Mighty AC

What we really need are governments dedicated to the removal of pesky environmental protections and a commitment to keeping the fine structure and cleanup requirements for spills lower than the cost of proper engineering, maintenance and monitoring. "A new car built by my company leaves somewhere traveling at 60 mph. The rear differential locks up. The car crashes and burns with everyone trapped inside. Now, should we initiate a recall? Take the number of vehicles in the field, A, multiply by the probable rate of failure, B, multiply by the average out-of-court settlement, C. A times B times C equals X. If X is less than the cost of a recall, we don't do one." - Fight Club

We're humongous, dull-witted beasts wearing the padded, protective shorts of misinformation campaigns.

Slippery slope arguments hold little water because the imagined consequences are not automatic. Each additional change has to be won on its own merit. The fact that existing marriage laws no longer exclude same sex couples does not automatically make it acceptable or legal to marry a horse or bang a child. Equal marriage rights have and continue to be won on logical reasonable grounds just like interracial marriages in the 60's. Those who advocate for legalized bestiality, pedophilia or polygamy will have to win those rights with their own set of reasonable arguments.

Demand for products and services drive job creation, not lower costs. Jobs are added as a last resort if demand cannot be met by existing staff. Demand is created and sustained by a healthy middle class. Lower corporate taxes can impact the decision of larger companies to maintain offices and facilities in a particular province or country. However, I think free trade agreements between unequal nations have seriously lessened the effectiveness of the corporate tax cut lever. Far greater savings can be achieved by outsourcing to China, Mexico, Columbia, etc. The workers make nothing, have very few rights and protections and there are almost no health, safety and environmental costs. Unfortunately, the outsourcing erodes the health of our middle class and hurts demand. Saving an additional 75 cents on a T-shirt at Walmart does not offset the loss of manufacturing jobs.

Yes, and we're paying for the hype with our tax dollars. The idiots actually outspent Proctor & Gamble in Superbowl ads to flog the 'Action Plan'. I completely agree with the OP. This government is neither socially nor fiscally conservative. They've played politics with tax policies and spent like drunken sailors. (Why do sailors spend more than other drunks?) The one Con that seemed to have his act together on fiscal policy was Garth Turner. Unfortunately, he was turfed long ago for putting his constituents ahead of PMO talking points. Anyway, Garth was the one who pushed for income splitting and the TFSA. He warned that GST cuts may score political points but would do little to improve personal finances. Garth also hounded the leprechaun over income tax reform. His goal was a graduated flat tax (oxymoronic name) at a lower average rate but with far fewer deductions. The result would have led to the same revenue stream but with much less overhead and a one page tax form that could have been completed in 10 minutes.

I believe it is just speculation based on how he has dealt with those who have strayed from the PMO scripted talking points over the last 6 years. Those with perks like cabinet positions get demoted, those without are turfed.

Wow. According to Pat Robertson, God wants you to be stupid. http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/01/robertson-god-gives-less-miracles-to-too-educated-americans-who-learn-science/ Pat has done a lot for conservative Christianity; but, even his followers must be getting tired of him now. He reminds me of a racist old grandparent, that people have an obligatory connection to, but wish they would shut up in public.

Yep, I believe knocked up females under 16 can be married in Alberta, with parental consent. Slippery slope arguments hold little water. All the same alarmist, slippery slope arguments were made by the Christian right in Canada almost 10 years ago. They made claims that equal marriage would lead to legalized bestiality, incest, pedophilia, etc. Granting equal marriage rights to all human beings does not open the door to any other alarmist claim. As always when creating new laws there is a risk that poor writing can create loopholes that have to be filled, but it's a minimal risk. The fact that guys like Limbaugh and Robertson use their alarmist arguments to push for the denial of rights instead of a call for well written equal laws shows their true intentions.

Yeah, physical media is on life support. I've caught up on a couple of shows in that fashion but then couldn't stay committed when I had to wait for shows to be released. Boardwalk Empire is an excellent show but I don't watch it on a week to week basis. GOT is different though, I have to watch it as soon as they're available.

Bill may be putting on a show for the crazies, but it looks like Rush is the real deal. Limbaugh on marriage equality: ‘Who’s to say you cannot have sex with a child?’ Yep...to Rush equal marriage rights are a slippery slope to legalized pedophilia.

I don't watch any TV show on a regular basis, but I am actually sad when this show ends and I have to wait a week to watch the next episode. I hear the budget, story and sets are all bigger this season. According to critic who has watched the first 4 shows, the first 3 are great and build the story well but number 4 will blow your mind. Can't wait.

The O'Reilly-Stewart debate was really good. I think you're right about Bill's dumbass Christian right shtick though. He was in character for most of the actual debate but during the interview portion some of his real personality came through. I wonder if this shift in his on air persona is a calculated move though. Many analysts have predicted the tea party and Christian influence over the repubs will diminish as they move back towards sanity. Bill may just be trying to keep his act relevant.

I like eccentrics...especially the holiday granting type.

Pete had personality, I really liked him. He will be missed.

It seems like an odd move when we've already paid the $315,000.

Well said Liz! She sums up how I feel about this issue and the failings of our system very well here. See the video or full text below. http://elizabethmaymp.ca/parliament/statements/2013/03/26/privilege-s-o-31/

MG, I'm a big fan of Rival Sons great song! Kimmy, wow great Motorhead songs, I've never heard them before either. Great voice indeed! I'm not really a fan of Radiohead but have been listening to them today. I always liked Karma Police.

Burning? What a waste! I say if a heathen weighs the same as duck then build a bridge out of her. Then again I am a tree hugger...better to reduce, reuse and recycle.

I think the fact that we cherry pick the ethical scripture that still applies shows that society creates the moral landscape not a god.

61. The Reform Party was dominated by social conservatives and reformers dominated the merger. Socons speaking their minds were a problem early on but Harper managed to turn them into good, sound bite reading, soldiers. I think this was seen as the means to an end, but the end has been achieved and now they are getting angry. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/03/28/conservative_revolt_reveals_fault_lines_in_stephen_harpers_party_walkom.html

The idea that the same sex marriage opposition has no grounds for their position beyond religious belief is not new. Of course, religious belief can never be used to back policy arguments; freedom of religion also means freedom from religion. If a person's belief system forbids certain behaviours or acts they should feel free to refrain from performing them. However, their belief system should not prevent others from making their own choices. The interesting part this time is that Bill O'Reilly is the one preaching this message. http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/03/26/bill-oreilly-says-same-sex-marriage-foes-are-just-a-bunch-of-bible-thumpers/ I wonder if this is part of the expected end to the courtship of the Christian right or just an O'Reilly idiosyncrasy.

You are aware of the rules of the road, driving precepts and from experience know that they are followed a large proportion of the time. In your example you have belief based on evidence. Religious faith encourages strong belief without it.

Praying or hoping for good things to happen does not force people to deny reality and hope isn't limited to the religious. Santa and Easter Bunny stories are temporary tales we let kids believe for a short time. I'm really narrowing the focus to those that would deny actual evidence that clashes with biblical teachings or a conspiracy theory. So I guess Leaf fans who believe that somehow the current team is different than the mediocre lower end playoff teams of 8 years ago would qualify. So I'm really just wondering if teaching children to devalue evidence and deny reality is abusive in some way. Faith is belief without evidence. Should it be wrong to encourage kids to hold iron clad beliefs without evidence? Does that hurt them or society? Is it on par with teaching children to discriminate based on race, sex, sexual orientation, etc.?

I'm fine with a party having set positions on certain core issues and forcing those that represent it to adhere to those positions. However, the CPC is muzzling its members on a number of fronts. At least at one point the party even required MPs to attend pre-committee meetings to learn their positions and talking points. It is well known that many CPC MPs have very conservative or even regressive social views that may scare off a large number of would be voters. I understand why Harper would want to muzzle his party, it makes sense politically. However, it also worsens the representation problem already created by our electoral system and essentially eliminates the point of local MPs. This kind of top down approach to governing is the opposite of what the Reformers pushed for and will not be tolerated indefinitely.