Tuesday, July 22, 2008

I Know I Promised, but You Know...

Didn't Harper promise all his devoted fans that federal spending would not exceed the rate of inflation? In fact I think he said the rate of inflation and/or population growth.
Well, that obviously hasn't worked out very well has it?
This man who claims to be devoted to integrity and accountability, isn't of course, but his devotees continue to genuflect at his altar in spite of all the evidence that contradicts their claims.
According to news stories, the federal government has announced some $3-billion in spending priorities since Parliament recessed for the summer less than a month ago. That is roughly $100-million a day or more than $4-million every hour. Weren't the Conservatives elected to root-out waste in government and spend tax dollars judiciously?
...The Conservatives have controlled the government purse strings since early 2006; After their first two years, Ottawa had grown another 14.8%. This is higher than Mr. Martin's appalling record.
Poor John Williamson. He like many others I presume, believed Harper when he made pre-election promises. Income Trust investor's come to mind. I do wonder just how many Progressive Conservatives have opened their eyes to the fact that Harper is not their father's Conservative?
In fact, it is no contest between the Harper government's spending and that of Mr. Chretien's government; the Grits exercised greater fiscal discipline.
Ouch! But he's correct of course. Now, I'm not exactly a Williamson fan, because his parameters for spending are far more narrow than mine, but that this Conservative government is spending at a higher rate than the Lib's, primarily to buy votes, really is something to behold.
I wonder how long it will take for people to realise that Harper only wants a majority, at any cost. Yes, I know, most Canadian politicians want a majority, but few go against just about everything they have previously claimed to achieve one.
Where do you think former PC, or perhaps I should say fiscally conservative voters will park their vote during the next election?

12 comments:

Omar said...

Yet poll after poll we are informed that Canadians believe the Conservatives to be the sounder choice as far as the fiscal management of the country is concerned. Go figure.

ottlib said...

"I wonder how long it will take for people to realise that Harper only wants a majority, at any cost."

I think most Conservatives who are at least honest with themselves are really setting their sights on just winning the next election. Because the notion of the Conservatives being out of power (I refuse to say governing) beyond it is increasingly becoming a possibility.

Anonymous said...

Yet poll after poll we are informed that Canadians believe the Conservatives to be the sounder choice as far as the fiscal management of the country is concerned. Go figure.
Canadians are idiots?


Does it not make you appreciate Paul Martin more?

Karen said...

I'm not trusting the polls omar.

I hear you, but I'm not convinced that they mix up their sample.

Any Canadian who thinks that Conservatives have done better with the country's finances hasn't studied history.

It's an American talking point, and even there it's false. Bush surely has proven that.

How it becomes an urban legend is beyond me.

Karen said...

Hanging on by disingenuous threads ottlib. That's what they are doing.

Karen said...

c_wtf. I appreciate Martin for some initiatives, he faltered on others, but there is no flipping comparison to the arrogance that Harper has demonstrated. None.

Ryan said...

Hmmm. Which party of the big two is more economically conservative?

I guess that's a good question voters could ask next election. I mean, if they don't want to vote for fiscal conservativism, wherever can they turn? Hmmm...

Omar said...

Take it from me, Ryan, they ain't gonna turn to the NDP.

I liked Paul Martin as PM. I particularly liked how he easily wore his sensitivity on his sleeve. That was very refreshing.

Karen said...

Lol Ryan. I admire your optimism but Omar is right. Disaffected fiscal Conservatives are not going to go to the NDP I'm afraid.

Ryan said...

I guess you didn't understand what I wrote.

If you don't like fiscal conservativism, you know not who to vote for at least.

And the only thing Paul Martin wore on his sleeve was probably a nice gold rolex engraved with "CSL Limited."

Ryan said...

I guess you didn't understand what I wrote.

If you don't like fiscal conservativism, you know not who to vote for at least.

And the only thing Paul Martin wore on his sleeve was probably a nice gold rolex engraved with "CSL Limited."

Omar said...

And I don't think you understood what I wrote.

I very much admired the sensitive side of Paul Martin's personality. He appeared easily moved to tears. The two times I recall most were when he was presented with the Canadian flag that flew half-mast over Parliament Hill when his father died and when he was speaking with reporters regarding his meeting with the grieving parents of a soldier killed in Afghanistan. His barely audible sentences in both cases were enough to convince me that somewhere inside the usually austere and stuffy suit jacket of a sitting prime minister beat the heart of someone with true emotion. Something I don't believe can even be remotely said about Stephen Harper.