wmtc in the g&m again

Here's a letter exchange in the Globe and Mail.

First:

The NDP's message has been consistent through good times and bad (With Capitalism On Its Derrière, The Left Still Gets No Respect - April 2). Eventually, they were going to be at least partly right (pun intended). However, most people are not in favour of government control of most aspects of their lives, which is what socialism is about.

Despite its up and downs, or maybe because of them, capitalism is still the most responsive system and therefore, because of its continual improvement, it always will be better than socialism in the ability to deliver freedom of choice.

Colin Lowe,
Nanaimo, BC

Then:

Letter writer Colin Lowe is off base when he suggests socialism is about "government control of most aspects" of citizens' lives (Ideology's A Tough Sell - April 3). It is conservatives who want to control most aspects of individuals' lives - who you marry, where you travel, what you watch on TV, what you read, what you say, what you smoke. Freedom is reserved for businesses.

Socialism, on the other hand, wants to ensure fair access to scarce resources and make sure businesses behave in socially responsible ways.

Bryan M. Kramer, Oakville, ON

*

[Letter writer Colin Lowe says "most people are not in favour of government control of most aspects of their lives, which is what socialism is about". In fact, socialism is about public resources being used for the public good.]

Socialism is the reason Canadians don't have to worry about providing their families with health care, even if they are unemployed. Socialism is the reason there are minimum wage laws, workplace safety laws, and a little something called "the weekend."

People shouldn't accept or reject an idea until they understand it.

Laura Kaminker
Mississauga, ON
[The portion in brackets was cut.]

*

There is a good reason why the NDP have not made gains during this economic crisis (With Capitalism On Its Derrière, The Left Still Gets No Respect - April 2). Every day in the news, it's the same thing: Market up means good, market down means bad. We are swamped with econo-speak nonsense that shows little acknowledgment of our joint human endeavour: to lead a good life.

The message is clearly geared toward frightening people back into overspending and debt with the explicit message that to be living well is to be a fully engaged consumer, not a fully engaged citizen.

The project of socialism is not to destroy people's lives with meaningless talk about anti-capitalism. It is the step-by-step process that directs the economy toward non-predatory purposes and goals.

The NDP are on the right course; they know that it's never too "left" to do the right thing.

Paul J. Graham, Saskatoon

Thanks to Bryan Kramer and Paul Graham; together, the three letters make a nice statement. I write a lot of letters, but I hope nothing as ignorant as Colin Lowe's letter ever escapes my keyboard.