babble is rabble.ca's discussion board but it's much more than that: it's an online community for folks who just won't shut up. It's a place to tell each other — and the world — what's up with our work and campaigns.
Let's say you were sitting down with Tom Mulcair for coffee or a beer...
March 27, 2012 - 11:21am
- What would be the ONE question you would ask Tom Mulcair?
- What would be the ONE concern you would raise?
- What would be the ONE suggestion you would make?
Yes, I know you've all got more than ONE of each of these but for the purpose of this thread, please try to stick with the suggested parameters. You don't have to answer all three questions.
If people could also avoid "cross-debate" on this thread, we can see how many babblers want to "play" before running out of space.
1. Regular or decalf? Lager, Pilsner, Malt?
2. Cup, mug? Glass or bottle?
3. How about never mind all of that, and lets head straight to the whiskey?
Why did you put this in National News? A lot of us check by forum.
If a mod reads, I advocte swatching forums.
I fulsomely agree about no cross-talk debating. Like none. Not just 'avoid it'.
What are your plans about gearing up for the longer term of the direction the NDP goes and developing for that? Who do you think you'll tap? Tell me about your strengths and weakness in that, and where the team plays into that.
The key question I'd put out first would be to the organizer. Do I have to wait for him to show up before I start?
No, you don't have to wait. I'll chime in later. (double cream please
)
I thought I had put this in "current events". Sorry about that.
If this is a game it belongs in banter.
"Would you be prepared to entertain another anti-Conservative coalition with other parties if 2015 ends up in a minority Con win?"
"You spoke of the 2008 coalition attempt, and how the Liberals "turned their noses up" at it. Yeah, so what? The Canadian electorate has blown their chance to elect CCF/NDP federal governments for 79 years - does that mean you stop trying? I'm concerned that you don't see the need to defeat Harper as justifying a broad range of alliances and especially the spirit of unity which that demands."
"Just because you're new to the NDP doesn't mean you have to prove your extreme partisan allegiance to the label at all costs. The needs of the people come first. Call for a large-scale consultation within the party, outside the party, invite movement activists, anyone who wants to weigh in, with the aim of finding the most effective way to destroy Harper before he destroys us all."
Sorry - did that all sound like the same question? Well you're right. I only needed one question.
Excellent Unionist.
Moving to babble banter.
It belongs in Canadian Politics, CF. Or was there a joke in the OP that I missed?
Yeah, the word "play."
Just because it's in banter doesn't mean that you can't ask serious questions. It looks to me like it belongs here. Will that be a problem for anyone?
I guess not. But you never know where this could lead...
Troll!
Mwahahahaha!
The various Lets say you were flying a kite with Mulcair threads have been witty, but they have also turned this one into that as well.
How about people take another look at the opening post. Do you have a question?
thanks for winning Outremont! the pebble that started the landslide...
Q. How do you reach out to Ontario voters, where NDP and Rae remain firmly associated, despite all the years?
1)"who's buying?"
I never thought that obtuseness was a characteristic of (some) babblers but there you go.
I used the word "play" in reference to those who have already written off Mulcair without making any attempts to clarify his positions, let him get to know "your" issues and for us tlo get to know more about him. This was not meant as a joke thread. It was meant as a counter to the "sound bite" approach used by so many people (from all camps) to define the candidates. I don't start many threads. Now I remember why.
Maybe so soon after all the rawness of the campaign, some people aren't quite ready to imagine sitting down to drink with a person so recently vilified by the many supporters of other candidates. I say give em a little more time and they'll all be clanging mugs together before you know it.
if he wins, he is immortal ...
And with an actually existing federal NDP record of government on the books from 2015-2019, there will be plenty of quoting of statistics and quotable quotes and babblers saying: Aha! So this is how the NDP does things when in the driver's seat!
And there won't be a damned thing us NDPers will be able to say or do in future to deny it, beause they'll have us dead to rights.
Well, we have at least three years before the next election, and a new leader at the helm, so how this all turns out is yet to be seen. Pesonally, I'm wondering how Mulcair and the NDP caucus can keep up the current excitement over the NDP. But with Harper leading a majority, I guess it's inevitable that the NDP will be kept busy - and that bodes well for the party in the next election.
Do you care about the poor or just the middle class? Why do you sound like Obama when you talk about "protecting middle class" ? My suggestion is to stop trying to be Obama and a zionist and act more progressive because i cant be the only one becoming quickly cynical at the new NDP.
I apologize on everyone's behalf. My effort at giving a serious response didn't inspire any imitators. I had no doubt at all that you meant this thread seriously.
Shitty economy plus Mulcair and the NDP equals rough times for the Harpers. Harpers are going to have nightmares about the NDP sizing up their jobs and sounding more and more like the next government. Eventually the Harpers are going to start consulting with the more popular NDP as to what the government's next moves should be.
We really need to get some perspective having just finished a seven month campaign. A moratorium on NDP leadership related threads would be sweet. Of course, it isn't going to happen.
AS to the OP, it is too soon for me to know what I would like to say to Mulcair.
@U = Apology accepted -
@Boom Boom - Any ideas on how to keep up the excitement? (Hint: Viagra is not a valid answer
)
For those who think it's too soon to chime in, the next couple of months is the formative time for the new leader and his office. Why wait until things appear set in stone when there could be an opportunity now to have your ideas for a stronger NDP taken seriously? Maybe you have an idea no one else has thought of? Maybe your concern is shared by more people than the new leader realizes? Maybe he doesn't have much of an idea about some of the issues most important to you? Maybe it's fruitless but we won't know if we don't try and "get to know each other better".