It was the days of sitting in an under-nourished, under-loved and under-appreciated classroom; under-valued, and what would ultimately lead to its eventual decommissioning. Sitting within a room half-filled, or half-emptied, of other wet-nosed and (over-socialised) tired-eyed students engorging themselves with their own self-existence and self-understanding. A middle-aged American-accented woman patrolling the single aisle that divided the room over-simplistically, deftly carving the class into acute divisions of opinions with subtle yet oblique questions that drew answers and new understanding for where we all sat on a densely-shaded fence of grey; bereft of black or ever white.
Such a road of self-discovery for my own political conscience is one I cling to fondly, but also one I find I seldom wander far from at any given point in life. Despite a sport-like interest that oft rivals even the most sport-crazed of my gender, it remains a complex path and one that has in many ways filled a void; hanging on the walls of the mind in a place usually pre-occupied with a typically over-zealous and (logically speaking) unfounded faith in some typical religious path. While I do have such views, albeit atypical, they sit along what can only be known as 'the road less travelled' by my consciousness. ~ I am still awaiting the arrival of a Spring yet capable of allowing such a seed to grow...
Regardless of such rants and nostalgia, continuing a new tradition of hours spent on a Saturday morning, squandering (relaxing?) my morning away over one-too-many cups or mugs of coffee, I felt the need to sit and write about the ascention of the Greens in our political system, and the predicament they now find themselves in.
As someone who understands himself as sitting somewhere to the left, with an idealisation of utilitarian extremism, yet acquiescent of a pinch of liberalism and a crack of libertarianism on an otherwise non-conservative palate; I support the Greens in a broad sense. However, recent events, including their increasing numbers in the two houses of parliament, of decision-making power within the government and the media scrutiny they are now finding themselves enduring - I fear for their survival in this Democrat-esc political climate. While I do acknowledge, and agree with, other commentary which points out that the native position on the extreme left differentiates them from the centrist-position of the Democrats, it also means that there is a need for them to undertake a different method for ensuring their survival rather than perceiving themselves as safe from the factors leading to the demise of Australia's last 'third major party'.
While I feel that the Greens can remain a very left party, they need to learn new tact for dealing with the media that removes their extremist rhetoric from their repertoire. They will not survive alone by stealing supporters only from the left of the fence: they must learn how to appeal to those on the right who can be agreeable to their ideas. While conservatives may be a lost cause, there are options available for inticing liberals and libertarians to their cause. Following roads which track economic management, business opportunity, and user-pays prospects can all be an irresistable lure to the right. But how do they achieve this?
The Greens top-ranked henchman Christine Milne does no favours in constantly promoting an activist-like, all-or-nothing long-term outcome approach, soaked up by the media and trumpeted around the halls of parliament and loungerooms alike: It has the scent of radicalism which falls kindly into the hands of an ultra-conservative opposition who can easily appeal to a conservative-inclined burgeoning and aging public. Coming out and saying that the coal industry needs to be shutdown doesn't help public policy, and it certainly doesn't help public debate... So stop and think about the possibilities! Think like a business, not a Green. Think like a conservative, and the status quo. Think about how you would survive with these policies, and then suggest your options to them as ideas. Let them abhor such ideas, only to then remould them as their own, original ideas (assuming you had some good alternatives for them)...
Yes, its great to say this, but what can I suggest? The most simple idea I can contrive, would still cost money, but the first to act will truly cash in on the early worm. It is quite obvious these days, that even should something go wrong from here, and the carbon tax and ETS fail, there will eventually be a price on carbon, and a cost to carbon emitters. If I were a smart business man in an industry that was likely to be adversely affected by such a regulatory incursion into the market, I would look at profiting from this instead. How could I change my business to incorporate the alternatives that are likely to be the 'new future'? I currently spend millions or billions of dollars on iron ore, on mining activities, etc - profits that I currently make are likely to diminish under such a new system. How can we redirect this to an area of the economy currently floundering with prospect and potential and become the early leader in such a field? Hello??? The whole point of introducing an economy-based mechanism (yes, a tax is still economy-oriented) is to encourage innovation. The sad thing is, businesses do not want to innovate... it is cheaper to wage media campaigns against the government. Yet if they spent this money on making new money, they may get the edge they are always chasing in their own market. Grow some charisma and convince your shareholders at your next over-glutenous meeting that this is the path to take??? Not only do we lack real political leadership these days, but leadership even within business is absent ...that's just one little bear's opinion anyway...
The Greens need to now mature as a party. They need to consolidate their newly-gained ground, work at appeasing their radical elements and start appealing to new subscribers that can cement their future as more than a viable alternative...
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