Political Action

You may well have seen the police protest in New York, when the mayor spoke at the funeral of slain officers. I thought that his comments were very supportive of the NYPD and the important role of policing in New York. However, a large number of police saw fit to turn their backs as he spoke. I'm pondering recent statements in social media that the NYPD needs to "speak with one voice" in the face of public criticism. They do have a union to perform that function - which it does quite successfully whenever there's any criticism in the media or during contract negotiations. However, this particular venue was not only completely inappropriate for this type of protest, it contributed to a public disrespect for governance, in particular, and the rule of law, in general.

This just in from the Communist Party of Canada - really good statement!

Defend Civil Liberties and Democratic Freedoms

Hello,

I'd like to start distributing single-page zines/pamphlets/etc. that give a concise and comprehensive list of reasons why – statistically, economicaly, legally, ethically, and so on – people should not vote for Harper in the coming elections. The main difficulty with this is trying to create a document that will actually resonate with the people it's targeted towards, rather than preaching to the choir.

What some labour leaders want to see happen is a merger of the Liberals and NDP. If a formal merger is not in the cards they would rather see the NDP destroyed to the point that it no longer attracts the people it does now.

They are frustrated in having the NDP on their side but without power. They feel that without the NDP the Liberals would effectively be dominated by the progressive forces now in the NDP but in a party able to win consistently. Their problem with the NDP is that if you don't win you are no use no matter how great you sound. Labour is not a loyal soldier they need real policies -- now -- to support their members.

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