Wow, I didn't know that the strength of, and support for, social  
democratic political parties in the single best predictor for these  
states of affairs. Can you provide some quick references please?  
That's surprising, but it makes sense in a way.

And a minority government where a social democratic party hold the  
balance of power, hey, isn't that right now?!

So I guess there's no better time for change!

CQ



On 15-Mar-07, at 9:23 AM, Dennis Raphael wrote:

> The single best predictor of low poverty rates, a developed welfare  
> state,
> and income and social security of citizens in developed nations is  
> strength
> of, and support for, social democratic political parties. Period.
>
> While we may consider the forces that lead to such support, and the  
> need
> for popular education and communiy mobilization, that is the absolute
> bottom line.
>
> The history of social advances in Canada, the UK, and yes, even the  
> USA,
> provides ample evidence of this fact. Public pensions and medicare in
> Canada only came about during Minority governments where a social
> democratic party held the balance of power.
>
> Nuff said.
>
> On another note we have known Jack Layton for close to 25 years.   
> He is the
> most dedicated, sincere, honest, and bright elected representative  
> we have
> ever known.  And his personal attributes have been backed up by solid
> achievements. The Healthy City Movement was established in Toronto  
> while he
> was chair of the Board of Health...
> --------------------------------------------------
> Layton helped spur the most innovative projects the city has seen in a
> generation:
>
> -Canada’s first municipally-sponsored AIDS strategy, which became a
> nationwide model.
> -Deep lakewater cooling of downtown office buildings, celebrated by
> environmentalist Robert Kennedy Jr.
> -The Healthy Cities model, adopted by the WHO and emulated in  
> cities around
> the world.
> -The White Ribbon Campaign, which became a global movement of men  
> speaking
> out against violence against women.
> -The first urban wind turbine in Canada, cooperatively owned – and
> generating enough clean electricity to light 250 homes.
> -The largest building renovation project in Canadian history, the  
> Better
> Buildings Partnership, which paid for energy retrofits through future
> energy savings.
>
> dr
>
> dr
>
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