I think the point that everyone perhaps has tried to articulate is that
let's make our discussions political parties free (not necessary
politics free), and let's not single out one politician or one party
about their achievements.  Great things that happened in any
communities, states or countries are because many people's dedications,
not because of any one politician.  If a minority party didn't have a
few friends in the "majority" or "conservative" parties, I am sure
nothing can be accomplished.

If there is a good idea, good cause or good initiative, let's try to
get as many people as possible to support it without the boundaries of
political parties, gender, age, race/ethnicity or whatever categories
that people get put into.  

We need to change the paradigm to stress political parties and
politicians withing these parties work for the people, not the other way
around.

Just my two cents.

>>> Dennis Raphael <[log in to unmask]> 03/15/07
6:23 AM >>>
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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