Liberal Democrats and one Independent candidate. I wish there had been a Green Party candidate - they would certainly get my vote! Sadly though they are unlikely to ever get into Government, as someone has already said.

[horselesspaul]

As has been pointed out, in the UK the voting system unfortunately means that if you vote Green you get Blue or worse..
The recent Green rise in the local vote here in Brighton has served only to hand the council to the Tories, in effect.
Until we have proportional representation of some sort then voting Green will really only be a protest option. Whether it puts any pressure on the main 2 parties to be genuinely "greener" remains to be seen..
It seems to me that The Green Party suffer from not having a defined role as a political party nationally and do not present a credible alternative government, and so will not be getting my cynical hack vote.

[gogs67]

the depressing thing is that under the current voting system we are only likely to have a tory or a labour government. so much for democracy or indeed any room for real change :(
Look to Scotland!;) :D

[cobweb]

Look to Scotland!;) :D


Precisely! :) - we're the leaders in the political field up here ;) .

Honestly, if everyone just sits about saying that the Greens can't get anywhere and don't/won't get enough support then, sure enough, yes, we'll end up with the status quo. To me that's similar to saying that there's no point going vegan because 99% of other people don't/won't :rolleyes: .

[gogs67]

Precisely! :) - we're the leaders in the political field up here ;) .

:rolleyes: .
Vive la revolution!:D

[cobweb]

Vive la revolution!:D

Quite! :D . Alex is my local M.P! :cool: .

[gogs67]

Ah,lovely Banff and Buchan,lol!I must admit i do like the guy,i just hope he delivers what we need and that 'toys out the pram' labour lot don't constantly try to veto everything to point score!:rolleyes:

[gogs67]

In fact just saw this for what labour are up to now!
Alex Salmond said if he won a seat in the Scottish parliament he would not take two sets of wages and he would give up the Scottish Parliament one.
Holyrood officials tell him the rules say he has to take them both. So he sets up a charity to give the wages to local youth projects instead.

All good, no problems, he only takes one wage and some youth groups benefit as well.

then Labours Andy Kerr says this


Quote:
"The tax paying public are right to feel angry, let down and double crossed by Alex Salmond's empty words.
"Salmond promised he would only claim one parliamentary salary and he hasn't. Instead his spin doctors have been desperately scrabbling around for a quick fix. "

I mean come on, that's just desperatehttp://84.234.17.160/images/smilies/thumbsdownsmiley.gif

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6284740.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6284740.stm)

[thecatspajamas1]

I'm green party too, although I never get around to voting.

[Hemlock]

I know it's unlikely the Green Party will ever get in but.......I'd rather not vote at all than vote for the main parties and not voting is not an option for me!
I agree with everything on their manifesto which you can't say about most.
I used to be a lip service Tory and Corum the opposite end of the spectrum - I'd never vote for either again. They are full of mealy mouthed promises that never happen:(

[Hemlock]

...

[rantipole]

It's even more unlikely the Green Party will get a foothold in the US, but I still vote for them. I try to convince fellow queers to vote for them too, as they are much more pro-gay than the Democrats. If everyone doesn't vote for them because they think the Greens will lose, then of course they will lose. Be the change!

Cheers,
rant

[Herbidacious]

Whenever there's a Green candidate standing I vote for them (I've read their manifesto and agree with the vast majority of it), but it's rare that a green stands where I live, and I don't bother voting for any other party now. I used to vote Lib Dem to try to keep the Tories out but I now write on my ballot paper, 'none of the above', because I want to vote, but there's no one decent to vote for.

I'm very sceptical of politicians in general and sometimes wonder if, by some miracle, the Greens became the government, how long would it be before sleeze and corruption infected them.

[TheBringer]

I am part of the green party too. I voted in the last small elections here. Where there were no green candidates I voted for democrat (although I am wondering how great they are). If all us potential green party voters do vote and dont get depressed by the masses we can have a good effect.

And with all these environmental changes people might look to this party more. I think if you are going to vote green do so. And don't back off. We need all the votes we can get. (It's great we even have the option of voting green)
;) change will come.

[MarkAnthony]

My view on voting is that to an extent it's essential to go for the lesser of evils, as few parties are going to represent your views 100% of the time (although I most admit the Green Party comes very close for me, as I imagine it does for many members of this board). I vote Liberal Democrat nationally as I sympathise with their ways of thinking, even if I frequently do not agree 100% on policy. However, at local and European elections I will continue to vote Green, as they do have what I consider a reasonable chance of attaining office at this level.

If I move to a constituency where the Greens have a strong showing of support I will vote for them there at a national level.

[Imported Memory]

I vote green. Even though I live in a completely republican state where even a democrat would have a hard time winning any elections.

I figure if my vote is just going to be worthless anyway, I should use it however the heck I want.

[Tibetan Snake]

Vote Lib Dem and give Peter Suttcliff the vote