Start a politicial party!

Koba · Post by **Koba** » 25 Jul 2005, 03:31

If the aim of Powerswitch is to raise awareness why not form a political party to run in the next local elections!

It seems that would be the most logical idea to get the message out to as many people as possible. If no other party is prepared to talk about Peak Oil (Barring the BNP) then it is up to us to bring it to the people in a way that doesn't scare the living daylights out of them... best to leave the subject of dieoff out for the time being.

I am sure that we could work out a manifesto based on sustainablity that we could all agree on. Posting leaflets through people doors maybe a good way of getting to the general public.

What do you think?

isenhand · Post by **isenhand** » 25 Jul 2005, 07:46

Well, if you want help with some polices I don?t mind chipping in

kevincarter · Post by **kevincarter** » 25 Jul 2005, 08:10

It seems that would be the most logical idea to get the message out to as many people as possible.

Yes, getting out the message is an excellent idea, but that does not mean that you need to have a political party in order to do that. If instead you invest all the time, effort and money of creating a political party into just spreading the message in a effective way I think the objective would be achieved in a better way.

Politics have brought us to the current situation, and I am afraid that they won't get us out of it. My recomendation for this time in hostory is to forget about politics and politicians, they had their chance and they all failed. It's time for people to take their own decisions, like building up a site, posting leaflets or posters, setting up conferences.. everything is valid.

isenhand · Post by **isenhand** » 25 Jul 2005, 08:36

kevincarter wrote:
It seems that would be the most logical idea to get the message out to as many people as possible.
Yes, getting out the message is an excellent idea, but that does not mean that you need to have a political party in order to do that. If instead you invest all the time, effort and money of creating a political party into just spreading the message in a effective way I think the objective would be achieved in a better way.

Hmm ? not so sure on that. Apathy is a major problem. I think people like to sit back and do nothing in the belief that things were ok yesterday so they will be ok tomorrow. Election time, from my experience is actually a time when people do actually think a bit more about the world around us and as such a political part would be one way to get the message out at a time when people would be more likely to listen.

But a ?political party? would and should not be the only way to spread the message.

Politics have brought us to the current situation, and I am afraid that they won't get us out of it. My recomendation for this time in hostory is to forget about politics and politicians, they had their chance and they all failed. It's time for people to take their own decisions, like building up a site, posting leaflets or posters, setting up conferences.. everything is valid.

I would agree with this one absolutely! I don?t have much faith in politics either. But I don?t think this was meant to be a serious attempt to solve all our problems using politics. I took this as just an information exercise. I don?t think any ?PO? party would have any serious chance of getting into power but it could help people become aware of PO.

kevincarter · Post by **kevincarter** » 25 Jul 2005, 10:00

yes, but a political party needs people, time, money and effort. If you put all those into creating a propaganda team and concentrate only into spreading the message (specially during election time) I think the overall objective would be achived in a more efficient way. Beeing a political party will tie you to certain rules and restrictions and reduce your freedom of action.

isenhand · Post by **isenhand** » 25 Jul 2005, 10:10

During election time I think people would be more willing to listen. I just base that on personal experience as I know friends and relatives who would want to know what each party has to say (even to the point of what to know what the anarchist have to say) during election time where at other times they would totally ignore may issues that would not lead to a pint on Friday night and football on Saturday. I?m just basing this on personal experience (and, therefore, accept that this could be wrong) but to my mind the return for the effort would be high and, therefore, worth while.

It would be interesting to know if anybody has actually done any studies on effective means of informing the public.

kevincarter · Post by **kevincarter** » 25 Jul 2005, 13:48

It would be interesting to know if anybody has actually done any studies on effective means of informing the public.

Yep, all marketing techniques are based on that, I think we could start something using those same tachniques, things like finding good slogans and short texts would be very useful. The part of this site dedicated to campaign posters is a great example. [/quote]

peaky · Post by **peaky** » 25 Jul 2005, 13:50

Well, the political party that certainly should be doing something is the Green Party, of which I am a member.

In New Zealand they've firmly grasped the Peak Oil nettle ( http://www.greens.org.nz/ ) as you can see from the box in the top left, and the superb speech here given by their co-leader - http://www.greens.org.nz/searchdocs/speech8225.html

Would that we were so switched on here

I, and others within the Green Party, are trying to get this recognised at a national level but it seems hard work. We have 6 councillors here in Brighton & Hove and two of them have said to me that they think it's an issue we should not be talking about

However, I just ignore them and carry on in my own way and trying to wake them up and bring them over. When I meet with others next month for our sustainable energy meeting you can be sure it will be high up my agenda!

isenhand · Post by **isenhand** » 25 Jul 2005, 13:58

The Green Party for some reason has a reputation for being a bunch of nutters. Certainly not capable of doing anything practical. (note, I?m not saying that they are, just how they come over to people that I have talked to). Would any message about PO be listened to if it came from the Green Party?

peaky · Post by **peaky** » 25 Jul 2005, 14:09

That will be because the Green Party says that the way of life as currently lived by most people in the West is destroying the planet and has to change, that more of everything is not always better and that there's more to life than the pursuit of money (just to name a few). Let's face it - that's pretty nutty!

However, by adopting the policies of our 3 maainstream political parties in the UK - support the invasion of Iraq, spend loads on the military, build more airports, widen our roads and build more of them, try to introduce GM foods, put loads of money into nuclear energy and ignore renewables (to name just a few) would be completely sensible, rational and reasonable. Sounds great, I will leave the Greens todaz and join New Labour.

Bandidoz · Post by **Bandidoz** » 25 Jul 2005, 14:12

During the last election I had the idea of starting "The Party's Over Party"

isenhand · Post by **isenhand** » 25 Jul 2005, 14:20

peaky wrote:That will be because the Green Party says that the way of life as currently lived by most people in the West is destroying the planet and has to change, that more of everything is not always better and that there's more to life than the pursuit of money (just to name a few). Let's face it - that's pretty nutty!

And I would quite agree

(hence my interest in Technocracy). However, the point I was getting at was not weather or not the policies are nutty but how they are perceived. Politics is all about manipulating people?s opinions and not about dealing with physical reality, which is why I don?t think we will get far going down the political route. The thing I liked about a new party was people would not have any preconceived ideas so a PO party would have more potential for getting the message across at a time when people would be more likely to listen.

RevdTess · Post by **RevdTess** » 25 Jul 2005, 15:41

I welcome your energy and enthusiasm but the sad truth is that in general people would be more likely to listen to a single mainstream politician talking about 'the end of cheap oil' than to a national peak oil party, who would simply be considered a sideshow at best, and bring ridicule to the cause at worst.

The last thing I want to see is people in 3 years time going, "Peak oil? Oh yeah that was that crazy nutter party preaching the end of the world a few years back" and then ignoring everything I have to say.

Lobbyists work best as lobbyists. There are reasons we've never heard of a "League Against Cruel Sports Party" or the "Countryside Alliance Party"

I do hope though that in the next few years the Greens put peak oil and sustainable energy use as close to their hearts as climate change and anti-globalisation.

PowerSwitchJames · Post by **PowerSwitchJames** » 25 Jul 2005, 17:21

As much fun as it'd be to start a political party about this, our best hope is that a mainstream party picks it up (such as the LibDems or the Greens) and runs with it. That is what we must work at - persuading them.

RogerCO · Post by **RogerCO** » 25 Jul 2005, 19:36

As Tess said a single issue PO party would be seen as a sideshow - and a less interesting sideshow than UKIP who at least were talking about something that the electorate had heard of and had an opinion about.

I will stand with peaky and urge everyone in here to overcome your qualms and dip your toe in the political water by joining the Green Party and actually getting PO raised up the agenda.

Unlike the other parties GP is very open and democratic, the membership is predisposed to listen to, understand and act on the PO debate, there are already a few of us working within the party - but we could really do with your help.

The GP is also serious and complete - the Manifesto for a Sustainable Society attempts to be just what its name says, and already contains indirect reference to PO in recognising oil is a finite resource.

The LibDems have a vested interest in the status quo - particularly evident now they have a sniff of power and could become the 'official' opposition - they are even backpedalling on electoral reform. My local LD MP replies to me that 'the issues you raise need more study' and refuses to sign the recent PO (very mild) EDM because he is a party energy spokesman!

Many local GP groups are tiny - Brighton where peaky lives is one of the best and most active (they've got Councillors!, something my local group is still dreaming of) - and even one activist joining and turning up at local meetings and explaining the PO issues will have a dramatic effect.

One of the reasons for the residual 'nutty' tag (and I think it is fading, we have many many councillors now as well as 2 MEPs and GLA members) is that it is possible for a single determined activist to make quite an impact.

So if you think PO is an issue that needs some serious political attention for goodness sake join the GP and get it on the map.

If you join now your membership might even be through in time to come to autumn conference in Lancaster in early Sept - although we are too late to get a formal policy motion adopted (targeting that for spring) we certainly hope to run a largish 'fringe' meeting - if fuel prices break $70 a barrel or ?1/litre we could even use that to trigger an emergency motion and get some quite strong policy statements issued - if we are on the ball and get our act together.

But we DO need your help - it is not expensive to join and you could make a real impact by getting the GP active on PO - lets do it!

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