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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