The Liberal and NDP calls for the firing of Minister Ritz is pure histrionic politics. It is all about putting the heat on in an election and not anything about enlightened politics. It is just being pushed to keep the media focused on the character flaws of Minister Ritz. It serves to call out Mr. Harper, thereby exposing some of his character flaws too.
The MSM and the Blogs will keep the Ritz issues and events, and the other like them, alive during the campaign I am sure. Nice to see the CBC TV interviewing the families of some of the 17 deceased Canadians on the news tonight. It puts a human face and some of the context on the pain of those who families have been victimized by this food inspection deficiency and bad government policy.
Harper was out to save some money by reducing our food inspectors and turning them into paper report auditors by taking them off the plant floors where the problems occur. Harper has proven that he thinks good politics is the same as good government. That is rarely the case, as this tragedy - and failure of good government - illustrates dramatically.
Harper is not going to fire a Minister in the middle of a campaign for mere crassness, insensitivity, stupidity and boorishness. Get serious. Those are some of the qualities that many of Harper's hard line supporters and War Room types seem to admire in Conservative candidates.
I don't think the grassroots founders of the old Reform and Alliance types, who are the heart and soul of the current Conservative party are happy with this kind of politics. I think we can expect lots of those founding Tory supports to switch votes or at least stay home this election, as a result.
If the good citizens of North Battleford have had enough of being embarrassed by Mr. Ritz they will tell him so on October 14. In the meantime, as a Minister in the Harper government, his insensitive comments and plastic apology are instructive to the rest of us about the quality of mind and flaws of character we find in many, but definitely not all, of the political players Harper government.
If Ritz is typical of many of Harper's team, and why wouldn't he be, it is no surprise that Harper wanted to shut up most of his Cabinet and all of his Caucus since be became the Conservative leader. His PMO prepared and approved all official speaking notes for everyone in the Conservative cause. Those partisan speaking notes were almost always uttered by some lackluster Parliamentary Secretary or, worse yet, Peter Van LOON who was the dependable boor to be found“Harping” half truths in Question Period.
Harper's Caucus and Cabinet is chorus line of mimes and mutes. They are not obviously not ready to govern and are too dangerous to be given a majority. Harper's unbridled personal political aspirations are to be either our Emperor or our "President." His is not interested in the nobler role of our servant-leader. To me that means he too is unfit to govern.
When you elect someone to public office to represent you, you are giving them your consent to have power over you and to speak on your behalf on the many critical policy issues of the day. You also are giving them the power of discretion and decision. You empower them to make value choices and trade offs on your behalf and in your name. Those value choices are inevitably between competing interests and are never easy - but citizens expect them to be made in service of the greater good. Not in pursuit of some personal political power trip.
Harper's superficial, or sinister, sense of governance is shown in some of his campaign promises. For example he saw tinkering with two points off GST as all you needed for a winning and effective national tax policy. His chest-thumping about a minuscule and meaningless reduction of $150 per year for seniors as a substitute for sound social policy is embarrassing. Then we have the laughable tax credits of a maximum of $750 as an inducement for first time home buyers masquerading as an economic stimulus. It is shabby and sophomoric.
Under the circumstances and given the weakness of the Canadian partisan political leadership, we have few alternatives except another minority government, be it Liberal or Conservative. That means while we Canadians did not want this election in the first place, it will not settle anything of significance. But that is the price of political prudence and the best outcome for Canada - this time.
We can’t forget that we Canadians have enjoyed the pleasure of paying for the $400,000,000 price tag for this pointless unnecessary trumped-up Harper inspired election fiasco. We must remember that at the ballot box in this election. This election has been perpetrated by "Harper the Misleader" and launched solely in the service of his lust for power and the personal political hubris.
Thanks Mr. Harper. Thanks a bunch. Next time lets have an election that is about Canada and Canadians and not about him. Wouldn't that be refreshing!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
The Enlightened Savage Calculates the True Cost of Afghan Conflict
Harper releases a report on what he sees as the costs to Canada for the Afghanistan conflict.
The Enlightened Savage puts the true costs in context. Great post ES!
The Enlightened Savage puts the true costs in context. Great post ES!
Harper is Taking Alberta Seats For Granted.
The Alberta attitude around this election from what I gather is who needs it and we don’t want it right now. We are busy out here in Alberta and are burned out politically. We have had a year-long PC leadership race, a provincial election and even a few folks are engaged in the Alberta Liberal leadership contest that is currently underway.
The Albertans I talk to, from all political stripes, don’t see the need for this election and don’t understand why Harper ignored his own law to call it early. Some of the Con support is determined to stay home to send a message. That happened to Klein in 2004 where 210,000 PC votes disappeared or went to the Alliance.
Looks like campaigns in all parties in Alberta are having trouble raising money and finding volunteers and there are hardly any campaign signs up. Proof positive we are not really into this election. Indifference in Alberta is only good for Harper. Money should be no problem for the Cons either. They have bags of it and are spending it like an old-style Liberal government…trying to buy the election with attack TV ads.
The Cons are ignoring the Alberta voters this election too. Looks like most of the Alberta candidates are taking their victory in Alberta for granted. The high profile Alberta Cons seem to be doing most of their campaigning for other Con candidates in Ontario. Not at home in their own constituencies. So much for “The West Wants In” spirit of the past founders of the Harper Conservatives!
I wonder if the Cons will pull the same advertising scam taking money from local Alberta candidate budgets and swapping it into the national campaign to advertise for other candidates in Ontario and Quebec. Elections Canada says that is an illegal scheme and the Cons have sued them saying it was a legal maneuver. If the Cons are so confident in their legal position, I see no reason for them not to try the same trickery again this election. In fact if they don’t use this scam again it may be evidence that they are not as confident in the legality of their actions after all.
The Albertans I talk to, from all political stripes, don’t see the need for this election and don’t understand why Harper ignored his own law to call it early. Some of the Con support is determined to stay home to send a message. That happened to Klein in 2004 where 210,000 PC votes disappeared or went to the Alliance.
Looks like campaigns in all parties in Alberta are having trouble raising money and finding volunteers and there are hardly any campaign signs up. Proof positive we are not really into this election. Indifference in Alberta is only good for Harper. Money should be no problem for the Cons either. They have bags of it and are spending it like an old-style Liberal government…trying to buy the election with attack TV ads.
The Cons are ignoring the Alberta voters this election too. Looks like most of the Alberta candidates are taking their victory in Alberta for granted. The high profile Alberta Cons seem to be doing most of their campaigning for other Con candidates in Ontario. Not at home in their own constituencies. So much for “The West Wants In” spirit of the past founders of the Harper Conservatives!
I wonder if the Cons will pull the same advertising scam taking money from local Alberta candidate budgets and swapping it into the national campaign to advertise for other candidates in Ontario and Quebec. Elections Canada says that is an illegal scheme and the Cons have sued them saying it was a legal maneuver. If the Cons are so confident in their legal position, I see no reason for them not to try the same trickery again this election. In fact if they don’t use this scam again it may be evidence that they are not as confident in the legality of their actions after all.
Monday, September 15, 2008
A Progressive Conservative Senator Speaks up on Climate Change
Here is what a Progressive Conservative thinks about climate change…and is prepared to speak up on the subject. Elaine McCoy was appointed to the Senate by Paul Martin as a Progressive Conservative, an identity she upholds even today.
Too bad Peter MacKay sold out the Progressive Conservative Brand after saying he would never do it - and then putting that promise in writing. Shameful - but not for a Harper Conservative - like he is now.
Can you imagine Stephen Harper appointing a person to the Senate from another party? He won’t even let his own MPs talk in public, never mind allowoing Cabinet Ministers to have a voice or even a thought that is not absolutely controlled by the PMO.
If Harper controls his government so tightly today, imagine what he would do with an unfettered majority!
(h/t to James Curran)
Too bad Peter MacKay sold out the Progressive Conservative Brand after saying he would never do it - and then putting that promise in writing. Shameful - but not for a Harper Conservative - like he is now.
Can you imagine Stephen Harper appointing a person to the Senate from another party? He won’t even let his own MPs talk in public, never mind allowoing Cabinet Ministers to have a voice or even a thought that is not absolutely controlled by the PMO.
If Harper controls his government so tightly today, imagine what he would do with an unfettered majority!
(h/t to James Curran)
Time for a Reality Check on Palin and Obama
This list of contextual information about Obama and Palin recently came from a friend. It has resonance and provides some serious perspective about the choices being offiered to the American voter.
* If you grow up in Hawaii , raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."
* Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, a quintessential American story.
* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
* Name your kids Willow, Trig, and Track, you're a maverick.
* Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.
* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.
* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become cairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.
* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.
* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.
* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian. (Oops! That's McCain - not Palin. My bad!)
* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
* If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.
* If your wife is a Harvard graduate laywer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America 's.
* If you're husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.
Do we understand the context and comparisons of the capabilities and character between the options being offered in the U.S. Presidential elections better now?
* If you grow up in Hawaii , raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."
* Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, a quintessential American story.
* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
* Name your kids Willow, Trig, and Track, you're a maverick.
* Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.
* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.
* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become cairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.
* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.
* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.
* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian. (Oops! That's McCain - not Palin. My bad!)
* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
* If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.
* If your wife is a Harvard graduate laywer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America 's.
* If you're husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.
Do we understand the context and comparisons of the capabilities and character between the options being offered in the U.S. Presidential elections better now?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)