With this week’s vote on the ways-and-means motion, Harper’s government is now being propped up by the very same nefarious “socialists” and “separatists” the Conservatives are still vigorously denouncing in their latest round of negative attack ads concerning an imagined anti-democratic conspiracy between the BQ/NDP and the Liberals.
And some people wonder why there’s so much cynicism and indifference about politics these days…
Red Tory v.3.0.3 
Are you saying that the NDP are not Socialists and the BLOC are not Separtists?
NDP – proud members of Socialts International
http://www.socialistinternational.org/viewArticle.cfm?ArticlePageID=931
BLOC – founding principals to separate from Canada
So, what’s your point?
Isn’t that the music from “Dune”?
The Liberal Party of Canada doesn’t even have the cojones to sign this piece, except of course, they either sponsored it or are suggesting its dissemination.
A sad piece of propaganda. Why are you produicing this? To tell us that the CPC and LPC just came out of a coalition? Or are you equating cabinet positions in a government, a signed agreement to vote with the government on money matters and every Liberal MP signature on a petition as the same thing as other parties voting with the government in a minority government?
Who put you up to this?
It’s not up to your usual high standard.
Tomm — Hmmm. I watched “Dune” again for the umpteenth time last week. Great movie.
Anyway, that aside, I can’t wait for you to smugly chide and sneer self-righteously at every piece of despicable, lying filth that gets churned out of the Conservative “war room” in the months to come…
I won’t hold my breath for that however.
RT,
You would be right not to hold your breath. It would likely be a health risk.
As you know I maintain a healthy level of suspicion when it comes to the Liberal Party. Any criticism of them is given far too much credit on my part. However I am not likely to change that.
So why do you consider this “a sad piece of propaganda”? I think it’s eminently reasonable to point out the monstrous hypocrisy of the CPoC in this regard. Not to mention that of the BQ and NDP that have put their principles on the back-burner for the time being… And which isn’t to say that the LPC aren’t hypocrites too for having supported your team in the past when it suited their convenience.
What kills me is the sanctimony of the Dippers who are rationalising this: “We’re getting things done for Canadians!” They really are just as bad as the Cons.
When the Liberals pull dodges like this, no one I know thinks they’re doing anything else but playing politics.
Not to mention that of the BQ and NDP that have put their principles on the back-burner for the time being…
Really?
But later that day, Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe took to the microphone to make it clear that the Tories should not count on his party’s support in future confidence votes.
Mr. Duceppe emphasized that while he continues to support a popular home renovation tax credit approved in yesterday’s budget vote, he has no interest in propping up the Tories on a regular basis. He suggested the NDP would be the only party keeping Mr. Harper in office.
He said the Bloc would vote against the Conservatives in motions that test parliamentary support for Mr. Harper.
“If they ask if we have confidence in that government, the answer is clear: N-O, no.”
Duceppe has been consistent.
CWTF — I said “for the time being”… I don’t think that was an inaccurate characterization of Duceppe’s position by any measure.
He’s Harper. Stephen Harper, tirelessly fighting a neverending battle against the evil S.P.E.C.T.R.E., the Secret Progressive Egalitarian Coalition of Traitors, Revolutionaries and Evolutionists!!!
Lorraine, I think the point is that Harper is inviting the socialists and separatists for a party in his waterbed while chastising the Liberals for allegedly doing the same.
It’s like criticizing someone for shoplifting from a holding cell. It’s not that hard of a point to understand.
I honestly think that Harper wants an election right now.
I was surprised to see Jack drop his pants, but i was STUNNED to see Duceppe do the same.
Anyone have a theory as to why G lost his mojo all of a sudden?
I don’t think it should surprise anyone that Duceppe and the Bloc voted the way they did. They always vote with the government on any measure they feel helps Quebec, and the home reno tax deduction does help contractors and lumber stores in Quebec. Gilles announced over two weeks ago they’d be voting for the way & means bill, so again no one should be shocked. Now as for the BQ’s future voting intentions, re-read Red’s post from 12:54pm.
The shock should be from the NDP voting with the Cons on a finance bill, that’s a first for Layton (and it won’t be the last). And he didn’t need to on this one given that the BQ was supporting it.
How true this is… thanks for showing the video.
Can we not differentiate between a governing coalition and a government whose policy agenda is supported by the votes of other parties?
I think most people would make that distinction. The former arrangement is what most of english Canada had a hard time swallowing.
Harper hasn’t offered cabinet positions or a chance to write policy to the NDP.
…Yet.
Harper hasn’t offered cabinet positions or a chance to write policy to the NDP.
…Yet.
Fact is – that Duceppe and the BLOC were’nt offered any cabinet positions either – they were not part of the coalition, only promised to support it. But again, Harper lies and fools believe him.
Besides, wasn’t that agreement between Dion/Layton and Duceppe signed as a letter to the GG?
Good points all.
I especially like S.P.E.C.T.R.E.!
Except of course, that E cannot stand for egalitarian. We are talking about the Liberal Party of Canada (the original “Upstairs” from Upstairs-Downstairs, and Big Brother… (I mean the NDP). The Bloc doesn’t want those outside Quebec to even have votes. In fact the Bloc most certainly wishes Quebec was even more pure laine.
“E” could stand for Evil.
RT,
You said:
“So why do you consider this “a sad piece of propaganda”? I think it’s eminently reasonable to point out the monstrous hypocrisy of the CPoC in this regard…”
How are the Tories part of your discussion? They brought pieces of legislation to Parliament. The NDP and the BQ are deciding themselves how to vote on each.
If you wish to whip the NDP with your cat-o-9-tails, have at’er. I don’t see how this relates to the Tories.
Could it be that the House Leaders spoke before the vote? If so, how horribly democratic and we must stop this at once! No wonder Ignatieff is demanding to become PM. All kinds of things are occurring that disturb him. Were people actually discussing things and cooperating rather than pre-deciding not to vote for things they haven’t seen yet? And NOBODY asked his opinion.
Sounds a little like the Queen of Hearts in Tim Burton’s new movie.
“Off with his Head!” …Must be the Romanov side coming out in him.
Tomm, this whole thing rests on Harper having to play politics with everything he does. He is fully to blame for our political mess. Why on earth did he string along this Home Reno Tax Deduction into the fall, and make it a ways & means vote? Or the EI promises he made previously? This was clearly done to screw the opposition parties into having to vote with the Reformatories, or get the blame for causing an election.
The Liberals want off this stupid train that Harper created, which has resulted in reducing the electorate down to chess pieces. The Grits don’t even care if their poll numbers are down because of this. I for one give Ignatieff top marks for having the guts to finally turn the Libs into the official opposition again. As for the NDP, I wish them a long and bumpy road into irrelevance over their voting with the Reformatories.
TofKW,
You are certainly entitled to that opinion. It is also the LPC line and in addition, it also has some merit.
Underline the “some”.
The reason Harper plays politics, because that’s what this is. They are all politician’s.
Were you complaining when the LPC kept banging the drum of the “hidden agenda” of the Reform Party? And the implication of ugliness that inhabits evangelical Christian’s?
You weren’t, because it was your side scoring the points. Your ox wasn’t being gored. Harper is now the PM and he controls the Commons agenda. Ignatieff knows all of this. So does Marlene Jennings. Marlene, a paragon of virtue herself, agreed to sit down and talk EI with Diane and Pierre.
Its politics. For Michael and Marlene to get all in a snit now, is just too rich.
If the Liberal’s “want off this stupid train”, well, they are now off.
Ignatieff deserves courage for this act. It may cost them an election. But he did it. That truly is leadership. I’m not being facetious. But that being said, the Liberal’s have to man up and accept what they have wrought and quit blaming others.
The Liberal’s are where they are because of their own actions. In each of 3 elections their vote count and seat count has dropped. I think there are some Canadian’s trying to tell the Liberals something. Maybe they aren’t shouting loud enough.
But that’s OK. When the Bloc and the NDP think the Liberal’s are soft enough, they will also vote against Harper and the people will get another chance to send a message.
I love how Tomm feels it’s his duty to explain things as if the rest of us are idiots.
Dunning Kruger, no doubt about it.
Are you saying that the NDP are not Socialists and the BLOC are not Separtists?
NDP – proud members of Socialts International
To clarify, if you look at the membership roster you’ll find some pretty unsocialist parties on this list, like the UK Labour Party which embraced the Bill Clintonist/Tony Blair “Third Way” and the New Zealand and Australia Labo(u)r parties, both of which are pretty centrist.
None of these parties actually advocate “socialism” any more which by definition is the advocation of the end of privately owned industry and distribution. These are social democratic parties which embrace free market economies with a niche for government to deliver essential but unprofitable services (mail, healthcare, etc.)
No. The NDP isn’t socialist, at least not any more.
Ti-Guy,
You’re NOT an idiot?
Sorry, given your posts I just got the wrong impression… if you want to leave people with a positive impression, it is important to be a voice of reason. Someone they feel they can trust, whose opinion they respect.
Actually, I do this because people seem to get all excited and tend to lose focus. I try to bring them back to centre. It’s just the kind of guy I am.
if you want to leave people with a positive impression, it is important to be a voice of reason.
Voice of reason? You?
There is no way a partisan Conservative from Alberta who’s only exposure to information is CanWest (if that) can be the voice of reason.
We need Tomm (all over the blogosphere today) to give us focus? That’s a serious limitation to thinking.
We need Tomm (all over the blogosphere today) to give us focus? That’s a serious limitation to thinking.
Pretty arrogant, eh?
But that’s not what he’s doing. Like every Conservative, he is motivated by the thrill he gets from annoying people. By irritating them. That’s the only weapon they have and they enjoy using it. They’re the type of people (men, usually) who giggle when they’ve pissed someone off.
heheheheh
My work is done here.
Whenever there are stupid anti-Conservative arguments, wherever there are people needing to be slapped for witlessness, I will be there.
For Canada!
Tomm — Keep on keeping on… 😉
I’d really prefer not to fight with people like Tomm, but I’ve never put up people who get a rush out of irritating other people. It’s juvenile and insufferable. Even more so when it comes from clapped-out geriatrics.
Ti-Guy,
You said:
“…I’ve never put up people who get a rush out of irritating other people. It’s juvenile and insufferable…”
Don’t be so hard on yourself. The blogosphere would be a greyer and less interesting place without your irritating, juvenile and insufferable comments.
A good argument is good for the digestion.
Don’t be so hard on yourself. The blogosphere would be a greyer and less interesting place without your irritating, juvenile and insufferable comments.
I expected this.
The problem also, is that you’re awfully ignorant. I don’t learn anything from you. You’ve never linked to anything that would provide some support to whatever it is you’re rambling on about all the time.
Ti-Guy,
OK.
Try this…
Don’t read too much into it, just enjoy it.
Or this…
http://salamitsunami.com/archives/91