Google News Breaks Tory Hearts

More than a few Tory hearts were broken this morning when they went onto Google News and saw this screen. Note the poll shot next to the headline "Political Winds of Change". Unfortunately when you click on the link for the poll it refers to the numbers of the British Tory party viz Labour. Cruel, cruel Google News, taunting Tories that way and on New Years Eve, too.

I guess one could ask why Google news would provide a picture of a poll that looks like a Canadian poll on a page supposedly about Canadian politics. Conspiracy theorists could say they were trying to fool the casual observer into thinking the Canadian Tory party was actually ahead in the polls, but I am not a conspiracy theorist.

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Vatican Right

In its opposition to the death penalty for Saddam Hussein. I realize conservative Catholics hang onto a warped interpretation of the catechism as some sort of talisman against reality, but the Church has moved on. JPII set such stringent conditions on using the death penalty that he virtually removed it from the state's bag of tricks.

56. This is the context in which to place the problem of the death penalty. On this matter there is a growing tendency, both in the Church and in civil society, to demand that it be applied in a very limited way or even that it be abolished completely. The problem must be viewed in the context of a system of penal justice ever more in line with human dignity and thus, in the end, with God's plan for man and society. The primary purpose of the punishment which society inflicts is "to redress the disorder caused by the offence".46 Public authority must redress the violation of personal and social rights by imposing on the offender an adequate punishment for the crime, as a condition for the offender to regain the exercise of his or her freedom. In this way authority also fulfils the purpose of defending public order and ensuring people's safety, while at the same time offering the offender an incentive and help to change his or her behaviour and be rehabilitated. 47

It is clear that, for these purposes to be achieved, the nature and extent of the punishment must be carefully evaluated and decided upon, and ought not go to the extreme of executing the offender except in cases of absolute necessity: in other words, when it would not be possible otherwise to defend society. Today however, as a result of steady improvements in the organization of the penal system, such cases are very rare, if not practically non-existent.

In any event, the principle set forth in the new Catechism of the Catholic Church remains valid: "If bloodless means are sufficient to defend human lives against an aggressor and to protect public order and the safety of persons, public authority must limit itself to such means, because they better correspond to the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person".48 (From Evangelium vitae)

I always thought that it was crazy that a church which defended life from natural conception to natural death alway made an exception for one group -- even if it is the most vile group imaginable. So, I am glad the Church is being consistent and is speaking out against this barbaric practice.

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Jean Pierre Kingsley

I think the Jurist is on to something. It makes sense that Kingsley thought Harper was a rat bastard (I mean who doesn't?), who if he ever gets a majority would put someone like Gerry Nicholls in his job. Not wanting to take that chance, Kingsley chose to go now, while there is a minority, in order to make sure someone a little less "no government for me or thee", got the position. If that is case, we all owe Mr. Kingsley a debt of gratitude. We can see clearly what cash and carry governing has done to the States. We don't need that here.

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Conservative Reaction To Bad News

Oh no, a huge sheet of Arctic ice has broken and they are blaming global warming! Christ, someone might want the Harper government to do something about this. What's that? You say it happened 16 months ago, but we only just discovered it? Thank God, we can blame the Liberals, since it happened during their watch. The pressure is off. Go back to sleep.

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Note To Evangelical Christians

From the Globe today:

Political scientist Roger Gibbins, head of the Calgary-based Canada West Foundation, said he doesn't think Mr. Harper has a lot to gain from implementing the anti-abortion or anti-gay-marriage agenda.

As a matter of fact, he believes that Mr. Harper has effectively put an end to the gay marriage issue by holding a free vote on it earlier this fall.

Although skeptical at the outset, Prof. Gibbins now believes the vote will effectively put an end to arguments that the government plans to go back to the old definition of marriage at a later date.

He also believes the Prime Minister doesn't necessarily have to start delivering victories to the Christian right because those voters typically have no other party to go to, at least not now.

The Tory Party is laughing at you. I can hear them now. "Go ahead, be mad. Who cares? It's not like you are going anywhere." They are almost as predictable as they think you are. Prove them wrong. Don't be chumps.

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Calling All Blogging Tories

So, the party in power breaks the political finance laws, stonewalls for months and then admits it did it, during the dead zone between Christmas and New Year's Day. In any other year, with any other party in power, the BT's would be howling for blood. Let's see what they do, now that it is God's party that has broken the law. My bet is, the two common stances coming from that corner will be silent acquiescence and the classic "everybody does it" defence.

Btw, my favorite part of the official Tory defence comes in this line:

The Conservative Party of Canada does not believe that delegate fees paid to cover the basic costs of a convention should be subsidized by taxpayers through the political tax credit system," says a letter accompanying the receipts.

"However, we have recently been advised that Elections Canada takes the position that the amount of a convention fee paid by a delegate, less the value of certain `tangible benefits' received such as meals, are to be treated as a political contribution by that delegate."

It's like me saying, "While I don't believe that driving drunk with my pants down is a crime, this policeman disagrees".

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The First One Is Always Special

Ah, the first juicy scandal of a new government. It is always the most special one. Imagine, a Tory government placing its "private sector uber alles" ideology above passenger safety in a 9/11 world. Who'da thunk it? Watch the government go to ground on this one (by that I mean of course, Stephen Harper). Luckily for Steve he has that steady performer, Lawrence "Don't as me who is a Quebecer" Cannon on the case. I think I am going to sit back and enjoy this.

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