If there is one thing these past few years have taught us, it's that what appears a blight is really a mirage, relegated to chattering classes, while the real world chugs on unaffected. It's for this reason that Harper can do what he did in the middle of the week, and sleep like a CHAMP tonight, secure in the knowledge he acts with impunity. Layton didn't score any points, nobody heard him and Harper is well aware. We have four years of rule to look forward to, you think one voter will be moved by a Senate appointment in 2011, let alone REMEMBER it? Speaking of remembering my fellow political junkies, think of all those issues that arose over the past five years that seemed "big", would "resonate", etc. Nada, they all disappeared, and this circumstance occurred with a minority, the threat of an election around the corner. Heck, in my little world, I had myself convinced this spring that we had a "cumulative effect", wherein all these affronts to democracy would be congealing into a compelling counter narrative, Harper would face a backlash. BAHAHAHAHA!!!
Next week, Angus Reid will release a poll saying 72% of us reject Harper's Senate appointments, 54% strongly disagree. The political junkie class with digest, MYSELF included, but it's time we understand what Harper has already figured out, it's irrelevant. Yes, if there is one lesson from today, in the most starkest terms imaginable, it's that Harper has cracked the code, he operates with no concern for the consequences, because he knows there aren't any. Disagree, that's fine, but I see today as almost a paradigm moment, that entirely encapsulates the political reality. Why didn't Harper do this on a late Friday afternoon? Because he didn't have to, that's why.
20 comments:
Its interesting reading the various comments on newsource articles about both his cabinet appointments, as well as the senate disappointments. I am amazed at the ConBots who continue to declare that as he has a majority that he is free to do what he wants. While technically that may be true, Harper still works for us.
What we think matters.
I even read one media source state that it was in-your-face.
We should not accept that from anyone, let alone the Prime Minister whom we have elected. Continuing to have Bev Oda as a cabinet minister, or making Blohard Baird the minister for Foreign Affairs is incredible. That Oda was allowed to run again is an afront to our entire parliamentary system.
I love the statements that Harper needs to appoint these senators so that he can pass his senate reform bills. The hypocracy of that statement is too much. The fact is, if the senate reform bills are good for the country, then you would not have too many issues getting them through. But they are not. Appointing people like Duffy, or re-appointing candidates who did not win does not make it any better.
We deserve better. And no, I am not a sore loser. I would be as afronted if Ignatieff had done the same thing...I appreciate my government system and my vote...and don't want it sullied by SH
"I am amazed at the ConBots who continue to declare that as he has a majority that he is free to do what he wants."
That's another part of the equation, normally parties fear backlash from their own base, but these people are just sheep, they'll betray everything they stood for, in the name of political expediency. It's amazing to watch that's for sure, the rationalizations are staggering.
I agree. Sad but true. The mere thought that we will be dealing with this for four years makes me want to weep. How far will Harper go now with his new mandate? He'll probably quote Trudeau, "Just watch me"!
Vernon
I don't think it's quite settled in to be honest, and I also think the Cons are just now starting to realize what they have now.
Ever read I Claudius? The Roman elite class could murder and rape one another to their heart's content and sleep with donkey's as long as the Empire functioned smoothly. When it faltered, the plebes got ugly. Before that they didn't care.
And that's why the Libs precipitating this last election was so stupid. Nobody gave a shit about this inside baseball stuff called "contempt".
bcl
Good analogy. As for the election, I honestly didn't see much changing in the next year or two, so I still believe timing was whatever. Winning conditions sounded nice, but seriously, nothing was moving anyways IMHO.
And not that example, but I was thinking today that it really is "government's defeat themselves" and it really is a matter of being in the right time, right place. That's how we got stuck with this guy in the first place, and that fact will be his ultimate undoing.
Welcome back to reality, Steve. Reality of course, being that the people only care if the trains run on time.
Welcome back to reality, Steve. Reality of course, being that the people only care if the trains run on time.
The funny thing is that the trains may not have run on time under Mussolini. The government made the public buy into this myth, which seemed to be enough....
This is going to be a long four years.
Expect the plebs to get ugly only after Harperius runs out of bread and circuses and the "strongman" effect wears off as things go from bad to worse.
Attack the Media. They are the Praetorian Guard.
The only hope we have is if the grassroots within the CPC start to figure things out and, say, the Wildrose decides to go federal.
Aside from something like that happening, Harper can do what he wants now and he knows it.
A great many Farmers in the Wheat Board are mad, because they say only the Farmers can shut it down, not government.... and AECL going to the highest private bidder..did not hear about this in the Campaign
That's it, fellow-Canadians, unless you are younger than Harper and have a statistical hope of outliving him or have a second passport and somewhere else to go, you are stuck with this, your dignity shot and your intelligence and decency trampled on. Congratulations, Globe and Mail, Jack Layton, Judy What's Her Name and all the rest! The scum has floated to the top and will stay there for a long, long, time.
I enjoy Harper making fools out of his supporters.
He hasn't appointed many, if any, people of note to the Senate. So if he wants to change the first "E" in the Con's holy triple "E" Senate from elected to "can't get elected" and give the finger to his supporter then that's fine. The specific partisan hacks he appoints don't matter to me, failed candidates or party bag men, it makes no difference. He's just mocking his supporters and I, in turn, will use this to mock those Con sheep even more.
Pity the smug little Conbots or laugh at them, it's all good. Harper's betraying them and that's fine by me.
Maybe we'll get one or two of these over the next little while:
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/05/18/scott-stinson-on-the-cabinet-i-was-a-sucker-for-believing-in-harper/#comments
But these nasty thoughts won't touch the eunuch base, so doubt anything will come of it.
Brian
Yes, we get lots of those type of stories, so people can maintain some dignity, but then when push comes to shove, they'll circle the wagons around Harper. Ivison is one of my favourites for this pattern.
About that NP column Brian listed, what I find more telling are all the apologist posters in the comments section below. Read though those if you truly wish to gauge the hypocrisy of Harper's base. There are people there justifying Harper's latest senate stacking because of Dalton McGuinty. Seriously! Can they get any more delusional?
If Harper wants to piss people off and get then on board with senate reform, is this not the way to do it? There is a reason why he did it this way....Stack the senate for the next three years, do what you want, and then have senate reform just before the next election. Voters are happy.
Just a theory...
Right, because Harper hasn't been stacking the Senate thus far right Paul? You really don't think like normal, healthy people do you?Christ, who need NP comments...
I used to call them Conservatives then I had to call them the Cons.
Now I just call Harper's supporters the "Conned".
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