Why Harper is Afraid of an Election

Harper has not gained any traction or sustained momentum in the polls since he became the pro tem Prime Minister of Canada so many long months ago.

He played with the Quebec sovereigntist’s “nationalists” sentiments a while back and got a dead cat bounce for a bit. He even got cozy with Mario Dumont of the right wing ADQ and intentionally snubbed the Quebec Prime Minister Jean Charest when he was suffering as the leader of a minority government. That has all changed recently. For Harper to realize his dream of a majority right wing government he needs Quebec or Ontario. Looks like Quebec as cooled to the ADQ and Mr. Harper’s friend Mario Dumont.

The blogger Paulitics gives a very comprehensive and interesting account of the shifting sentiments in Quebec. He is worth a read for sure if you are concerned about the future of a unified Canada. The Harper Cons friends, the ADQ, are in free fall. What will that to do Harper's prospects in Quebec in the next election?

The recent Quebec bye-elections are another reason why Harper has to be cooling if not quivering about facing the Canadian electorate any time soon. Quebec has figured him out, Ontario has as well and Atlantic Canada never did like him. The west is now more competitive – except for Alberta of course. But if Harper, the Albertan, keeps taking on personal advisors from the old Ontario Harris government and snubs the Alberta boys who made Ralph Klein and coached Mike Harris, you have to wonder how long they will stay “loyal” to Harper's cause.

Harper Caught in More Political Hypocrisy

Harper is such an old school politician. Say what you have to in order to get elected. Do what you have to in order to stay elected and don’t sweat any intellectual dishonesty and hypocrisy in between. In the old days before the Internet and the blogosphere, the public and the MSM would have forgotten such promises. Not any more because everything is searchable and can be monitored…by ordinary citizens.

This time the MSM has followed up and exposes the inconvenient truth about Stephen Harper's political style. Promising in 2004 to eliminate GST on gasoline over $.85 a litre but now it is hovering round $1.28 a litre Harper says there no need to fulfill the prior POLITICAL promise because it would make little difference on overall prices anyway. There was no need to make such a pointless and purposeless political promise in the first place Mr. Harper. Oh, I forgot for a moment, there as an election to win - at all costs, including making disingenuous promises.

The GST tax cut he did promise and make also has little impact on prices or the taxes Canadians pay. With gasoline prices up dramatically and inflation starting up, the 5% GST staying on – my guess is Canadians are paying the same dollar amount of GST at the end of the day anyway.

Harper Wins the Most Secretive Award

Steve Harper wins the Canadian Association of Journalist secrecy award and it apparently the easiest decision the judges have ever made. Is anyone who follows politics in Canada surprised?

Open, accountable, transparent government be damned...this man is all about raw power. A Cabinet shuffle is in the offing...heads will roll. Intimidation dominates caucus and the principle of representative government will take another body blow from this Prime Minister. Expect he will move to further gather and centralize all the political power he can muster - in himself.

Wasn't it Plato who suggest the best way to govern was with a benevolent dictatorship? Harper is half way there but benevolence is not within his character qualities. What we see now is a "good" as Harper's statemanship can get.

Canadians belief in Harper has moved in 18 months. It has gone to lets give him a chance, to ok he is a message manager but not a governor, to why is he such a bully, to is that all there is, to I wonder what is going on with this guy, to oh oh - he is not very trustworthy to...ok enough is enough, what the hell is really going on here?.

Time to make a change Canada and give someone with a better sense of the country as a whole, who has proven intellectual integrity and with principles moral courage, like Stephane Dion, a chance to govern. However, lets wait for an election in late 2009 - for events to unfold for Dion and to unravel for Harper.

Keith Olbermann Special Comment: Clinton-Obama Assassination

Further to the previous post on Clinton's assassination comments about Bobby Kennedy - Keith Olbermann has obvously made up his mind about her position, the appropriateness and the motivation behind her comments.

He provides a litany of examples of the inherent violence of the American political culture. Says Clinton should know better and can't be forgiven for this comment.

Bobby Kennedy Jr. has already endorsed Hillary Clinton http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22024587/

...and is quoted in the New York Times helping her with damage control over the comments about his father.

Hillary Clinton Assassination Comment Kennedy Obama Shocking

Watch this video of the now famous recent Editorial Board comments of Hillary Clinton and judge for yourself what her motivation and meaning was.

What was behind her referencing the Bobby Kennedy assassination during the nomination process?

Was it an appropriate and worthy reason for her contining to campaign for the Democratic nominiation?

Was she stating that event as a merely historical fact? Or was it in reference to a possibility that she sees as justification for her continuing because tragedies happen? Or is it about something else entirely?

Is this comment being blown out of proportion or is it a measure of the desperation of Clinton's campaign?