Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Harper's "Accountability" Contradiction

The Harper Conservatives have always had a strange notion of what constitutes "accountability".  Perhaps more bizarre, despite being the most restrictive, message controlling government we've seen, Conservatives still proudly tout their accountability to anyone who'll listen.   The disconnect seems to surround the belief that the "media"should play no role in our political arena, despite the irrefutable fact that- like it or not- the medium remains a conduit between government and public.

Harper blew it yesterday, because at the heart these Conservatives have a deep paranoia about the media, to the point they actually convince themselves a  one way, scripted, lame speech will suffice to put out a burning maelstrom that surrounds.  To the point of delusional, there is resistance to the obvious, namely a PUBLIC review of the Senate scandal.  Emboldened by past "ride out the clock" strategies when confronted with controversy, this mentality lead to the farcical staged event yesterday, that ultimately devolved into a red faced, SILENT, Prime Minister looking downright foolish as reporters barked out questions.

This is a Conservative government that cages up the media during election campaigns, spends millions to train public servant on the art of speaking publicly without saying anything and generally does everything in their power to avoid answering any questions, on any topic.   This government isn't accountable, it's obstructionist and secretive, every potentially controversial detail, on any topic, must be pried from their hands, never relenting or forthcoming.  Despite this nature, the Conservatives have been quite successful manipulating the message, stonewalling until attention spans wane, but within it clearly betraying this supposed accountability forever touted.  Again, Conservatives have deluded themselves, they aren't accountable at all, anyone that dare question their reign is throw under the bus, personally attacked, they have created an air of intimidation the likes of which Ottawa has never seen.

Today reporters get their rare opportunity to ask dear leader two questions about the biggest scandal to hit Harper's government.  It's a forced collision, Harper can't avoid answering questions forever, despite a deliberate attempt to do just that.   There was something inherently pathetic about yesterday, the Harper "speech", then followed by a no show in QP, wherein his chief underlining repeated the same line over and over, no matter the content of any question coming.  The anti-thesis of accountability, Harper seemingly needs to be taken kicking and screaming to answer the most basic of questions.

This regime rode into town under the accountability banner.  They passed some initial legislation, and every since then have conducted themselves in a way that contradicts any tenet of true accountability.  Propaganda, paranoia, avoidance, aversion, denial, withholding, you name it, it's there for all to see.   Time for Conservatives to confront the blue sky reality that pierces their delusional veneer, you're not accountable, you never have been, in fact you're an obstacle to the very idea.  The Duffy affair simply crystallizes to the Canadian public what the rest of us who follow intently already know.  FRAUD.

3 comments:

Gayle said...

I think this government is not accountable and has never been accountable because conservatives in general are not accountable. I have said this many times in the past, but the whole philosophy of "personal responsibility" is false because when people say that they are referring to OTHER people taking personal responsibility.

From the outset this PM has not once got up and taken responsibility for anything that has gone wrong. Not one single thing. I think his ego is simply too massive for him to do that. And this time the public just cannot accept it or forgive him for it. The lie is too obvious.

As for the media thing I do not believe Harper really thinks the media is biased against him. I think it is another theme he pushes to his base a) so they will reject any positive media attention to other political parties, b) so they ignore any negative media attention to Harper and c) so they view the conservative mouthpieces at the Sun as objective. What I do think he did was underestimate the way this story has grasped the public attention and therefore the media attention. For years the biggest political story has been the collapse of the liberal party, and Harper has been able to skate relatively free of public scrutiny as a result. This time the liberals are not the story.

Who knows - Harper may get away with this once again. People will be tired of this before the next election rolls along. I am no expert but I am pretty sure he would be better off facing this straight on right now though, because the story is shifting to being about Duffy to being about Harper. I just don't think his massive ego will allow him to take responsibility.

Steve V said...

"From the outset this PM has not once got up and taken responsibility for anything that has gone wrong. Not one single thing."

So true!!

Cathie from Canada said...

I will never forget Mercer's story during the prorogue crisis, when young Con staffers were sent to cheer Harper every morning at 6 am as he left his house -- he believed they were actually members of the public who supported him, and as a result he was much happier and easier to deal with when he arrived at the office.
He actually believed the public liked him! And I think he still believes it. He thinks all he has to do to turn things around is arrange a few photo ops as the kitten whisperer, or the panda whisperer.
Pathetic.