"We Can Do Better"

[Smallc]

This is exactly what I don't want them to try and do.

You're not a Liberal. I am. I believe in the mixed roles of government and private industry.

[Goat Boy©]

You're not a Liberal. I am. I believe in the mixed roles of government and private industry.

Actually I've been a Liberal supporter my entire life until Martin. I'm just not from the Trudeau camp. IMHO, it's safe to say that the wheels fell off the train.

I believe that the governments role is to govern, and provide essential services that the private sector cannot be trusted to provide, but can appease with the fact that their are many here in Canada not comfortable with that idea and it will more than likely never be realized.

[August1991]

You're not a Liberal. I am. I believe in the mixed roles of government and private industry.

So do I.

But do you believe that governments (taxpayers) should give money to everyone?

Check this out. (The federal Public Works Transfer List.)

If that link doesn't work, try this. (If you don't know what Public Works is, then you'll never be a successful politician.)

All Leftists (or anyone intent on a political career) should look through that list. After reading the list, it becomes obvious that governments can solve some human problems but government is also a scam.

Welcome to Modern Government.

Edited September 20, 2009 by August1991

[Jerry J. Fortin]

You can dream about getting rid of them, but it can't happen. You can update them (like paperless records etc.) to make them more efficient but you can't get rid of them. Like kicking immigrants out of Canada? Need a bureaucracy for that. Like the military? Need a bureaucracy for that. Like putting people in prison? Heck, you need a bureaucracy for that, too. People just think that the government open offices all over the country just for people to sit around to do nothing. It's hilarious. My going line is, if you want to live in a country with as little government and bureaucracy as possible, move to Somalia. They'd love to have you.

Dare to dream.

Witness the duplication and triplication of governmental efforts from all three levels; local, provincial and federal. Think of the expense of that bureaucratic effort. Keep in mind the senior positions within those efforts are political appointees and represent a vast majority of patronage appointments. Recognize that the level of taxation reflects the costs of government. Understand that the expense of government detracts from every citizens disposable income and as such compromises our standard of living.

The government provides the services that citizens desire, just as citizens provide the government they desire. Its not too complicated, just perplexing. The true issue is one of leadership and vision. We have had no leaders with a defined vision for citizens to support so instead of a predetermined charted direction for our society we have created a short sighted knee jerk reaction method of governance. As issues appear through the daily business of the House of Commons, representatives echo their partisan leadership and debates form and conclude over legislative efforts made in the specter of special interests and corporate lobby efforts.

There will come a day when a leader will rise from the population to describe the concerns of the citizens. Those concerns are very simple and straight forward and they will sweep the nation. The health and safety of citizens requires both financial and mental wellbeing in order to provide the true security of the person, and that will be the mandate from the people. It is not capitalism or communism that will bring happiness to the citizens but instead a new form of enlightened governance.

[ba1614]

Sez who? You?

The "Yes we can" slogan worked as part of Obama's speeches, like a children's nursery rhyme or a calling song. He could set it up and then the crowd would answer.

"We can do better" is designed to be the repeated punch line in a political speech.

Anyway, I just think that it's dumb because it implicitly insults voters and reminds them that Ignatieff is a teacher. If we have an election, the Liberals will either drop it or change it.

-----

As political slogans go, I always liked Thatcher's "Labour doesn't work" and Trudeau's "Parle fort Québec". Both were successful.

My favorite from Thatcher: "The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money [to spend]."

[ironstone]

It is a great slogan it helped win Kennedy the 1960 election. Problem here is Mr. Kennedy could do better, I come a family of Kennedy Democrats my Grandmother was very disappointed in Mr. Ignatieff when he said this the first time now she is just angry.

John Kennedy should also thank his dad for his win.All that money came in handy.

[jdobbin]

I don't know who Gerry Nichols is but he and I agree on this one.

Come on. You don't know him?

He was Harper's deputy at the NCC for many years and a close friend and ally. When he started to criticize Harper for his less than Conservative rule, he was fired by the NCC. The NCC now takes a more pro-Tory tone.

Edited September 20, 2009 by jdobbin

[Smallc]

Actually I've been a Liberal supporter my entire life until Martin. I'm just not from the Trudeau camp.

I don't believe that Martin was in the Trudeau camp. If anything, Chretien was a Trudeau style Liberal.

[jbg]

It is a great slogan it helped win Kennedy the 1960 election. Problem here is Mr. Kennedy could do better, I come a family of Kennedy Democrats my Grandmother was very disappointed in Mr. Ignatieff when he said this the first time now she is just angry.

I think Nixon lost the 1960 election as much as Kennedy won it. There were a few factors at work:

1. The incumbent President, from his own party, provided only lukewarm support;
2. When Nixon hit the TV screen he sweated when he spoke. He was lying through his teeth and sure looked the part of a habitual liar;
3. Kennedy appealed to a craving for youth and fashionability. The country had come off of 14 years of war followed by eight years of government by the elderly, doddering Ike and JFK presented quite a contrast. Think Trudeau v. Stansfeld.