Michael Bluth

This is the best part of the NP commentary. Why did Elections Canada go so hard on this one? Because the CPC dared to question their authority? Is EC just putting the CPC in its place? Shouldn't a 'non-partisan' agency act in a non-partisan manner?

Hmmm, so no actual concern on the complaint? Just go after the CPC. At least you are consistent! If the parliament of officer has such a problem serving parliament they have the ability to quit on principle. That will definitely get them coverage.

Well said. It definitely is a non-story. I find it how it yes yet another feeble attempt by the Liberal cheer squad to bring up charges of 'muzzling' and 'battling' when nothing has been decided. Must be nice to live a government-subsidized existence...

Nothing is ever perfect my man. Do you have a specific problem with the proposed changes? Continuous improvement is the hallmark of good managers. The CPC has definitely managed the country quite well in the past 18 months. Much better than Dion has managed his caucus. bah!

Optics? Come on shakey. Fraser said she liked what she heard. It's the spin of certain posters here that creates the perception you don't like. Fraser is an accountant. Likes to see the world in black and white. Yet another slow news day. Yet another manufactured story by the desperate opposition.

Could be that participants on this thread are more knowledgeable about politics than the average Canadian?

The old PC guard was for the most part burned by Lord. Lord handled pulling out of the last federal PC leadership race very poorly. The night before he held the press conference pulling out of the race he had a conference call with his leadership team, a call detailing how the press conference the next day was to announce we was running and getting the organization ready. For whatever reason he changed his mind and didn't tell any (most?) of the people on the call he was pulling out. They were all left with their d*cks swinging in the wind. He made them look bad. People have long memories. He may have been able to give Harper a serious run for his money in the CPC leadership, but pulled out right away because all the organizational strength from the old PCs told him where to go. No way they have changed their minds now. French skills? Prentice is still working hard on his French - he will probably get the backing of the old PC crowd. Alas, two PMs in a row from Calgary ... not gonna happen. Baird's French is pretty good and there will be a candidate from Ontario. Verner maybe? Diane Finley? Fluently bilingual, female, Ontarian, Doug Finley as a husband helps a ton. She has been getting more ink these days as Immigration minister. The blue blockers might freak some people out though. Tony Clement could try again ... bah!

Fair comment. Martin did serve as PM for more than five months before calling the election. Anybody claiming that he called the election because the opposition as calling him unelected should at least try and explain why he didn't call the election within weeks of being named PM ala John Turner or Pierre Trudeau.

Thanks Shakey. I took a thee and a half month voluntary break and nothing much has changed. If Dion actually has the cojones to force a spring election I'll be a more regular contributor. So I guess that means I'll be seeing y'all regularly in the fall.

As you said...

What was easy? Blind devotion to non-moderators attempting to exert influence over the board? The mods don't officially allow it, so they don't have the power. Guess you haven't proven anything and didn't really have a point. Proving that was easy.

The relationship appeats to be obscured only when the financial involvement of the U of L is called into question.

Martin called the election after the Liberals had been in office for 3 years and 7 months. Far shorter than the standard four year term for a majority Government. If Martin were interested in resolving the issue he would have waited until at least the fall of 2004. Alas, he listened to his braintrust and tried to catch the Conservatives unawares. Do explain how this response is related to this thread 'at all'? Oh wait, it's do as you say, not as you do.

As opposed to how Chretien ran the Liberals? Chretien laughed at APEC, played dirty but was a winner. Served as PM for a decade. Martin thought he was above the fray, called Gomery thinking he wouldn't be tainted by it. Served as PM for 14 months. Now Martin is widely considered the biggest disappointment as PM .... ever. Which man should Harper emulate? Hmmm, I know why the Liberals here want him to emulate Martin, but let's suppose Harper is running in the best interest of the CPC, not the Liberals!

Alas, the mods think it is. That is what counts, regardless of the rules or blatantly different standards applying to different posters.

Your tone is indicative of a clear lack of civility. Alas, the mods here allow you to get away with things that they chastise other posters for. Your libelous 'stalker boy' cries were too much even for you. This is a "partly" publicly-supported message board. Not your place to decide who can, or can't, post here.

There are some other very interesting things in that poll. When asked about the preferred election date...

Bill Clinton and George W. are the only Presidents since 1952 to win the White House without winning NH, both in their first runs at the White House. There have been a few more people who have won their party nomination while losing NH and the Presidential election. If someone other than Hillary or McCain wins the Presidency it will probably be interpreted as further evidence of NH becoming far less important. However, if one of those two do win the White House it will 1992 and 2000 will probably be seen as aberrations.

I don't believe that drug policy is solely related to a person's social views. IMO social policy encompasses issues such as marriage, abortion, age of consent etc. Drug policy has effects on public safety, health, and crime. I think anybody who construes drug policy as reflective of a party's social platform is framing the issue in a simplistic manner in order to advance their personal agenda. btw, what does your question have to do with rural areas being more socially conservative than urban ones?

As is the case in every province. The cites are less socially conservative than are the rural areas.

I do apologize. I eyeballed them and didn't do the math. The eleven ridings are all in Edmonton and Calgary. The nine I missed the CPC would be losing those ridings in very tight races. *If* all those votes went to the second place party, basically the Liberals. I'm guessing that wasn't the case in that poll. The Liberals polling in the high 30s in Alberta would be HUGE news. I'm sure the results are a little bit of a cause of concern for the CPC but I doubt all that support went to the Liberals except for the two ridings where the NDP came in second in '06.

It isn't easy to answer a question with a direct answer while ensuring you get across the message you want to get a cross and portraying yourself in the best possible light. Some politicians are naturally gifted at this: Brian Mulroney, Pierre Trudeau, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan. Some aren't naturally gifted but learn the necessary skills: Stephen Harper, Jean Chretien, Richard Nixon. Some aren't naturally gifted, never learn the necessary skills and are failures as a result: Stock Day, Kim Campbell, Al Gore. Stephane Dion is not naturally gifted at communicating and hasn't learned the skills yet. If he can change his style enough to win the next election he can move up to the second level. Only time will tell...

Come on in! As long as you can get a big enough crowd you don't have to worry about laws. Democracy?! Hell no, mob rules.

Just as most Canadians are either centrists or right-of-centre you have to play to the centre to win power in this country. Harper has tried to advance no social conservative agenda while in office. The vote on SSM was a sop to socons that everyone knew would fail. Nothing else the government has done could be remotely construed as socially conservative. Harper got enough centrists to win office. A few more and he's in with a majority.

Why was this thread moved to Political Philosophy? The discussion that has ensued revolves around Canadian Politics. I guess some posters here are able to exert a higher level of control over the boards than others.