tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post4493083047833953481..comments2024-03-22T05:20:44.167-07:00Comments on The Disaffected Lib: Time for Iggy to Fish or Cut BaitThe Mound of Soundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-71730842288562405362010-06-13T17:10:13.924-07:002010-06-13T17:10:13.924-07:00CK, we've had this argument before. Until you...CK, we've had this argument before. Until you can show me that the Canadian people, of their own volition, have shifted to the right I won't believe it. They've certainly been pushed right, by Harper pretending to be a centrist, and by Ignatieff shamelessly but the voting public hasn't exactly handed either of those clowns the brass ring now has it?<br /><br />Lord knows I'm no defender of Lyin' Brian but he did have his progressive side. He stood up to Thatcher and Reagan on South Africa and he did pursue environmental initiatives. You can do that and still be a crook.<br /><br />Even Richard Nixon, by today's standards, was remarkably progressive. His staffer, David Gergen, lamented that today Nixon would be considered a pinko and couldn't hope to get a Republican nomination. That's a big reason for Gergen abandoning the GOP for the Dems.<br /><br />I don't believe the Canadian public has shifted to the right. It's just that the crappy Cons and equally crappy IgLibs haven't given them any other choice. Neither party is standing up for progressivism and, after 40+ years of loyalty to the LPC, I'll never vote Liberal again until that changes. It gives me no satisfaction at all to know that there are plenty more just like me.The Mound of Soundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-28498056508105052092010-06-13T15:14:26.003-07:002010-06-13T15:14:26.003-07:00"...while Ignatieff seems intent on following..."...while Ignatieff seems intent on following suit to give the Libs a makeover into northern Democrats." That is giving too much credit to Ignatieff. He has hell no idea what he is doing. When it comes to politics he is not with it.LeDarohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12526776746689708239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-20346295065074918352010-06-13T14:21:06.741-07:002010-06-13T14:21:06.741-07:00Iggnatieffs biggest problems are of his own making...Iggnatieffs biggest problems are of his own making. He seems to go out of his way to alienate moderates as evidenced with his stance on Gaza and his flopping about on the long gun registry. His propensity for chasing after insignificant issues also makes him come off as largely irrelevant in the eyes of too many voters. As shown in his personal polling figures.<br /><br />Those things aren't as much a reflection on the party as they are on him directly, but enough of his aura hangs over the party to negatively affect it's numbers.<br /><br />It appears that the plan is to have no significant plan and just outlast Harper. By not taking a position on anything overly controversial, and being kind of this mundane guy who poses no threat, the thinking would be that he will just slide in and take Harpers place once the public grow tired of his schtick. That based on the assumption there really isn't anyone else who the public could choose to lead the country.<br /><br />The longer this approach goes on though, the more he becomes a persona non grata, and the more likely Jean will reach for his throat.Okienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-80315797516224390482010-06-13T13:34:54.193-07:002010-06-13T13:34:54.193-07:00Paul Martin is also largely responsible as to why ...Paul Martin is also largely responsible as to why we didn't sink as far into the global recession as everybody else; he never caved in to the American pressures of deregulation of the banking system. <br /><br />If Steve had his precious majority, no doubt he would have happily deregulated everything to make his mentor Georgie happy.<br /><br />Give him his majority now, and I'm sure he would still deregulate the financial industry.<br /><br />As for the Liberals swinging far right as you claim; well, not nearly like Harpercons that's for sure. <br /><br />http://drivingtheporcelainbus.blogspot.com/2010/01/harper-attack-on-canadian-democracy.html<br /><br />And<br /><br />http://buckdogpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/01/stephen-harper-hates-canada-at-least.html<br /><br />Check the above links: there are other links reminding us of the real Steve as well as Marci MacDonald's new book, "The Armageddon Factor".<br /><br />Somehow, I don't think Iggy would even be remotely as bad. <br /><br />And another reality to face is that, thanks to today's MSM which is now conservative for the most part, More Canadians have shifted to the right of center. Steve is just waiting for that last hard right shove. Fox News North may well just do the trick.<br /><br />Unfortunately, Liberals can't go too far to the left and that's why such a merger with NDP would be a disaster.<br /><br />Our only choices these days would be center right or Steve's hard right. <br /><br />I'm sorry, but Canadians have never really been all that progressive: Mulroney's two massive majorities with a third finish for Broadbent proves as much.<br /><br />The sooner we realize that fact the better we know exactly what we're up against. <br /><br />It was quite the wake up call for me.ckhttp://sistersagesmusings.canoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-42232158540414503142010-06-13T11:47:23.891-07:002010-06-13T11:47:23.891-07:00We actually had a surplus for most of the Chretien...We actually had a surplus for most of the Chretien and Martin years. We used it to pay off a good chuck of our debt. When Harper took over he inherited that surplus and promptly cut revenues and turned it into a massive deficit.<br /><br />On healthcare, few remember it now but Martin had a brilliant initiative that would have prioritized funding to "major" diseases - cancer, heart disease, etc. Less critical care, such as acne treatment, would be on a second tier of priority. To me that made perfect sense.The Mound of Soundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-84445578903735983062010-06-13T10:49:23.582-07:002010-06-13T10:49:23.582-07:00Here's something Ignatieff or Layton could be ...Here's something Ignatieff or Layton could be addressing. Following is a note I received from my friend in England who happens to work for the BG.<br /><br />"Cameron has been looking at the Canada model for cutting spending and is very impressed that you managed to turn a debt into a surplus in 4 years!!!We are all getting fed up not knowing what's going to happen workwise it's still watch this space.........."<br /><br />We have a surplus??? When did that happen?? Nothing like politicians going to foreign countries and lying about home. <br />Why oh why can't we get it right? There's a golden opportunity here. It's the same when Paul Martin was in power. The then Minister of Finance was interviewed in Singapore regarding Canada's huge mega surplus and what was Canada going to do with it. The Minister said: "We will be putting most of it into Health Care and French Education across the country". Did that happen? Not on your life. MOS, they are all tarred with the same brush. It's all about an attitude that has developed where ethics be dammed. It's like doctors in Alberta working three days a week because they need to spend time with their families. And we wonder why there is a shortage of doctors in this province and people are dying or put in peril from medical inattention? Politicans with huge expense accounts so they may fly from Ottawa to whereever so as to spend more time with their families on weekends. What about the Military? Aww yes...they are expendable. The values of the younger, Harper's age and younger has changed. They just don't care except for themselves. We are greeding ourselves into crisis and the crisis is going to be for those who are only making it. Perhaps this is the way we will reduce the world's population making it so much nicer for those who multi have.Anyonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15765384812104835792noreply@blogger.com