What Better Story For the National Media?

What better story could there possibly be for the national media - even the handful who are ACTUALLY journalists - than the Shakespearian tragedy working it's way through Ottawa as we speak-eth?

Let's see if we have all the components:

1) Tragic "hero" comes to town, and is much disliked by the people (perhaps mistrust is the key word...

2) Old King errs/falters, and young tragic hero ascends the throne...

3) Jury still out on young tragic hero, as we soon learn, he too has glaring faults... Many of which are the same as the old King...

4) Young tragic hero Harper sleeps with his mother and gouges his own eyes out...

There. You see. Shakespearian tragedy at it's finest.

The hubris of man, etc., etc. Harper and his Reform-a-Tory crew were claiming they would "clean up Ottawa". Instead, they have muddied the waters, fouled the food, and cuckolded Canada...

Gouge your snake-eyes out, oh "great leader"! And get thee to a nunnery!

This script writes itself. If the national media really wants a political "story" that's "new" and different from the garbage they've been shoveling the last few months/years...

VICTORY FUND

How Harper's Ultra-right Religious Views Influnce His Policy

Good discussion over at Scott's Diatribes on Harper's hyper-religious nature impacting all his policy... Thought the issue deserves some more attention, so we'll post our response to the blog here. See Diatribes for more responses on a very good blogpost and discussion - a discussion WE MUST HAVE right now:

We certainly cannot sit back and allow the public to think that some of Harper's wacko right ideas are "okay". By not standing up in Parliament and opposing NeoCon views on human rights, women's and minority rights, immigration, equal marriage, foreign affairs, the environment, and urban issues, and doing it vociferously, we are basically saying "yes, go ahead and move Canada to the right".

The public DOES feel a certain (Centrist) way in Canada, but a whole lot of influence from a government that advertises their views on Canadians' buck, and the relentless nature of it - with no clear dissenting view in Parliament - WILL have the effect Harper and his NeoCon henchmen wish.

The average "Joe Public" will see the only view is the Conservative one (right or wrong). There is enough "dumbing down" in the Conservative message, that makes people without a clue think they'll be helped by them (I've seen people on welfare with Conservative lawn signs - idiotic, yes, but part and parcel of the massive misinformation campaign going on right now. I can tell you that I'm going to eventually kill your funding, bury it on page 1000 of my budget, then pose with your cousin in a Tim's, or in the stands of a hockey game/sporting event, and - voila! - I get your vote.

That's the Harper delusion (over the masses). Don't look at my policy, and how EVERY PART of it specifically impacts you. I'm a "populist". Watch me pose with my Tims (shameless corporate plug by our PM), and believe me (please) when I tell you that I'm a beer and pizza guy... It's a play right out of the US NeoCon movement playbook. False populism.

We need to wake up and do better. We have taken strides with the first step: actually opposing.

We will be taking advantage of our "renewed opposition status", and there is a strong likelihood we will begin to stand up for our moderate liberal ideals on a more regular basis. We can see it in the environment issue. We are seeing it with the Pink Book. Stay tuned for more. We're only just getting started!

VICTORY FUND

"Cheque-Mate"

... Or... "The Emperor Has No Clothes" (which fit him, that is...).

It's all about "Cheque-Scam", isn't it?

Seems to me, the Conservatives were so delusional in their narrow view of Ottawa politics during their years of recent Opposition, that they actually believed what they are doing today (with the cheques, and many other possibly illegal partisan activities) was something the "Liberals were also doing"...

It really strikes me, that I recall - quite clearly - Reformer acquaintances talking about the "Ottawa/Toronto/Ontario Feeding trough", and how it was all about greedy MPs padding their own pockets...

Appears they decided they were "gonna get me some" too...

Good for them.

Only one thing: The Liberal MPs never did anything REMOTELY like this scheme - this "Cheque-Scam" - that seems to be rooted in Harper's Conservative PMO... I mean, c'mon... even the media knows "The Mastermind" has such a firm grip on his caucus (firm grip on his caucus... hahaha...) that NOTHING occurs without his say-so... Isn't that right, all you so-called "journalists" out there? Isn't it time you began using that little piece of paper you received in your 3-5 years (longer for some) in college?

VICTORY FUND

iworkedwithpierre@gmail.com

If someone has evidence of ever seeing Pierre "Little PeePee" Poliv-whatever... work a "normal" job, you are urged to email Rick Mercer at the following email address:

iworkedwithpierre@gmail.com

ROFL...

VICTORY FUND

Harper Deficit Explained

RALPH GOODALE’S REPORT

A weekly commentary by the Member of Parliament for Wascana

For the week beginning October 19^th, 2009

STEPHEN HARPER’S LEGACY OF DEBT

The Harper government passed an embarrassing milestone last week.

After months of denial, the Conservatives finally had to release the audited financial statements of the Government of Canada for last fiscal year (2008/09). They revealed that for the first time in more than a decade, this country fell back into the red by about $6 billion.

Here’s a key point to note: This deficit began BEFORE, not because of, the recession!

These financial statements reflect primarily what was happening BEFORE the recession hit last fall.

They show how the Conservatives wildly increased spending by a whopping 18% between 2006 and 2008. That’s three-times the rate of inflation.

They show how the Conservatives eroded Canada’s tax base, and recklessly eliminated all the “reserves” which had been built into the federal books to protect against sudden nasty downturns

All that happened BEFORE there was any recession.

So when the housing market collapsed in the United States and American banks began to fail last fall – spreading economic contagion around the world – Canada had nothing left to protect itself.

We were forced back into deficit because our financial strength had been squandered through Conservative fiscal tomfoolery when times were still good.

Two key points are clear:

1. If the prudent fiscal policies of previous Liberal governments had stayed in effect in this country after the government changed in 2006, Canada’s deficit today (even with the recession) would be only a fraction of what it is; and

2. With Mr. Harper’s reckless fiscal policies, Canada would have a deficit today no matter what – even if there had been no recession at all.

For the future, his numbers will get worse. Mr. Harper is another $56 billion in the hole this year (2009/10), and his total legacy of debt will balloon to more than $170 billion.

VICTORY FUND

Tim Flannery: "Canada's Just Not There"

"Canada is the problem".

World-renouned climate change expert (some say the "founder" of the science) Tim Flannery was on "The Hour" tonight (with our boyfriend) talking about Canada's assinine antics at the international table...

Flannery explained how when the Canadian representative spoke at a recent international climate change conference, some members began to show disinterest by reading notes, etc., since Canada (read: The Harper Conservatives) views were SO DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD. He explained how even China and the US are "on board", stating "it used to be China, now it's Canada".

"Fossil Interests seem to be holding Canada hostage on this..."

Meanwhile, today, at the G77 conference in Bangkok, South Africa led a walkout of several dozen nations when Canada's Minister of "Anti-Environment" - Jim Prentice - spoke the anti-environment Conservative view... We all know Prentice: MP from the riding which hosts more Big Oil headquarters than any other riding in Canada...

As always, Harper will try to destroy anything he doesn't like from within... Anything he wants to break, tear down, or privatize. Show it is useless and rotting... that there is "no agreement between parties", etc... : Government, Healthcare, First Nations health, Nuclear regulatory agencies, the Environment, etc., etc., etc....

VICTORY FUND

Just Tell Them All To "F" Off...

We have them right where we want them...

No. Seriously. There is a lot of depth and breadth to Mr. Ignatieff, and we will be getting our story out (with a bit more urgency now). We know we've been holding back... "saving it". Waiting for the 10th round. The "election rhetoric" was just that - rhetoric. We can be pretty sure the NDP was going to back the Reformers... There was no way they couldn't. Now we get to spend many weeks/months defining ourselves by the very task of OPPOSING the Cons. It's a good place to be.

Glad to see our party hold together, and continue to focus on the battle at hand. We will ensure that we give no quarter, and back from no challenge, when our leader and our party come under attack. A vicious, calculated, and efficient defence is JUST the answer to the recent polls and Conservative attack ads/and recent public mispending for their own PR.

What Ms. Hall-Findlay and Mr. Kennedy are accomplishing in Parliament WILL get people listening... More of us need to echo those words.

One thing we certainly are, is a good team. We are a team united against a "one man show". Let's not forget that.

Remember this: We don't need to "take the high road" anywhere. Politics is politics. Let's not resist "being political". We tried to be nice for a while... and it backfired (and has for 5 years). That doesn't mean we shouldn't pursue "a new politics". We should - if the new politics involves calling the Reform-a-Tories on everything they do. If that new politics involves presenting clearly Liberal ideas that will challenge and encourage Canadians to grow with us through this Conservative Recession...

Eloquent and intellectual as our tough leaders of the past were, backed into at corner they would not hesitate to tell their opponent (or the media) to "fuck off".

Time to roll up our sleeves and be that proud "Big Red Machine" we know we all are. We have the money, and we've assembled quite a team. Let's put it to proper use.

VICTORY FUND

Kudos Michael

Our leader's incredible performance in Parliament today deserves nothing but the highest praise.

Thank you Michael - for giving us a bite that matches our "bark". Change is a-comin', and your speech today was a starting point. Let's continue with this theme of "Liberal vision for Canada" - but let's make sure our MPs and TV ads echo the points and forceful nature of the speech...

Good job today. This is the Michael we need to lead us to victory!

VICTORY FUND

Confidence Vote

Ralph's take on the confidence vote...


SHIFTING THE ONUS IN PARLIAMENT

A “confidence vote” will be held within the next few days in the House of Commons.

This is one of those periodic tests in our Parliamentary system to determine whether an incumbent minority government can continue. The Harper regime will survive because Jack Layton and the NDP will prop them up.

It’s important to review how this came about.

Last December, the Conservatives had to be drug kicking-and-screaming to admit that Canada was in a severe recession, hundreds of thousands of jobs were in jeopardy, and a package of economic stimulus measures was urgently required.

In January, they belatedly tabled what they called a stimulus budget.

We could have defeated them right then. That’s what both the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois voted to do. But the Liberal Official Opposition said “no”. The responsible course was to give the government a chance to implement their plan.

That plan was far from perfect, but it was already six months late and some help for hard-pressed Canadians was better than none at all. So the government was allowed to continue – with the NDP bragging that they voted 79 times to bring them down.

Through the spring and summer, Liberals tracked the Harper government’s performance very carefully. By the end of August, it was clear that Conservative management of such issues as the economy, preparations for the H1N1 flu, and Canada’s supply of medical isotopes for treating cancer was both incompetent and dishonest.

So we withdrew our support. We had given Mr. Harper the benefit of the doubt. But in return, he delivered 480,000 lost jobs, no help for the most vulnerable, an infrastructure scheme riddled with partisanship, the biggest deficit in Canadian history (which began BEFORE the recession), and a $13 billion payroll tax increase.

This, apparently, is what the NDP now stands for.

-- Post From My iPhone

True Leadership Is...

When you (or someone in your team) make an error in judgement or an operational oversight, and you are humble enough to change your decision.

The Cauchon decision is a landmark in the history of our party. Do you recall the last time a leadership team sat with those who disagree with them, and changed a decision of this magnitude, and of such national import?

The grassroots were heard. But more importantly, the ability of a true leader to change a decision based on team feedback is something that distinguishes this true leader from the megalomaniacal ideologue who is the "boss" of the Reform-a-Tory Party. THIS is the true difference the public will see in the upcoming campaign - along with a leader who CAN be tough and hit back if and when necessary.

Michael Ignatieff showed the leadership that will coalesce a movement which will eventually "bring to justice" the rogue Harper regime.

Can't wait to see the books opened up...

VICTORY FUND

Shameless Corporate Plug

So our "Homer-esque" PM wants to shamelessly plug Canada's number one heart-attack provider? Instead of being at the UN (where he was supposed to be), Harper would rather flog a commercial product. While other PMs grew Canada's industry and job creation, supporting large industrial concerns, and taking entire sectors on trade missions, Harper would rather slag a particular product from a specific corporate friend.

Did We say friend? Yes. Remember the exclusive contract to slog Joe for the boys in afghanisnam? Obviously the payback includes some gratuitous photo ops...

No effort to improve healthcare, or Canadian's health... Nope. The Conservatives are the party of the 200 sugar calorie artery-clogger... It is so fitting. Over-the-top, fat (deficits), fleeting (won't be around for long)..., bad for the nation's health, inane, lacking substance, empty calories, empty in the middle, and just plain bad for you...

A fitting description.

Break out your carrot sticks... It's time to send this government to the national dumpster...



-- Post From My iPhone

"Conservative-Socialist-Seperatist Coalition" To Raise Payroll Taxes: Goodale

Another Goodale Weekly Update:

THE TRUTH ABOUT MR. HARPER AND TAXES

Stephen Harper wants you to believe he’s a tax cutter. He also wants you to believe he tells the truth. But on both counts, hard facts keep getting in his way.

On the issue of truthfulness, remember the $800-million he promised to send Saskatchewan every year in extra equalization payments. Remember his promise never to tax income trusts.

Remember his promise not to appoint Senators. Remember his promise about fixed election dates. Remember his promise never to run a deficit.

In Conservative Party pamphlets, Mr. Harper once proclaimed: “There is no greater fraud than a promise not kept!”

Given his already long record of “promises not kept”, you would think Mr. Harper might be reluctant to be involved in any more such “frauds” – to use his own words!

But another one emerged last week.

The issue was “payroll taxes” – i.e., higher Employment Insurance premiums.

Buried in the fine print of Mr. Harper’s most recent financial statements, forensic experts uncovered $13 billion in Conservative payroll tax increases, scheduled to come into effect just over a year from now.

This is dishonest politically and stupid economically.

It’s dishonest, because it flies in the face of the Harper government’s promise NOT to raise ANY taxes. But just as they increased personal income tax rates and slapped a brutal new tax on income trusts, they’ve broken their word on taxes time and again.

It’s stupid, because the last thing our struggling economy needs is a new Conservative tax on jobs. It’s simply wrong to propose higher, job-killing payroll taxes – to hit every employer and employee in this country – just when they will be struggling to create new jobs in the fight to recover from the recession?

Are these the first fruits of that new conservative-socialist-separatist coalition that’s now propping-up Stephen Harper’s minority government?

VICTORY FUND

US Health Crisis: More Dead Than 15 9-11 Attacks

That's right.

A well-documented, and obviously very thorough, Harvard University study has shown that 45,000 AMERICANS DIE EVERY YEAR BECAUSE THEY HAVE POOR (OR NO) HEALTH INSURANCE.

To put that perspective, THAT EQUALS OVER 15 SEPT 11 ATTACKS!!!

You would think America would have a sense of "urgency" in dealing with this. Maybe even a "War On Insurance Companies & Adjunct Health 'providers'"?

It is truly repugnant, and quite frightening actually, to see how the Conservative media is able to bury a greater tragedy that occurs over and over, and over, again - every year - in an effort to protect the very people who own and sit on the boards of the media conglomerates: the insurance companies.

Insurance and "Big Corporate MedCos" are pumping millions (nay, billions) into advertising, lobbying, and generally paying off politicians (campaign donations, etc.). Money impacts public opinion, and today, in America, millions of "less informed" people are duped into opposing healthcare reform. It is so disgusting, that people without jobs, and people without health insurance themselves, find themselves in the protests.

Mass delusion. Mass idiocy? The dumbing down of America continues.

Just remember this one fact: More people die from a horrible health care system in the US every year, than 15 Sept 11th attacks. A true shame, bankrolled by the big insurance and health "care" companies... who continue to pad their own, and conservative politicians' pockets.

Sad.

VICTORY FUND

Conservative Strategy: Turn Voters Away From The Polls

Great analysis on The Tyee regarding the Harper "government" strategy vis-a-vis the next election...

These lines in particular catch one's attention:

"There's two ways to win an election. One is to re-divide the pie as it stands. Another is to make the pie bigger or smaller," explained Pilon.

"Harper's success is partly due to the fact that his style of politicking has driven a lot of people away from politics. A lot of people don't like the mean, confrontational approach of the Conservative party. But instead of voting against it, they just give up on politics altogether," the University of Victoria professor continued.

'Oh, whatever...'

Indeed, voter turnout in 2008 was the lowest in Canadian history. Only 59 per cent of eligible Canadians cast a ballot. But while the Tories and the Bloc each lost about 170,000 votes between 2006 and 2008, the Liberals lost some 850,000 supporters.

"And of course that's what Harper and his bunch are hoping for," Pilon continued.

"They orchestrate a lot of photo-ops in which Harper looks Prime Ministerial. And they run their off-election smear campaign against the other leaders," Pilon said. "They're hoping that, come election day, people say, 'Oh, whatever, let's just put them in and be done with it.'"

Very interesting.

We certainly need to give voters a REASON to come to the polls - especially in Quebec, BC, and Ontario. When we do this, we really need to constantly repeat one central them - over, and over, and over, and over, and over... and ... over. Sure, Liberals are cerebral, thinking types who like to be more "nation-building" in our thoughts and deeds, and constantly harping/parroting a simple theme may not appease our need for political honesty and love of our nation... However, one needs to temper our honest efforts with the science of modern PR. Constant repetition of a theme - no matter how bland - does work, if it has the right amount of funding behind it.

Certainly sometimes one says, perhaps Canadians should get hoodwinked into voting for the bogus "stay the course" argument. We won't know the REAL Conservative/Reformatories until they lay further waste to Canada for 4 solid years - and, in Mr. Harper's words - leave Canada unrecognizable. Fortunately WE CARE for Canada, and we're not about to lie back and let this happen.

In the meantime, we get to watch the ugly, dirty, hateful, and angry side of politics that the Reform-a-Tories have brought to Ottawa and Canadians. Being a macho, angry, tough-guy is apparently the way to go these days (particularly for conservative-types worldwide). Don't take any crap from anyone. MY rights are more important than yours'. Sheesh. It's no wonder kids don't listen to teachers or parents. Why kids seem to be getting into worse stuff earlier... Time for society to lose the macho, me-first, tough-guy "idealism" - and soon. A change to a more mature and cerebral government would be a start.

VICTORY FUND

Not-So-Good Morning Prime Minister

God... Those words still have to half-choke their way out... "Prime Minister". Huh. More like "Prime Sinister"...

Harper In DC

Great vid. Check it out.

VICTORY FUND

Just Say "No" To Bullies...

Goodale Weekly eNewsletter:

YOU HAVE TO SAY “NO” TO A BULLY!

Everybody understands public weariness with election campaigns.

There’s no “good time” to ask people to vote. It will always be inconvenient, especially during an unstable minority Parliament when the interval between elections is shorter.

But at some point – when a government is blatantly incompetent and dishonest – a line must be drawn. Confronted with unrepentant government misbehavior, the Official Opposition cannot just “look the other way”.

After giving the Harper regime nearly a year to show some good intentions, the Liberals have made it clear that their patience is exhausted. (The onus has shifted to the NDP or the Bloc Quebecois to sustain the Conservatives.)

A pattern of unacceptable government dishonesty began accumulating long ago.

The first example was probably that $800 million falsehood told to Saskatchewan about equalization, followed by a $25 billion falsehood told to two million innocent investors about Income Trusts.

Add to that, the dishonesty about fixed election dates, Senate appointments, floor-crossers, the threat of a recession and deficits!

Add to that, the loss of nearly 500,000 full-time jobs, an infrastructure program that has an 80% failure rate, the squandering of Canada’s financial strength BEFORE there was any recession, ballooning debt of more than $160 billion over six years (instead of four more surplus budgets), and the bungling of public health issues around H1N1 flu, listeriosis and medical isotopes.

Add to that, the failure to deliver for Saskatchewan – no help for our livestock and forestry sectors, unfulfilled promises about cellulose ethanol plants and a police research centre, no secure funding for the RCMP Heritage Centre, the attack on PFRA and the Grain Commission, and the elimination of the Prairie Grain Roads Program.

Add to that, months of bitter Conservative attack-ads and hate-mail.

The Harper regime represents what’s wrong with politics in Canada. This country can surely do better!

VICTORY FUND

Harper: "Master of Back Room Coalitions"

Stephen Harper is the "King of Coalitions":

1) His Reform Party was born of a "coalition" between out of power Socreds, Western Separatists (yes, Separatists - Western Canada Concept), and the far right wing of the Progressive Conservative Party...

2) When the Reform Party needed to grow, they jumped on the idea of courting more real Tories, and formed another "coalition": The Canadian "Alliance" (a name loosely based on the evangelical church affiliation of a broad cross-section of party founders and supporters).

3) CCRAP ("crap"): When the Reform-Alliance made their next attempt at "uniting the right", Stephen Harper worked a back room deal with Peter MacKay (now a "Conservative" Cabinet Minister). Recall the MacKay napkin deal too... A party of "back room dealers" for sure... Sneaky.

4) In his last "coalition with the socialists and separatists", Harper signed a deal with the Bloc and NDP to supplant the Liberal Paul Martin Government.

Who is the master of coalitions? It appears Stephen Harper has a post-graduate degree in it... (Perhaps the only educational process he succeeded in - given his "economic genius")...

VICTORY FUND

Sombre Anniversary

Salute to my New York friends and American family for staying strong through the attacks on Sept. 11th. Even 8 years later one gets all choked up watching the events of the day.

Certainly a reminder that peace is so hard to achieve, and even harder to keep...

Peace.

VICTORY FUND

Fall BBQ and Social With Dominic LeBlanc - Kick Off The 2009 Victory Tour With Us (Greater Vancouver/Lower Mainland)

The Federal Liberal Action Group (FLAG) & Fleetwood-Port Kells Liberal EDA are pleased to invite you to our Annual Fall Social. Come join us for a meal celebrating the bounty of local farms.

Details:

FLAG Fall Social - With Guest - MP (Federal Justice Critic, Dominic LeBlanc)

9568 168 St, Surrey (Tynehead), BC (corner of 96 Ave & 168 St)

(Use the 160 St or 176 St exits from the Trans-Canada)

Call 604-317-9005 for tickets (only $10).

Come join us for some great food, great company, and great conversation! Great chance to meet some of our local MPs, candidates, and soon-to-be (seeking nomination) candidates...

VICTORY FUND

Harper Chose October 2009 For Election

Another great Goodale Weekly Commentary...

MR. HARPER CHOSE OCTOBER OF 2009

Stephen Harper says he doesn’t want an election this October!

That’s odd? Wasn’t it Stephen Harper himself who picked October of this year for a federal election?

Yes, it was! Remember his “Fixed Election Date” law? He pushed it through Parliament about two years ago. He ordered Canadians to the polls in October of 2009. That timing was Mr. Harper’s idea.

But somewhere along the line, something happened. For his own convenience, he pulled the plug early. He violated the law – his law – by calling an unscheduled and unnecessary election a year early, in October of 2008.

No one forced him. He was never defeated on a “confidence vote” in the House of Commons. He just wanted to have an election. Why? Because he knew a nasty recession was coming, and he knew he had already put the country into a damaging deficit long before that recession ever began.

Mr. Harper’s premature 2008 campaign was his way of trying to “beat the rap” for squandering Canada’s hard-earned financial strength.

Another point to bear in mind is this -- instead of governing, the Harper Conservatives have been electioneering for many months now.

Mr. Harper is the one who has saturated the television networks with bitter “attack-ads”. He’s the one who has stuffed mail-boxes across the country with nasty pamphlets. And all of this is subsidized by taxpayers – millions of your dollars wasted on self-serving, misleading Conservative propaganda!

So Mr. Harper picked the original timing for a vote and started campaigning. It’s a bit hypocritical for him to complain about it now.

But hypocrisy has become his trade-mark. Beyond “Fixed Election Dates”, remember all those other broken promises about equalization, income trusts, no deficits, no appointed Senators – the list goes on.

If an election comes this fall, Stephen Harper must shoulder the responsibility!

VICTORY FUND