He's Fabulous!

In the upcoming election, John McCain will need help from traditionally non-Republican constituencies. With this in mind, the McCain campaign has enlisted the help of gay-friendly pop singer, Madonna, in an effort to bring McCain's message to a new audience.



By the way, whoever put this together is a genius. The way they blended McCain's speech with the song, is gold baby, gold.

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Kid With Computers

And too much time on their hands.

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Looking At Liberals Through A Dark Mirror

Dennis Perrin keeps churning out the gems. Really, he writes as if he lives here and has the cheek to support the NDP rather than the Liberals:

There's nothing quite like a hurt liberal. Since, by self-definition, they are on the humane wing of politics, seeking justice and goodness and other nice and wonderful things, they shouldn't be criticized by those ostensibly on their side, or at least in the general vicinity. Those who do are obviously smug, jaded losers who live in a purist fantasyland.

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More Bullshit From The Toronto Star

A healthy parliamentary democracy thrives when there are strong opposition parties. It is unfortunate then to see the Ontario NDP so diminished.

Too bad the fucks at the Toronto Star worked so tirelessly against electoral reform, isn't it Rob? Where do you think the impulse to "vote strategically" comes from? Don't you love it when the establishment tut tuts about the state of democracy, when they work so hard to minimize it?

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George Carlin On Voting

I will pull this one out during every Ontario election from now on. The way things are going, I might start showing this during federal elections too. RIP George.

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Sounds Very Familiar

Dennis Perrin, who is quickly becoming a daily read around these parts, has this to say about those progressives who support the Democratic Party. Just for fun, as you are reading this, substitute Liberal Party of Canada for any allusion to the Democrats, in your mind.

Truly, there are no bigger masochists in America than those who pledge allegiance to the mule. You can beat them, kick them, piss and shit all over them, and they'll come crawling back for more, hopeful gleam on their soiled faces. Why they don't break out the leather hoods, slapper whips, and ball gags and fetishize their surrender is a mystery, but then, libs are often the biggest teases. Maybe they're saving that for election night.

It goes on and on for several, wonderful, paragraphs. Read it. He speaks the truth.

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Let Freedom Ring

Good news for farmers and the Wheat Board. Cue the "Damn activist judges" from the minor league Republicans, in three, two, one. Hat tip to Buckdog.

Update: More info here.

Update 2: STEPHEN ANGRY! STEPHEN SMASH!:

“The bottom line is this, mark my words,” Harper said. “Western Canadian farmers want this freedom and they are going to get it and anybody who stands in their way is going to get walked over.”

Our Prime Minister, what a class act.

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On Suspiciously Convenient Timing

I am sure it is a coincidence that this report is coming out now. Pardon me if I am skeptical, given that these are the same agencies who got it completely wrong in Iraq. The first paragraph gives the game away:

A published report says intelligence agencies in the United States and Canada have warned there are signs that Hezbollah, backed by Iran, is poised to mount a terror attack against "Jewish targets" somewhere outside the Middle East.

Isn't it convenient that the very country the Bush Administration wants to bomb, is behind it all? The fact that Hezbollah has, to my knowledge rarely, if ever, operated outside of the Middle East, is now planning some undefined attack overseas, just when the Bush administration needs an excuse to attack its sponsor country, is just too much of a coincidence. Sorry. No sale.

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Go Ahead And Cheerlead

More Tory whining, this time about party sympathies and "double standards":

Another Conservative argued there is a double standard in Ottawa: "Of all the political parties in Canada, the Liberals enjoy the coziest relationship with their American counterparts, often bringing in American strategists and ad agencies for their campaigns in Canada."

Conservatives point out that the Liberals invited Howard Dean, the Democratic National Chairman, as featured speaker at the leadership convention that chose Stéphane Dion.

"The Liberals' out and out in your face cheerleading for the Democrats and its nominee seems to be acceptable interference," said Tim Powers, a Conservative strategist.=

To which I can only say, go ahead, by all means openly cheerlead for the Republican Party. What are you afraid of? It sure beats surreptitiously leaking diplomatic memos to AP.

Update: Also "another Conservative", I would be careful about opening up the whole discussion about importing U.S. talent into our campaigns. Mind you, I am all for having that talk, but you never know where it might lead.

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Hey, Let's Stuff Dion In A Locker!

From Aaron Wherry, this bit of truth:

And speaking of advancing the national cause, anonymous inside government sources expect this government to return in the fall with a proposal to lower the voting age. Indeed, the thinking goes, if 14-year-old boys were given the vote this bunch would surely be well on its way to the Republican dream of a permanent majority.

Absolutely, totally, true. As someone who was once a 14 year old boy, I can say categorically that teenage boys provide the core ideological framework of the modern Canadian Conservative Party (pick on the weak, mock and or beat up anyone who is thinks differently from the alpha male, chase after chicks with "big racks"). The Tories might as well extend the vote to teenage boys. They aren't having much luck expanding their vote anywhere else.

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Laws? Why They Are Nothing But Political Issues

Case number two of Tories ignoring and subverting the rule of law. The Harperites have their lawyers in court fighting against a lawsuit brought against them by Friends of the Earth. I will let the CBC bring forward the government's "argument":

Lawyers representing the federal government argue that the issue is a political matter and should be resolved in Parliament, not in court.

You realize of course the lawyers are making this argument about a law already passed by Parliament. It is a unique view of the law. You see, a law is not a law, just because it is passed by Parliament. Not for these guys. Just as a treaty on the rights of child soldiers is not a treaty just because Canada has signed it. Laws are laws when Parliament agrees with Stephen Harper and not a minute sooner. I can't wait to hear how the court feels about this interpretation of the rule of law, by our glorious conservative overlords.

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Laws? Trials? We Have Belief, Sir

The Harperites are putting their ideological interests ahead of the interests of a Canadian citizen. Is anyone surprised? Omar Khadr is a threefer. He is a minor charged with a crime and that crime is terrorism. He also comes from a really odious family. In the eyes of the Harperites that makes him guilty and therefore beyond the pale.

Trials and laws are meaningless (unless Mr. Harper is suing of course). The cops (or in this case the U.S. military) charged the guy, so he must have done it. Never mind that there are grave doubts about the veracity of the evidence. Never mind that Khadr was 15 at the time of his arrest and falls under provisions of a treaty to which Canada is a signatory. Disregard the fact that Khadr is being brought before a rigged "court" where he and his lawyer have few rights. No, he is guilty. The base wants it to be so, so that is all for Omar. I have always been of the opinion that Harper and company were a bunch of lawless thugs. The way they have handled the Khadr case proves it.

Update: Meanwhile, Liberals are in fine form. Attacking the government for inaction (never mind the fact that their own party did nothing to expedite the release of Khadr for five years, while it was in government). For the one millionth time, the Liberal party pounds its chest, while doing exactly zero to bring down this government. Liberals give flaccid a whole new meaning.

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Support The Troops

Make them witness child raping and then order them to shut up about it. Enough is enough. Bring them home, now.

Update: An interesting question from someone who is a supporter of NATO in Afghanistan:

"If the Afghan government is a criminal enterprise and Canada’s stated mission is to support the government of Afghanistan, then what the hell are you achieving?" she said. "Is NATO here to make five people happy or to make the whole province happy?"

What the hell indeed.

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Finally, A Good Question

The answer is, no.

Update: If Pierre was not freelancing and was in fact sending a message to the base, all I can say is, mission accomplished.

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I Need A Drink

Fortunately, we are having our annual Blogstravaganza at the Heuther Hotel (we usually begin on the raised deck and then float around), in beautiful downtown Waterloo. It is being held at 5:30 pm, tomorrow and goes until whenever. Rumor has it that we may have an even bigger western contingent than expected. Don't miss it. You'll be sorry.

Update: I am told that you should check indoors first. Shows how much I know. ;)

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What's Next, Newscasters In Blackface?

Fox News is lower than a Limbo Snake. H/T to Sadly No.

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Nice Words Everyone

I hate to be a wet blanket, but talk is cheap (literally). It was easy for our parliamentarians to unite behind an apology because it cost nothing and made them feel good about themselves. Fine, now what? Unless Canada has the will to really address the third world conditions our native citizens endure, every day, then all the apologies in the world are just so much hot air. Results matter more than sentiment.

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Liberals Fold Again. So What?

It is to the point where no one even notices when the Liberals cave in to the Tories. It has become as normal as breathing. Not that anyone really cares. As long as we have first past the post, the "Not-Quite-The-Conservative-Party" will prosper, no matter what.

Eventually, after Stephane Dion communes with the Virgin Mary, or perhaps the Oracle of Delphi, we will have an election. I expect on one side will be the thugs of the Conservative Party, throwing feces in every direction and on the other side will be the "Not-Quite-The-Conservative-Party" doing what it does best (really the only thing it does well), scaring the shit out of NDP and Green voters. And finally, when it is over and nothing really changes and the voting turnout goes down, again, the pundits in the MSM will wail about the "decline of civic culture". Sorry, I have to go throw up.

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Shhh

A metaphorical note thrown through Jack Layton's window last night: "Unless you are willing to treat Israel like it is part of Canada and unquestioningly support every last decision made by its leadership, don't say anything at all. You have been warned."

Instant Update: It seems a bit odd for Canada to boycott a such a meeting and give the field over completely to "rogue" states. Would it not make more sense for Canada to be there and speak out against the "Israel should be wiped off the map" crowd? This seems more like a strategy to help the real Israel haters to get out their message as a means to justify western Islamophobes. Extremists love to feed off each other's hatred. Why is Canada enabling extremism?

Update On Sunday: No wonder the piece reads like it was written by someone from the American Enterprise Institute.

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Friday Funny

One of my all time favorites, with Andrea Martin and Catherine O'Hara. The best video about PMS you will ever see.

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Speaking Of Old Issues

Since the Tories are trying to resurrect issues from the dead, I would like to nominate another, Stephen Harper's campaign financing for his leadership of the Alliance. The Tories are all up in arms about Dion's leadership donations. Isn't anyone else interested in taking a trip down memory lane to see if Harper is now willing to open up his books so we can all see who donated to his campaign for leader of the Canadian Alliance? As a matter of fairness and a level playing field, Mr. Harper won't you tear down the wall blocking the public from seeing who gave you money for your leadership bid? I am sure you have nothing to hide, do you?

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Have CBC Executives Lost Their Minds?

Imagine the mentality of the idiot who thought it was a swell idea to dump the Hockey Night In Canada theme. If it wasn't an arm's length agency, I would swear this was a Tory ploy to take the heat off of them.

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Have The Tories Lost Their Minds?

Evidence suggests that they have.

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More Blah, Blah, Blah About Electoral Reform

Hat tip to Liberals For Electoral Reform for this link. It is a Canadian Press story about the post mortem done on the past referendum on MMP, in Ontario. For the most part it is a straightforward analysis of what happened. The powers that be organized a clever "ignore this and it will go away" strategy that minimized discussion or education around the issue. Faced with little information and warnings of the dire consequences of deviating from the status quo, the Ontario electorate chose the status quo.

That's all water under the bridge, as they say, but I am a little intrigued by the last part of the article:

Although another referendum may be a long way off, the McGuinty government will strike a select committee on electoral reform next week. No major changes will be considered, but the committee will look at encouraging voter turnout after only 52 per cent of Ontario residents voted in the last election.

Can you imagine the message to the electorate in the next campaign? "Come out and vote. Sure, you know it is a useless exercise unless you vote for one of the two big parties, but hey, it's a diversion from your sorry excuse for a life. Right?" As for me, I will be encouraging people to take a pass on the next Ontario election. My slogan will be "11% in 11". Let the parties spin that kind of turnout into a mandate.

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All Hail Our Coalition Government

The Bernier Affair is not enough. The Nafta memo is not enough. The Immigration Bill is not enough. Anyone who supports the Liberals also supports the Tories. It is as simple as that.

Instant Update: This quote from Dion tells the whole story:

"An election will come. We'll choose our time," he told reporters in a well-used refrain.

"More and more Canadians are asking this question, 'When, when, we want to go.' So I feel that more now than it was the case some months ago," Dion said.

"It's good because we need to replace this bad government," he said, while refusing to say when his party will vote topple the Tories.

I will translate. "Canadians have not suffered enough for the sin of electing Stephen Harper. So, we will let Harper torture them a while yet and when the voters finally scream out 'Please God, give us anyone but Harper', we will pull the plug and call an election. Why? Because everyone knows that if any party fits the description of "anyone but", it is the Liberal Party of Canada. We have been "anyone buts" for over 140 years."

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News About Spin (The Good Kind Not The Political Kind)

Oh boy, this is great news. My favorite science fiction writer (and the best writer of the genre Canada has ever produced), Robert Charles Wilson, has finally hit the super big time. His book, Spin, in which the Earth is wrapped in a time altering membrane by a mysterious alien race, for mysterious alien reasons, is being turned into a movie. I am so happy that one of Wilson's works is getting this treatment. It will hopefully expand his readership beyond geeks like me. If anyone deserves this success, it is RCW.

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