The Rebounding Liberals have SHACKLED The Cons To The Center

Progressive Tory · February 2, 2009

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Tom Flanagan, American born member of the group known as the Calgary School and a senior fellow of the free-market think tank, the Fraser Institute. Pfmmmft.

That's priceless. Harper's mentor. Like his opinion still counts. I agree with him that Harper has got to reconnect with his base, but not that he hopes for an election. That's the last thing he wants right now.

Tom Flanagan. Ha ha ha ha ha. Tom Flanagan makes George Bush look open minded.

madmax · February 2, 2009

The problem is that Harper doesn't want to work together and would rather be the bully.

Harper is a bully. He was bullied back, picked himself off the ground and is working with the LPC. Being in a minority position, it was Harpers responsibility to find at Least ONE party that would allow him to pass laws and budgets with the Confidence of the house.

The LPC and CPC are working together much like the last parliment.

Alta4ever · February 2, 2009

Tom Flanagan, American born member of the group known as the Calgary School and a senior fellow of the free-market think tank, the Fraser Institute. Pfmmmft.
That's priceless. Harper's mentor. Like his opinion still counts. I agree with him that Harper has got to reconnect with his base, but not that he hopes for an election. That's the last thing he wants right now.

Tom Flanagan. Ha ha ha ha ha. Tom Flanagan makes George Bush look open minded.

I think he is a little better the Iggy's council Warren Kinsella. I hope he gets whats comming to him after the comments he made about chinese canadians, it would be nice to see the CHRC have to "prosecute" one of its own. You should see what he and the inquistors have been up to.

Progressive Tory · February 2, 2009

Against Dion, Harper still only managed a minority government albeit slightly higher...and that was against a lack lustre, poorly communicated last minute Liberal choice for leader.

The idea that Harper received a stronger mandate from the Canadian people is false.

He probably ran the most successful attack ad campaign in this country's history. In fact it was the first time attack ads ran BEFORE an election in Canada. It got so ugly that at one press conference when he was nattering on about his family, a journalist stopped him and asked 'what about Mr. Dion's family?'. With a sneer he replied; "I assume he has one." He couldn't even give him that.

The attack ads resulted in a vote loss to Liberals of 850,000 votes. But where did they go? Not to the Conservatives. In fact they were also down by 170,000 votes. Only the Green Party showed any significant gains, up by almost a third.

There were a potential one million votes at play. But while Canadians were turned off of Dion, they were not turned on to Harper. Instead they stayed home, resulting in the lowest voter turnout on record.

If Iggy can inspire people to vote, I know where those one million votes could land.

Only vote splitting gave the Cons more seats. Nobody warmed up to Harper and his actions since did not change any minds.

Alta4ever · February 2, 2009

The idea that Harper received a stronger mandate from the Canadian people is false.
He probably ran the most successful attack ad campaign in this country's history. In fact it was the first time attack ads ran BEFORE an election in Canada. It got so ugly that at one press conference when he was nattering on about his family, a journalist stopped him and asked 'what about Mr. Dion's family?'. With a sneer he replied; "I assume he has one." He couldn't even give him that.

The attack ads resulted in a vote loss to Liberals of 850,000 votes. But where did they go? Not to the Conservatives. In fact they were also down by 170,000 votes. Only the Green Party showed any significant gains, up by almost a third.

There were a potential one million votes at play. But while Canadians were turned off of Dion, they were not turned on to Harper. Instead they stayed home, resulting in the lowest voter turnout on record.

If Iggy can inspire people to vote, I know where those one million votes could land.

Only vote splitting gave the Cons more seats. Nobody warmed up to Harper and his actions since did not change any minds.

The core support of the CPC is still the same IGGY is not the Canadian Obama, in fact the media didn't even really like talking to him befroe because he didn't give exciting sound bites. Only now are they even attempting to elevate him to something he is not. I doubt the Liberal support will rise past 35%. If he is a sucess full liberal leader he may just return them to a minority goverment. The country is divided.

Progressive Tory · February 2, 2009

I think he is a little better the Iggy's council Warren Kinsella. I hope he gets whats comming to him after the comments he made about chinese canadians, it would be nice to see the CHRC have to "prosecute" one of its own. You should see what he and the inquistors have been up to.

I have no idea what you're talking about. Still hoping that Flanagan is right and that Harper will push for an election. I'm making my signs now. This would be the best news I've heard in along time.

Too bad Flanagan wasn't such a flake. 'First Nations, Second Thoughts' I tried to get it from my library but they class it as hate literature, so it's not available. Not worth the sixty bucks he's asking on his website.

OddSox · February 2, 2009

It will be a different story once the new fiscal year begins"

Oh, is that when the next welfare cheque is due?

Alta4ever · February 2, 2009

I have no idea what you're talking about. Still hoping that Flanagan is right and that Harper will push for an election. I'm making my signs now. This would be the best news I've heard in along time.
Too bad Flanagan wasn't such a flake. 'First Nations, Second Thoughts' I tried to get it from my library but they class it as hate literature, so it's not available. Not worth the sixty bucks he's asking on his website.

So you don't know about Richard Warman and Warren Kinsella? time to do a little research on the CHRC (section 13) and the war on freedom speech.

charter.rights · February 2, 2009

The core support of the CPC is still the same IGGY is not the Canadian Obama, in fact the media didn't even really like talking to him befroe because he didn't give exciting sound bites. Only now are they even attempting to elevate him to something he is not. I doubt the Liberal support will rise past 35%. If he is a sucess full liberal leader he may just return them to a minority goverment. The country is divided.

First of all Harper is a right winger - an extreme one like the Reformers he came from. The only difference is that with marginal support he has to appear coming into the centre in order to gain enough votes to get power. His whole goal in first term if you remember was to gain a majority - something he tried and failed at for the second term. The point is that through a minority position he cannot make the changes that he promoted as a far right winger.

Iggy is not Obama, that is true. However, the move to the left in the US, and the savior image that Obama wears will rub off on Ignatief. By positioning himself as an Obama-like leader, Iggy will gain support - especially among the middle / moderate voters. Harper comes across as a bully and a dirty player. I sure once the Liberals with Ignatief at the helm start positioning themselves as "the alternative" Harper will lose support from all but the old cadre of the Reform.

Harper is all about image. If he was about democracy and principles he would not have had a tight leash around the necks of his party MPs or silenced them on issues. Rather he was then and is concerned now about how these otherwise vocal right wingers would have sunk the moderate image he was trying to project. Harpers days are numbered. That's not too difficult to see.

ToadBrother · February 2, 2009

You've never said that until recently. You wanted the coalition to take power and Iggnotieff to become PM. You've said it many times.
So what is the Liberal policy and plan? What does the LPC as party policy stand for?

I dunno, what do the Conservatives stand for?

Progressive Tory · February 2, 2009

So you don't know about Richard Warman and Warren Kinsella? time to do a little research on the CHRC (section 13) and the war on freedom speech.

Not sure what this has to do with Liberals rebounding I mentioned Tom Flanagan because he wrote the other linked article), but so far I found a National Post retraction

Don't know enough about it. Is Warren kinsella a senator or something? I've heard the name. Came across his blog though, so have bookmarked it and will give it a read. I'll decide then what it has to do with the Liberal rebound if anything. He's kinda' cute.

The Man Behind Stephen Harper

Alta4ever · February 2, 2009

First of all Harper is a right winger - an extreme one like the Reformers he came from. The only difference is that with marginal support he has to appear coming into the centre in order to gain enough votes to get power. His whole goal in first term if you remember was to gain a majority - something he tried and failed at for the second term. The point is that through a minority position he cannot make the changes that he promoted as a far right winger.
Iggy is not Obama, that is true. However, the move to the left in the US, and the savior image that Obama wears will rub off on Ignatief. By positioning himself as an Obama-like leader, Iggy will gain support - especially among the middle / moderate voters. Harper comes across as a bully and a dirty player. I sure once the Liberals with Ignatief at the helm start positioning themselves as "the alternative" Harper will lose support from all but the old cadre of the Reform.

Harper is all about image. If he was about democracy and principles he would not have had a tight leash around the necks of his party MPs or silenced them on issues. Rather he was then and is concerned now about how these otherwise vocal right wingers would have sunk the moderate image he was trying to project. Harpers days are numbered. That's not too difficult to see.

You are an extreme left winger, If what happens in the US rubs off on

Iggy hewill be in trouble, in obamas frist week he has already signed into legislation economic bills that are in effect nulifing NAFTA. He has his named on bill that is not stimulus, but good lod liberal pork, a bill that has most of its spending happening 3 years from now. Some Stimulus. If Obama continues on the present coarse he will destroy the liberal and progressisves in the court of public opinion and I doubt that Iggy with want to be assocaited with that.

Alta4ever · February 2, 2009

Not sure what this has to do with Liberals rebounding I mentioned Tom Flanagan because he wrote the other linked article), but so far I found a National Post retraction
Don't know enough about it. Is Warren kinsella a senator or something? I've heard the name. Came across his blog though, so have bookmarked it and will give it a read. I'll decide then what it has to do with the Liberal rebound if anything. He's kinda' cute.

The Man Behind Stephen Harper

Warren kinsella is one of Iggy's inner circle, a supporter and strategist. In last two years he has supported Richard Warman and his complants to the CHRC. ( Richard Warman is an ex employee of this commsision and the biggest complantant CHRC its something like 26 complaints.). In the last 2 years Richard has mounted comlaints against bloggers and online forums.

IF you really want to learn about Warren Kinsella I suggest you do some reasearch out side of his blog.

Currently he is under attack for publically insuling chinese canadians.

85RZ500 · February 2, 2009

The Liberals have the "Cons" shackled allright.

I loved todays Question Period. Ignatief was babbling about how the Gov't should have known about the protectionism going thru the US system.

Stockwell Day shot back something like, for a guy who spent a lot of years living in the US, you ought to know how their system works.

I have a good feeling this will come up a lot, as it should.

Ah, the Convenient Canadian.

Edited February 2, 2009 by 85RZ500

Alta4ever · February 2, 2009

The Liberals have the "Cons" shackled allright.
I loved todays Question Period. Ignatief was babbling about how the Gov't should have known about the protectionism going thru the US system.

Stockwell Day shot back something like, for a guy who spent a lot of years living in the US, you ought to know how their system works.

I have a good feeling this will come up a lot, as it should.

Ah, the Convenient Canadian.

I guess I'll have ot watch question period tonight on CPAC

Progressive Tory · February 2, 2009

The Liberals have the "Cons" shackled allright.
I loved todays Question Period. Ignatief was babbling about how the Gov't should have known about the protectionism going thru the US system.

Stockwell Day shot back something like, for a guy who spent a lot of years living in the US, you ought to know how their system works.

I have a good feeling this will come up a lot, as it should.

Ah, the Convenient Canadian.

Stockwell Day is an idiot. Michael Ignatieff spent most of the time outside of Canada in the UK. Only about five years in the US at Harvard.

But then Day only has a highschool education, so probably can't count that high.

85RZ500 · February 2, 2009

PT, Stock didn't say how many years and for most Canadians , 5yrs out of this country is a lot.

And given Ignatief's supposed intelligence, I believe the high school graduate is right.

You really should change your sig to something more appropriate.

Alta4ever · February 2, 2009

Stockwell Day is an idiot. Michael Ignatieff spent most of the time outside of Canada in the UK. Only about five years in the US at Harvard.
But then Day only has a highschool education, so probably can't count that high.

If a university docterate is the only measure of a politician ralf should never have been the most sucessful politican in Canadian History and Dion should have been been more sucess full by that measure.

Stock as Finance Minister for Alberta was the first to return his province to balanced budgets. He was the one who introduced the flat tax to alberta, and is largely responsible for Alberta being in its current debt free state. Something that can't be said for any other province in Canada.

In those years Stock served Canadians and Albertans, where was Iggy?

charter.rights · February 2, 2009

You are an extreme left winger, If what happens in the US rubs off on
Iggy hewill be in trouble, in obamas frist week he has already signed into legislation economic bills that are in effect nulifing NAFTA. He has his named on bill that is not stimulus, but good lod liberal pork, a bill that has most of its spending happening 3 years from now. Some Stimulus. If Obama continues on the present coarse he will destroy the liberal and progressisves in the court of public opinion and I doubt that Iggy with want to be assocaited with that.

I am hardly an extreme left winger. In fact I am fiscally conservative and socially liberal in my general political views. How ever I would more likely be described as a humanist more than a conservative or liberal and more likely I represent the centre more than ost people here. I also hold the swing vote in any election so I am the type that needs to see moderation before I give a party my ok. I have never been taken in by Harper's false persona but like many while Dion was in charge there was no hope I would vote Liberal.

There is no doubt in my mind however, that you are an extreme right winger.

Now that Iggy is in charge I sense the next vote will be going his way...unless of course he screws it up.

Edited February 2, 2009 by charter.rights

Alta4ever · February 2, 2009

I am hardly an extreme left winger. In fact I am fiscally conservative and socially liberal in my general political views. How ever I would more likely be described as a humanist more than a conservative or liberal and more likely I represent the centre more than ost people here. I also hold the swing vote in any election so I am the type that needs to see moderation before I give a party my ok. I have never been taken in by Harper's false persona but like many while Dion was in charge there was no hope I would vote Liberal.
There is no doubt in my mind however, that you are an extreme right winger.

Now that Iggy is in charge I sense the next vote will be going his way...unless of course he screws it up.

you cannot be fically conservative and socially liberal, as you have to pork barrel spend to those liberal social policies.

Look at the gun registry boon doggle, and EI problems. For all those liberal promises you have to pay for them and that means extra wasted spending. You can't be both. You are confusing balanced budget with fiscal conservatism. (something I don't think harper gets either). You can creat balanced bugets every year with liberal spending if you raise taxes to meet this end, instead of trimming spending to meet the tax income of the country.

Progressive Tory · February 2, 2009

In those years Stock served Canadians and Albertans, where was Iggy?

Teaching tomorrow's leaders in the US and UK, giving him a better understanding of our place on the world stage. Didn't Stocky's own people vote him out?

I'm sure his comment today was genuine and he really believes that the UK is part of the United States, and that dinosaurs roamed with man.

Progressive Tory · February 2, 2009

PT, Stock didn't say how many years and for most Canadians , 5yrs out of this country is a lot.
And given Ignatief's supposed intelligence, I believe the high school graduate is right.

You really should change your sig to something more appropriate.

I cannot believe that the Conservatives are going to try to play that card. McCain used that with Obama, bringing up his time abroad. Americans loved it.

If you went out on the street and asked Canadians how they feel about Michael Igantieff having taught for five years at Harvard instead of hanging around here at home; the reaction would be "He taught at Harvard? Wow!"

This is not a negative thing no matter how you spin it.

But oh. He is fluent in English, French and Russian. Maybe he's a Russian spy.

If you want to stack Stockwells Day's highschool diploma against Ignatieff's PhD and sell it to Canadians, you'd better dip it in chocolate first.

Alta4ever · February 2, 2009

Teaching tomorrow's leaders in the US and UK, giving him a better understanding of our place on the world stage. Didn't Stocky's own people vote him out?
I'm sure his comment today was genuine and he really believes that the UK is part of the United States, and that dinosaurs roamed with man.

So know you are imparting your opinion on stock here, have you ever talked to the man. Why was it so important to teach other countries future leaders, but not ours? If he cared about Canadians and its future leaders why didn't he spend at least some of that career here?

Besides stock didn't say how long a lot of years was, your opinion decided that measurement was that a lot of years means more then five. Five is a lot of years to be away from your home, unless, at that point the US was home. Never in his career did he decide to come back to Canada, he decided to come back and seek the liberal nomination after retiring in the US. So if that opportunity wasn't their would he have bothered coming back to canada.

I am betting that stock is smarter and more politically adept then you anyway.

Alta4ever · February 2, 2009

I cannot believe that the Conservatives are going to try to play that card. McCain used that with Obama, bringing up his time abroad. Americans loved it.
If you went out on the street and asked Canadians how they feel about Michael Igantieff having taught for five years at Harvard instead of hanging around here at home; the reaction would be "He taught at Harvard? Wow!"

This is not a negative thing no matter how you spin it.

But oh. He is fluent in English, French and Russian. Maybe he's a Russian spy.

If you want to stack Stockwells Day's highschool diploma against Ignatieff's PhD and sell it to Canadians, you'd better dip it in chocolate first.

If you did a survey out on the street with Canadians passing by and asked if they cared that he taught at Harvard, I doubt you would get wow, you wuould get so what. Many people don't really care about our leaders that much, most have the attitude that all politicans are crooks, and have become very apathetic about our government.

If Canadians were really that excited about Iggy the liberal number would have moved more then 3%.

Your enthusiasm isn't shared by most Canadians. The polling makes this obvious.

blueblood · February 2, 2009

I cannot believe that the Conservatives are going to try to play that card. McCain used that with Obama, bringing up his time abroad. Americans loved it.
If you went out on the street and asked Canadians how they feel about Michael Igantieff having taught for five years at Harvard instead of hanging around here at home; the reaction would be "He taught at Harvard? Wow!"

This is not a negative thing no matter how you spin it.

But oh. He is fluent in English, French and Russian. Maybe he's a Russian spy.

If you want to stack Stockwells Day's highschool diploma against Ignatieff's PhD and sell it to Canadians, you'd better dip it in chocolate first.

They tried selling Dion's PhD and Canadians didn't buy it. Good for Ignatieff he has a PhD. All the great Presidents and Prime Ministers I know of didn't have a PhD. If you think the average Canadian is going to think a PhD is the end all and be all, I suggest you step out of your ivory tower. Agriculture professors have PhD's as well, they also can't hack it running a farm so they have to play at the University. Any time anyone with a PhD in agriculture mentions something I roll my eyes, why in the blue hell am I going to listen to ag advise from someone who's farm went belly up?

If Stockwell Day with a highschool diploma balanced Alberta's books and made it the most friendly business environment, I suggest Ignatieff go to his alma mater and ask for a refund.