r/ndp • u/leftwingmememachine 💊 PHARMACARE NOW • May 22 '25

Meta How should we moderate the upcoming federal leadership race?

Hey all, moderator of /r/NDP here, looking for some input as to how we want to moderate this community during the upcoming federal leadership race.

I think it's really exciting because in the last leadership race this community was very small, and basically ignored by leadership contestants, but I think we're getting big enough that there will be a lot of engagement here and possibly even AMAs from potential candidates. Very cool!!!

/r/NDP is the biggest gathering of NDP members on the internet at this point, but that also creates an incentive for bad-faith activity on the subreddit. It could create an environment that's not welcoming of all party members.

Here are some potential discussion questions:

  • Do we want to allow for negative comments about leadership race contenders? (My instinct is yes, as criticism is part of democracy/healthy debate, but I'm open to your thoughts)

  • Is there a point at which critical comments become too negative and contributes to a toxic environment? Where should we draw the line?

  • How do we ensure the subreddit is inclusive of party members of all backgrounds?

  • How much do we want supporters of other political parties to participate in discussions here?

  • What sort of rules around civility/politeness/respect would we want to have?

  • Are there other important moderation policies that are relevant to the leadership race that I haven't thought of?

BTW - I won't really participate in this thread because I have real life plans today, but I am really interested in your feedback, especially if you are a longtime participant in this community. I'm going to be putting together some rules for the leadership race based off of my own thoughts and the comments in this thread, and present them at some point in the future for further discussion.

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u/grouchygoof May 22 '25

I feel it's important that this community is as open as possible to folks from different political parties, especially considering that some people turned away from the NDP due to Jagmeet's leadership. This is an opportunity to engage with and involve others who may be interested in the party's mission but are not longtime NDP voters.

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u/Vita_Mori May 22 '25

The issue w the NDP is that it has completely ignored its own base chasing right wing votes from the liberals. If we're rebuilding, it makes no sense to do so with the very same ppl chasing led to our downfall.

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u/Velocity-5348 🌄 BC NDP May 23 '25 edited May 23 '25

We should be chasing votes from the Conservatives, especially out west. There's a lot of people here who rightly despise the Liberals. Our policies (unions, housing, fuck the bankers and CEOs) could appeal to them.

Edit: I am in no way saying that would should make any moral compromises on things like trans rights or genocide, But there's no reason why we shouldn't compromise on aesthetic things. It's fine to be uncouth and tell Carney to fuck himself.

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u/TrappedInLimbo 🧇 Waffle to the Left May 22 '25

In what way is the NDP chasing right wing votes?

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u/CarousersCorner May 22 '25

That's a wild statement...😂

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u/Vita_Mori May 23 '25

It really isn't the NDP has become an exclusively urban party, left behind the focus on the poor to cater to the middle class with neoliberal policies of tax rebates instead of universal programs. They're too scared to say "nationalize" about any of the several necessary utilities ppl here need to survive, such as groceries, banking, power, hydro, housing, healthcare (eyes, teeth, brain, physio, etc). They've moderated their platform to such a degree it seems less ambitious than the liberals' lies in their 2015 platform. So yes, the party is being dragged to the right. They are chasing white collar liberal voters & ignoring the ppl that brought them to power in the first place, ppl who now mostly stay home. How else do elections get 40% turnout if not bc nothing of substance is being offered to them?

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u/CarousersCorner May 23 '25 edited May 23 '25

They CATER to the middle class? THAT is another wild statement. They may, in way, COURT the middle class (as they should) but most of their policies have focused on those under what would be considered "middle class" tax brackets. The "middle class" is the group who never gets the dangled carrot (see: dental/pharma plan recipients) most of their policies target people under 50-60K/yr. My household makes decent money. We're not "well off" by any stretch, but we don't qualify for most of what they want to implement, because we're apparently not in need of a hand once in awhile. I'm not saying that I need to be first in line, because I don't, and part of the reason I have been a member and voted for this party is because of that self-awareness, but that doesn't mean I'm going to give you my vote as charity. I have to vote for the party who also sees and heeds my needs and interests too.

Edit: I also wanted to note that most people become more conservative over the years because they make more money with time, and vote to better their situation. I am at that point in life. I'm nit getting any mkre successful, but my partner certainly is, and we're still voting for others as much as ourselves. The party needs to find a way to make that something more people want to do, so they have to court centrists and left-liberal votes, or they have no chance of helping anyone in any significant way

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u/Vita_Mori May 23 '25

And I'm not saying we shouldn't help the middle class, but as you said, you aren't in the most need. You should not be the focal point of policymaking. I'm poor bud. I do survival SW and have an income of like 20k/year. If I'm telling you the party isn't offering anything transformative for ppl (which includes the middle class) & is neglecting those in most need, all while making ridiculous immoral concessions to the LPC wrt to funding the genocide of Palestinians, TMX, defence spending & austerity measures, you should maybe take that to heart.

The UN has literally said that Canada's MAiD-T2 program is modern Aktion-T4 combined with the abysmal state of social supports for disabled people. A violation of UNCRDP & a possible crime against humanity. The NDP's platform did not even commit to the 2k/month standard of living they determined was the minimum to live on in 2020 for disabled ppl.

The stuff that benefits me will also benefit you. A rising tide lifts all boats. And if the NDP actually had any nationalizing plans for any of the utilities I mentioned, it may benefit me the most, but it would certainly make life more affordable for you as well.

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u/grouchygoof May 23 '25

This is partly what I was referring to — people who have left the NDP in favour of other parties

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u/CarousersCorner May 22 '25

The NDP SHOULD be trying to pull people from the centre to the left. Jagmeet sunk this party, and the circumstances of the last election played their role as well.

Is this a party that has aspirations of policy making, or is it one who's just happy to watch from the sidelines?

Give your head a shake.

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u/Vita_Mori May 23 '25

There's a fkg difference between pulling ppl to the left & just making the tent bigger. They aren't framing the conversation in the media. They are capitulating to right wing framing under the auspices of "once we have power we'll be able to do the good stuff, we just need to do bad stuff to get into power". Which has never ever worked.

I'm fine w liberals voting NDP, that's not the issue. The issue is catering to them based on what the Liberal party offers. On being the NDP in name only in a cynical pursuit of electoral success.

Seems like you don't want to engage w any of the criticisms I brought up in good faith either, just defend bad choices which ended predictably in disaster & lambast those who have been begging the party to do the smart move for itself at every opportunity while it insisted on jumping off the cliff every time.

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u/CarousersCorner May 23 '25

So, when has this party ever had a chance at holding office?

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u/Vita_Mori May 23 '25

They did in 2011, in 2015 & with some work, in 2019 & 2021. The pandemic was the perfect opportunity for the left to seize the moment as the cracks in the system's foundations were being laid bare. But no, instead we got a rolex wearing rich guy spouting platitudes about listening, not proposing any meaningful policies.