Green Party - Should I join?

[chilango]

Been contemplating this for a while now...
...should I join the Green Party?

Now, I'm no fan of political parties, and have little faith in democracy or reform...

...but I don't see the anarchist groups having much chance of making much of a difference really (no disrespect to them meant, they are where my symapthies lie) and the left are a joke, or in the case of Respect, SWP etc actually in opposition to what I believe.

Now I'd like to blieve that the working classes will autonomously and spontaneously rise and overthrow capitalism.

I'd like to believe that, but I don't think i do anymore...or at least not in the near future.

So, in recent years I've become a cynic. an armchair cynic, and my level of actual engagement has become less and less. I don't like this.

Maybe the Greens would give me the chance to get involved in a more organised way, and try and make some small, but concrete difference while I'm waiting for the revolution ?

What do y'all think?

(yeah i know, I'm in Mexico now, so its still a bit theoretical, but someday I'll be back in the EU I reckon.)

 

[phildwyer]

If I was ever to join a political party again, the Greens would be it.

 

[Caspar]

I'm the same as Phildwyer. The only party I ever joined was Respect when it was new and I didn't know exactly what it was all about but liked the fact it was a left party, but later on Galloway became the party so I let my membership lapse. If I was to join one now it'd probably be Greens.

 

[mikeinworthing]

I was a Green Party member down in Somerset, in fact I was election agent for the only Green member on Taunton Deane Borough Council at the time, and heavily involved in the 2004 Euro elections campaign in the south-west.

Our number one on the party list for the SW was David Taylor – Co-founder of The Big Green Gathering Festival, but he didn’t get elected.

When I moved to Worthing I lost contact/interest, as they are so inactive here.

Although, they are very active just along the coast in Brighton.

*Considers re-joining*

 

[Caspar]

Brighton, lewisham and somewhere like Norwich are the three places they got lots of council seats last year aren't they? They have none at all where I am unfortunately.

 

[mikeinworthing]

Brighton, lewisham and somewhere like Norwich are the three places they got lots of council seats last year aren't they? They have none at all where I am unfortunately.

Of course, they have members on the London Assembly and in the European Parliament.

I am not up to date on members on various councils, although the one in Taunton lost out last time around.

The Green Party is contesting over 1200 seats at the local elections this year.

Some highlights include:

Brighton and Hove
defending 6 seats, hoping for up to 7 additional councillors.

Lancaster City
Ddefending 7 council seats, hoping for up to 3 gains.

Norwich City
Greens hope to become the second-largest Party on the Council, strengthening our credentials as the main challengers to Charles Clarke at the next General Election.

Linky

 

[JoePolitix]

If it was between sitting on your arse or joining the Green Party choose the latter.

However from the stand point of working class politics I wouldn't rate the Greens very highly. Take for example the London Green Party's condemnation of Livingstone's deal with Venezuela that will allow a quarter of a million of London's poorest residents to travel half price on buses and trams. Recently Darren Johnson, a Green member of the assembly, said: "The mayor is telling Londoners to take action on climate change by driving less, then he sends out the opposite message by grabbing at the chance of some cheap oil."

http://society.guardian.co.uk/socialexclusion/story/0,,2018045,00.html

Quite how subsidising public transport for the poor is some sort of environmental threat is beyond me.

 

[mikeinworthing]

Quite how subsidising public transport for the poor is some sort of environmental threat is beyond me.

The article quotes one small part of a longer statement.

I think the point being – London, a rich city, has signed a cheap oil deal that will ‘further impoverish the poor of Venezuela’.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Quite how subsidising public transport for the poor is some sort of environmental threat is beyond me.

Given that even for many of the poor it would mean a change from private to public transport, then I agree with you. I know there are contentions around diesel particulates from buses, and the need to generate power for electrically-powered vehicles, but isn't part of the equation that less units of private transport using roads daily equates with an increased average speed of throughput in urban centres, and so less overall fuel usage and lower local concentrations of exhaust pollution?

 

[chilango]

Well so far its looking good for the greens (Udo's vote counting as two FOR the Green Party )

Though joe's post does remind me of my reservations...

 

[Matt S]

chilango,

I guess my vote was predictable.

I'm co-convenor of the Green Left group within the Party, and if you wanted to discuss stuff further I'd be happy to have a chat with you.

I have a lot of time for Darren Johnson, but I'm not convinced by his quote on Venezuelan oil. My response to it would be that this kind of attitude is exactly why socialists need to join the Greens, to pull the party further to the left. It's been moving that way for the last couple of decades - but if people hum and haw on the sidelines that progress will be slow. Why not help speed it up?

Matt

P.S. For those people who will inevitably express disbelief that grassroots members could possibly change policy, I'd point to the Party's extremely impressive internal democracy - for example, the motion against ALMOs that I and others passed just last week at Spring Conference. Check out www.jimjay.blogspot.com for one independent socialist (former National Exec member of the Socialist Alliance) who has taken the plunge into the Green Party...and his honest and open assessment of its strengths and weaknesses...

 

[chilango]

Cheers Matt,

Gimme a coupla weeks and I'll drop you a PM...

 

[JoePolitix]

Given that even for many of the poor it would mean a change from private to public transport, then I agree with you. I know there are contentions around diesel particulates from buses, and the need to generate power for electrically-powered vehicles, but isn't part of the equation that less units of private transport using roads daily equates with an increased average speed of throughput in urban centres, and so less overall fuel usage and lower local concentrations of exhaust pollution?

I suspect that most of the people who will benefit from this scheme will not be able to afford private transport at any rate so the impact on the environment will be minimal either way.

It's the spectre of the Greens lining up with reactionary tories and liberals to oppose solidarity between poor communities that, amongst other things makes me question their progressive credentials.

Edit - didn't see Matt S's response before I wrote this. Fair play on that. I say join the Greens and join Matt's left faction! (personally I think you should join the LP and back McDonnell's campiagn but I think that would be pushing the boat a bit!)

 

[Fisher_Gate]

Of course, they have members on the London Assembly and in the European Parliament.

I am not up to date on members on various councils, although the one in Taunton lost out last time around.



Linky

They also have members on Leeds City Council in the ruling cabinet, but they don't get much of a mention in party literature for some strange reason ...

 

[chilango]

It's the spectre of the Greens lining up with reactionary tories and liberals to oppose solidarity between poor communities that, amongst other things makes me question their progressive credentials.

Yeah...the Mexican Green party the PVEM are appalling, they have an alliance with the PRI the murdering bastards who ruled Mexico for 70 years...though afaik they aren[t part of the Green "international"...I sincerely hope not.

However, I think that a) these are overemphasised by leftists whose partties have an even worse record (the WRP sending Iranina or Iraqi Tradeeunionists details to the regim anyone?) b)I also think that Matt S has a good point in that the Greens grassroots DO have the power to determine the course of their party...

Edit - didn't see Matt S's response before I wrote this. Fair play on that. I say join the Greens and join Matt's left faction!

Thats looking a good option at the moment.

(personally I think you should join the LP and back McDonnell's campiagn but I think that would be pushing the boat a bit!)

Nah. that will never happen!

 

[JoePolitix]

However, I think that a) these are overemphasised by leftists whose partties have an even worse record (the WRP sending Iranina or Iraqi Tradeeunionists details to the regim anyone?)

They took photos of members of the Iraqi Communist Party demonstrating outside the London Embassy and sent them to regime apparently.

To be fair though, not being as bad as the WRP is hardly difficult!

 

[taffboy gwyrdd]

I joined the Green Party because I was sick of shouting at the TV after becomming disillusioned with Labour in government. The Green Party needs activists because so many people who are sympathetic to us actually do too much stuff on other campaigns to devote much time to us.

So, yep join up...assuming you are in favour of putting people and planet ahead of bogus economics

 

[biff curtains]

You can join or not it won't make any difference in the long run but if it makes you feel empowered again to some extent where is the harm?

 

[N_igma]

It's that old age question "why should I join a party that's not going anywhere?" Go ahead but lose your vote at the same time.

 

[TAE]

If I was ever to join a political party again, the Greens would be it.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[mk12]

Aprils Fools - very funny

 

[mutley]

No - join Respect (I know you're not going to I'm just doing what the poll said like a good little trot..)

Off to a Galloway Sparkbrook gig this afternoon..

 

[biff curtains]

Galloway Sparkbrook have split haven't they? I heard the drummer had found God (Allah pbuh) and had run off to a retreat in Spain.

 

[mutley]

Galloway Sparkbrook have split haven't they? I heard the drummer had found God (Allah pbuh) and had run off to a retreat in Spain.

Nah mate, Galloway will stage dive, Yaqoob will set fire to a guitar and the local candidates will form a line-up opf backing singers.

 

[tim]

They have none at all where I am unfortunately.

Good!