Question

Conservative Party, political organization or organized crime syndicate? Discuss.

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We Are A Nation Of Men...

And not laws. If I had to guess how the Harperites will deal with a court ruling against them on the CWB, I would say they are going to ram through their legislation in the Senate, get it royal assent and then argue that they broke no law because the law doesn't exist anymore. Who knows, now that we are ruled like a third world country, they may even get away with it.

Update: I will bow to my conservative friend Ben's contention that no parliament should be able to shackle a future one. That is the basis for our system of government. However, the means by which this government is proceeding is both arrogant and stupid and could have been avoided. If they had passed a bill first which ended the voting power of farmers, the courts would not have had anything to chew on. By doing it this way, the government left itself wide open to court action and by ignoring the court's decision opens itself up to far ranging political fallout. I expect many rural prairie MP's are afraid to open up their emails today.

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Harper's Deal With The Devil

Seems to be holding firm. Another scandal erupts, at just the right time...to prorogue.

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The Empire Strikes Back

The oligarchy is worried, as they should be. They are losing the middle class.

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Toews Definition Of Effective Gun Control

Use both hands.

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Oil Companies Need Some Patience

The U.S. is still somewhat of a democracy. Obama knows that he has to act like an environmentalist for another year. The oil companies will get their way, I am guessing, a few days after the election, next November.

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Wedge

The hiring of a uni-lingual English speaker has nothing to do about qualifications. Like everything else with this government, it is about throwing meat to the base and practicing wedge politics. Harper has calculated that he can rule forever if he keeps his rural-Ontario/Alberta axis intact. He knows his voters despise Quebec and hate bilingualism because they are neither Quebecois nor bilingual. "Fuck the French" is the new motto of this government. It is guaranteed to play well in Conservative ridings across the county.

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At Last

Something the Legion and I agree about. We made a compact with these people and we have to live up to it. It will be interesting to see how the government reacts.

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The Rape Of Greece

When even Fox News thinks something is unjust, you know it is a fucking catastrophe. This is going to end badly for the everyone, but especially for the Greek people. This is the ultimate example of modern neo-liberalism in action. God save the banks, but to hell with everyone else. It is the guiding principle of the emerging age of oligarchy.

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An Iron Curtain Has Descended In Ottawa

Who the hell has ever heard of needing Ministerial clearance, to use a public auditorium in a library? No one, until now. Come on libertarians. Make some noise.

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Hurrah For The Bright Side

This reminds me of an old joke. Bill Gates walks into a bar. One of the patrons looks up and says, "Man, are we lucky. The average income in this bar just went up to a billion dollars."

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A City Boy's Thoughts On Killing The Wheat Board

Farmers of the prairies, I understand your pain. It isn't easy to have a government go against your wishes and ram through legislation you don't want. I understand that. What I don't understand is why you voted en masse for the Conservative Party. Did you think they were kidding all these years when they said that they would kill the Wheat Board if they ever got a majority? Who is laughing now, eh?

Well, life's a bitch. Water under the bridge and all that. Just one more thing. If you expect urban Canadians to bail you out once you are in the clutches of ADM et. al., well, we have other priorities and money is tight. You understand I am sure. Have a nice day.

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Homicide Shmomicide

So what if the number of homicides is down to a 44 year low? What about all of the unreported homicides?

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Morning WTF

Hands up, if you knew that assault rifles were unrestricted weapons in the country?

Snowdy said he has been sleuthing around the RCMP firearms program. He claims the RCMP wants to reclassify a number of military assault rifle style weapons currently classified as non-restricted, making them either restricted or prohibited. Among these are the Israeli-made Tavor Tar-21; the Robinson Arms XCRL; imitations of the Kalashnikov AK-47 called the CZ858 and CZ2003; the M14; the "civilianized" version of the G36 assault rifle widely used by armies around the world, and a number of others.

A spokesperson for Public Safety Minister Vic Toews says no action will be taken to increase controls on controversial firearms once the longgun registry dies.

No surprise whatever however, that the Conservatives plan to take no action other than to make sure no one knows who has such weapons. Of course, they are going to be building a lot of jails. Maybe they know something?

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To Hell With Co-operation

There is much crowing in the Liberal press about how Harper has shown them the way to run a minority government. The fact that the same Liberal press was appalled by the tactics used by said Messiah, has been flushed down the memory hole. I hope they choke on it.

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All That's Wrong WIth The Modern Conservative Movement...

In one short article. Meet Michael Harris and Rob Leone, two shiny, new MPPs from the Waterloo Region. Both are thoroughly orthodox in their views on public finances. Michael Harris states these ideas thus:

“It’s affordable taxes, living within your means. We have to do it in our home budget; we have to do the same (in government).”

Good, wholesome family values, completely devoid of any macroeconomics to back it up. But I digress. Wait, there is more, just a few paragraphs on:

Harris works in sales at Honeywell, so he knows the Toronto drive well. He lives in south Kitchener, near Highway 401. He too, plans to pressure the Liberals to bring at least four trains a day to Kitchener. Liberals must follow through on funding for a Highway 7 expressway between Kitchener and Guelph, he said.

“We are going to makes sure we hold the current government to those promises,” he said of the minority Liberal government. “We’ve got Mr. McGuinty on a short leash.”

Expanding mental-health and suicide-intervention programs is a big issue for Harris, because it’s directly affected his family and friends. He wouldn’t elaborate.

“It’s taking a lot of lives each year. I think its something we are really afraid as a society to talk about,” Harris said.

Long-promised Cambridge Memorial Hospital expansion is atop Leone’s to-do list. All parties support it, so get it started, he said.

“I don’t want to stand in the way, simply because I’m a PC member and it’s a Liberal government.”

Um, ok, so much for living within your means. Unless they mean everyone but those living in their riding should suck it up and cut back, because damnit, they want their pork!

In a nutshell, this is what is wrong with modern so-called conservatism. In theory, they are all for "living within our means" and cuts in taxes. In practice, they are also for, unlimited spending in their own ridings. This is fiscal insanity. This is the black hole that they have sucked us and the rest of the world into. God knows how or when we will be able to escape its deadly grip.

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Screwed Up System Almost Screws Ontarians

Well we seem to have dodged a bullet, but just barely. The first past the post system did its usual magic and almost produced a majority of seats with less than 38% of the vote. In fact, thanks to the magic of splits, the Liberals with 2% more of the popular vote than the Conservatives go 14 more seats. It is criminal. Add to this, the fact that voter turnout was a pathetic 47.6% and you have to ask yourself whether the whole exercise was even legitimate.

The fact is, this is just another in a long line of phony exercises in kabuki democracy, where the voters know that their votes will be wasted if they back a party other than the two biggest ones and so gave the exercise a pass. It is long past time when we realize that our system of voting is suited to a bygone era of binary politics. We need electoral reform.

Dalton McGuinty is now faced with a minority situation. He has already signaled that he is going to do a Harper and rule like he has a majority and dare the opposition to bring him down. This is unwise for two reasons. First, if he was serious about the need for stability for the province during an economic crisis, he would make a deal with one of the other parties to provide this stability. Second, unlike Harper, McGuinty was just slapped by the voters. It is clear that patience with McGuinty is quite limited and if he pushes the voters, he will not like the answer he receives from them.

My fear is that instead of having a government of give and take and compromise, Ontario will be faced by years of phony confrontations, proroguing and threats of elections. This is the main "feature" of first past the post politics, where a shift of 2% of popular vote yields massive majorities. It is a feature our democracy can no longer afford.

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Another Victim Of FPTP

From the coverage of the Manitoba election:

McFadyen added that his party was the victim of a cruel numbers game under the first-past-the post election system.

"Under any other circumstance we would be happy with 45 per cent of the popular vote," he said. "Obviously we didn't get those votes in the right places.

"It's a very disappointing night for all of us."

It is too bad, the leaders of the parties only see the stupidity of FPTP after being victimized by it. When they profit, it is a wonderful system. The Manitoba NDP did not get a majority of votes and only bested the Conservatives by 1% of the popular vote, but it got twice the number of seats. This stinks and is completely undemocratic. The NDP government in Manitoba should move ahead with electoral reform. That it won't says more about the corruption of NDP by power than anything else.

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No Deals

Stephen Harper has destroyed Canadian politics. Thanks to his example, it is now unthinkable for either the Liberals or Conservatives to even contemplate working with other parties, even if they have a minority. Such arrogance. It is poisonous. It is stupid and it unnecessarily puts our politics into constant crisis mode. Canadians deserve better. To hell with what the votes want, the Liberals and Conservative believe they rule by divine right. They are saying, in essence, that they don't care what voters think. They don't care if you want them to cooperate. No, they must exercise majority power, even if they don't have a majority. Fuck them, I say and do it where it counts, at the ballot box. Show the fuckers that if they won't play nice, maybe they need to go sit in corner for a while and think about what assholes they are.

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Sunday WTF

What kind of country allows Dick Cheney into it, but not Russel Brand?

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Death By Fiat

King Barry Obama has done something no other emperor of the American Imperium has done before. He has taken unto himself the power to kill any American he deems guilty, without benefit of a trial. No one of any substance will say a word against this summary execution, because the target was a Muslim. However, the precedent is now set and if I was an American, I would watch what I say and do, lest a drone be dispatched over my car.

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Well, What Do You Know

The Supreme Court has actually told the Conservatives to take a hike. They have saved Insite and as a result, the lives of countless drug addicts. Hooray for the triumph of reason over ideology. It is unfortunate that it is such a rare occurrence. I expect the next Conservative fund raising letter will denounce the communists on the bench and stress the need for God-fearing Conservatives to flood the benches. It is all bullshit of course, since this is the most conservative Supreme Court in years, but you know the Conservatives, every political loss is a profit opportunity.

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Watch This

And ask yourself, do I want unfettered capitalism, or do I want to line these motherfuckers against the nearest wall? Hat tip to Galloping Beaver.

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Shorter Lisa Raitt

Strikes are now considered illegitimate and will be crushed by our government.

The real quote is just as ominous: "Any work stoppage would negatively impact Canada's economy and threaten our fragile economic recovery,"

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Tim Hudak's Kamikaze Run

Hand's up those who think it is politically smart to go into a city with 9.1% unemployment and tell the voters he is going to cut 200 more jobs? Also, who thinks it is good policy to cut government spending in a recession? Tim Hudak that's who. Good luck Tim. The plane is gassed up and ready to go.

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When Corporate Lackey's Attack

It is interesting that the Conservatives are attacking Brian Topp for being friendly to unions. It just underscores the Conservatives utter lack of concern for working people or the conditions under which they work. Unions have played the most crucial role in the elevation of the working class to something resembling middle class standing, and for the elevation of workplace safety. But, this matters not one whit to the Harperites. It is quite evident that the Harperites would rather have workers represented by no one, so they could enjoy all the benefits of those lucky enough to be working in factories in China.

Update: As Pogge points out, there are other, more legitimate, things to criticize Topp for. It goes to show that union bashing takes precedence over democratic values for the Harperites.

Update: With news like this, perhaps the Harperites should explain why we don't need unions.

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One Or Two People

May wonder why I haven't been posting lately. Read this and you will get a clue. Our politics have become completely retarded. It makes no difference whether it's federal or provincial. Who the fuck in their right mind would follow it? I may post again if the spirit moves me. Or, I might just take up full contact yoga.

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If The NDP Dumps Unions...

I will dump the NDP. Simple.

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Note To Politicos

Political trash talk might make your briefs feel tight, but it turns the rest of us off politics. Stop having swinging dick competitions and talk issues. Thanks so much.

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A Future Obituary For Christie Blatchford

Christie Blatchford died, alone and unloved, surrounded by her cats.

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Damn

Well it shouldn't be a surprise, but it is. I thought if anyone could beat the bastard, cancer, it would be Layton. This is a huge setback, but don't count the NDP out. It really is bigger than one man. It survived after Douglas, it survived after Lewis, it survived after Broadbent. It hung on during the dark days of the nineties and it will survive now. Condolences, go out to his family.

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Free Trade To Nowhere

Harper is busy opening trade deals with poor countries -- not that they will buy anything from us -- but they sure are a pool of cheap labor, eh?

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My My

Aren't we turning into a junior league imperialist power? Sending troops to Jamaica and cops to Costa Rica. Soon we will have people burning Harper in effigy all over the third world.

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Knee Jerk

What do you do if you have a riot? Well, if you are a British Conservative, you dictate who can and can't join Facebook and who can and can't own a cell phone. Yeah, that will work. It's not as if kids won't borrow or steal phones and won't create fake accounts on Facebook.

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A Few Good Signs

It looks at this point as if the Europeans may have gotten their act together (for the moment). I choose to take joy from small victories.

However, I am not confident in our own government. They are talking the same way they were talking in late 2008, as if everything is normal and deficit fighting is job one. People forget that the one and only reason the Harperites changed their minds about stimulus the first time round was because the opposition held a gun to their heads. Well, the opposition have no bullets this time. The Harperites are in absolute control. If they stay on their present course and we do head into a recession, Canadians will suffer needlessly. I am not hopeful that the Harperites will give up on their deficit mania. It is imprinted in their DNA and no one can stop them. It is going to be a very bad few years (of blaming teachers, doctors, and civil servants for the world's ills).

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As We Drive Perilously Close To The Edge Of A Cliff

Jim Flaherty says, "Drive faster!". Flaherty is, of course, utterly wrong. And we are totally fucked.

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QOTD: The Real Gravy Train

From the Guardian on the riots (read the whole thing, it is worth it):

While bankers have publicly looted the country's wealth and got away with it, it's not hard to see why those who are locked out of the gravy train might think they were entitled to help themselves to a mobile phone. Some of the rioters make the connection explicitly. "The politicians say that we loot and rob, they are the original gangsters," one told a reporter. Another explained to the BBC: "We're showing the rich people we can do what we want."

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Funny

I can't find anything about Harper locking himself in a Brazilian bathroom, in the Canadian press. However Pogge has found it in the Brazilian press. Strange that none of our intrepid press corps is reporting it? Draw your own conclusions.

Update: The Canadian Press is now reporting... the denial. H/t, once again to Pogge in the comments. Also from the comments, I should have made it clear that Harper reportedly locked himself in a bathroom and wouldn't come out until the Brazilians bent to his demands for a change in protocol. That is some mature guy we have running the country.

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A Study In Contrasts

Watch this video and note the difference in the worldview between the witness and the presenter. The ruling class (and their lackeys) truly has no idea what the hell is going on in their own country and they really don't want to know. The old guy was put on to condemn the riots and when he wouldn't play along, he had to be shut down and fast.

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Ok I'll Bite

So, what are the Conservatives saying, that Denis Lebel has no chance of ever becoming leader of the Conservatives because of his separatist past? How about Maxime Bernier? Does that reasoning apply to him as well?

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Shorter Michael Spence

The policy elites, in the developed world, are seized with a deficit mania that crowds out the reality of an unemployment crisis. This mania threatens the world's people with years of needless pain.

Read it here and get ready because our government is full of people who think like John Ibbotson.

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Welcome To Armageddon

This going to get really, really bad. Worse than it has to, because the assholes who are running the world see debt as a bigger problem than unemployment (largely, because they live off rents rather than salaries). So, we will have more cuts to government spending, leading to more unemployment, leading to less tax revenues and therefore more debt, leading to more cuts, leading to more unemployment and on and on and on, until these motherfuckers (out of self preservation if nothing else) get a clue, or until there is a revolution. The common people are going to be put through hell so that the ruling class can be cushioned from its own folly. My money is on revolution.

Update: Krugman has coined a new phrase, the "Downgrade Doom Loop", to describe the situation we are in. That just about covers it I think.

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My Guess

When they find these idiots, they will be white teens from the suburbs. Make them scrub this filth from the walls and have them take classes in world religions and multiculturalism. Wankers.

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It Isn't That They Are Stupid Exactly

But Wall Streeters have been making so much money trading worthless pieces of shit back and forth to each other, over the last couple of decades, that they haven't a notion about how a real capitalist economy works. They saw what was going on in Washington over the last month as irrelevant to them. They are the masters of the universe after all and can't be expected to tune into the bullshit petty politics of the little people. Well, now they are being schooled in macroeconomics 101 and the shock they are feeling is real. Who knew that austerity during an economic downturn was bad medicine? The sad fact is, our masters haven't a fucking clue.

Update: And if you look at Europe's bankers, they make Wall Street seem Krugmanesque. We are well and truly boned.

Update: Speaking of Krugman, he weighs in with a piece about the root causes of this problem, namely delusion and the substitution of sincerely held beliefs for working economic models.

Updater: It's a Nobel pile on as Joseph Stigliz catalogues the insanity.

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Shades Of Mike Harris' Ontario

When people start to die of bad water, the government will, I am sure, take full responsibility. That's what Mike Harris did, right? Right?

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How Disappointing For Them

I am sure prairie farmers will turn around and throw this dirty government money back into the faces of the Harperites. After all, these folks are mostly good, free market capitalists, who vote the straight Conservative ticket. Giving them a government handout is surely an insult to their independent spirit. Or is it that Conservatives are only rugged individualists until something bad happens to them?

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Last Word On The Turmel Fiasco

To the MSM, give your collective head a shake. You have been played. You chased after the shiny rather than using your heads (or whatever the hell Rob Silver uses for thinking). You have now said to soft nationalists that they have no right to change their minds and vote for a federalist party rather than the Bloc. Not only that, if they have the nerve to actually run for a federalist party, they will be held up to ridicule and suspicion. Way to go gang. Your truly are a bunch of stupid motherfuckers. Harper is right to hold you in contempt.

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Yup

Turmell is much more fun than that boring old economy.

Update: Yes it is as bad as it seems.

Update: It looks like the fun times are gone. Will this sober up the shitheads of the MSM? There is only about a one in five chance,is my guess.

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While The MSM Is Having Fun

Chasing the "important" Nycole Turmel story, the government is gutting Environment Canada. It is good to see our intrepid press has its priorities straight. Fun, fun, fun. Don't worry folks, look at the shiny.

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And So It Begins

The panic that is. There shouldn't be much time for our MSM to engage in frivolity over the next several years. Never fear though, they will find a way. The destruction of our economy is just so damn boring compared to inside the Queensway tittle tattle, n'est-ce pas?

Update: Hear that sound? It is the sound of Wall Street grasping at straws. Stimulus dreams and lollipop wishes.

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The NDP's Culpability

The NDP's sin in the Turmel business was assuming they were dealing with people who have an internal moral compass. They should have known better. The Liberals made the mistake of thinking there was a low point past which the PMO wouldn't stoop and they lost two leaders as a result. The NDP have to realize they are dealing with a group of sociopaths, led by the Prime Minister himself. They will literally do anything to destroy anyone who opposes them. The NDP can either fight back or not. It won't matter to the PMO, either way.

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Liberal Witch Hunt

Shorter Rob Silver: Have you now,or have you ever been, a member of the Communist Party Bloc Quebecois? According to Mr. Silver, once you have tasted from the well of separatism, you are no longer qualified to hold office in another party. Oh Liberals, it is so sad to see you reduced to Bloc baiting. Desperate times, I suppose. Oh, and I wonder if Jean Lapierre thinks of all this? You know Jean, Martinite Quebec strongman and co-founder of the Bloc Quebecois.

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Dear Mr. Obama

I read this with sad recognition:

In other words: it makes no difference to us how much we stomp on liberals' beliefs or how much they squawk, because we'll just wave around enough pictures of Michele Bachmann and scare them into unconditional submission. That's the Democratic Party's core calculation: from "hope" in 2008 to a rank fear-mongering campaign in 2012.  Will it work?  The ones who will determine if it will are the intended victims of that tactic: angry, impotent liberals whom the White House expects will snap dutifully into line no matter what else happens (even, as seems likely, massive Social Security and Medicare cuts) between now and next November.

The Liberal Party of Canada used "Scare the lefties" for years, and it worked very well-- until it didn't. I think you are where the Liberals were about eight years ago. I will not give away the ending, but let's just say it didn't end well for them. I have always called you the"Paul Martin" of American politics. Every day you get closer to sharing his fate.

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Attention Bob Rae

Bob Rae, the apostle of centrism, should read Krugman's latest. In particular, he should cut the following out and paste it on his desk for future reference:

Which brings me to those “centrist” fantasies.

Many pundits view taking a position in the middle of the political spectrum as a virtue in itself. I don’t. Wisdom doesn’t necessarily reside in the middle of the road, and I want leaders who do the right thing, not the centrist thing.

Bob has an unerring instinct to go to the middle, but when the middle involves deciding how much medicare should be privatized, for example, that instinct is a dangerous liability.

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Obama

Worst. President. Ever? It is a compelling case. I think it is a tie with Bush Jr.

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Rich Man's Justice

Let's sum up. In the last few days, Rob Ford has had a hefty election law violation fine waived and has avoided being charged with distracted driving. Rob likes to portray himself as a man of the people, but you and I know, we wouldn't be treated as well as Mr. Ford if we broke the law. Ford is just another rich and powerful guy who flaunts flouts the law, consequence free. Same old same old.

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The Winnipeg Jets

Proudly supporting the flag/troops. I have no doubt this will be a popular choice. The militarization of our national game has been ongoing for years and it also has the blessing of the pope.

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Shorter Margaret Wente

The reason I am shouting "Nothing to see here!", at the top of my lungs is, I am really afraid you are going to take a close look at my friends' writings and discover why Mr. Breivik loved them so much.

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Jack Layton

If anyone can beat cancer it is Jack Layton.

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Government Of Sneaks

The PMO's art commissars are trying to purge an artist, for political thought crimes -- on the quiet. Let's make some noise.

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Mark Steyn Sees The Truth

And then starts tap dancing as fast as he can. Sorry Mark, you are not being "fitted up", but called out. No need to fit you up, your writing speaks for itself.

Some of us believe this is an early skirmish in the Eurabian civil war. If the insurgents emerge emboldened, what next? In five years' time, there will be even more of them, and even less resolve on the part of the French state. That, in turn, is likely to accelerate the demographic decline. Europe could face a continent-wide version of the "white flight" phenomenon seen in crime-ridden American cities during the 1970s, as Danes and Dutch scram to America, Australia or anywhere else that will have them.

Obviously, Mr. Brevik was obviously impressed with your "analysis" and was eager to take up arms in the "civil war".

Update: As for his point that Brevik attack was against another party and not Muslims, well, that is pretty slick, but weak. In the first place, he is pulling that "fact" out of his ass (if you read the list of the dead here, you will see at least one Muslim sounding name), and second Steyn should know that in religious wars apostates are always treated worse than infidels.

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Questions

Even if you grant that the guy who killed over 90 in Norway was disturbed, he was still attracted to the ideology espoused by the right (anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant, ultra-nationalist). Will anyone on the right ask why this is so? Do they have the courage to look at their message unblinkingly? Or, are they going to deny the connection and cling to the belief that none exists?

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More Right Wing Empathy

Via Warren Kinsella, Michael Coren says, well, I will just quote him verbatim:

Tragic irony. The teenagers at the socialist youth camp on the Norwegian island who were victims of terror had just demanded that Israel remove the separation fence – the wall – that has saved any number of innocent, Jewish children from Islamic terror gangs. They also condemned Israel for, well, pretty much everything, and showed no empathy at all for Jewish suffering, and the experience of living with terrorism for more than sixty years. So sad, but so typical.

So, is he saying that since these kids disagreed with Likud, they had to be massacred to learn a lesson? Maybe they have had the do gooding socialist shot out of them. Very nice.

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Well Thank God He Is A White, Right-Wing Christian

The right can now play it down as the work of a lone nut. If he was a brown Muslim, well, let's just say they would have portrayed him as typical. Take a look here and read the comments, you can see both arguments at play on same page (with a side of schadenfreude against lefty Europeans).

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Shorter Cosh

A right wing terrorist killed over 80 people in Norway, so Norway should adopt right wing penal policies.

I call that the Obama Solution.

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God Bless You, Elwy Yost

Sad news. Elwy is gone. Elwy Yost is the reason I love films as much as I do. He is an even bigger reason why I like old films and classics. He was one of a kind and he has now gone to join Ford, Lubitsch and the rest in that great cutting room in the sky. So long Elwy. Thanks for the memories.

One of the movies Elwy showed on Saturday Night at the Movies was The Big Clock, staring Ray Milland. It is one of my favorite thrillers, and it is all thanks to Elwy.

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The Meek May Inherit The Earth

But the accountants have first dibs on Toronto. Poor Toronto. Btw, the group responsible for the report calling for the gutting of Toronto has this as its company song. Surely, they must know what they are doing.

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Interesting Omissions

The government released a list of war criminals living in Canada, today. I note that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense were left off the list. A clerical error, I am sure.

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Of Crime And Statistics

Two things occur as I read the latest evidence that crime is down. First, thank God unreported crime is still high and second, thank God this government is going to burn Stats Can to the ground so we don't have to consider statistics when throwing money into jails.

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Poor Paul Krugman

I rely on him for accurate economic analysis. I may have to stop going to his page though. It is hard watching someone you admire, sink into despair. That is the problem with actually seeing what's going on, but being powerless to stop a coming disaster. And it is going to be a disaster on a scale we haven't seen in 80 years.

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Tomorrow's Headline

Right wing media, "Shocked! Shocked!", to be thought of as right wing.

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I'm An Old Man! I'm Confused!

Did anyone else get an Uncle Leo vibe from Murdoch's "old man" routine yesterday? It is the oldest trick in the book, the old "I can't be guilty because I am a doddering old coot".

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Deja Vu All Over Again

Does this sound familiar?:

As Cameron rushed through South Africa and Nigeria on a whistle-stop trade tour, aides urged reporters to focus on other issues. "Perspective" was a word that came up repeatedly, and loyalists lined up to repeat that point in parliament on his return.

"Outside the Westminster bubble I'm getting the impression the nation's had its fill on this subject," Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood said.

Despite their bluster, opposition Labor party MPs have little desire to push this to breaking point just yet.

Labor is still struggling to regroup after it was ousted from power last year and does not want to provoke an election as it adjusts to Ed Miliband, a new leader yet to win over the public.

A Labor party backbencher told Reuters Wednesday the party had "a lot of work to do" before it was ready to fight an election. That includes rebuilding depleted fundraising coffers after donors fled the party in droves.

It should. If you substitute Liberal for Labour, you could be reading any newspaper from Canada from 2006 to 2011.

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Dear Mr. Plamondon

I just read with interest, your editorial on iPolitics, regarding public sector pensions and I need to clarify some things with you. Is it your contention that the best way to bring seniors out of poverty is by reducing the pensions of public sector workers? You seem to suggest that this is a matter of fairness. Is it fairer to lower the pensions of public sector workers rather than fight for better pensions for private sector workers? The central thesis of your piece seems to be that since private sector workers have had their wages and benefits stripped by their employers, the best way to remedy the situation is by stripping the wages and benefits of the public sector. Am I incorrect in that reading and if so, how? Nowhere in your piece is any mention of the rise in CEO pay packages during this period and a rise in income disparity between the rich and the poor. If you are really advocating a solution to disparities of income, I should have thought this might be an area to explore. I am curious as to why you left this out? I don't want to cast doubt about your motives, but one might conclude that you are trying to foment intraclass hatred between private and public sector workers as a means of distributing more wealth to those who do not need the help. Surely I am mistaken?. Surely conservatives would never think to do that? All the best, Greg.

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Of Senators And Whores

Brian Mulroney said it best. There's no whore like an old whore.

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Pension Madness

The solution to the looming pension crisis is obvious, expand the CPP's scope to help out the self employed. But, that would mean government involvement (horror of horrors!) and as we all know, this government hates government. It hates it so much, it is willing to throw the self employed into the loving hands of the banks, who will skim off a good percentage and risk their retirement savings in the casinos of Wall and Bay Streets. This is a stupid, ideologically driven "solution" that will enrich the banks and not much else. But, it is acceptable to Alberta, so it is the only option being considered.

Update: A new study backs the most reasonable approach to pension reform. It will of course, be ignored because it is reality based.

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Just Say No To Terrorism

The Republican Party is holding the United States specifically and the world economy in general, hostage. Obama, if he had any stones at all, should never have negotiated with them at all. He should have labeled them what they are, terrorists, and refused to deal with them until they dropped their threats to bring down the economic system. We are where we are today because Obama thought he could appease the hostage takers (with offers to throw the pensions and health care of the next generation of Americans under the bus). He should have known better.

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We All Support The Troops...

Until they come home and want us to spend money to mend them. Then they are just another obstacle to cutting taxes.

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The World They Made

If you want to know the state of the relationship between democratically elected governments of the West and the multinational corporations, all you have to do is look at the case of the Parliament of Westminster and News International. The British parliament is very upset with the way Rupert Murdoch runs his business. Its members are outraged that the citizens of Britain cannot be sure that their privacy is not being violated for profit, on a daily basis. But, they don't want to be labeled "anti-business" (especially in the Murdoch papers) and tell Murdoch straight out that his company cannot carry on with its bid for the rest of the Sky Network. So, they are reduced to pleading with Murdoch to do the decent thing and ignore the potential for huge profit. Fat chance.

The sovereign nation of Great Britain, through its elected representatives is pleading, cap in hand, to a corporation to act in a civil manner. This is a blatant example of what is going on, all over the world. Parliaments are now nothing more than the servants of the corporations and the corporations know it. Welcome to the New World Order.

Update: Murdoch has volunteered to drop his bid ( volunteered is the operative word). I guess pleading on your knees does work sometimes.

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Attention Americans

These people are going after the real villains of the crash. They are the real Tea Party, not the Koch Kommandos.

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Why We Fight

The slogan must be "Pensions for all", because make no mistake, this government is after your kids' pensions and hoping you will not care.

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This Is Not The Country You Have Been Looking For

You have to hand it to the propagandists in the PMO, with all their happy talk about our brilliant success in Afghanistan. They know how to spin bullshit. Just because "our success" is neither true, nor sustainable doesn't mean people won't buy the line. Canadians, in their hearts know the truth, but grab onto denial with both hands, because worshiping dead heroes is better than admitting failure. This report from the Globe, will I suspect, have any impact on the flag waving in Canada:

Whatever has been achieved over the past five years is sometimes called “fragile progress,” but that delicate phrase does not capture the sense of looming disaster many locals feel, a fear that the foreigners built a system that will soon collapse.

In dozens of interviews with locals – governor to farmer, police chief, hairdresser and Taliban – people expressed appreciation for all the construction projects, the schools and roads, but described the overall situation as terribly precarious.

They do not trust that the corrupt Afghan government, installed by foreigners, will be strong enough to stand by itself. Even senior government officials doubt their own comrades, and those misgivings are stronger at the lower ranks: A bodyguard for the governor mused about joining the Taliban; a policeman begged the Canadians to stay because he feared that his family would be killed.

And when it all turns to crap, which it will in due course, the PMO will either blame the opposition (Taliban Jack destroyed the morale of the Afghan people) or else claim that it is all the fault of the primitives in Afghanistan, who never appreciated the sacrifices of our dead heroes.

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Love Letter To America

Happy birthday.

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I Don't Judge A Man...

By his sexual orientation, but by the state of his dress. Charles Adler gives a hysterical "Some of my best friends are Gay" defense of Rob Ford. This is a case where the defense is about as stupid as the original offense.

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Socialism, Conservative Style

Lemon socialism that is. It is a wonderful brand of socialism wherein profits are private and losses are nationalized. It is also called "bend over taxpayers" in certain circles.

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And Just To Add Some Spice

I have always loved this song. Always. I know, it is a separatist anthem and I don't care. The imagery is beautiful, human and dare I say it, quintessentially Canadian.

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God Love Ya Canada

My wish for you on your birthday is a return to the sense of common purpose and possibility that made the railway a reality.

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QOTD

From Krugman, who else:

And don’t believe the nonsense about the benefits of spending cuts that has taken over much of our public discourse: slashing spending at a time when the economy is deeply depressed would destroy hundreds of thousands and quite possibly millions of jobs.

Of course, our government will ignore this and we will suffer, and the rich will just keep getting their tax breaks.

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BBC Double Think

From a BBC report on Greece today:

The majority of the Greek people are unconvinced by a plan dictated by outsiders. In almost every conversation I have had on the streets the same view emerges: Greeks believe the bankers caused the crisis and that they, the ordinary people, are picking up the bill. The narrative may be flawed, but it won't easily disappear.

The idea that the world economic crisis was caused by the banks is, of course absurd. In other news Oceana continues to do well in its war against East Asia.

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Sure, It's A Great Time To Cut Government Spending

Just before the housing boom goes bust. Start hording food supplies, this is going to get ugly.

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This Is Where We Are Heading

Slavery isn't just a historical oddity anymore. Companies are taking advantage of a poor job market to squeeze free labor out of our children. These companies are who the Conservatives and Liberals are working to promote and protect. People like this woman:

Kelly Fallis, CEO of the web-based design firm Remote Stylist, says she's had unpaid interns work on projects in marketing, communications, business development and design.

The company won't hire anyone full-time if they haven't completed a 12-week placement first to see if they fit in, she says, adding unpaid internship are part of "a new business model" that pushes young workers to show passion for their job.

"There's something about the hungriness of it all" that isn't there in a minimum-wage, entry-level position, she says.

Fallis says she doesn't see anything wrong with the arrangement.

"At the end of the day, these people are doing something to get ahead in the world . . . so why put restrictions on them? If they want to work for free, it's their prerogative."

"It's such a win-win for everyone . . . there's no down side to me."

Well, except for the whole slavery thing. This is our future, free of unions and workplace rules.

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Sunday Thoughts

Well the filibuster is finished and the Conservatives have gotten their way. There is nothing new in that. It is something we will have to face over the next few years. If this government wants to do something, it will do it. Still, the opposition did the right thing by opposing this bad bill, with everything it had. It is a bad law and a bad precedent for the rest of the economy.

This government is sending a signal that it is open season on pensions, wages and benefits. The Conservatives are saying that working people should be thankful for a job and to not question their betters over what pittance they are given. The strategy of the government is clear, scapegoat the last group of middle class workers in this country with good benefits, public service employees. It is pitting private sector workers, who have already lost their benefits against public sector employees who have not and using resentment as their weapon. If not stopped, the entire middle class will be reduced to an insecure future of few benefits, low wages and no pensions.

Meanwhile, the government is moving ahead with tax cuts to profitable corporations and for the investor class. It is simultaneously shrinking the middle class and enriching the ruling class of this country. Conservatives often like to say that socialism is shared poverty. It seems that conservatives don't mind shared poverty, as long as their friends in the owner class are exempted from it.

That is what we are fighting against. That is why the opposition must continue to oppose this government. That is why the filibuster, though doomed from the start, was important. It was a marker, given by the NDP to the working class, promising that their voice will not be silenced in the government's headlong race to the bottom.

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My Impression Of The Liberal's Filibuster Strategy

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Shorter Canadian Stance On Asbestos

While the Canadian government agrees that asbestos is a dangerous product, the electoral concerns of the Conservative Party trumps scientific reality.

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If Brad Wall Is Right

And the provinces have become, in effect, the triple "e" Senate, why on earth do we need that useless body in Ottawa?

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Bob Rae: Opposition Shrew

Bob Rae is quickly becoming more of a joke than he already was. He keeps talking about the NDP "taking the bait" on this issue, or "taking the bait" on another issue. What Bob doesn't realize, because he has never developed that part of his anatomy related to standing up straight, is that sometimes you have to stand up for principles. I don't think the NDP should be taking advice from a guy who backed down on public auto insurance at the first sign of push back. Bob is where he belongs, standing on the sidelines shaking his head at people who actually believe in something.

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And When They Aren't Busy Covering Up Possible War Crimes

The government is busy selling cancer to the third world. Harper's Canada, just a little more like Mordor, every day.

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I Guess The Senate Was Full

Gordon Campbell, former destroyer of the BC economy and full-time Stephen Harper ass kisser, is being duly rewarded for his loyal service to the Dear Leader. I am sure he will do in his new job what he did in his old one -- say yes to whatever comes out of Ottawa.

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Stephen Harper, Working Class Hero, In His Own Mind

Stephen Harper is working so hard for the working man, that he is willing to strip him of his collective bargaining rights.

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Sent This Morning

To the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court:

I am writing to you as a last resort. I realize this is a very long shot, but I have no other recourse. The Canadian government has been hiding evidence of possible war crimes for 5 years, stemming from the handing over of Afghan prisoners to Afghan intelligence officers. The allegation is that our government knew, or should have known (since they were warned by diplomats in the field) that allowing such transfers were putting prisoners into the hands of torturers.

Yesterday, after five years of stalling, including some very undemocratic parliamentary maneuvers, the government released 10 percent of the documents requested by parliament and declared the matter "over". They have signaled (and since they have a parliamentary majority, are most capable of delivering) that they will block any further investigation into this matter.

I urge you to consider opening an investigation of this matter yourself. I am not a lawyer, I am only a citizen of Canada and I feel that I have nowhere to turn, here in Canada. Please take a look at the documents released (found here : http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/06/22/pol-afghan-detainee-docs-embed.html). I truly believe that if your organization does not begin an investigation, that there is a real possibility that people responsible for setting dangerous humans rights policies will feel emboldened to duplicate this model elsewhere.

As I said at the outset, I understand that the chances of you intervening are small, but I felt it was duty to do something.

I know this has a snowball's chance of succeeding, but I am just too tired of the games to care.

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Can Someone Help Me Please?

I want know how to ask the International Criminal Court to investigate our handling of captured Afghan nationals. It is obvious that our government only means to kill any Canadian investigation of possible war crimes.

Update: Note to Liberals and Bloc supporters. I accept your apologies.

Update 2: I found the where, but I need advice on how.

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Margaret Wente Explains Why The World Is Fucked Up

It's not because Wall Street raped the financial system. No, it is all the fault of Greek hairdressers (and American teachers). Margaret Wente ladies and gentlemen, the heir to Barbara Amiel's title of stupidest columnist in Canada.

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If Harper Was Being Serious...

I would be behind him all the way. But, this is just our sovereign lord throwing a temper tantrum. He wants an elected Senate in order to hobble government forever. He wants squabbles between houses to gum up the works of government so nothing ever gets done. It is second best to abolishing government altogether (except for the police, the jails and the military), but Harper is an incrementalist. Abolishing the Senate would make government more streamlined and that does not fit into Harper's plans at all.

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A Sensible Decision

Look, the Conservatives are going to call them socialists anyway, so the NDP may as well embrace the label and make it work for them.

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Which Side Are You On Boy

Which side are you on? The zeitgeist is shifting. People are starting to question our owners. Maybe, just maybe, we can head off a lot of needless suffering.

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My Observation Of The "Power Panel"

They are completely lost without a relevant Liberal Party.

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What I Would Do

First, I would arrest the motherfuckers responsible for the disgrace in Vancouver and charge them. Then, if found guilty, I would sue them for damages, garnishee their wages (if they have any) and make them walk up and down the street with a sign saying "I am a rioter". Finally, I would put aside a fund, a little at a time, to compensate bar owners (and liquor outlets) and then shut them down on final's game days from now on. That's what I would do.

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LRT For Me

Waterloo Regional Council looks set to approve the LRT. This a triumph of vision over fear. It is a triumph of the "can do" spirit I thought 30 years of conservatism had killed in Canada. Bravo Waterloo. It is a good day for the Region and a bold step toward the future.

Update: And it passed easily. Again, well done.

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Another Gee I Wish Quebec Would Go Post

From a right wing columnist. This is becoming a recurring theme. If only Quebec wasn't included and man the Conservatives would really have a majority! These guys are the PQ's natural allies.

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Why Merge With The Liberals?

If you can become the Liberal Party? How the NDP deals with the temptation to move right, will determine whether or not it will be worth supporting them, going forward.

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Question About Questions

Isn't it odd that the corporate press would rather pose questions to rookie opposition MP's than to the guy who is actually running the country? Isn't even odder that they want to impose the same standard on them as the Prime Minister?

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Conservative Economics

What would you do if you had a shaky economy with not great employment numbers and you want to balance the books? Well if you are the Harper government, you start by laying off 6000 people. Meanwhile, the owner class is doing very well, thanks very much. You remember them, they are the ones who destroyed the economy in the first place. We can't raise taxes on these folks, oh no. They are too important to make sacrifices. Best lay off more clerks. That will fix everything.

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On Studied Ignorance

As the Conservatives drift off to sleep, after an orgy of self-congratulation, they would do well to look at the following paragraph:

The Canadian middle class is in crisis. Each year, its share of our national income shrinks, relative to that of the richest few. Recent reports show Canada’s wealthiest one per cent accounted for 32 per cent of all income growth between 1997 and 2007 – the most in recorded history. Thanks to skyrocketing executive compensation levels and an aggressive attack on well-paid, family-supporting jobs, the gap between the rich and the rest of us grows ever wider.

Pat yourselves on the back all you want, but the reality is, people are suffering out here. You are choosing to ignore this fact, but the opposition, you can be sure, is paying attention.

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"Innovative Technology"

From the Star:

Conservative fundraiser Senator Irving Gerstein says “innovative” technology is directly responsible for electing 40 MPs – a margin that handed the party its majority victory.

“Yes, you heard me. There are roughly 40 Conservative members of Parliament in the House of Commons today who would not be there if it were not for our party’s extremely effective use of its database,” Gerstein told delegates to the party convention Saturday morning.

I wonder if the "innovative technology" includes the robocalls telling voters that their polling place had been moved?

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Like Any Good Farmer

Tony Clement has kept his eyes on his pork:

Mr. Clement insisted that not a penny went missing and that the projects were all completed to the benefit of the Muskoka region, although he acknowledged the paperwork “could have been better.”

That's the point, Mr. Clement, we all know where the pork is too. It's all in your riding.

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New Majority, Old Liars

Oink, Oink, Oink. Just think, Tony Clement is in control of all your money. Solid gold outhouses for everyone!*


*This offer is only good in Parry Sound-Muskoka. City dwellers especially, can suck it.

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Dear Peasants

The latest missive from King Stephen's court:

“As the Prime Minister is prohibited from flying commercial for security reasons, he will compensate the government for the cost of an equivalent commercial flight to Boston,” Thursday’s note from the PMO says. “Minister Moore will do the same.”

There now, don't feel guilty? The PM is going to pay roughly $5200.00 for himself and his princess. So, go plow the fields and tend the sheep and feel happy that you have such a benevolent ruler. Don't listen to the lies that the cost of the flight was much much more than that. Your king loves you and the troops and the hockey troops. God bless Canada.

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Written Unselfconciously

By Susan Delacourt:

Though I have immense respect for all the presenters this morning, I found myself a little puzzled by their description of what they describe as conservatism. In fact, as they were rhyming off "generally ascribed" Conservative values, it seemed to me they could be describing Jean Chretien's philosophy to governing as much as Stephen Harper's. Question: Is this conservativism or pragmatism?

Don't you love it when liberal pundits fail to see the point sitting on the tip of their nose? Of course Chretien was a conservative. He was true blue (slash and burn cuts on the social side, lots of love for corporations). He was the prototype for the Harper government. That is what we on the left having been yelling for years. And yet, I get the sense, that she still doesn't get it.

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Entitled To His Entitlements

Wow, Harper has had a majority less than a month and he is already jet-setting. Wait until year four. He will be eating jello out of the navels of virgins! And what is all this crap about not "being allowed" to take commercial jets? I thought he was the one making the rules. Tell him to watch the damn thing on TV like the rest of us.

Update: How's this for logic:

The PMO also pointed out the expense for taxpayers of an Ottawa/Boston roundtrip on a Challenger jet is much lower than it would have cost for an Ottawa/Vancouver flight for Game 5 on Friday.

Be happy we didn't soak you for more! Bloody peasants!

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Day Two

And the press is bored, poor lambs. They want their heckling. They want their politics WWE style.

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Hit A Nerve

I like Brigette DePape. She pisses off the right people. The people she pisses off are Conservatives and Liberals who are offended by her use of the term, "Arab Spring". "Surely", they bleat, "we are not living in a dictatorship (well except for that whole G20 thing)? We just had a free and fair election!" Well, it was mostly free (except for the whole robocalls telling people that their polls had been moved and forcing people to bring their identity papers with them to vote), but fair? Not quite.

We have a sick electoral system. Canada has neither representation by population nor a voting system that returns governments that reflect the majority will of the country. So, by what definition is that fair? Well, if you are a Conservative or Liberal it is fair, in that it tends (or has tended) to elect Conservative and Liberal "majority" governments, with less than majority of voter support. So, what we have here are people, whose parties have benefited from an unfair system, defending the status quo. C'est la vie. But, until we get democratic reform in this country, there will be more Brigette DePape moments. There will be more calls for a "Canadian Spring".

And a note to Jack Layton. You can talk all you want about decorum, but unless you are willing to stand up and denounce the present political system, loudly and often, then you are no better that the rest of the political establishment. You can, lead, follow, or get out of the way. The choice is yours.

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How About "Lunch"?

The PM wants your help naming his new kitten.

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Will You Break A Butterfly On A Wheel

There is a lot of clucking going on about Brigette DePape's protest in the Senate. First, let me say, I admire the hell out of that kid. What she did took more courage than most of us possess. She put her future on the line, knowing the consequences, knowing that she would lose her job and be branded as nuts by the ruling class.

Second, it's easy for MSM commentators to rattle on about being disrespectful. They have never questioned power, or those who wield it, ever. That's how they got to the top of the greasy pole. That's how they stay there. So, prattle on dear MSM. Talk about how we just had an election (an election where the "majority" party got less than 50% of the vote). Then tell us to give up dissent because that is the system we have and there is nothing you can do about it (this is Bambi's specialty). People are starting to catch on to the fact that our political system is diseased and needs radical surgery. All of your lectures about decorum are as meaningless as a fart in in hurricane.

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Advice From The Street

I was reminded, as I read Jeffrey Simpson's column today, of Mark 8:36-37:

36For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Whenever a conservative columnist tells a social democrat to "grow up" what he really means is "become a corporate whore like me". Layton will, I am sure, take Simpson's condescending "advice" for what it is worth. Nothing.

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One Government

Two foreign policies, one for Jewish voters and one for non-Jewish voters. Isn't it fun when a government mixes domestic politics with foreign policy?

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Lost In Translation?

Impolitical has some questions for Brother James, whoever that is. Sorry, I couldn't help myself. ;)

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The Harperites Faked A Climate Change Report You Say?

I'm shocked, shocked! Not really. In fact I would have been shocked if they told the truth. Cats are cats and sociopaths are sociopaths

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Canada's Foreign Policy

Has been outsourced to Jerusalem. Can Canada be even considered a sovereign country anymore, or are we now a province of Israel? H/t to Buckdog.

Here, for the record, is Canada's "official" policy. Note that it does mention the 1967 border as the key starting point. However, I guess "official" policy is meaningless in our new role as puppet state.

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Once And Future King

You know your party is on the skids, when your road map to restoration involves creating a national unity crisis. Perhaps the Liberals should make Pierre Trudeau their next leader. That is fitting, somehow.

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Have Our Elites Lost Their Minds?

I am beginning to think so, given the title of John Ibbitson's column today: Things fall apart, Liberals cannot hold – the NDP is loosed upon the world Jesus on a crutch. I should not have to explain this to people with a functioning brain, but the Liberals do not have a divine right to rule and Jack Layton is not the fucking anti-Christ.

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Trust The Onion

To tell the truth. The sad thing is, it works the same here in Canada. There is only one "legitimate" position on the Middle East and that is "Israel can do no wrong."

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Further Evidence Of The Third Worldization Of Our Politics

Shorter Don MacPherson: From now on, stupid Quebecois, government equals Conservative, so vote the right way or you get nothing. Your Anglo masters have spoken.

The trend among conservative pundits of treating Quebec voters as unwelcome guests at an anglo party, continues. It's like they have decided they want Quebec gone, so they can really turn the rest of Canada into a slightly colder Indiana.

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Can Someone Be Charged With Treason

For disagreeing with the hard right party of a foreign country? If you listen to leading Republicans, the answer is, yes. If Harper is smart, he will keep his mouth shut.

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The First Surprise

Harper says voters hate surprises, but I would say his Senate appointments constitute a surprise. I expect several of these this year, followed by three years of blanket denials they ever happened. Also, I expect the Globe will once again endorse our Dear Leader, while pleading with him to change his ways. We live in pathetic times.

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Shorter Barbara Kay

I am against Insite and will pretend drug treatment is a mutually exclusive alternative. Btw., don't ask me to fund drug treatment either, or locate a facility anywhere near my house.

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Rob Ford Has Seen The Enemy

After enduring the worst recession since the Great Depression, and seeing income distribution rates at their most skewed in decades, Rob Ford has identified the cause, garbage workers. Crushing them and taking away their pensions, will I'm sure usher a new era of prosperity for the average Torontonian.

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If You Take Quebec Out Of The Mix...

It is a phrase I am hearing Conservative pundits,using more and more, most recently on Power and Politics a few minutes ago (Joan Crocker insists that without Quebec, Canadians were evenly split on Iraq). It is an inane stance, since Quebec is a part of Canada and so there is no leaving Quebec out of the equation. This is a dangerous trend and it makes Conservatives seem sympathetic to the separatists, who also want to take Quebecers out of the Canadian conversation.

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Jean Chretien Was Against The War In Iraq

Until he secretly committed Canadian forces to it. I guess I had better take down his quote from my banner.

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Phony War

All quiet on the blogging front until Parliament resumes. Unless of course, the Harperites do something blindingly stupid.

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Thank God We Elected A Conservative Government

Otherwise, gas prices would have gone up. Oops.

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Today On Power And Politics

Bambi watches wide eyed, as John Manley walks him through an "adult" dismantling of post-war Canada.

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Rolling The Dice

On this...:

With government spending slowing, the Conservatives have staked a great deal on their view that the business community will pick up the slack and stimulate the economy with expansion-minded investments. On the way to a majority election victory, Harper appears to have convinced much of the public that corporate income tax cuts and incentives for business are the essential tools for Canada’s prosperity.

Will the government live or die. Myself, I think this will all end in tears.

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Thought For A Quiet Day

If the Conservatives are going to be the freedom party, the NDP must be seen as the party of community.

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Shorter Gerry Nicholls

Deliver or else. This is going to be interesting (in the Chinese sense).

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Ode To Bambi

Oh Bambi, look at you, hosting Power and Politics
So gentle, so trusting, believing everything Conservative consultants tell you about healthcare.
Oh Bambi, so innocent, so credulous, you do he said/he said so well
You are the acme of modern electronic political "reporting".
Oh Bambi with your voice so high and your eyes so big, your sugar coated bonhomie.
I just want to run out of the room whenever you come on TV,
Oh Bambi, sweet Bambi, don't take this the wrong way
Politics is not entertainment, so please excuse me
I think you are a lox Bambi, and I want you to leave.

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Note To The NDP

The corporate press is coming to get you. Get ready. Fast. Or they will kill you dead.

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People Need To Move On

Liberals, the election is over. FPTP danced a fandango on your asses. Stop bitching and work to change the system. Stop waiting for Canadians to "come to their senses" and do something positive. Otherwise, you are wasting energy on bitterness and what good will that do you?

Btw, what do you think of Andrew Steeles prescription for the NDP? Just become the Liberal Party and all will be well. Puke.

Update: Looking at the some of the Liberal blogs on ProgBlog, I am starting to think that they are the Bourbons of the 21st century. They remember everything and learn nothing.

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Way Forward

If Jack is smart (and he is), he will take a page from the Conservative playbook and use his youthful caucus to build the NDP brand on campuses all across the country. These young MPs should fan out and attend every campus event, everywhere, for the next four years, spreading the NDP gospel and more importantly listening. That way, the NDP can craft the most youth-friendly platform possible. If the NDP captures and more importantly motivates the youth vote, they can only benefit. People laughed at Jason Kenney's efforts when he first started out. No one is laughing now.

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Merger Schmerger 2011 Edition.

A stupid, stupid idea, thought up by people who can't count past two. You might as well try to create a gryphon or a chimera for all the good it will do you. If the elites in this country really want to get behind something worthwhile, they should try electoral reform. Trying to join the Liberals and the NDP is a useless waste of time.

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Next Day Thoughts

This one is going to hurt for four years. What is there to say? The Conservatives managed to scare another 2% or so of Liberal support their way and increase their seat count by over 20. Such are the glories of FPTP. FPTP has given another minority government absolute power over the majority of Canada's citizens. It is a disgrace, but here we are. Now what?

I hope Liberals use this time in the wilderness to get over their psychic scars and really look at the travesty that is our electoral system. Perhaps the people in the party, who have been so hostile to the idea of electoral reform, are finally ready to see its necessity. I doubt it, but I can dream. Really, it's all I have today.

One bright note though, is the election of Elizabeth May. If there was anyone who could advocate for electoral reform, in an articulate way, it would be May. I hope she takes this on as her main project, during the next four years. I also hope the NDP uses the next four years to make electoral reform central to the next election.

The next four years are going to be tough and those who voted for Harper thinking they could ignore politics for the next half a decade, are in for a rude shock. We are going to get the reanimated corpse of Thatcherism stomping across the countryside and the villagers are about to get crushed. I doubt they are ready for it. I know I am not.

For those out there who are savoring your triumph, I say to you congratulations. What I am about to say, will, I am sure, sound like sour grapes, but it needs saying. Your party may control the government, but it does not represent the majority of Canada's citizens. If you abuse the power that our system has given you, you will be swept away. You have nowhere to hide now. No one to blame. It is all on you.

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Looking Ahead To Tomorrow

The first attack ads against Jack Layton? 2015 is only four years away after all.

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The Story Tonight

Blue Liberals save Harper. Good night for the NDP, terrible night for the country. We are so fucked and it is all thanks to FPTP.

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Who Benefits

I am not accusing any party for this, but this tactic seems mighty Republican. Also, if you have people in your party that will plant fake stories in the media, what won't they do?

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There

I exercised my franchise. Have you voted yet?

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Vote Like There's No Tomorrow

Cuz, if Harper gets his majority, there won't be one. May this be the last federal election using the worst electoral system in the world.

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Alf Gets The Last Word

Alr Apps on Power and politics moments ago: Let me clear, we(the Liberals) are not the New Democratic Party."

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Ok, So Here's The "Plan"

I am just kidding, there is no plan. I am going to vote Liberal tomorrow. Anyone who knows me, or has read this blog knows, I am not doing this lightly. I dislike the Liberals very much and wouldn't trust them to tell me the time, even if I had my own watch to verify it. So, why am I doing it? I am voting Liberal because in my riding, Kitchener Waterloo, it makes sense. As much as I dislike the Liberals, I totally despise the faux conservative, Conservative Party and in Kitchener-Waterloo the race is between the two old parties. Last time, the Liberal lost by 17 votes and while past performance is not an indicator of present circumstances, I figure (and that's all any of us can do), that he still has the best shot at knocking off the Conservative incumbent.

If the margins last time had be different, or if the NDP had any tradition in this riding, or if we had a sane electoral system, I would be voting NDP, no question. The NDP, in my opinion, is the best party to represent my interests in parliament. It is criminal that I am being forced to vote for a party I dislike to block a party I despise, but there we are. Someday, maybe someday soon, I won't have to do this, but tomorrow is not someday.

As for everybody else, I wish you well. We live in a country with a voting system so stupid that it makes the possibility of a Harper government real. Our first and only goal tomorrow is to take that possibility away and elect as many non-Conservatives as possible. I have one caveat. My circumstances are quite specific. I don't mean for my vote to be misconstrued as a blueprint for the country. The Orange Wave is real and I want as many NDP seats as possible. I just don't think Kitchener Waterloo will be one of them.

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Funny Headline Of The Day

Harper turns his gaze to Liberal supporters.

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Ruh Roh Shaggy

It looks like Sun TV may be cavorting with criminals.

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Back Handed Endorsements

All of the endorsements for the Conservatives run about the same, but I particularly liked this one from the Vancouver Province:

Stephen Harper doesn’t come across as a warm man. He’s seen as secretive, controlling and has shown contempt for Canadian institutions and those who don’t share his vision for this country.

In other words, Harper is a prick. So, why would anyone want to vote for him? The papers who endorse him make vague statements about the economy, but the real reason is, Harper has been very good to the corporations that run our media and they don't mind a prick running the country as long as he keeps taxes low and the lower orders in their place.

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Message To Jack From Our Owners

We will crush you if you get out of line. These stupid peasants can vote for whomever they want, but never, ever forget who owns the place.

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Patrick Muttart May Be Gone

But his spirit lives on.

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Our Media Masters

Are having a meltdown. Imagine what they will say, if the NDP ever does take power?

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Mr. Learn Nothing

Stephen Harper today:

“We will accept any mandate from the Canadian public,” the Conservative Leader told reporters at a Montreal campaign stop Friday. “But my fear is that if we have a minority mandate, the other parties will not accept it.”

In other words, the other parties have to treat a Conservative minority mandate like a majority. No talk of compromise, no talk of consultation. Harper deserves his fate.

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Nah, They Couldn't Be BSing Us.

From the Globe:

A key part of the Conservative strategy is having a higher election-day turnout among their supporters than their opponents. But Mr. Layton’s popularity could help change that.

That being the case, the extent to which the Conservatives have alienated the majority of voters while trying to cobble together their voting coalition could prove costly. “Motivating your opponents is a bad idea,” Mr. Lyle says. And the various bones that the Conservatives have thrown out to keep their own base motivated could have that effect.

So, when they tell us, it's ok, not to worry about a majority, that isn't strategy, is it?

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Beware Conservatives Bearing Gifts

It's almost like they are saying to people who want them out, "Stay home, it's ok, we aren't going to win a majority anyway.". This isn't over until the bastards are packing their U-Hauls.

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The Alberta Conservative View

Jack Layton, race traitor.

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Musical Interlude

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Globe And Mail Endorsement And The Triumph Of Compartmentalization

Shorter Globe and Mail: Sure Harper is an anti-democratic thug, but we love the tax cuts. It's a variation of "Sure he beats me, but we have such a lovely home."

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End Of the World Watch

A nice story about Jack Layton and in a Post newspaper.

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Dear Mr. Harper

Until you can explain how you are going to pay for jets and income splitting, I can only laugh at your warnings about other parties being fiscally irresponsible. Thanks for your time.

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And At The CBC

Red baiting. Yes, you did read it correctly.

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Meanwhile At The Red Star

The scribes are all walking around with crucifixes and jumping at shadows and whispering to themselves "Not Ontario, surely not Ontario!"

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Resistance Is Futile

Shorter Globe and Mail: The corporate gods will be angry if you don't vote the way they want. Tremble with fear!!!! I expect to see a lot of this shit over the next couple of days.

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Losers

If the Liberal party wants to reach out to NDP voters, they are going to have to better than to send out two opportunists who are bitter because they see their opportunities shrinking by the minute. They are really starting to piss me off.

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Disturbance In The Force

I haven't felt this way since the Charlottetown referendum. I think the people are going to give the middle finger to the establishment. What's going on? Two things. First, a majority of Canadians intensely dislike Stephen Harper and want to see the back of him. He has triumphed, in the past, only because the Liberal party was seen as a terrible alternative and was presented as the only alternative by the elites. That view is changing.

Second, I think Harper overplayed the Bloc as boogeyman. He, in essence, said that no legitimate government could exist with them as players. So, Quebecois said, "Fine, then we'll elect the NDP." Once Quebec started to go and the numbers started turning the NDP's way, that made it easier to see the race as multifaceted and not a binary choice. After that, came the wave. And it still seems to be building.

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Dear Iggy

You are not making it easy for me to vote for your party. You are not my first choice as PM. But, I am seriously considering voting for your party because a vote for your party in my riding might just deprive Harper of a seat. However, the more you talk down to people like me, call us "boy scouts" because we disagree with your stupid policy stance on Afghanistan, the harder it will be for me to continue with my plan to vote strategically. As a kindness to me, knock it off. The more you remind people like me how insufferable you are and how little difference there is between you and Mr. Harper, the more I am tempted to say screw it and vote for my preferred choice. Thanks for your time.

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Closing, Closing, Closing

Jack Layton. The "Happy Warrior" of Canadian politics?



A great ad. Positive and plays to the dissatisfaction with the other guys.

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Old Timer's League

Gilles Duceppe brought out Jacques Parizeau and Iggy is bringing back Chretien. The Conservatives would have brought back Mulroney, but Harper ate him a few years ago.

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Question Of The Election

If the polls stay the same or increase in the NDP's favor, will Liberals vote NDP, especially out west, to stop Stephen Harper?

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Wow

Liberals are really losing their minds (see the spittle-soaked comments, here). And I say this as someone who is probably going to vote strategically Liberal in my own riding this time.

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Jack's Narrative

That "Ottawa is broken and people want change" is working, because it is demonstrably true on both counts. Now all he has to do is get the anti-Harper vote to coalesce around him and he is home and dry.

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If You Want To Stop Stephen Harper

And you live west of North Bay, Ontario. Unless you live in a riding with a Liberal incumbent, I would vote NDP. This has been a brief message from a concerned voter.

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Message To Jack Layton

Enjoy it, you are scaring the shit out of them.

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I Hope Ian Capstick Was Misunderstood

By the Montreal Gazette:

Capstick said that means taking advantage of an increased budget to hire more staff, including economists, and public policy and public service experts.

The party will need a strong shadow cabinet and will probably have to "moderate" some of its positions, especially those relating to defence and foreign affairs.

I for one am not interested in the NDP becoming the new Liberal Party. I hope Mr. Capstick will clarify nonsense, immediately.

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Shorter John Ivison

I am getting really, really nervous about the NDP's chances this time. It might be time to dust off my UK passport. I hear Doug Finley might be doing the same thing.

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The Harperites and Choice

When it comes to reproductive choice, the Harperites take their direction from Homer Simpson. Remember, it is uterus, not uteryou.

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Look Out Jack

I hear the sound of artillery being swung in your direction. Of course, in the perverse world you inhabit, that is a much better place to be than out of the battle altogether. As an aside, it does kind of put Harper's coalition argument down the crapper. If you happen to destroy the Bloc and hold the balance of power, you will be a hero in English Canada (and you are already the most popular leader). It is hard to create a constitutional crisis in those circumstances. Harper will of course, now try to chip at your numbers in Quebec, in order to help the Bloc out. As I said, you live and work in a perverse world.

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