In what has been the prozac election, John (Jack) Layton has given Canadians something to vote for ... or against.
In a field of dud candidates, Layton's sudden surge has injected much needed passion into the election and above all, much needed sensation.
For Socialists, be they old time union hacks and or star struck university students, there is now hope ... hope that they may for once transform Canada into Europe, or better yet, a transnational utopia that is governed more by global norms, than by Canadian norms.
For Liberals, the fight has now become one for survival. It's moved far beyond Iggy and into the realm of the previously unthinkable ... this could be the last election where the LPC plays any significant role.
For Conservatives and centrists, there is now something to fear ... it's the kind of fear that, no matter how ugly and unfair the Conservative attack ads, was not generated by targeting Iggy. After all, he's not that scary ... neither he as an individual nor his party ... Canada roared through the global recession after all, thanks largely to Paul Martin's economic policies. Nope, it's fear that the life-long public teat sucking socialist, one John (Jack) Latyon, may actually become Prime Minister of Canada.
For those conservatives like myself, who are disgusted not only with Stephen Harper's blatant pandering to progressives, but with his utterly droll public personality, the fear of Prime Minister John (Jack) Layton may actually get us out of our houses and into the voting booth. Thousands of us have, after all, refused to donate funds, nor pound signs or ring door bells this election ... but for those in swing ridings, John (Jack) Layton may actually provide incentive to hold their noses (and breath), and vote for the Big Government Tory candidate.
Thank you John (Jack) Layton for the spark ... or is it Jack (John) Layton?
15 comments:
Good post - Canada needs to vote with wisdom and economic reality. Hoping for a great turnout for all sides. Really hate it when people refuse to vote. Cheers.
Once and for all, Paul Martin's policies are nothing to write home about. He downloaded the cuts onto the provinces and municipalities who had to make the hard decisions.
".... For those conservatives like myself, who are disgusted not only with Stephen Harper's blatant pandering to progressives, but with his utterly droll public personality, the fear of ....."
"Droll" man, it's the new cool. And you've discovered it ....
CJ, imagine for a minute what the CPC support would be like if Harper had not moved more central and, perhaps, bled off some of the blue Liberals. We live in a Canada that nearly 55% are socialist in ideal. Probably close to 30% of us are hard Conservative and about 15% are the wavering numbers that the CPC is targeting. Now, of that 55% I would say 30-35% were happy to vote Liberal because they were left of centre and not too crazy. Normally the NDP garnered 20% or so of the loonie left, at least until the Greens came along and bled off some of their support. I don't mention the Bloq as they are near enough to commies to be included with the NDP.
I think we are seeing the left Liberals punishing the Liberal brain trust for bringing Iggy in and crowning him. Had the Libs been running "Bare Ass" Bob Rae, I think they would have held onto their left support and gained some of the loonie lefties who are sure that Bob is just pretending to be a Liberal so he can govern, just like Papa Trudeau.
We will be seeing Iggy leave us soon, I predict, and I also predict that Bob Rae will be the next Liberal leader. And I hope to hell that the NDP get enough seats to be the opposition to a Conservative majority, because the GG will have to allow the coalition a whack at running the country once they bring down a minority. And we are pretty sure we know what that will be like!
Dwayne, it is entirely possible that had Harper come out and openly and honestly pushed conservative ideals, he would be swimming in majority now ... think Rob Ford. Conservative ideals are now cool ... thanks to our American friends. Your initial paragraph is the "old" way of thinking and I utterly and completely reject it and the premise it is built on :)
You can reject it all you want... remember to have a look at the numbers on Monday and remind yourself that with some very minor exceptions the majority of parties in Canada are socialists. If the CPC gain 40% of the vote I will be happy, but surprised.
Liberal = Centre left (more goofy left lately to their detriment)
NDP = goofy left
Green = Left with a single agenda
Bloq = Left with a single agenda
CPC = Centre right (more left than you or I care, but I am a pragmatist)
We had a real right wing party in Canada, it was Reform, then Canadian Alliance. All we accomplished was the split of the right and allowed Jean Chretien consecutive majority governments with well under 40% of the popular vote.
The economy that crushed the recession was the one handed down by the LPC ... the CPC can take virtually no credit for it. How the LPC achieved their ends is irrelevant, the fact is that the financial system and over-all health of the economy was a result of Martin as finance minister then as PM, allowing free enterprise to function with as few restrictions as possible except for the financial industry, which Martin refused to let loose. Had Harper and Manning had their way, our financial system would've melted down because Reform wanted a more US style free-for-all; which Martin refused to allow.
Harper expanded government massively, spending a fortune on a completely unnecessary stimulus which he used to pander for votes. When the recession hit, Harper had not been in power long enough to have any significant effect on how Canada bounced back ... other than reducing the corporate tax burden ... but that had no effect during the recession itself; only after.
I give the praise first to Canada's private sector, second to Martin, third to Harper.
Leftwing economics were all the rage everywhere at that time ... that was then, this is now.
I guess Sun News TV should get all of our support then. If their audience grows, they'll become better and better at what they do as they have more resources to work with.
Never underestimate the power of luring people with their own money. I'd agree with Dwayne that the given the Canadian political spectrum, you are luck to get 40% of the PV.
How do you explain the surge in NDP support based on a ridiculous platform and out of country candidates?
Corrections below - English is my first language (no really) but I can't type worth crap
"Never underestimate the power of luring people with their own money. I'd agree with Dwayne that given the Canadian political spectrum, you are lucky to get 40% of the PV.
How do you explain the surge in NDP support based on a ridiculous platform and out of country candidates?"
You could make a similar argument regarding the GST and Free Trade. Both policies introduced by the Conservatives, demonized and then adopted by the Liberals.
Regarding stimulus, it was going to happen with Prime Minister Stephen Harper or Coalition Leader Prime Minister Stephane Dion. Do you believe otherwise? Why?
Which one would have been more likely to let the private sector succeed?
Then let's just give up and become Big Gov Progressives since a fiscal con message will never be embraced by Canadians.
Frankly gents, it's exactly your argument that has governed the CPC, and were it not for Jack, we'd be looking at a coalition by January ... still might.
I guess, being the fatalists you are, that Mark Steyn is right ... Cons are just caretakers of an ever growing and vast progressive regime.
I of course will never bow to that, and the utter inability of Harper to budge the numbers for what, 5 years, gives me all the reason to believe that being true to one's beliefs and relying on open honest forthright communication of those beliefs will win the day ... not the double talk, bait and switch and stunning hackery that Harper has dished out (along with all the other parties).
Perhaps Jack is making a run in the polls because he is, by far, the best communicator and has stayed solid on his views. Who knows ... or as some pundits are suggesting, the Harper endless personal attacks on Iggy paid off ... in the wrong direction.
The point is, that "your" way, which is the Harper PMO way, has got us one small step at a time in the wrong direction ... an ever more "progressive" con PMO. I contend that that is because this PMO couldn't communicate to the Canadian people how to light gas with a match ... and that it has a cynical attitude toward Canadians .. that they much be bribed and tricked and that Harper is simply a dud when it comes to reaching out to Canadians over and above the media.
ALL Canuck parties suffer from the disease that used to grip the GOP ... where open, honest, forthright talk is never delivered, and where voters are treated like stupid kids.
There is nothing forthright, honest, and clear-headed left in this PMO, as it is governed by a gaggle of Harper sycophants and individuals so buried in the old school of bribing voters and distrust of even its own, that it has become stilted, unimaginative, and lost.
The goal of this PMO was to destroy the LPC at all costs, no matter what got tossed under the bus.
I guess, that they succeeded, but in the process they created Jack. Imagine if you will, were the NDP or LPC led by a truly dynamic personality ... we'd be dead.
So, I reject your premise that Canadians can't be convinced to come over ... they have in the past done so and after the sea change in Saskatchewan, brought to us via clear and honest talk from Brad Wall, I know it is the fault of a grid locked, micro-managing, unimaginative, partisan, and at time dishonest PMO that has us stuck at just under majority for the past half a decade.
Hopefully, the ascension of Jack will change all that.
I personally win no matter what happens though ... so I'm smiling all day tomorrow.
Something like this:
http://jaycurrie.info-syn.com/a-two-party-system/#comments
Yeah I read that earlier ... very interesting.
Whatever the case, I think that we are about to see a new politics in Canada.
Good luck tomorrow ... let fear of the socialist drive voters to the CPC :)
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