Leila's blog

Fri, Nov 30, 2007

It won't wash

I was amazed when I heard that 77% of Green Party members who voted said yes to a leader.. Truly gobsmacked. Being a democrat who likes the party's policies I will admit defeat gracefully and won't resign like some I know. However, I think it is a bad day for democracy when a party is defined through a single figure, when media coverage determines elections, when personality is worth more than substance. But good news for Greens comes from Australia, where they have increased their number of Senate seats from 4 to between 5&7; have supplanted the National Party as Australia's third largest political party; and reached a new record high percentage national Senate vote (9.02%). Congratulations.

Although I was somewhat more amazed by the positive coverage given to a consortium of the big, the bad and the ugly (that the world calls transnational corporations) for calling for international agreed targets on greenhouse gases. These beauties are asking world leaders to make binding decisions on climate change. Presumably so that they can figure out how long they have and how far they will have to travel to keep polluting. The obvious fact that this is green-wash to help them win back the 'ethical consumer' seems to have passed most news outlets by (but read this this story. These very same corporations have in many cases spent decades and $$$$$$'s doing their best to scupper and weaken every environmental and socially just policy put forward in every country in the world. And now, I am expected to read an article that says they care and believe it! Green-wash doesn't stick, it slides straight back off again.
The observant among you will have noticed that despite their favourite buddies asking for legal targets the good ol' USA is still refusing to submit. Happy days.

Comments and questions

Jim Jay wrote at 15:34, on 01/12/2007

Glad you're staying in Leila. Just putting my pedantry hat on for a moment the yes vote was actually 73% (to 27%) rather than 77% - apologies for the iritating correction.

Leila wrote at 00:28, on 02/12/2007

Sorry Jim, relied on hubby for figure. Glad to hear it was lower (if only by a bit)

Hagen wrote at 00:30, on 02/12/2007

Re: Re: It won't wash

Sorry, but I /did/ say 73%... typo?

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