betsy

I just saw a very relaxed, straight forward, simply effective and no-nonsense Harper campaigning in Winnipeg today. The way he explained his policies IN DETAILS - clearly pointing out key details showing he knows exactly what he's on about. He showed his sense of humor, a good come-back with that last question that got him stumped at first- because it was an unusual question. Judging from how every other leaders are doing theirs, hah! They're minced meat come debate night!

Some feminists don't seem to really understand what they are fighting for. I can't understand why even now, Hillary is being claimed as the "role-model" for feminists....because she is far from that. These feminists are blinded by partisanship. Well I don't know but ironically it seems the few high-profile women who truly shows strength and steely characters come from the conservative lot. Anyone, please correct me if I'm wrong. Visible minorities and women should look to Condoleeza Rice, as an example. A woman who holds one of the most important positions in government, who meets with world leaders and brokers peace. By the way she had handled her job shows she earned it by her own merit. I don't think she was a prominent figure in the political circle before she landed that position. Feminists should be singing her praises! Oh times had really changed. The pressure for women is high. There is this notion that being a stay-at-home mom is no longer good enough. I guess the bar set by the Feminist is so high. Not anyone has the good fortune of becoming the First Lady just to be able to get the necessary experiences required to eventually land a seat in the Senate.

About the Ontario Retirement Communities Association (ORCA) ORCA is a voluntary, non-profit organization established in 1977 that sets professional operating standards, inspects and accredits retirement residences in Ontario. Not all retirement residences are ORCA approved, only those that pass and continue to meet ORCA’s standards for accreditation. ORCA approved retirement residences provide care and services to 23,000 seniors in Ontario. ORCA membership is an assurance of a safe, wellmaintained, professional and pleasant living environment. ORCA Accreditation – Why it Matters: The operation of retirement residences in Ontario is not regulated by provincial legislation. In the absence of province-wide standards, ORCA sets standards, inspects and accredits these residences. By participating in ORCA’s accreditation, a retirement residence demonstrates a commitment to quality and accountability to its residents, staff and the public. About the ORCA Accreditation Program Just recently it had been reported that Ontario's Nursing Homes do not meet the required standards of quality. I am interested about the retirement homes and ORCA. What is your take on this? Does ORCA truly delivers?

I don't know what all the hoopla is about her Christian values. So she speaks as a Christian. Her decisions in office will reflect her Christian values. Be glad she is open about it. Whether she is one "pixie-believing-pie-in-the-sky-of-a-politician-or-a-loonie" to some. American people are being given a choice whether they want a Christian VP like her sitting in office or not. That she, quite surprisingly for a newbie - and a woman at that, has this refreshing "gift of gab," is actually what's causing this panic among those who embrace and practice the liberal religion - the religion of non-religion or of the "personally-customized" religion. Palin is using palin language - plain language - that seems to be reaching out to everyone. Will it sway everyone? We'll have to wait and see. But so far, it is looking good.

I don't think May will openly endorse Dion in a debate. The problem is since these two had side-deals and May had already publicly endorsed Dion, the fairness in the dynamics of a debate will be gone if Elizabeth May is allowed to join in. Any endorsement by May of Dion will be subtle, but I would bet that the unmistaken message will be for all supporters of the NDP, Green, Bloc and Liberals to stop Harper.....by voting "strategically." Besides, it's like giving Dion an extra air time with May as his mouthpiece.

The latest poll from La Presse: OTTAWA - A poll released Monday predicted for the first time that Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper would be able to transform his minority government into a strong majority in the Oct. 14 election. The Segma poll, taken for La Presse newspaper, put support for the Conservatives at 43 per cent, which the pollsters said would translate into 183 of the 308 seats in the House of Commons. It predicted the opposition Liberals would get 25 per cent of the vote, translating into just 62 seats. The Conservatives had 127 seats in the old Parliament, while the Liberals had 95. The Bloc Québécois hold 48 seats and the New Democrats have 30 seats. From OttawaSun.com

Conservative - 185 Liberals - 70 NDP - 33 Bloc - 20 Green - 0

I'm not sure about this but, didn't the Reformers have an elected MP who actually ran and won under the Reform Party? The Green Party do not have an elected MP who ran and won under the Green Banner. They got this now-independent MP who ran and won under the Liberal banner. So it is not the same thing.

In her latest bid to join the televised debates, May is now using the gender card. And she has nicely painted Dion as the champion of women. The rest of the good ol boys are sexists!

CPAC Radio host gave a leading question to Elizabeth May whether she thinks she's being shut out because she is a woman. This radio host (I think it's Mike Harris?) trashed Harper, Dion and Layton...and suggested that they are afraid of May because she "knows a lot." He is a Green supporter, no doubt about it. Elizabeth May is now invoking the gender card. The good old boys keeping her from debating. She said she's almost sure Harper was the one who has a hand on this. At MDuffy Live, it turned out it's only the Liberals who agree to let her join the debate. Something smells fishy about this cozy and convenient scenario between Dion and May. The other party leaders are being painted as sexists....and Dion is coming out smelling like a rose...the "champion" of women. I hope women realize when they're being used and made into fools. Their side-deals may not just be the sweetheart deal of not running against each other in some ridings but could also include duping the public and turning our democratic debates into a banana-republic type of politics. She said she is taking this to court....to have it that the consortium cannot have the debate without her, and that it's up to the other leaders if they don't want to show up.

I interpret it as saying: "Pray for our soldiers who are striving to do what is right. Also for this country, that our leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God." The soldiers only follow the orders of their superiors - our leaders. Facing combat and life-or-death situations, surrounded by brutalities and violence, it must be a challenge for soldiers under these terrible circumstances to strive to do what is right. And since these leaders are leading our country, we should pray for the good judgement of our leaders....pray that our leaders are enlightened by God. That the leaders are sending out these soldiers on a mission that is only right. That's what we have to be sure of, that what we're doing is the right thing... in accordance to the will of God. So actually, she is admonishing caution. To make sure that what we're doing is right.

Which reminds me of a conversation with two young people at work who'd be voting for the first time. I adviced them to go out and vote. One says he doesn't know anything at all about politics. I said, well how do you describe your views? In the long run he said, "I like the way it is right now." I said, "Then, vote Conservative. Vote for Harper!"

Aw c'mon. How can the Liberals say that this "Green Shift" is a well-thought out plan when nobody even thought of checking out and ascertain that the name is not yet taken? Really. Is this not one of the basic rules of business when it comes to choosing a name for it? Here is a plan that the Liberals say is their main platform, they'll spend hours and dollars promoting it....their political careers will depend on it....and yet they forgot to include the simple name-check before they embark on this grandscale adventure. They're making things up as they go along. And yesterday, Dion whipped out the CALCULATOR which will be given to each and every household! How much will this cost taxpayers, on top of everything else? This is a pattern with the Liberals. This is how they perform even when governing. Reckless and sloppy with their programs. This is why their record is peppered with catastrophic boondagles! We'll end up paying dearly for this. It's just plain as day.

I never knew about McCain before the Convention. His story being a POW, and how he had refused to be released from capture as a propaganda is quite a remarkable story. The heroism of McCain gives sound credibility to his now-famous "Country First!"

This woman's family - especially her daughter was under attack! What mother wouldn't be outraged? Even Michelle Obama was placed in a box - forced to criticize the personal attacks on Palin's family. They've clobbered Palin - before she even had the chance to come out and introduce herself with the most vicious attack on a mother. Through her children. Thus the reaction of women! And rightly so. When she came out all feisty and "swinging" at all Democrats...well, a star is born!

And that's how Dion will whack Layton. Yesterday Dion said: "Jack thinks he is Obama. Jack! You are Jack Layon, not Barack Obama!" I mean this is just it. Why would these leaders allow themselves to be set up like this? It's mind-boggling for these are seasoned politicians so they should know what is effective and destructive. To me, it is a clear glimpse of their lack of leadership skills....blindly trusting and following with hardly any thought of the consequences...at a time when their personal losses such as their political careers are at stake.

That line has been the mantra of the NDP for a couple of weeks now. Everytime an NDP MP or strategist opens his mouth, you bet that line is going to come out.....followed by another, the "kitchen table." You'd think he'd have something new to say yesterday at his official campaign speech. The NDP and Liberal speech writers are running out of creative ideas it seems. I wonder why they still go along with their writers and strategists and spout such lines? Can't they see for themselves how silly and ineffective some of these lines sound? I've heard of politicians throwing away their practiced speech and doing it their own way! Both Clintons are said to have done that. I mean, how can one sell himself as a good leader if he can't even discern and break away from a strategist/speech writer's bad line? They can't tell that the line is becoming irritatingly and phoney-soundingly repetitive? Another thing, this campaign is turning into a battle of cliches between Dion and Layton. Diuceppe is also vying for the cliche-king title. The good old "hidden agenda" recital had been dugged out, recycled and repackaged into "secretive." The fear-mongering-gamut galore ranging from the big, bad rightwing to the sky's falling is back again. Of all Opposition leaders, only Elizabeth May had taken this into a new high...or low, with her cracking voice-about-to cry passioned speech. It must be the Toronto Film Festival! But hey, women voters are up for grabs so that must be it. Who would have thought I'd be needing a hankie watching this drama?

"I grew up with those people. They are the ones who do some of the hardest work in America … who grow our food, run our factories, and fight our wars. They love their country, in good times and bad, and they’re always proud of America. I had the privilege of living most of my life in a small town." (By Palin) "For a season, a gifted speaker can inspire with his words. For a lifetime, John McCain has inspired with his deeds." (By Palin)

He started his campaign in Ottawa today with this: "I am happy and unhappy. But first I will tell you about why I am happy." By the looks on David McGuinty's face as he stood behind Dion, it doesn't bode well. For the Liberals.

Now where did it say that I'm claiming my views are "in sync with feminists'?" Gee....as I understood from Kimmy's post, she's just conveying an admiration for a woman who caught everyone's attention. That although Kimmy doesn't share her views, Kimmy was honest and open enough to admit how she felt. As stated in my initial post, those two female journalists' reactions seemed to have taken Brokaw and Biden by surprise. The grin on their faces after witnessing her "coming out swinging," as one of the journalists said, says a lot. Well, to these journalists.... who knows, maybe there's just that element of pride simply because of "sisterhood." After all, Hillary mentioned the "Sisterhood of the Travelling Pant Suit" at the Democrat's Convention. A lot of liberal women were disappointed and angered over Hillary's defeat. And right on cue, here comes Sarah Palin! Women were flocking to the campaign trail of McCain and Palin (the next day after the convention), and those interviewed openly stated they came to see Palin. Will this translate into votes? I don't know. But at least Palin is garnering a lot of interest. I must say, she seems to be quite a hot button alright...for some.

And an openly Christian Conservative I am. I and other people (mostly women in talk shows and other media) were emphatizing with her, putting ourselves in her shoes. It was mentioned though at a segment in Meet The Press of how she and her husband had sought the counsel of one of the evangelists (I think it was Graham), trying to cope during those turbulent time. It was a very public betrayal by a spouse, not only about the Lewinski affair but also the other sexual shenanigans that were disclosed after that. I am talking about Hillary's husband, Bill. How do you know feminists - thinking feminists - would relate to that? If you really analyze it, Bill was in control. Quite a glimpse of how it would've been had Hillary made it to the White House, don't you think? So it wouldn't have been a real victory for feminists - unless they insist on fooling themselves it is. Qualified or not, she wasn't chosen by Obama. Thanks to Bill. And according to Hillary, thanks to the sexism that still exists within the party! I wonder if in a moment of pique she included Bill within that group! What do you think? As a Conservative rooting for Palin, of course I am supporting... and would love to encourage Kimmy's rah-rah line of thought. Similar to the reactions of both female journalists I've mentioned above! Actually I am counting on that line of thought from other American liberal women.

I like Palin not simply because she is popular. Hillary was popular and was even being touted as the "role model for women", and which I had strongly voiced out in the past, definitely not mine! Although it's admirable how Hillary stuck to Bill after having been humiliated in public, her recent presidential bid campaign showed she couldn't even harness Bill who proceeded to interfere and was largely responsible for wrecking her own campaign! How do feminists relate to that I wonder? Imv, Condoleeza Rice would've been a more apt role-model for women...a woman bearing power and class. But then, that's my opinion. Getting back to the topic, like you, I wouldn't vote for anyone whose values and policies I don't agree with. And I agree with Palin's views.

The interview with Lloyd Robertson went very well. Surprisingly Jane Taber acknowledged that Harper did very well, although in my opinion Harper not only did very well. Of all party leaders who spoke today, Harper was the only one who came across as candid and sincere. Yet Taber stretched it a bit that Dion's English had greatly improved. I still couldn't make out some of his comments in Winnipeg and today. It is obvious he has to make himself speak slow in order to be able to say what he had to say. Upcoming debates should be interesting how he'd deal with and spend his precious minutes. The moment Layton began his speech about Harper "quitting his job," I had correctly beat Layton by filling up his next sentence, "I am applying for it." Then there's the mention of that darn "kitchen table" again. A little bit of Obama gesturing "not move backward but move forward"....and a bit of McCain by his personalized mentioning of "this guy in Gatineau..." Elizabeth May. Let's not even go there. Some media are trying a different tactic by not attacking Harper but instead, painting a very favorable picture of Dion. Oliver Craig, who's been consistently critical of Harper in the past months, was all praises for Dion's speech. Too bad some of these partisan media are only too willing to sacrifice their credibility.

Today, Dion and Harper were referred to as "Mr Bean and Mr Mean." Some members of the media are trying their best to look neutral....but the sly innuendoes say otherwise.

Well, Hillary is another story. I didn't like Hillary not because she is a woman...but because of what she represents. And I not only refer to the political values she represents.