Friday, October 05, 2007

Whirling Dervish or the Conservatives?

Good grief. The con's would make this person's head spin, given a chance.

Many columnists spilled a lot of ink today, dissecting the strategy that Harper has put forward while holding court the other day at the National Press Gallery. That of course, would be engineering the fall of his government. Almost all that I've read and all that I've heard, are clear on that one point. Oh, I take that back, the less than "in depth" gossip columnist, Jane Taber, thought Harper was brilliant. Dear lord, how did that woman get to where she is?

In spite of all of this, Geoff Norquay, Bill Pistanski and good old Tim Powers, continue to tell Canadians that Con's have no intention of going to an election. (Go to the right to listen to clips of their blather.) Honestly, how stupid do they think Canadians are? Very apparently and imo they are doing the party more damage than good. I can't say that I'm sorry about that, but that this level of arrogance (oh, I know that's a noun that applies to many a politician), but Harper and Co. have brought it to a new level.
It's time to focus on that and bring it to bear. Our country is not served by this, we are not served by this. Parliament is nothing more than brinkmanship now. Fun I suppose for wonks, but imo, not so great for the country.
Don Martin on Politics this evening, said that Baird is signing his riding office lease tomorrow. If indeed, this government is chomping at the bit for an election and if they do insert lines that make that inevitable in the Throne Speech, they risk back lash. Ontario will indeed be tired, as this has been a brutal race, (looking like another Lib majority at the moment), Newfoundland and potentially Sask. Who on earth, from voters to workers on the ground, is going to be up for that? Alberta is a mess at the moment, that is not to say that they'd reverse federally, but confronting a fatigued nation with the same old, same old...(tough on crime, cut taxes, tough on crime, more tax cuts), it just will not cut it.
That said, people may be ticked just enough, to say, you know what, you said you'd deal with Health care, you said you'd bring day care spaces forth, you didn't promise anything on climate change....you lived up to that.
I don't know how Canadians will vote, but if the polls are worth anything, they are worthy of noticing that Harper has not fared well.

The one smart voice I heard this evening was Susan Delacourt. She, on Politics said, (go to to 53:40 in the brawaaaaadcast), I don't want to be a dupe for this government. Hallelujah! Someone ahead of the very negative curve that we've witnessed in the US. My hope is that her "table mates" heard her plea. I'm not sure they did, but I'll give Martin his due. His column today was balanced and in fact, I think he's getting better. Experience means something and I think he's seeing the inexperience of the party he supports. I do not agree with the man most of the time, but boy, can he write.
That will be another post...Coderre and Afghanistan.

5 comments:

lance said...

"Dear lord, how did that woman get to where she is?"

By working the Hill for 21 years.

Steve V said...

"Parliament is nothing more than brinkmanship now. Fun I suppose for wonks, but imo, not so great for the country."

The point was made, on the same roundtable with Delacourt, I think Russo, that the throne speech should really be focused on the direction of the country, but Harper is hijacking that vision with his fish or cut bait angle. Someone needs to remind Canadians that Parliament hasn't sat for four months, and now all we get is pure posturing, with no intention of doing honest work. Is this good government?

lance

Taber is THE worst, especially on QP, with her embarrassing, often juvenile and gossipy lines of questions. Surely we can do better in this country.


Knb, Coderre indeed :)

Karen said...

Steve: Knb, Coderre indeed :)

It's a watcher isn't it? Tomorrow maybe. I suspect we're going to get reports.

Does Coderre love the media? Well, the answer would be...is the earth round? Throw to Stockwell Day.

I'll give it a day or two. Coderre is doing what no con has done.

lance said...

Steve, you might question her reporting, that's _completely_ fair. I tend not to disagree. Hot and not? What is politics, the Oscar's?

That's not the point.

She has immense experience, numerous contacts and a history longer that CBC's Hill reporter.

What she presents is what she thinks viewers want, not necessarily what the goods are.

Cheers,
lance

lance said...

That 'fish or cut bait' angle is _the_ talking point.

Reminds me of 'jellybeans'.

Reminds me of 'seducing anyone . . . even my wife'

What exactly was the last memorable Dion quote? I seem to forget.

Charisma, Steve, charisma.

Cheers,
lance