Who would have ever thought that SUPPORT … not OPPOSITION … to the oft-castigated and much-hated carbon tax on fuel could actually HELP the Liberals retain power??
But the latest poll, sponsored by CTV, actually shows exactly that.
Take the results: Liberals 42%; NDP 39%; and GREENS 13%.
It is quite clear that Green voters could deterimine the election result if enough of them swung their votes to either of the major parties. And I suspect most would normally favour the more left-leaning economic and social policies of the NDP over the conservative policies of the Liberals.
So Green voters could ONCE AGAIN put the NDP in power … but the latest poll shows, so far at least, they have no intention of doing so.
Why?
Would most of them really favour another four years of Gordon Campbell’s one-man show, his remoteness, his arrogance and his seeming disrespect for the public’s right to know on so many topics? Not likely.
But what Green supporters DO LIKE is the carbon tax!!!!
In fact, the Greens also like the cap and trade system advocated by the NDP.
But here’s the key … the Green do NOT believe cap and trade is enough: their platform supports BOTH cap and trade AND carbon taxes … “not either or, but both”, it clearly states.
In other words, Greens LIKE the tax so many others hate. And, judging by the latest poll, they are not about to abandon that policy to swing their votes to the NDP.
How ironic … Green voters would apparently rather have another Liberal government with Gordon Campbell rather than swing their votes to enable an NDP victory.
And it just could be that carbon tax that keeps them on side.
Harv Oberfeld
And
5 responses so far ↓
1 Bill Tieleman // Apr 30, 2009 at 11:44 pm
Welcome back Harvey – just in time!
But before you get carried away with the carbon tax idea, check the Angus Reid poll details that just came out.
On page 12 of 14 are questions on the carbon tax.
62% of those polled say the carbon tax has made them either much less likely to vote for the BC Liberals or moderately less likely. Much – 29%, Moderately 32%.
37% say they are more likely to vote BC Liberal because of the gas tax – but only 8% Much more likely and 29% Moderately more likely.
And only 35% say the carbon tax has not affected their household at all.
In polling done previously when the tax first came out, even a majority of Green Party supporters were against it!
None of this is to say that some voters won’t switch because they want to be taxed on carbon or that the BC Liberals won’t win despite the tax – but drawing conclusions without the data is always a dangerous game.
I look forward to your commentary on this election!
(Response: I agree that MOST BC voters hate the carbon tax … and maybe that’s one reason the polls are so close, BUT I also note that enough core Green supporters love it enough to have included it in official platform policy … and believe the poll shows that even though the election is close, they will deny the NDP (so far) the support that could put them over the top. Why? First, to continue their own party building process …but also to support the carbon tax, which they tout in their own platform as part of the solution in addition to cap and trade. h.o.)
2 DMJ // May 1, 2009 at 1:41 am
The sad fact is the so-called carbon tax is a farce, a joke! It is Campbell’s way of generating tax revenue, pretending to be green. He isn’t green, not even close.
Liberal transportation policies are straight from the 1950′s – “rubber on asphalt.” It is the lazy (or downright ignorant) media that has given the carbon/gas tax a free ride.
And just why the need for the carbon tax you say?
Opening this fall is the now, rumored to be $2.6 billion RAV/Canada Line which falls short of being a transit solution. This phony P-3 (more on this after the Susan Heyes decision) mega metro project will fall well short of carrying 100,000 passengers a day or, quote Premier Campbell: “take 200,000 single car trips off the road each day”. This sink-hole needs money, tax money, one hell of a lot of tax money!
What this election has shown is the mainstream media is asleep (deliberately?) at the switch. So bad is the public distaste for our current mainstream media that, the Vancouver Sun and Province’s circulation is hemorrhaging and the once mighty ‘NW 98 has fallen behind the CBC in ratings.
3 genuine // May 1, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Welcome back Harvey, DMJ makes 3 good points, as to why more people are not outraged is because of his first point,and there is no question that it is deliberate!The word is getting out that the campbell gang including the media are all involved in these treasonous activities ,at least that’s what the dictionary describes as treason (to work against the good of the people whom are and make up the country!)AS for corporations ,the are the newer kinder gentler pillagers they are here to become the new authorities more and more power is handed to them in our name and nobody signed up for that, did we ?
4 genuine // May 1, 2009 at 10:13 pm
hello anybody out there? Thats what it’s all about power when it’s handed to corporation’s we the people loose it! You know, run of the river hydro sell out, BC rail , rail sellout, medical privatization,sellout,forestry land give away sellout, cost over runs on all p3′s and not being told about sellout,transit boards non elected,able to tax us sellout and illegal ,BC ferries sellout but only to hide true costs sellout and I could go on and on people lets wake up and realize what governments real intentions are ,lets vote for someone who is with the peeps not the party line corporations have stolen enough from us over the years including our rights and freedoms lets take it back and demand more for ourselves .we wouldn’t expect any less from ourselves?
5 Tony M // May 2, 2009 at 3:10 pm
The largest environmental group is the Western Canada Wilderness Committee. They’re essentially endorsing the NDP because they recognize that the overall environmental plan -factoring in offshore oil, fish farms, IPPs and species at risk legislation among other things-of the NDP is vastly superior to the Liberals, and that the NDP is the only party that can get in the way of the Liberals turning BC into an environmental wasteland. The smart environmentalists see through the phony symbolic tax.
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