madmax

You mean riding associations have input into NDP policy??? Like grassroots type of stuff? Probably won't make it to the floor. Aren't these conventions just a time to waste money and party? I'm curious what your resolution is....

Changing the name from the CCF to the NDP made sense. Possible changing the name back in 1993 would have been a good time, back when the NDP was at 6%. IIRC the NDP is near the heights of the glory era of Ed Broadbent and higher then at anytime when Tommy Douglas or David Lewis Ran the party. They are certainly not as ignored as during the Alexa M Era, and have broken through in Quebec and NFLD, and have more seats in Ontario then at ANY time in its history.... All with that near 50 year old title NDP. Perhaps if the NDP do a tailspin, they could consider changing their name. I prefer CCF to DP. DP sounds rude. The NDP historically stand up for the underdogs and I don't think that DP would reflect the historical concious of the NDP or intends to do that, but as I don't see this party doing anything but maintaining its traditional base, changing the name isn't going to change the vote. Regardless of all the attacks on Jack Layton, since his high water mark in personal popularity, two things are clear to me. The NDP will not get more seats based on the popularity of the leader, nor is it going to lose alot more seats because the leader is not Popular. If Jack Laytons personal popularity rises or falls it will not affect the seat count by more than a handful either way. The NDP base vote in all the polls is maintaining a 70 year historical trend going back to CCF days. The only blip is that 6% era, where the NDP was punished federally by both Ontario and BC for the actions of NDP Provincial Governments in 1993. Quite Frankly, the NDP could circle the wagons around their 36 seats and maybe even gain one more or lose 5 seats, which the NDP risk each and everytime there is an election, regardless of where the polls are at. That is why the NDP of all the parties, doesn't have to pay attention to the polls to do its job. If the news is as bad as Caplan explains, the NDP polling numbers do not reflect that... The mere fact that the NDP is being talked about more, means that the NDP are more of a factor then they were under the Alexa era in which no one wasted time criticising the NDP or their positions. I expect the other two parties to gang up on the NDP in the next election, and I expect the NDP to come out with many of the seats it holds today.... Just as I think the same for the LPC and the CPC. I see a small merry go round, but the end result would look much like it already is....

I think Caplan is old school from the Ed Broadbent era. I't bet he doesn't have anything to do with the party, let alone know inside information. Probably why he didn't offer a solution to his criticism, like the other two strategists were able to do.

You have to Laugh about that. In the middle of an election campaign, trying to grab a few more percentage points, Stephen Harper turns into a real TALIBAN STEVE and sells out the military publicly for political gain. Of course Jack Layton was correct, he was repeating what he was hearing on the ground and from other military services. But TALIBAN STEVE did it under the most opportunistic circumstances and the military called him on it.

I have mixed feelings about this. One is that Authoritarian, totalitarian fear of being force by government to do something. However, Austrialia isn't all that fearful a country and they do it. The people have accepted it, and they start taking an interest. Heck if I was forced to drive somewhere to exercise my right, I may as well figure out who is running and what they are about. Then if they don't follow through, change votes next time around and its like losing 2 votes. I'd hate to see forced voting and people able to make a key click and get it done. Like anyone would give a care about who they clicked on. Just get it overwith and back to Facebook and My SPace. However, as Political Parties receive funding for votes, I could see them wanting to have computer voting just in hopes of those random votes =$1.95 I have to agree with you Jerry, $1 is pretty damn cheap price to pay to vote... but the political parties are getting more then that now ... LOL

No I haven't lived in an Authoritarian Society. I do see some of those elements trickling into ours, but that is a separate issue. Of course I appreciate a free society. I have even worn the uniform to back it up. I vote in every election. I look forward to it, ever since I was a teenager and it was one of my rights of passage, and the only one I couldn't cheat on while underage.... The others two things teenagers look forward to legalling doing is Driving, smoking, and Drinking. Of course, in my era, political theories were taught in class. You got it all from the right and from the left and everything in between and up and down. Today, if kids are taught at all, it is not politics, nor political theories, its simply platforms, which inspires no one. Its like look at 4 menus... Do you serve chicken... Yes, Yes, Yes, No were veg Do you serve steak... yes, yes, yes, No were veg Do you have rice.......yes, yes, yes, yes Do you have peas..... Yes, yes, yes, yes Well, look at that, if there was a Vegetarian looking for rice and peas, they can get them anywhere. And if the Carnivores were in a good mood, the'd eat the flavoured tofu... I have read the wordings of the platforms of the Conservatives, Liberals, NDP and even the Green Party, and their marketing of the platforms is identical. You'd almost never know there was a difference between any of them. Everything is nuanced, but it is how the parties behave after elected that the public should be watching. It is the reason they think every politician is a LIAR... and are put off and don't vote. Electronic voting isn't going to change that. Politics is the means to achieve power and get people to do what you want them to do, not the other way around. And almost half the public isn't playing. By the time the spin doctors are done disecting and lying, the general public is a confused mess. Perfect, as long as the base comes out because they won't change their vote. These people will come out and vote in each and every election. There are still the solid voter, who suffers no fools and can navigate through the spin. They will sort it out to their benefit and make and informed choice. They will find a polling booth, because they are good citizens and believe in their free society. Am I joking above.... yes, and the reason is that computer voting is a joke.

This is the only line worth measuring.. Ignore the 25 yahoos who have arrived in Caledonia and create such chaos, that I swear there intent is to continue to screw up any minute progress in negotiations or general dialogue. Caledonia is worse off because of these clowns, whether the people know it or not. The courts support resolving land claims through rule of law, which, along the Haldimand Tract, requires government to consult with the Six Nations.

McGuinty is running in the next election.

Some people would probably like it if it was run like American Idol. Have all the Leaders perform on stage, then let the critics at them.... I can see it now... SIMON: Prime Minister Harper.... that was a great delivery, you really got the base motivated, but really, people don't like you, I don't like you either, and do something about your hair. I enjoyed your snidely whiplash persona, but it seemed a little to much like a cartoon. Kinda like those flyers you send to the homes of Canadians. While I wouldn't normally send you into the next round....its only because the other candidates suck that I consider, and you will not be left alone to govern a majority .. ever.... you scarey man. SIMON: Mr Ignatieff. Whats with the EYES BLINKING.... BLINKING BLINKING BLINKING .... are you sending a coded message to space aliens, or are you actually suffering from torture and sending a message like John McCain. Is there an electrical device attached to your genitals? Why are you so shifty? Do you know the difference from YES and NO, because you certainly have me confused, you spent most of your performance saying one thing, and then right at the end said exactly the opposite. This is a wonderful gift you have, to be able to speak out of both sides of your mouth at the same time. You make a great politician, your not believeable, you have no conviction, and you are twisted like a pretzel when it comes to policy. Mr. Ignatieff, few people come on our show, with absolutely nothing to talk about, and manage to cover up their performance with immeasureable bafflegab. You are the measure of Bullshit baffles Brains and you certainly have me confused. But... the choice lies with out voters.... $1 per electronic vote.... SIMON: Your Mustache... now go away. SIMON: Who is this irratating women, and why is she on our show? Remember.... $1 per electronic vote, vote as many times as you like.

There are no job guarrantees to these bailouts. This is a corporate bailout to ensure the future viability of a global corporation. The fact that all sectors receive corporate bailouts... the Banks received a huge one shortly after the september election, the oil sector is heavily heavily subsidized and some of the biggest clients at the trough of all governments are land developers. So, just because the Auto Sector cried for some money, don't go assuming that this is some form of job protection or investment in the future. GM used the PRovincial Technology money to help build their NEW truck facility in Mexico. The billions the feds gave was to ensure that GM can continue its transistion without causing a crises to the Canadian Economy. Thus, we are choosing a slow bleed, rather then the toxic shock. It was good politicing on part of GM to sucker the Feds the way they did, and pretty Stupid of the Feds to do exactly what the PRovince is doing, which is handing over lots of money to corporations. There is a sucker born everyminute. The banks were going to have a poor year, and they wanted the bailout monies over the tax cut, they figured they could do better that way. Most manufacturers were going to have an average year or low profits, thus a bailout is way better then the tax cut, and then there are the Tax cuts taken by companies like John Deere and thousands of others, laughing all the way to the bank, as they use Canadian Tax dollars to subsidize their move to Mexico.... We don't have to give money or tax cuts to companies that are leaving. But the corporations have the ear of the government. Don't start blaming this on the poor guy shitting his pants because their foreign owners have suggested they will close. They are going to close anyway, its just a matter of time, as we have chosen a path of de industrialization. For what reason the government wants to aid this endeavour, when it should be the sole responsibility of the Capitalists, is beyond sanity. But then again, its government and the current CPC are pretty irresponsible when it comes to finance, and the LPC position unfortuneately with regards to handing billions to corporations with no strings attached isn't that far off the CPC position. When you consider that federal policies are designed to eliminate jobs, production, and encourage imports of all products .... then throwing a few billion at an industry that has no interest in saving 10,000 jobs will have the same effect as pissing in a lake to see if it will rise. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their jobs, and the future of job creation will be based upon 3rd world economies. Wasting our taxes, to prop up an American company with no job guarrantees is retarded. Congrats Harper and Flaherty. However, you are correct, in that false blame is being put on transfer payments, and after numerous discussions on MLW few people either ignore how it works, or still do not know how it works. THis is a huge tax grab. Governments are looking for new monies as wages fall to unheard of levels. The stats are starting to come in and the wage gap is growing faster then you can say Banana Republic. Therefore, they don't want to go after the wealthy, because that is the base for many governments, and the middle class is declining. Therefore, you have to tax the lower and the middle class and the most effective measure to get this revenue is through consumption. Thus, governments mask this new tax as a "GREEN" Tax, "CARBON" tax, or "HARMONY" tax, but the point is simple. The government is looking for new taxes, new sources of revenue, and they have SFA to do with the environment or harmony. The government is simply on the take.

He breathes.. avoid controversy and is a compulsive liar. No the HST is not because of transfer payments. But it is a gratutitous grab into MY pocketm, which he is very good at doing. By being a successful liar, McGuinty has been able to maintain the Harris/Eve initiatives. The only thing McGuinty has done differently is not create an unnecessary war with the teachers, for which they have been grateful with support. He hasn't cut back their wages like RAE, or badgered them like Mike Harris "Create a crises" regime. Like many Liberal Governments is able to let the corruption slide off the back and not get punished or fingered by the public for stealing and diverting tax payers money. The Liberal machine is great with smoke and mirrors. I expect them to win another election as people will outright reject a return to the common sense revolution.

Yes it was Hudak who won.. MLW did get the two front runners correct. And ... somehow, this was more boring and less inspiring then the NDP Leadership Race, which became lively near the end.. One thing that has been missing from Leadership Races is ... TELEVISION>>>>> With so many stations, you'd think, one of them, might be interested in covering a leadership race. ... sorry I woke yahs....

wat kwestion humpties deritas muncheese anee one no wat Rush did with is ozy cooton piles still on radeo is't he

Which Campaign is up to no good? Don't know who did this, but I expect Hudak would benefit from this bogus letter.

Just days to go, the Race is supposed to be divided, it is here too, but there must be more people on MLW willing to committ to a straw poll. The NDP leadership Race had more interest then this one, and I didn't really think anyone was following that one either. Comments and votes.... or do we put a fork in this?

EI is neither easy or generous... however, when I see people who have worked for decades, then there entire industry and backgrounds are eliminated, because of government created market structures. And the new line of work isn't working out, because that field has just taken a crap, and the work has dried up, and they are weeks, days or even hours short, I see no pleasure in watching them lose everything as the months pass and they are not eligible for EI because there are secure people like you with cushy soft jobs who think people want to be in this position, and would continue to be in this position if they were eligible to collect EI. Its not surprising that people who are working are ignorant of what is happening to those not working. Some of these very people who worked through many recessions and were never the odd one caught out in a difficult time, think and felt much like you do. It is an eye opener for many people, but it is not a fun thing to watch.

http://drivetoworkhamilton.ca/ http://www.drivetowork.ca/ Apparently there are Job Caravans travelling the Province... Anyone see these??

Many people are viewing this as you do. I think the media has given to much credit to a "win win" situation.

You can always choose to run against the incumbent. If you lose, you have MPP that you like, if you win, you sent a message to McGuinty.

That makes it a tie... People have to come out of the woodwork .... and break the tie... real vote coming soon.

Ouch... because these guys suck. To Set the Record Straight.... BOO! Unfortuneately, Ignatief couldn't muster all three letters... B....before caving in 20 minutes into his press conference... it was all over and friday threat is completely gone. Ignatieff and Harper are now going to sit down, order some Lattes and some steak dinners and the taxpayers tab and spend all summer meeting and eating, talking and drinking about all the poor unemployed people. Rather then putting their sorry little asses in gear.... these guys are not going to continue working, because.... summer lovin... down in the sand... summer lovin...iggy holdin my hand... my a grit... cute as can be.... can't believe... he's a torie... summer lovin driftin away but... alll oh those summmmmer nnnnni...iggghtttts Tell me more.... tell me more....

Summer Election Watch 2009 TUESDAY BOO!

I believe Ignatieff has read the polls since May and jumped on the EI bandwagon. To little..... too late....to opportunistic.....and certainly he is not going to have an election over. And 14% for an election, means there are alot of Liberal Supporters not jumping up and down. I do find it funny that all the boisterious CPC supporters, just a few short months ago were hopping up and down for another election. Seems there is alot of cold feet for an election. Good poll, it supported some of the quick straw polls that were put out a few days ago. The Liberals have read this poll too.. they may nominate candidates, but they aren't going to the doors.

prorogue anyone

No, and the reason is.... the public will not vote LPC for this reason .... if they call an election. David Peterson Effect/b] The LPC can read a poll, especially one that would associate blame with an unwanted election. That poll is taken in the Heart of Liberal Toronto. Go ahead.... make my day. I am so sick of elections, this could be the final bullet in the head aimed at stupid arrogant poll reading opportunists. I didn't like it when Harper called the September Election. Its absolutely the stupidest endeavour of a political party. Self absorbed parties that can only think of themselves and dream in the night with rose coloured glasses. I know that the Liberals have been stared down again. Expect the Liberal Puffery machine to be working all summer. BOO!