Something is bothering me. Over the course of the recent election campaign, I was disenchanted with Liberal Party strategy and my instincts told me that the Green Shift policy was a political time bomb and it's introduction was in effect, going to hand the election to the CPC. It seemed to me that any politically astute person should see that. It certainly appears that my instincts were correct. Couple this with the difficulties of selling Mr. Dion, and a united Right and I could see no chance for Liberals to form a government.
As I searched for a place to hang my ideological hat, I perused Green Party sites looking for a venue similar to Garth.ca where open exchange was taking place. I did not find such a thing, but was informed that only Green Party members were allowed to post on the blogs. I wasn't very impressed and this in itself was enough to keep me from buying a membership in their party, even though I agree with many of their policies and overall outlook. The fact that I didn't receive a response to an email I sent to Elizabeth May didn't help either.
I can't find any comfort zone with the NDP, as Jack Laytons style, ideas and methods are inconsistent and seem to lack realistic basis and are opportunistic. So that pretty much leaves them at the gate in my mind.
The CPC have of course developed a working machine that outright destroys independent positions and that is no place for a free thinker. Which brings me back to my main point of silencing the voices of dissent.
I came up with a small list of campaign cuties a while back when Comrade Herb asked for a slogan that could be used against the CPC in the near future. I came up with a number of them, but the one I think I like best is this;
"The Group of One". Very Canadian, don't you think?
But there was something else nagging at the back of my mind. This was around the time of Ignatieff's rise to the Liberal throne and I was having some difficulty reconciling in my mind that there was a great difference here between the two entities. So I also came up with a gem for them;
"Lefibrillators". Heh Heh. Me make much mischief. The essence of the thought was related to injecting some juice into a dying entity and of course a reference to acknowledgment of past sins.
In recent days there has been much discussion about the Liberal Party moving to the right under Mr. Ignatieff's camps guidance. Many previously dissenting voices have shuffled about and some are calling themselves such things as "disaffected Liberal". The situation in Gaza seems to have ripped open a hole in the tenuous mesh that was holding the left and right camps together under the big tent and having read many sources of differing opinions on this recently, I am rather perplexed. I have a sense that dissenting voices are not welcome, and there is no willingness to hear them either.
Something I have tried to convey to the Liberal establishment whenever an opportunity arose was the concept that like many others, I don't owe them my allegiance or my vote. They have to earn it.
What say you Comrades?
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Congrats on your new site, I hope more people follow you here. I am surprised that the folks from Turner haven't been here yet, but then again, on his new site it's business as usual...I'm still confused by the long teary goodbyes..
ReplyDeleteAnyway, yes it is hard to find a party that fits your every need. No one party can offer it all, but they do have policy conventions (except the LP) that the majority do vote on what direction the party will take on all issues and concerns. Sometimes our individual ideals fall out of the majority. So, you have to look at the party policies over all and try to choose one party that you can most likely support. For example, I disagree personally with Free Trade as it stands today and that falls out of step with the CPC...BUT...I strongly support the party policy on almost every other aspect. I can voice my concern with Free Trade, and have often (and no my membership was not revoked).
You can go strictly as an independent, but isn't it better to stay inside and stand outside looking in? You stand a better chance working within to make small changes as we go forward from the inside inho. L
Hi L. Welcome aboard.
ReplyDeleteI'm not expecting quick success in this little venture, nor am I exactly sure how to measure success at this point. I haven't figured out how to install the code for a hit counter to date, so I can't see how many visitors are coming. Those who followed Garth's political/events blog will come if they feel comfortable and feel the site is interesting to them. That is what I expect in that area. A number of the Comrades have voiced their support and are visiting/contributing, so I am pleased with that.
I'm hoping that having an opportunity to create their own threads based on interests, will be appealing as I don't really want to operate the site as my personal pulpit. I have my opinions, some good, some not so good, but I can't learn when I'm doing all the talking/writing.
Garth is now focusing on his financial site and the new Xurbia site. I don't think those offerings are conducive to a wide variety of topics, so I don't intend to post unrelated items to those blogs.
As to the post above, and political affiliations etc., being inside and having a voice is useful and pertinent, but being a square peg can also have it's advantages. It maintains objectivity and allows a person to see a good idea for what it is, regardless of who it comes from. I believe that there are a lot of Canadians who appreciate opinions and analysis from sources they can feel are unbiased. I also think that partisans love the challenge of trying to sway the opinions of those who are unbiased. And so they should. That is when some of their best arguments emerge.
"L" for Leasa,
ReplyDeletebefore I say welcome, could we reach an understanding? You be a little less partisan, and I won't beat up on you as much.
Now, welcome. You should be the right-stick influence to keep keep us straight.
Leasa, shortly after writing my reply something went plink. It was connected to your comment of business as usual. If we are on the same wavelength, then I thought that too.
ReplyDeleteIt's a bitch being homeless in the political landscape of Canada, but realistically, it's the only way to be. I cannot see supporting a political party that represents only its own drive to power or the interests of a limited constituency.
ReplyDeleteThe purpose of politics should be the welfare of the body politic. The objective is the common good, and the only difference between parties should be a difference of opinion on how to get there. So why are we messing with parties that work for other aims and vie for power only to push particular interests?
Until we get a political party that proves that it will work only for the common good under the circumstances of each case rather than for its own benefit or that of any particular group, we can only chose the lesser evil to spoil the machinations of the greater.
The CPC are a disgrace to be erased due to their actions, methods and performance. I don't know what the Liberals are - and neither does anyone else until their leadership and policies emerge from their ongoing muddle. They may be optimistic about Ignatieff, but they also were optimistic about Dion, and we know how that turned out.
The NDP seem to have the greatest veneration for the common good (or at least the common people), but they will have to sharpen their focus and soften Layton to become credible. As to the Greens, environmental motherhood does not equal environmental protection, and they have no chance at any realistic role in the near future. The economy collapsed before the environment, so the former is the crisis of concern.
Depressing, isn't it. So all we can do is avoid being kept in the dark, refuse to buy mis- or disinformation, and keep governments on a short electoral leash. It's that, or let the parties elected to govern run amok until Rope/Pappavox has convinced 18 million Canadian voters to do it his way.
'the Green Shift policy was a political time bomb and it's introduction was in effect'
ReplyDeleteThat's too bad that it was thought that way. People who read it and understood what it was about liked the idea. I think poor M. Dion was doomed from the get go. Didn't help that msm were going on about not understanding it. Whatever. Took me a whole 5 minutes to explain it to my Mum who has a limited amount of formal education.
I'm sensing discontent in the Liberal camp. I suspect all those 'leaks' were coming from the Iggy camp because guess what folks? No more leaks. The party would never have any peace if Iggy didn't get to be leader. Give them the rope and let's see how long before they hang themselves. And they will hang themselves.
I've been keeping up on CanadianCynic. They posted a link to new lib log that just started up. CanadianCynic can be a little too left but sometimes they are bang on.
The misinformation boggles my mind.
Dee
ReplyDeleteMy thinking was more the aspects of whether the concept was salable and how easy it was for the CPC to attack it. As soon as Garth laid it out, I knew the CPC would cry TAX TAX TAX, and that this is all that most of the electorate would ever need to hear. I wrote that on his blog a number of times, but my opin was just another noise from the twilight zone.
Interesting thoughts on the leaks. I hadn't thought about that.
'I knew the CPC would cry TAX TAX TAX'
ReplyDeleteI guess if you repeat something enough times people will believe it. Dion isn't a used car salesman if he were he may have been able to convince people of the added value. Gotta give Garth for trying to stick through it. Couldn't have been easy, that's for sure.
I noticed the leaks had stopped as soon as Iggy took leadership. The leaks would have continued if Rae hadn't stepped aside, imho. Rae does smell a lot prettier doesn't he?
Not only did Dion have to contend with ridicule from the Conservatives but also from within his own party. So much for grass roots democracy eh?
"Rae does smell a lot prettier doesn't he?" ..Dee
ReplyDeleteNow that you mention it. Not that I was enamored by the choice, but if I'd have been in a position where I needed to choose, I likely would have leaned toward Rae.
In keeping with the used car salesman thoughts though, the thing is this. Having been one of those at times, plus other sales oriented background, I have something of a sense for what you can sell, what you can't and which big shiny boat to steer the eager starry eyed customer toward first. That said, Ignatieff will be far easier to sell to voters than Rae in my opinion. Similarly to the Green Shift, the CPC can attack Rae from an ideological standpoint as the differences between the two entities and their politics allows for that. Ignatieff on the other hand, not so much. As time goes by, he is looking to be so close in many ways that this is greatly reducing the areas where the CPC can mount another simplistic attack campaign. One that will have significant appeal to the voter from the burbs, misc. rednecks and folks who only read the headlines. And they can't take swipes at his command of English either.
As some of the many faces of Harry loved to point out, Ignatieff's weak spots are not areas that the CPC differ from significantly so no cannon fodder there.
Hi Herb! Me, partisan? Really? LOL I wish I had more time for participating in these boards...I find them really interesting and (as you know) love a good debate.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Dee...The Greenshift and understanding it. The farm community here in my area actually had a certified accountant go over all the available numbers within the G.S. It would have cost my operation over an extra $10K a year. Where would that cost be absorbed? If I truly believed that the CC market was in actuality to help the planet, I would have considered it as an option. With the CC market already worth over $50 billion before full participation of the globe...some people really would profit personally in the billions of dollars once countries like Canada became full partners. Kyoto...Green Shift...nuh, uh. Now, slowly, ever so slowly the scientific community is once again talking global cooling... Take my words with a grain so salt, but that is my opinion and I am a proud steward of the environment.
As for Mr. Dion. I have to tell you, I truly felt sorry for the guy. The LP in my opinion, stole his dignity and literally destroyed the man by not allowing him to stay until a spring convention. It is true, Liberals eat their own.
Anyway, nice reading you all, now, back to work... :(
'It would have cost my operation over an extra $10K a year.'
ReplyDeleteYour 'certified accountant' used GAAP and present day tax codes. That all would have been revamped and you know it.
The farming community is slowing dying. Kids aren't interested in taking over operations. R.I.P.
A friend of mine builds computers as a hobby. One of his distributors in the U.K. sent him the older version of The Shift. This one is the latest one:
ReplyDeletehttp://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=jpEnFwiqdx8&feature=related
Now if you still don't 'get' what the Libs were trying to sell then I suggest you pray that your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren don't hold it against you for what is about to happen and what type of life or legacy you will be leaving behind for them.
We are living in a day and age where speed of things 'happening' are hitting us so fast, so fast. The U.S. economy is a perfect example. And as time progresses it will get faster.
Dion, a handful of Libs and the economists understood.
This is the last time I will ever mention the Green Shift. But I hope it explains to those of you who never 'got it' why I supported the plan. Needed tweaking, I won't argue with you there.
We needed to give ourselves and future generations the tools to keep up for what is to come.
Comrade? Could you count this as one of my contribution? As my doom and gloom type entry?
ReplyDeleteFor posterity?
Dee @3:17 a.m.
ReplyDeleteHi Dee. I will post it tomorrow. All submissions are appreciated and if you want to do one on the Green Shift/Carbon tax issue, please do. My views were more focused on whether it was a wise political move,but that is separate from the value of the concept.
You do know it really wasn't all about the environment don't you? Check out the vid.
ReplyDeleteI was paying attention to the 'plan'. I sticking to my word about not mentioning it anymore. Also, makes me feel wistful for what might of have been.