Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Messaging

Well, if you're a wonk, the Lib's had a tough day according to the evening political shows. Politics and Mike Duffy Live, approached the subject in different ways, but they both concluded, that: Dion is in trouble and the term "hidden agenda" doesn't work.

In fact, the media has already started rolling their eye's at the phrase, just as they did during the last election.

It was mostly derided in terms of how Dion referred to Flanagan's proclamations in his new book. Dion cited fact, the media rolled their eyes.

Duffy gave Flanagan a platform, of course, which he accepted readily in order to add to the eye-rolling. That said, he climbed down off his high horse suggesting yesterday that the GG was too partisan to be impartial as it relates to Harper and apologised. To that I say, BS and wimp! He was pretty damn clear in his comment:

The Governor-General, Michaëlle Jean, is a politically inexperienced CBC broadcaster chosen by Mr. Harper’s predecessor, Paul Martin; her French-born husband is, or at least used to be, sympathetic to Quebec separatism. Could Mr. Harper count on fair treatment from this Governor-General in a constitutional crisis? Suppose he was defeated in the House and asked for a dissolution of Parliament and a new election? Would she comply with his request, or would she accept his resignation and then invite the Liberal leader to form a government? It’s probably more prudent not to put that question to the test.

Obviously the PMO got to him and told him to shut up. Flanagan you see, is riding on the the same arrogance, that he accuses the Lib's of. In the same article, he goes on to say how the Senate and Judiciary are stacked with Liberals, hmmm, the same words Harper used, not that long ago.

Here's the thing, their real agenda is being hidden from Canadians, in an effort to gain a majority, at which point they could change the country as they see it. They've begun in fact, but the media is rolling their eye's at the term and frankly I can't blame them. That does not mean it isn't fact, it just means that they are not buying the term, and gawd knows, they are all about sound bites and headlines.

So, here is the dilemma. The fact is that the con's are hiding what they want to do. In short, reduce the role of Federal government, sorry, not just the role, but the responsibility. They want the free market to rule and we've seen how well that's done in the US. Even Greenspan has come out against some moves of the Bush admin...though he's a coward too, imo. A lifelong Ayn Rand devotee, a concept that most of us put to rest in our 20's.

That little aside, aside, we have to improve the message. My preferred honest term would be "liar", but that doesn't play, as we are seeing in Ontario with Tory. To be honest, that kind of negativity would not play well.

So, how do we get out the "real" agenda of the con's and what it means to Canada? We, on blogs, tend to discuss these things, but that doesn't work with a bored and "need a headline" media. Sincerity should win, but with this crew, it won't. They want what is "sexy".

We need a new term, that reflects "hidden agenda". One that is easy to strike on a keyboard and one that is easily consumed.

I'd love some thoughts on this. There has to be a way to depict, Minority='s this, Majority on the other hand ='s...

Get out your Thesaurus people. The grassroots have to provide input now.

Harper is constructing the next election.

BTW, if you're wondering why I chose the photo I did, it's all about messaging. I want to see this young, obese PM, (the photo was taken yesterday or today, btw), talk to us about health care and obesity.

It's all about messaging.

For the record, I picked up the Flanagan book today. I do not want to be accused of "here-say".

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Conservatives agenda is in their policy platform which was developed and voted on by the grass roots party members in 2005.

Not so hidden.

Maybe the Liberals should have a policy conference so you can let your members help develop what you stand for.

Nobody knows anymore. "Winning" is not a policy that helps the Canadian people.

Karen said...

Anon: Not so hidden.

Get a grip. That platform was so contorted that it required total silence from the "Reform", cnadidates.

The Lib's do hold many policy conferences.

Are we going to release it to the media...likely not.

Nor did you. Flanagan's Law.

Which platform do you believe? The one he's lying about now, or the one you want?

See, that is the question. Con's will be hypocrites until the stars are aligned.

How ironic is that?

Anonymous said...

BTW, what is Harper's golf handicap?

Anon, so what are you saying is that the Conservative agenda proposed by MacKay and Stronach in 2005 is Harper's little blue book. Did Harper kicked a chair once it got adopted? Are these people still playing major roles in the Conservative party?

Please go back and have another policy conference. One that produces policies that make the people at Free Dominion happy.

We don't want to see the PM injure himself further throwing chairs around.

Sean Cummings said...

I am trying not to gouge my eyes out with broken glass because I'm so sick and tired of the whole "hidden agenda" thing. Look, the Liberal party as bigger problems than Stephen Harper, namely leadership issues. You know it and I know it. Cripes, Dion is under the microscope in a way that makes me feel sorry for the guy, if I were him I'd give the media the middle finger, tell them to go %$S% themselves and go back to the halls of the academe. It's just not frikin worth it. There is no point in going after Stephen Harper when the Liberals are a mess. If you want to win an election, get your house in order.

Karen said...

Sean, don't stop on our account. Anyone who has Drudge as their first and foremost read, well, they must have something to say, gag.

Go ahead with the whole symbolic eye, glass thing.

In my opinion, one of you will give us the money "quote". As it stands, your continued arrogance outplays anything that you accuse the Lib's of.

Keep playing with glass my friend, that is what your party is famous for, smoked glass. Careful though, it's dangerous.

Anonymous said...

If the conservative agenda is hidden, why are you Liberals so smart and the only ones who can figure it out? Canada is lucky to have a party that can figure these things out. For example, Dion uncovered Harper's secret plot to sell Canadian water to the US and Mexico. Everyone believes it now, even David Orchard!

Scotian said...

The agenda is not so much hidden as it is unspoken these days. After all, the basic hidden agenda concept is referring to the positions Harper and his coterie took for many years in the public arena that after his defeat in 2004 openly campaigning on them were suddenly not to be spoken of, yet not repudiated while claiming to suddenly believe in the more moderate mainstream concepts they were violently opposed to previously. Now, a political leader that changes core positions without explaining why his old positions were wrong and the new ones are right is someone that cannot be trusted to have actually changed positions at all and instead is simply pretending so as to get votes to get majority power. This is also entirely in keeping with Harper's Straussian political beliefs, seeing as the noble lie is central to Straussian politics.

So call it the unspoken agenda and quote older Harper statements from prior to the 2005 "epiphanies" (as Steve V once tagged them as) that conflict with his current positions/actions and demand he explain why he was wrong then and not now, and how if he was so wrong then he can be trusted to be right/correct now, for it is being hidden by not speaking of it or to it, yet Harper has never repudiated any of his past positions even when they conflict drastically to what he says and does nowadays.

PS:

I am going to be away again for several days, this is likely my only time online during that period, so I will not be able to respond until next week in all likelihood to any comments left. Have a good weekend all...

Anonymous said...

I do look at the pictures carefully out of habit. What is that "international Ass" on the right of Mr. Harper :) Is someone giving a message? :)

Anonymous said...

If people don't get it after Flanigan pointed out how Harper has "CONNED" Canadians - we are in trouble.

burlivespipe said...

Yep, aononymoos is right -- its right on p. 15 of the CON agenda handbook, "Guarantee that Income Trusts will be protected, and on Halloween tax them to hell." And on p. 21 - "Remember, friends in high places are wonderful for handling the heavy work, so on your first day in office, appoint an unelected senator to the cabinet and give him something important to do, like dole out money to Quebec."
Here, on p. 25, is a doozy: "Remember that 'so-called' greenhouse gases don't vote; but their wild-eyed enemies do. After great delay, make like you've discovered the polio vaccine and then, delay!"

I'm in complete agreement Knb; the prime focus of the CONs has been to get us Liberals belly-gazing, especially since all their boutique gifts and minor cuts have not won over the masses.
We've got to sharpen our knives and come up with a better means of communicating our message. I have one possible commercial idea that could address just that in my recent post at
www.canadianrosebud.blogspot.com

Karen said...

Scotian: Now, a political leader that changes core positions without explaining why his old positions were wrong and the new ones are right is someone that cannot be trusted to have actually changed positions at all

Excellent! Unspoken Agenda is a better term, but we must make it catchy. Open an ad with "What they don't say...", "The sin of ommission...", lol. I jest with those lines as I'm obviously not in marketing nor advertising, but the fact remains that getting the point out must be provocative and easily digested.

Karen said...

mushroom, lol.

ledaro, he needs no help.

Anon @11:41, astonishing isn't it?

Burl..., indeed that could work. Quite seamlessly I think. Indeed, I think we could even use old stock, (save money) and just modify them slightly. Perhaps start with, "Were we wrong?"

Or perhaps we just use truth. This is an attempt at getting through to the public. I think most homemade youtube attempts are not ready for prime time, however, taken as a collective, there are some nuggets in there.

The Mound of Sound said...

My Lord,KNB, you're biting back with fangs bared! Good for you. I love it. By the way, thanks for the "gut" photo of Harpo. I'm battling that same, self-inflicted disorder - but I had an extra 20-years to get there. Love your stuff.

Karen said...

Thanks MoS. I confess there are days when I just can't hold back, :).