Damn Dirty Socialists

I will support our Wildrose MLA Wayne Anderson when he does something right, such as his demanding better of the DRP program this past Monday.

But I will not support him when his comments jeopardize our constituency’s chance at being heard by the government.

Such is the case when he told Albertans in Highwood that the NDP are socialists with no business sense. He seemed proud enough of that comment to single it out and share it widely on Facebook.

Firstly, to suggest the NDP have no business experience is ludicrous.  10 MLAs have business backgrounds either as entrepreneurs or as economic advisors and experts.  That is if you don’t include lawyers, who may or may not run their own businesses as well, at which point that number would be much higher.

Secondly, the NDP are democratic socialists.  There is a significant distinction between that and socialism, and that distinction is the ballot box.  Alberta elected a government whose principles of social equality and fiscal equality are paramount.  To use the word “socialists” as a dirty word is to say you dislike equality, just as to say “capitalists” as a dirty word is to say you dislike getting what you earn.  Personally, I believe in the term “equity”, where you get what you earn, but the system isn’t set up in such a way as to prevent people from having that chance at earning.

But I digress with this oversimplification.  The point is that if you are planning on using terms in a derogatory fashion, expect to be shut out of conversations.

And that is where my biggest beef with Mr. Anderson is.  By discounting the business experience the NDP have, and derogating the NDP, he risks being ignored by the governing majority NDP for his lack of interest in elevating the level of discourse.  He lives up to the moniker “Team Angry”, and will likely be ignored.  That’s a problem for Highwood.

Another assertion Anderson put forward was that the NDP did not campaign on economic diversification, and that too is inaccurate.  That campaign pledge was number 1.4 in their platform, although the pledge may have been implemented a mite early (they said they’d wait for economic recovery first).

Anderson is right about one thing; the job creation tax credit won’t help those who won’t be able to afford to keep those employees once hired.  Further, why wouldn’t I fire someone, change the job title of the vacant position, and rehire them just to get that tax credit?  There has to be a better solution.

But that idea will be lost on the NDP.  They won’t bother listening to someone who does the equivalent of calling them “damn dirty socialists”.

Insert my support of the Alberta Party, but for those of you who find I’m too prone to Alberta Party rhetoric, I promise to be just as critical this time, so stick with me.

Greg Clark, Alberta Party Leader and MLA in Calgary-Elbow, has shown that he can work with the NDP government.  His solutions provide alternatives without derogation.  He offered a report card in advance of the budget release, marked the budget, and then offered a solution tabling it yesterday.  It is my expectation that if anyone is willing to listen to alternatives, the alternative offered as a collaborative opportunity will be the one listened to.

No other opposition party has done that. With Anderson’s comments, I don’t expect that even if the Wildrose offer an alternative, anybody in the NDP will listen to it.

Now is Clark’s budget perfect?  If I use his own report card on the budget, his gets a C+, and seeing as he gave the NDP budget a C- (with which I concur), that is a minor improvement.  Chances are, had he opted not for brevity and provided the details behind his choices, he would have had a far higher grade.  For details on the differences, see my version of his report card here.

Hang on, didn’t I run as an Alberta Party candidate?  Why would I not automatically give the Alberta Party’s budget an Grade A rating?

Like other Alberta Party members, I believe in doing politics differently.  I believe in MLAs representing their constituencies first.  Greg Clark is doing the same, placing focus on the flood mitigations to Calgary’s benefit, and that should be expected of him.  He made a report card based on Calgary-Elbow’s needs first and Alberta Party principles second.  My mark is critical because I demand more for Highwood.

I also know Clark isn’t going to hold it against me, or whip me into a party line, simply for the very fact that amenable and constructive dissention IS the party line.  It’s how the conversation gets elevated.  We, as Alberta Partiers, don’t get angry.  We get collaborative.

But you better believe I’ll be upset with someone if they prevent Highwood’s interests from being represented properly.  Hopefully Mr. Anderson will be able to rectify it and kindle a working relationship with our government to the benefit of our constituency.
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If not, there’s always 2019.