Cautiously Optimistic
I've been extremely quiet the past few days in regards to our recent election. It's been that way on purpose. I've been watching and listening and really chewing on what's been put before me. I was finally ready to post on my thoughts when Kate from SDA directed me to this post from "The Winds of Change":
Frankly, Canada's conservative party is a generation away from being a consistently sustainable political force - to become one, they're going to have to develop their base of supportive organizations, talk radio, plugging into the think-tanks, etc. Even the USA's Democratic Party, often the butt of TV jokes from all sides these days, is in better shape that Canada's conservatives when you really look at the lay of the land.
[...]
The Conservatives can survive and thrive with just 3 basic principles:
1. Give Canadians stability in government - do not rock the boat on anything that isn't an overwhelming political plus, and be willing to do only a few new things fairly well.
2. Pick the wedge issues to fight about very carefully.
3. Work to change the game underneath.
So...
Cut the hated national GST sales tax/VAT as promised (yes, it's on top of provincial state sales taxes), and dare the other parties to oppose it. This is key. Succeed there, fulfill that pledge which the Liberals made before more than once and did nothing about, and that will be a huge win.
Launch sweeping investigations of Liberal corruption that extend beyond just Gomery. That party was systematically corrupt, and has used its position in government to impair investigations. Get in, turbocharge and broaden the investigations instead, and be able to say to Canadians "we cleaned up the mess."
Under the banner of reforming the system, take a fast, hard wrecking ball to many of the mechanisms and entrenched appointments that have been built to give (and will continue to give) the Liberals unfair advantages in the system. Running those engines until the Liberals come back and pick them up again is historically a mistake, and has also left Canada with an unresponsive quasi-PRI style political system that really does need a shakeup. The scandals have created a major housecleaning opportunity. Use it aggressively and early, especially in terms of cleaning out entrenched appointments in the bureaucracy. Then get on to governing. After AdScam, nobody will pay attention to any screams of outrage from the bureaucrats involved, the liberals, or their media allies.
I share Mr. Katzman's views on the way forward for the conservatives at the federal level. Every single point is bang on. The only point I would add is that Harper needs to keep Prentence away from a cabinet post. You'll do well to read the whole thing and I hope the conservative strategists do as well.
On a provincial note, I think it's going to play out as I've predicted earlier. The idea of Alberta separation from confederation has been stopped dead in it's tracks. For now anyway. The idea and implementation however, of an Alberta "Firewall" will bloom within the next year and a half.
The Alberta PC government is tired and it's going to get turffed as soon as a viable alternative is found. That's going to be the Alberta Alliance Party. The next provincial election is slated for 2007. We'll get the Alliance government at the provincial level and the "firewall" shielding us from the parasites to the east. That's my quick and dirty prediction anyway.
On a lighter note, I must say that I'm extremely pleased with the way the MoonBat's heads are exploding upon Harper's becoming our Prime Minister.
Here are a few choice quotes:
Ti-Guy Says:
January 24th, 2006 at 11:42 am
Nope. When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
Progressives have got to close ranks and give the regressives the treatment they've meeted out to us over the last while. Mobilise, focus on a specific target and swarm, swarm, swarm. If they're on the defensive enough, they'll have to focus on what are real issues of governance, and not on the time-wasting innanity they've managed to distract themselves (and annoy the rest of us) with for the last decade.
It's not that difficult to do; just settle on a particular snippet of egregious dishonesty (whether willful or as a result of them being woefully misinformed; it shouldn't matter to us in any case), outrageous hatefulness or just simply one of their loony fundamentalist policies (whether free-market or religious or whatever) and badger them. This isn't payback; they've co-opted practically all public discourse with their nonsense and it's time for sensible people to reclaim it.
And I think progressive bloggers should just stop giving the trolls a stage and boot them and ban them and delete their comments. Whatever they've wanted to express with they're trolling we've already heard, and "freedom of expression" does not mean "freedom to make noise", which of course does not exist.
and this one from babble,
Well not now, because Stevie got a slim minority, and with some luck and some assistance from the bigotted majority in that party over the coming months showing their true slimy colours, hopefully we can rid the Canadian political landscape, at least east of Manitoba, of these clowns in the next election.
Just because these evangelicals do not have the power to create socially conservative legislation overnight doesn't mean they don't or won't want to eventually. Why would anyone want to give them the opportunity? Any monkey can balance the books, it's the rest of their "vision" for Canada that has many scared, and rightly so. If Ernst Zundel was a financial wizard would anyone advocate him for Minister of Finance? So why would anyone advocate known bigots, known racists, for government? Because of their economic plan?
Of course one can argue that there are racists and bigots everywhere but the difference with the cons is they have made clear there intention of enacting legislation that reflects their "values". Until Harper disavows clearly these "values", that they have no place in a decent society, then this fight will not only go on but just get hotter. Should be interesting.
So there you have it folks. We now return you to our regularly scheduled program of MoonBat baiting and beating.
Frankly, Canada's conservative party is a generation away from being a consistently sustainable political force - to become one, they're going to have to develop their base of supportive organizations, talk radio, plugging into the think-tanks, etc. Even the USA's Democratic Party, often the butt of TV jokes from all sides these days, is in better shape that Canada's conservatives when you really look at the lay of the land.
[...]
The Conservatives can survive and thrive with just 3 basic principles:
1. Give Canadians stability in government - do not rock the boat on anything that isn't an overwhelming political plus, and be willing to do only a few new things fairly well.
2. Pick the wedge issues to fight about very carefully.
3. Work to change the game underneath.
So...
Cut the hated national GST sales tax/VAT as promised (yes, it's on top of provincial state sales taxes), and dare the other parties to oppose it. This is key. Succeed there, fulfill that pledge which the Liberals made before more than once and did nothing about, and that will be a huge win.
Launch sweeping investigations of Liberal corruption that extend beyond just Gomery. That party was systematically corrupt, and has used its position in government to impair investigations. Get in, turbocharge and broaden the investigations instead, and be able to say to Canadians "we cleaned up the mess."
Under the banner of reforming the system, take a fast, hard wrecking ball to many of the mechanisms and entrenched appointments that have been built to give (and will continue to give) the Liberals unfair advantages in the system. Running those engines until the Liberals come back and pick them up again is historically a mistake, and has also left Canada with an unresponsive quasi-PRI style political system that really does need a shakeup. The scandals have created a major housecleaning opportunity. Use it aggressively and early, especially in terms of cleaning out entrenched appointments in the bureaucracy. Then get on to governing. After AdScam, nobody will pay attention to any screams of outrage from the bureaucrats involved, the liberals, or their media allies.
I share Mr. Katzman's views on the way forward for the conservatives at the federal level. Every single point is bang on. The only point I would add is that Harper needs to keep Prentence away from a cabinet post. You'll do well to read the whole thing and I hope the conservative strategists do as well.
On a provincial note, I think it's going to play out as I've predicted earlier. The idea of Alberta separation from confederation has been stopped dead in it's tracks. For now anyway. The idea and implementation however, of an Alberta "Firewall" will bloom within the next year and a half.
The Alberta PC government is tired and it's going to get turffed as soon as a viable alternative is found. That's going to be the Alberta Alliance Party. The next provincial election is slated for 2007. We'll get the Alliance government at the provincial level and the "firewall" shielding us from the parasites to the east. That's my quick and dirty prediction anyway.
On a lighter note, I must say that I'm extremely pleased with the way the MoonBat's heads are exploding upon Harper's becoming our Prime Minister.
Here are a few choice quotes:
Ti-Guy Says:
January 24th, 2006 at 11:42 am
Nope. When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
Progressives have got to close ranks and give the regressives the treatment they've meeted out to us over the last while. Mobilise, focus on a specific target and swarm, swarm, swarm. If they're on the defensive enough, they'll have to focus on what are real issues of governance, and not on the time-wasting innanity they've managed to distract themselves (and annoy the rest of us) with for the last decade.
It's not that difficult to do; just settle on a particular snippet of egregious dishonesty (whether willful or as a result of them being woefully misinformed; it shouldn't matter to us in any case), outrageous hatefulness or just simply one of their loony fundamentalist policies (whether free-market or religious or whatever) and badger them. This isn't payback; they've co-opted practically all public discourse with their nonsense and it's time for sensible people to reclaim it.
And I think progressive bloggers should just stop giving the trolls a stage and boot them and ban them and delete their comments. Whatever they've wanted to express with they're trolling we've already heard, and "freedom of expression" does not mean "freedom to make noise", which of course does not exist.
and this one from babble,
Originally posted by stupendousgirlie: I know there are many
people who feel that with the election of Stephen Harper's government, that a
new dark and evil force walks the corridors of power in Ottawa, that private
health care is coming, that women will use back alleys to have abortions, that
gay couples will lose the right to marry.
I don't believe any of it. There is a difference
between having members of a party who share those views and actually enacting
those kinds of regressive policies and that difference is reflected in the fact
that such a small minority will force those extreme elements into silence - for
now. *We all hope*
Well not now, because Stevie got a slim minority, and with some luck and some assistance from the bigotted majority in that party over the coming months showing their true slimy colours, hopefully we can rid the Canadian political landscape, at least east of Manitoba, of these clowns in the next election.
Just because these evangelicals do not have the power to create socially conservative legislation overnight doesn't mean they don't or won't want to eventually. Why would anyone want to give them the opportunity? Any monkey can balance the books, it's the rest of their "vision" for Canada that has many scared, and rightly so. If Ernst Zundel was a financial wizard would anyone advocate him for Minister of Finance? So why would anyone advocate known bigots, known racists, for government? Because of their economic plan?
Of course one can argue that there are racists and bigots everywhere but the difference with the cons is they have made clear there intention of enacting legislation that reflects their "values". Until Harper disavows clearly these "values", that they have no place in a decent society, then this fight will not only go on but just get hotter. Should be interesting.
So there you have it folks. We now return you to our regularly scheduled program of MoonBat baiting and beating.
posted by Richard at 10:31
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