bc green party platform: better than cramming for finals

yes, they're seemingly against the rav line, which is a major turnoff for a skytrain aficionado such as myself.   regardless, i am quite impressed by the greenbook (in theory, bien sur).  so, green party, you've managed to pique the interest of an undecided voter:  go forth and pique some more!

and now for my platform picks: 

transit:  directly elected regional transit boards?  sounds like something we needed back when bc transit was erecting those ridiculous computerized b-line stops.  honestly though, who would vote in a transit board election?  i happily envision a world where the transit fate of vancouverites would be left in the hands of the transit riders' union, old people, and myself. 

fatasses:  a tax on junk food?  what qualifies as junk food?  apparently "soft drinks" and "snack foods that are high in sugar or fats" - please tell me a venti frappucino falls under that definition.  ew.    the civil libertarian inside me screams, 'let them eat cake' but ultimately, this platform does need to be financed, so let's make teenagers and fat people pick up the tab.

tuition:  i support re-allocating 50% of the student loan budget to scholarships/bursaries.  given the yuppie westsiditude of most ubc students, im quite in favour of expanding needs-based tuition breaks.
education:  the greens want to target funding to special needs students and expand alternative education programs.  witnessing the bc liberals' ridiculous faith in standardized testing with the YOU WILL ALL TAKE PROVINCIAL EXAMS IN GRADE 10 plan, this comes as a refreshing change.

sex trade:  thank you, greens, for acknowledging that mere prohibition doesn't protect anyone with regards to sex trade workers.  it would be nice to see the government taking a more active role assisting sex trade workers in hiv testing, reporting missing persons, and rehabilitation. 

marijuana:  to balance their books, i think the greens need the $1 billion+ in taxes on legalized bud.  making money off the potheads while expanding prevention/rehab efforts is far wiser than sitting back and letting the hells angels and hippies rake in the money.

resources:  ending subsidies to fossil fuel and logging companies so that stumpage/basing oil tax on the market value seems good in theory, since it would mean more revenue for british columbians... the government is going to give less to and take more from these companies.  hmm.  luckily for business, the greens want the government to be bc's best customer, opting for fair trade and local products whenever possible.  also, they want to stage an inquiry regarding false reporting of stumpage fees so we can hold logging companies to task.  moreover, promoting eco-certification and value-added forest products will enhance bc's presence on the world market.

35-hour  work week:  one of a few segments of the platform where the greens declare europe has it going on.  i'm definitely for it, as is anyone else who had to read segments of putnam's 'bowling alone' in 1st year.

removing pst from children's sports equipment and made-in-bc goods (yay!)

agriculture:  establishing a heritage seed bank so that when the whole world starves due to some unanticipated gmo glitch, at least bc will have food.

the debt:  they plan on cutting it down instead of handing out frivolous tax breaks a la gordo.  paying $2 million/day in interest is not cool.

Comments

[detached observer]

"35-hour work week: one of a few segments of the platform where the greens declare europe has it going on. i'm definitely for it, as is anyone else who had to read segments of putnam's 'bowling alone' in 1st year."

Oh come on...and this right after France decided it was a bad idea after all!

Support for a 35-hour week hardly follows from from 'bowling alone.' Merely because people are becoming more isolated does not mean that giving them 5 extra hours every week will result in much more socialization.

Anyway why is government the right vehicle to solve problems like social isolation? Where did the civil libertartarian in you go?

And as France found out, having a 35 hour work week incurs significant costs as far as the economy goes.

[ainge]

france and bc are hardly similar. also, i dont think your assumptions regarding the 35-hour work week are any more valid than mine. all i know is that our household has changed so much since my parents started working less that my brother would not recognize our household 10 years ago.

[detached observer]

...therefore you feel the need to force it on everyone else through the law?

[ainge]

yes, may the iron fist of ainge's opinion lead to a fruitful and merciless rule :)

be good!

[one-dimensional-man]

For 'Robert Putnam' up there -

the 35 hour work week is not purely intended to fight social isolation. Its tied to the recognition that perhaps there are other things intrinsically valuable in life other than the single-minded focus on work. Work to live, live to work... doesn't seem all that healthy to me - mentally or physically.