Guest Column: Partisan, yes, but of social justice

By Medicine Hat News Opinon on December 16, 2017.

Partisan: a strong supporter of a party, cause, or person. — Oxford Dictionary, online

I admit to being partisan. However, rather than being a supporter of any party, I am a partisan of social justice, of the idea that all people should be valued equally, that privilege through birth, wealth, or connections, must not play a part in any democratic exercise. Leftist blather? Maybe.

However, over the years I have worked for and voted for Liberal, NDP and Conservative candidates in provincial and federal elections. My choice of candidates was always informed by the issues at play, the qualities and values of the candidate, and the possible consequences of my choice. My argument in my column of Dec. 2 was that voters should always do the same — exercise thoughtful choice, rather than give in to habit or family tradition. Or tribalism.

One reader, Curtis Harvey, responded to my column by presenting two “arguments.” His first “argument” seemed to have missed my point as he launched an attack on my apparent leftist partisanship. He assumed that I was a supporter of Democrats and a vilifier of Republicans. He therefore presented a litany of Democrats who have also been caught with their pants down. His argument seemed to be “your guys are just as rotten as my guys.” That argument does not win anyone any points.

I don’t care whether a person is a Democrat or a Republican, a Liberal, an NDPer, or a Conservative. I care about the culture of entitlement among powerful men that seems to let them think that, as Donald Trump so famously said, “If you’re a star they’ll let you do anythingÉ You can grab themÉ” It’s the entitlement that’s wrong, the tendency to treat humans as disposables. It has nothing to do with your party affiliation.

What troubles me, and this was the point of my column, is that in spite of Trump’s moral ineptitude and Roy Moore’s moral degeneracy, far too many voters in the U.S. seem unwilling to use their voting power to give men like these the message that they must behave better than schoolyard bullies and barnyard animals. It was so encouraging to see the people of Alabama unexpectedly do this this past week.

Mr. Harvey’s second “argument” had something to do with the NDP tenure in Alberta. He questioned some of my numbers in support of this government. His “attack” consisted of a flurry of his own numbers which, regrettably, made no sense to me. All I can say is that I based my numbers on CBC News reports that presented the words of the finance minister just days prior to my writing, and then I corroborated these words with reference to several analyses in various newspapers. No need to shoot the messenger.

I stand by my contention that Premier Rachel Notley’s government, faced with an unprecedented Conservative mess and a dramatic collapse of world oil prices, has done better than anyone imagined. Yes, one can point to frightening yearly deficits and the stubborn unemployment figures in Calgary. These financial liabilities, however, can be laid directly at the feet of the previous Conservative government.

In fairness, Notley had options. She could have followed the advice of the economic gurus on the right. The Conservative answer to any financial crisis has always been (and could be again if Jason Kenney has his way) a knee-jerk adoption of austerity measures targeting social services and agencies, teachers and nurses, and abandoning thousands of needy citizens. This would have resulted in incommensurate long-term pains for those Albertans least able to support them, and done very little to heal the gaping oil sector wound.

We have seen through Ronald Reagan, Ralph Klein and others, that this standard Conservative economic remedy, often referred to as the “Trickle Down Theory,” applies more fittingly to aging men with prostate problems than to effective economic recovery measures. The theory rarely benefits ordinary workers and the middle class.

Notley chose another option. It’s quite apparent that she chose correctly. Alberta leads all other provinces in economic growth this year and the future looks brighter. There is renewed hope that pipelines will begin moving Alberta oil to the ports, while Alberta’s support for green energy, aided by the carbon tax, will ensure continued affordable energy supplies for industry and all citizens of Alberta. And, this just in — billion dollar wind farms mushrooming all over Southern Alberta!

So, yes, Lynn Thacker (Dec. 12 letter to the editor), anyone thoughtfully informed of “the issues at play, the qualities and values of the candidate, and the possible consequences” for the future, might entertain the idea that the present government of Alberta is doing what ought to be done. That’s not partisanship, it’s thoughtful, pragmatic citizenship.

Peter Mueller is a long-time resident of Medicine Hat who, in spite of all the evidence, continues to believe we can build a better world.

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