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theweaselkingRalph Goodale points out the obvious: That the CPC platform will run a $30 bln deficit.
Meanwhile, Harper announces ANOTHER tax break on rich people.
Speaking of Harper, don't forget: He thinks Canadian troops should be fighting in Iraq right now. He's argued that no money should be given to the provincial government of Quebec for any programs unless a written guarantee to not attempt to secede is given. He's stated outright that he wants to use the Notwithstanding clause to strip the right to vote from people he doesn't think should have it, like people convicted of a crime. Members of his party openly demand legally-mandated third-party religious counselling from proven liars before abortions, removal of hate-crime protection from homosexuals, prosecution of abortion doctors as "terrorists", and the use of the Notwithstanding Clause to take away the rights of Canadians. None of the authors of these opinions have been punished or censured. They're all still running in this election, they're just carefully and POINTEDLY keeping their mouths shut.
Of course, that hasn't stopped Rondo Thomas from demanding a "war between righteousness and immorality" over gay marriage this time around, and Rob "Nelson Mandela is a terrorist" Anders and the other stormfront.org subscribers are going to extremes to duck the questions and not answer the concerns of their potential constituents.
The reason? Myron Thompson puts it best: "For now, we've got to do what we've got to do to get elected," - and what they have to do to get elected in Canada is lie about their positions, opinions, and goals, until they're in a position where the majority of their constituents don't matter any more until the next election, and they can hopefully pull a Republican-style gerrymandering-and-vote-fraud scheme to fix that, too.
About the same-sex marriage thing: Harper's very first promise was a "free vote" to ban same-sex marriage. After that, it's been dropped, but his Religious Reich supporters aren't fazed: "They have to talk this way to get elected," says Link Byfield, chairman of the Citizens Centre for Freedom and Democracy. "We do recognize that he is running for prime minister," says Charles McVety of the Defend Marriage Coalition. "We need to be able to win the hearts and minds of the majority of individuals," and "I think we could go ahead and do a lot of things that would not be attractive to most people," says Hermina Dykxhoorn, president of the Alberta Federation of Women United for Families.
Just remember. The CPC are *still* the loony-religious white-supremacist Reform party. They're the ones who *still* think that gays shouldn't have rights or legal protections, that a woman's rights are not important, that the explicit freedom of religion granted to all Canadians really should apply only to their brand of Christianity, and that people who disagree with them shouldn't be allowed to vote.
I realise that most of my readers are the choir for this particular sermon. Still. Pass it along, and call up your local CPC Candidate and demand a straight answer, on the record, on these issues. While you're at it, you should do the same for the Lib and NDP candidates, too - but at least their party platform isn't based on the idea that some people don't get rights.
Meanwhile, Harper claims that a vote for him is one for "national unity"
Meanwhile, Harper announces ANOTHER tax break on rich people.
Speaking of Harper, don't forget: He thinks Canadian troops should be fighting in Iraq right now. He's argued that no money should be given to the provincial government of Quebec for any programs unless a written guarantee to not attempt to secede is given. He's stated outright that he wants to use the Notwithstanding clause to strip the right to vote from people he doesn't think should have it, like people convicted of a crime. Members of his party openly demand legally-mandated third-party religious counselling from proven liars before abortions, removal of hate-crime protection from homosexuals, prosecution of abortion doctors as "terrorists", and the use of the Notwithstanding Clause to take away the rights of Canadians. None of the authors of these opinions have been punished or censured. They're all still running in this election, they're just carefully and POINTEDLY keeping their mouths shut.
Of course, that hasn't stopped Rondo Thomas from demanding a "war between righteousness and immorality" over gay marriage this time around, and Rob "Nelson Mandela is a terrorist" Anders and the other stormfront.org subscribers are going to extremes to duck the questions and not answer the concerns of their potential constituents.
The reason? Myron Thompson puts it best: "For now, we've got to do what we've got to do to get elected," - and what they have to do to get elected in Canada is lie about their positions, opinions, and goals, until they're in a position where the majority of their constituents don't matter any more until the next election, and they can hopefully pull a Republican-style gerrymandering-and-vote-fraud scheme to fix that, too.
About the same-sex marriage thing: Harper's very first promise was a "free vote" to ban same-sex marriage. After that, it's been dropped, but his Religious Reich supporters aren't fazed: "They have to talk this way to get elected," says Link Byfield, chairman of the Citizens Centre for Freedom and Democracy. "We do recognize that he is running for prime minister," says Charles McVety of the Defend Marriage Coalition. "We need to be able to win the hearts and minds of the majority of individuals," and "I think we could go ahead and do a lot of things that would not be attractive to most people," says Hermina Dykxhoorn, president of the Alberta Federation of Women United for Families.
Just remember. The CPC are *still* the loony-religious white-supremacist Reform party. They're the ones who *still* think that gays shouldn't have rights or legal protections, that a woman's rights are not important, that the explicit freedom of religion granted to all Canadians really should apply only to their brand of Christianity, and that people who disagree with them shouldn't be allowed to vote.
I realise that most of my readers are the choir for this particular sermon. Still. Pass it along, and call up your local CPC Candidate and demand a straight answer, on the record, on these issues. While you're at it, you should do the same for the Lib and NDP candidates, too - but at least their party platform isn't based on the idea that some people don't get rights.
Meanwhile, Harper claims that a vote for him is one for "national unity"
(no subject)
Date: 2006-01-15 03:08 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-01-15 03:15 pm (UTC)My take on it is that the current most likely result is a minority CPC government, resulting in 3-5 years of not-bad-not-great economic policies, and a whole lot of one of two things on social policies: Either they'll keep their promises, use the Notwithstanding Clause, and get their asses kicked to hell and back in the polls and then in the next election, or they'll break their promises on social matters, which makes me happy.
The fact that I think they *can't* accomplish their goals doesn't make me any happier about what those goals *are*.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-01-15 04:02 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-01-15 05:14 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-01-15 09:05 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-01-15 05:49 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-01-15 06:59 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-01-15 07:43 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-01-16 02:25 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-01-16 03:31 am (UTC)