The pith and substance of Rick Mercer's anger against misleading and personal attack ad is exemplified in this terrific rant. His takes on them is that they are the work of bullies and cowards. I agree entirely.
The propensity of the Federal Reformatory types to use these pre-election ads that are not subject to campaign spending rules. That is such a cheap trick and an integrity breach the spirit of the law. These political dirty tricks are right out of the American Republican cum Tea Party types that Harper seems to idolize.
Personal attack ads come from the kind of people you tend not to trust to make fair and effective laws that serve the greater good - only their own self-interest. I think the fact that Harper's Alberta brain trust who write and run these anti-democratic and misleading ads are behind the Wildrose Party in Alberta. I make one wonder if this cozy relationship with Harper gives substance to Premier Stelmach warning to us to expect them to engage in that same kind of George Bush-league politics Harper loves to do.
If you want respect as a politician, attack policy - not persons.
Here is what Mercer says about all this:
As I watched the RM show I marveled at how Mercer, in a half hour TV show, could generate more powerful opposition to Harper than Iggy and his entire cabinet manage in a month.
ReplyDeleteIf you saw the show you'll recall that Mercer had an opening bit about the nowhere-to-be-seen Liberal opposition. I think Mercer has got the measure of Harper and Ignatieff.
Ahemm, er, Ken:
ReplyDelete"they are the work of bullies and cowards. I agree entirely."
"If you want respect as a politician, attack policy - not persons."
Does this also extend to Political bloggers stomping for the Alberta Party?