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Don Martin: Mike Duffy jumps the shark


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http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/11/06/don-martin-mike-duffy-jumps-the-shark.aspx

So instead of a rational discussion on the value of the new senators to reforming the process, a tuxedo-sporting Duffy appeared on Thursday's Power and Politics show to interrupt, insult and fire innuendo at Stoffer, snarling in disgust as he blasted the popular MP as a ‘faker'.

Now, Duffy calling someone a faker equals pot calling the kettle black.

This is the same Duffy who, as host of his own politics show, presented himself for decades as journalistically neutral, then accepted Harper's $130,000 appointment ten months ago and now devotes his energies to shamelessly shilling for the Conservatives.

I haven't seen this interview but they will be talking about it again on the panel on Newsworld.

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I haven't seen this interview but they will be talking about it again on the panel on Newsworld.

I was a good piece. Duffy skewered the NDP back bench quite handily. He basically said his expenses and the NDPer were the same (which the NDP fake did not deny) so he was left to conclude that the NDP believe that the Senator jobs are of less value than backbenchers....he also went on and jabbed the NDPers habit of taliking out of both sides of his mouth in regards to his military consituency....

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I was a good piece. Duffy skewered the NDP back bench quite handily. He basically said his expenses and the NDPer were the same (which the NDP fake did not deny) so he was left to conclude that the NDP believe that the Senator jobs are of less value than backbenchers....he also went on and jabbed the NDPers habit of taliking out of both sides of his mouth in regards to his military consituency....

I don't think Duffy did himself any favours. A Senator has No Constituents or Constituency offices.

I also thought, for someone who has spent decades in the media, Duffy came off as an ASS. He didn't come across as a person coming from the chamber of sober second thought. I'd say that Stoffer did the correct thing in ignoring an ignoramous.

Stoffer has a record of standing up for the military, and there is ample evidence of him serving his military constituency with respect and dignity and fighting for them, while the other parties engage in lip service.

So, while Duffy may say all these things, and perhaps they are words that would be believed in Toronto, Ottawa or BC, they won't be taken seriously in Stoffers riding. This is an incredibly popular MP in his own riding.

Parliment needs alot more Stoffers and the Senate needs no Duffys.

M. Dancer .. You are a fake.

Sentences like the above have no credibility on MLW.

The bottom line is that Stoffer is highlighting the free lunch and priviledged lifestyles of our appointed Senators for Life. He highlighted the hypocrisy of the Conservative appointments and the spending habits of the Liberal and Conservative Senators.

Duffy called names.

I didn't think it was good television when I saw it but it has generated a little attention.

The comments by Duffy reminded me of watching someone on Fox News

Edited by madmax
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I was a good piece. Duffy skewered the NDP back bench quite handily. He basically said his expenses and the NDPer were the same (which the NDP fake did not deny) so he was left to conclude that the NDP believe that the Senator jobs are of less value than backbenchers....he also went on and jabbed the NDPers habit of taliking out of both sides of his mouth in regards to his military consituency....

What are you talking about Duffy looked like an idiot talking about Stoffer who lives in one of the largest military constituency in the country and wins it by huge margins because he fights for them. The truth hurts I am going to post something on Stoffer's record and I will assume you will ignore becuase you are ready to attack one of the men in this country who has always stood behind the milatary.

"Mr. Stoffer has been trying to get legislation passed in the House of Commons now for close to a year that would stop retired RCMP and military folks from having their pensions clawed back. Yeah, you know how when you retire how you get your CPP (if you’ve paid into it) and if you were lucky enough to have a good pension through work, you would collect both of those? Right now, that’s not the case for retired RCMP and military people. Nope, under the law right now, those people have the amount that their owed in CPP clawed back from their actually pensions, therefore they’re actually penalized for their service. Mr. Stoffer has been trying to change that and to stop that claw back and who’s been standing in his way??? Oh yeah, Mr. Duffy’s party, the Conservatives. So that’s part of where Mr. Duffy’s argument falls down."

Yah sucks to be wrong all the time. I don't care if Stoffer has expenses as long as he is elected and represents his people. Dummy....I mean Duffy uses his expense account to jet set around the country to raise money for the conservatives. The Senate is a waste lets get rid of it already.

The interview

http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/Politics/Power_&_Politics/ID=1320633779

ps Most MP's in the country even many in my own party rub me the wrong way, but Stoffer sticks to his guns and works hard. He always tells the tail of why his family came to Canada in such a moving way, he is truly what this country should be.

Edited by punked
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The whole Duffy/Stoffer incident was distasteful, regardless of the issue at hand. Duffy was over the top and didn't endear himself to me. With his bow tie he looked ridiculous, reminding me of a penguin out of his element. Stoffer kept his cool and took Duffy's snipes rather gracefully.

Stoffer: 1

Duffy: 0

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With his bow tie he looked ridiculous, reminding me of a penguin out of his element.

In the short time since this interview aired, I've read a couple of derogatory comments about Duffy's tuxedo. Without going into analysis of his behaviour, I've failed to understand why his dress makes him open to ridicule; must we all now wear jeans and a hoodie to garner respect? That said, I also expect a man to behave according to his fashion; I guess appearances can be deceiving.

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That said, I also expect a man to behave according to his fashion; I guess appearances can be deceiving.

I agree Bambino. I expect a Senator to behave in accordance with what is expected of a person holding office in the Senate, at least in public. About his attire, he chose to appear on national TV in what looks like a lion tamer's outfit. Then, he proceeds to take swipes at an affable MP. That did little to win me over to his side of the argument. Duffy could have handled it differently. To his credit, Stoffer remained unflappable.

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Power and politics isn't that good (I was leary about Evan Soloman from the get go...at least we have Tom Clark), and Duffy did have a point, but his behaviour really undid any point he had.

Can you remind us what that point was because it was lost on me?

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Duffy is a lightweight trying to make a big splash in a small pool. I think he is a goof. I don't have much use for the unelected Senate and even less use for the appointed yes people that preside within that chamber. Party hacks with a apple box are using air that the rest of us could use.

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That Senators don't spend any more than MPs (often less). His point was lost because he's a terrible human being who can't be civil it seems.

Accept you are very misinformed. Stoffer has Duffy spending 44,000 over 3 months and Duffy did not dispute that he just kept saying that is the same that Stoffer spends (a man who has been elected and serves 90,000 people, does case work, and is held accountable).

However Stoffer spent 128,000 last year Duffy's own words. 44,000 times 4 is 176,000 so Duffy spends 50,000 more a year. So when he said they spend the same he was lying. Not only that but Duffy spends it flying around the country fund raising while Stoffer spends it working for Canadians.

I would like to retell a story about the Senate that has always demonstrated to me why they are useless. In the 90s Phillippe Gigantes who was a Liberal appointment decided he didn't like a bill so he started his Filibuster and he read the entire English version of his book. As is Canadian law the transcript was translated in both French and English. Mr. Gigantes took that French transcript and published it as the French version of his book so he never had to pay someone to translate. What a waste of air.

Get rid of the Senate they don't do anything but waste our time and money, most of them spend more then our MPs do who actually are accountable and represent us.

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Get rid of the Senate they don't do anything but waste our time and money, most of them spend more then our MPs do who actually are accountable and represent us.

And then you get rid of this:

“It must be an independent House, having a free action of its own, for it is only valuable as being a regulating body, calmly considering the legislation initiated by the popular branch, and preventing any hasty or ill considered legislation which may come from that body, but it will never set itself in opposition against the deliberate and understood wishes of the people.”

That was said by a man that was probably smarter than you or I. The Senate isn't always what was said above, but it usually is. I'd like to keep that...and it's certain a difficult thing to change even if you don't want to.

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And then you get rid of this:

“It must be an independent House, having a free action of its own, for it is only valuable as being a regulating body, calmly considering the legislation initiated by the popular branch, and preventing any hasty or ill considered legislation which may come from that body, but it will never set itself in opposition against the deliberate and understood wishes of the people.”

That was said by a man that was probably smarter than you or I. The Senate isn't always what was said above, but it usually is. I'd like to keep that...and it's certain a difficult thing to change even if you don't want to.

Know what I don't care how smart that man way he was wrong. The provinces have worked great with out a Senate for 100 years, know why? Because a Senate is a waste of time and money.

Legislation should be MPs Jobs, we have the charter, we have a Constitution which can't be changed with out a referendum the majority just can enforce their will on the minority so sorting out the legality of legislation has always been the courts job. So what does the Senate do "house of sober second thought?" Nope they are the house of preventing the Canadians people's will for decades until ruling political parties can win a majority there then doing the same when those parties are kicked out. It is a stuipd way to run things, this is why progress takes so long to happen in Canada.

Let the Canadians people elect parliament and let parliament stand and fall on their own record.

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Multiply those numbers by 413, and you will get to see the nature of the beast we a dealing with. That is like 53 million dollars. That is just advertising available to members of government. In 2007 the government itself spent another 86 million dollars on its pet campaigns. For that much money you could build a research hospital, or a university.

Look at the cost to tyhe tax payer in salaries alone. MP's cost 48 million. Senators cost 13.36 million. Those numbers don't even scratch the surface with all the little perks they get, not to mention the cost of the staff to support the MP's and Senators.

We really do need to think about how and what the government really does, that is to say how they spend out money.

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