Link Byfield gives a view from the “Right” on the by-elections this week. Observant and interesting as ever he bemoans the fact the far right it right out of it when it comes to getting any kind of political machine together to make any kind of difference.
He skewers those of us who differentiate ourselves a Progressive Conservatives – I think he is wrong but he makes a good argument. I am like Danny Williams who was a guest this week on CBC Radio’s “The House.” He was asked, given his issues with Mr. Harper, if he was going to “tear up his Conservative membership card.” He said words to the effect, “nope – he never had one.” He said he was a Progressive Conservative and not a Conservative AND there was a BIG difference.
Here is a “Link to Link.” Go to Discussion - This Week for his commentary.
He skewers those of us who differentiate ourselves a Progressive Conservatives – I think he is wrong but he makes a good argument. I am like Danny Williams who was a guest this week on CBC Radio’s “The House.” He was asked, given his issues with Mr. Harper, if he was going to “tear up his Conservative membership card.” He said words to the effect, “nope – he never had one.” He said he was a Progressive Conservative and not a Conservative AND there was a BIG difference.
Here is a “Link to Link.” Go to Discussion - This Week for his commentary.
Link Byfield said:
ReplyDelete"So if the Tories are losing their grip, it isn’t so much because the Liberals are strengthening theirs. Mainly it’s because people who once voted Conservative no longer vote at all.
Perhaps they don’t see a lot of difference between the PC brand and the Liberal brand, and don’t care which of them wins."
Bang on the money, Link! The reality is - now that the Alberta Tories have adopted the same Nanny State agenda as the other major parties - opponents of social engineering have no one to represent them and will just drop out of the electoral process entirely. Which is what I predicted.
http://surrealitytimes.blogspot.com/
Congratulations, Ken! You contributed directly to the coming demise of the Alberta Conservatives.
The Alberta Conservatives are a federal Party My Son! the provincial party that I belong to is the PROGRESSIVE Conservative Party of Alberta...there is a big difference.
ReplyDeleteMy sense is Albertans are in a state of suspension - they will either continue their indifference to politics and let government be run by an increasing smaller group of people wth increasing power.
OR, as I hope, they will re-engage in the political process and take back the power that is the right of every citizen.
No political party in Alberta is "safe" these days and no politician is either. That is a good thing because it encourages change. My question is will the change be fast enough and will it be for the better?
Ken,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link to Link. He writes a good piece. But I couldn't help but notice the comments on that page which follow the article.
Reading through them, I could not help but form a mental image of most of the writers. And the image I see if the usual "damn government is getting in my way" kind of stuff. These people are the same sort who were supporting the Alberta Alliance a few years ago, and some other protest party before that. Perpetually angry and feeling short-shafted. Must be a very sorry existence. Now it sounds like these same types are leaving the Alliance, and looking for the next great conservative hope.
I mean, come on people. I wonder if some of them, in their heart of hearts, are afraid of being part of a ruling party. Trying to drum up support for a "new alternative" provides a very convenient hedge. That is to be able to say "well, I didn't support them" when they (gov't) does something they dislike, and yet sit there silent, fat and happy when it does something they agree with.
Here's an idea. Re-join the PC's and help reform from within. Ken Chapman is more P than C, but there are yin's to his yang in the PC party - those more C than P. The party is a big tent and allows for more than one point of view. Why don't you come out of the rain?