Sunday, July 05, 2009

Another Day, Another Swipe at Democracy?



So another day goes by and we have yet another story of the government playing with procedures. Something tells me that the Dirty Tricks manual that was talked about last year was far more extensive than just how to filibuster at committee.

In fact, the more I read about what has gone on, scrubbing websites, forbidding specific language and terms, etc, the more I think an inordinate amount of time has been spent on how to dismantle, disrupt and destroy everything that was put in place, not just by the Liberals, but a succession of governments.

So what are they up to now? Disrupting the process by which private members bills come to the House.

Specifically, they seem to be hijacking the process by which a sponsor for a bill coming from the upper house goes to the Commons.

When Liberal Senator Dennis Dawson introduced a private-member's bill this spring, it was instantly denounced by the governing Conservatives as an "unCanadian" and anti-democratic assault on free speech.


So he was taken aback to discover a few weeks later that a Conservative MP had volunteered to sponsor his bill once it makes its way to the House of Commons.


Cute huh? The Conservatives run in and sponsor a bill they are opposed to so that they can control it's destiny.

Normally, the author of a Senate private-members' bill arranges to have a sympathetic MP sponsor it once it clears the upper house and arrives in the Commons. The sponsor informs the clerk's office that he or she will take responsibility for shepherding the bill through the Commons.

But last month, Tory MPs began rushing to the clerk's office to sponsor bills almost the moment they were tabled in the upper house, whether or not they actually supported the bills and without waiting to see if they'd actually ever make it to the Commons.


So much for democracy folks. This bloody government simply laughs in the face of convention, fair play and yes democracy, and has no qualms about it apparently. Gawd help me if they don't resemble other 'thug' governments. No, I won't make the comparisons, but each and every person in this country should know exactly how little the Conservatives actually care about them and the country's future.

Why these stories are breaking in the summer, when even fewer than usual people are paying attention, is beyond me. And of course, these are the things that are tough to bring up during an election aren't they? I mean, we're dealing with arcane stuff here that certainly can't be put into a 'sound bite'.

You know, aside from all of this undemocratic damage they are doing, it's galling to think that they have any support at all. I mean really...what are they offering the country? There is no vision there. Lower taxes and pretending to be tough on crime does not lead a country into the future. Nasty attack ads targeted at people, not ideas, isn't exactly inspiring stuff.

What is it that the Conservative followers see in this party? I know they have lusted for power for a very long time, but how can that justify standing up for thugs?

It's not tough to see why Conservatives on line support Harper. He has provided them with the perfect opening to finally come out and display their own brand of thuggery, bias and intolerance. But what about the support he receives from more mainstream Conservatives? Aren't they bothered by what they see?

No more polls on whether or not Canadians want an election. Will some polling firm please have the courage to ask about real issues taking place, right now? Because the question isn't, do you want one. The question is, knowing that the Conservative government is doing, x, y, z, which goes against everything Canada stands for...does the country need an election?

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's more a swipe at adulthood, isn't it?

Karen said...

That too.

Anonymous said...

Get over it, the Libtards are not the government.

Anonymous said...

Reformatories have never had any respect for democracy or for democratic institutions. Remember who Reformatories hold up as thier shining beacons or idols: Richard Nixon, Hitler, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and the like.

Cari said...

As for fascist. I would not call Bush that, but I would call Harper that. The people who vote for the Alliance, Reform , Cons cannot know what they are voting for. Some people ae very uneducated in politics.

Cari said...

Very interesting blog... well done as always ....I cannot see straight..error in the last letter We had be visiting relatives to- day , and on the way back , it was pouring rain and the sun was starting to set, it was exceedingly bright, no one could see..it was awful...bothered my eyes.

Anonymous said...

You're on a great roll - bravo! ;).

This is a bit off-topic, but I thought of you when I saw this. I think I have a new hero . . .

http://community.adn.com/mini_apps/vmix/player.php?ID=4935037&GID=118/

penlan said...

"Why these stories are breaking in the summer, when even fewer than usual people are paying attention, is beyond me."

That is precisely why these stories are breaking now - because no one is paying attention. Harper & Cons do a lot of things they shouldn't be doing when Parliament is not in session. That way it goes, for the most part, under the radar. This is serious stuff - the way they do things, surreptiously & secretively, as they continue the erosion of our democracy & the way Parliament is supposed to work.

If this so-called Govt. isn't brought down in the Fall, or VERY soon thereafter, I will give up on the Libs & Ignatieff. For the sake of this country & all of it's freedoms we just can't wait too much longer.

RuralSandi said...

Someone should challenge Nanos to ask the "really" important questions instead of the silly leader points, etc.

You know, the right wing voters have Harper in the palm of their hands and don't even know it - they could demand Harper clean up his act or no votes - they don't see it. They just want power at any cost.

If they used their power, the right winger could look like heros to Canadians, but they haven't got the guts.

Anonymous said...

Good morning all. Sorry anon again. My computer keeps erasing my passwords on a daily basis and won't accept the old ones. For anon: Get over it, the Libtards are not the government. Anon, the Harper government is not the friendly party you seem to think they are. They are out to screw Canadians and that includes you too. I think you had better start paying attention because the alternatives will not be nice. I agree KNB, we need an election this year, right now would be better and get those SOB's tossed out to never-land. We really need to be bombarding the media with letters. This government are not their friends either. Sad.

Karen said...

Cari, I hope your eyes are better now.

Karen said...

Thanks for that Joseph. She's been a target before hasn't she?

Ha! I'm just waiting for Palin's next move.

Karen said...

Glad to see that there is a bit of an appetite here for an election.

It's only July, so we'll have to be patient, ;)

Anonymous said...

Anon at 9:25, smoke some more of whatever you're smoking,just another in a long line of idiot Libtard sheeple.

Anonymous said...

Liberals are cowards, Iggy is a coward, you're all about as f#*!ed up as human beings can get.

Karen said...

I think someone needs to look up the term projection.

On second thought, they still wouldn't get it.

Anonymous said...

Glo-Bull Warmers can put their beliefs where the sun don’t shine, IMHO;

Our reconstruction shows that the frequency of droughts in Alberta during the period of instrumental records, about the last 100 yr, has not been appreciably different from conditions of the preceding four centuries. In addition, the most severe drought of this century, which led to widespread farm abandonment between 1918 and 1922, was not the most severe drought in the past 487 yr.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WPN-45R8B59-16&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=949714621&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=21e4549c48af216bae543becf55ed7b8

Glo-Bull Warming my eye and you Libtard sheeple swallow it all hook, line and sinker. Have you ever noticed a little orange ball called the sun. Idiot's, all of you.

Anonymous said...

KNB there is no help for delusional psychotics that are Liberals.

Keep taking your meds and drinking that Kool Aid.

Karen said...

You really have no idea how ridiculous you are do you?

Climate change denier to boot! lol

Are you into the 9/11 conspiracy too?

Come back when you have something worthwhile to add. Until then...

Gawd, this is who votes for Harper. Steve must be proud!

Anonymous said...

You're a typical sheeple KNB, preferring fairy tales, lollipops and unicorns rather than reality, but that's what makes you a true Liberal sheeple.

penlan said...

Wow. Unbelievable that this/these Anon Con trolls are so ignorant. You're right, knb, these are the people who vote for Harper & gang. What terrible representatives of the conservative brand. Real Conservatives, of the Progressive kind, must be absolutely ashamed to be lumped in with these uneducated ignoramuses.

Anonymous said...

Penlan, go back in the closet where you belong.

Karen said...

anon...either get a grip or you are gone. Yeah, I don't do this often, if ever, but if you keep this crap up, I'll delete you.

Get a frickin blog man..join the BT's..I promise people will disagree with you and you can vent there.

Here? You offer nothing. Nada. Actually, if I said Neda instead of nada..would you even get it? I doubt it.

Most of us gave up pablum many years ago. You apparently are still being weaned.

penlan said...

"Penlan, go back in the closet where you belong."

Actually I think I accidentally got into the closet where you reside. Time for me to get out of it now. Enjoy your time alone there again.