Ruth just posted on how she’s voting this year, and it has moved me to comment: in a shock revelation that will come as no surprise to anybody, this election I’m voting Green.
Why? It’s the climate change, stupid. (To coin a phrase.) I feel strongly that the Greens are the only party that are really talking about the reality of anthropogenic climate change. The stronger their voice in Parliament, the more they can push the government to start dealing with the problem.
There are other reasons to vote Green; there are other reasons not to vote Green. But from where I’m sitting, climate change is the most important issue in the world right now by a wide margin. All of the other pros and cons of various party platforms just look insignificant next to it, like choosing the best music to listen to while the Titanic goes down.
So I’m voting Green. And if you agree that anthropogenic climate change as the biggest problem on our horizon, I urge you to vote Green as well.
(Also, I loved Ruth’s final comment in her post: “My favourite thing about New Zealand elections is that you vote with a fat orange felt pen, a clear sign of a serious democracy at work.” Hee!)
10 thoughts on “Endorsing The Greens”
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I know some quite well-informed and well read people who don’t believe that global warming is real. Or at least, not the way the Greens and you other tree-huggers talk about it.
I’m voting G too… but I don’t see global warming as an apocalypse; and moreover, I think that the behaviours ultimately at fault here are bound up with the capitalist fantasy, so what’s needed is a more fundamental restructuring of human politics and economics… cutting carbon emissions to 1800 levels might solve the global warming crisis – but it won’t solve poverty in Africa. If there were an “abolish 3rd world debts” party, I think I’d vote for that… I think the long-term effects would be no less profound.
“I think that the behaviours ultimately at fault here are bound up with the capitalist fantasy, so what’s needed is a more fundamental restructuring of human politics and economics…”
Couldn’t agree more. And, again, I think the Greens are the closest we get to that in the present configuration of NZ politics.
To get a tiny bit specific, I think the only way we’re going to address global warming is for the addition of regulation and appropriate price signals to the economic system – significant change can only happen through manipulation of these equations. There are a bunch of proposed solutions to “cutting carbon emissions to 1800 levels” that will, in fact, solve poverty in Africa – our resource-intensive lifestyles exploit the third world, so reducing that exploitation can help both issues.
Anyway, your points are duly noted. 🙂
Presumably one would listen to Celine Dion while the Titanic was going down.
Thank you, I’m here all week.
Just when the climate issue was getting big the world over and politicians would have to do something about it, we suddenly have a capitalist recession to change focus. hummmmmm…. just putting it out there. Also if the papers and politicians stopped scare mongering about the recession, the factors that bring about the recession would not be happening so quickly. Like financial panic buying and selling. I think they have changed the view point by over exaggerating. As all countries are in debt, just keep lending and get on with the important stuff like climate issues.
Bear in mind though that a green vote will effectively be a coalition vote for labour, so should you want to vote green, but not have a labour led government, you are in something of a quandary.
Still undecided.
“so should you want to vote green, but not have a labour led government, you are in something of a quandary”
Not so much a quandary, you’re just **** out of luck. Fact of the matter is, if climate change is a dealbreaker (like it is for me) then a Labour-led government is the only game in town.
Not sure I agree with the Greens carbon tax. A carbon tax? Sure, fine. I mean, I catch the bus to work (too expensive to park in town). But what I’m not in agreement with is what they do with that tax:
“and using the revenue to reduce income tax on the bottom band”
(from greens.org.nz)
Why just the bottom band? I guess it depends on the size of the carbon tax.
Anyway, just investigating my voting options.
Jon: “Why just the bottom band?”
Every taxpayer, no matter their income, pays tax on the bottom band. Our current (post 1 October 2008) progressive tax system sees everyone’s first $14,000 taxed at 12.5%, then each dollar between $14,001 and $40,000 taxed at 21%, then 33% for each dollar between $40,001 and $70,000 and, finally, 39% for each dollar earned over $70,000.
For the first $10,000 of earnings at the current tax rates a person will pay $1250 of tax. The Green Party proposal would see everyone who earns $10,000 or more pay $1250 less tax per year – so it benefits high earners as much as someone on the minimum wage.
However, proportionally, an extra $1250 per year in the hand will benefit lower income earners more than higher income earners, which is why are choosing the cut taxes at the bottom end rather than by lowering the top rates or raising the thresholds. The Greens are a left-leaning party, and while they do favour some tax relief, they’d prefer it to be more universal and accesible to lower income earners than National’s proposed package which gives someone more of a tax cut the more they earn.
It’s a policy I personally favour, which is one reason I’ll be voting with them (even though National’s tax package would, personally, give me more money in the pocket).
No surprise that I’m voting Green with my party vote, but I don’t know what to do with my electorate vote. I was going to vote for Monte Ohia, but he died.
Surprise surprise, my vote will be Green as well, as anyone who reads FG will probably know.
My reasons, as well as concerns about climate change and food safety, are detailed here:
http://freshly-ground.blogspot.com/2008/08/politics-of-dependence.html
And as for the Labour-led quandary, let’s just consider the alternative: A National government that has a record of abandoning the poor, the sick, and the unemployed, selling off our assets and rewarding the rich with tax cuts thus earned.
Take a quick look at what the Greens have actually achieved in the past three years as a minority bloc OUTSIDE OF CABINET. This is MMP, and the Greens know how to play the game.