Is Harper Canada's George Bush

[maplesyrup]

Mr Harper seems to be a big fan of the policies of US President George Bush.

A lot of his ideas seem to be similiar to the ideas of President Bush.

So I am asking is Stephen Harper Canada's George Bush?

[Reverend Blair]

Hmmmm...a right wing ideologue with little or no respect for human rights and a platform calling for massivve spending while reducing taxes. They are quite similar, aren't they?

[idealisttotheend]

I like nor trust either man, but Mr. Harper is probably twenty times smarter and more competant than Mr. Bush. I may not like Mr. Harper's policies but I respect the fact that he knows what he is talking about when he espouses them. I don't really think they are that much similair at all except that they both serve primarily buisness interests.

[Reverend Blair]

I like nor trust either man, but Mr. Harper is probably twenty times smarter and more competant than Mr. Bush.

The big white dog under my desk is likely twenty times smarter and more competent than George Bush though. She's a nice dog, but I don't want her running the country.

[idealisttotheend]

Touche! Well put Rev.

[takeanumber]

gj Blair.

[Goldie]

Let me see if I can interject into this verbal circle jerk.

Is Harper Canadas' GW Bush?

Well that is deep man, lets see.

Daddy was a leader of his Nation = Bush

Daddy was an accountant = Harper

Daddy was a Minister in his Nation = Martin

Bush = Became rich with the help of rich friends

Harper = not rich

Martin = Became rich with the help of rich friends

Bush = biggest tax cut in nations history

Harper = proposes 1/3 cuts Martin implemented

Martin = biggest tax cuts in nations history

Bush = Destruction of financial center, Two wars and corporate scandals leads nation to increase its debt.

Harper = wants to give the surpluses to Canadians, Provinces, Military.

Martin = cuts social spending transfers and gives money to his company $160 million, Party ad firms $250 millon, has no desire to end fiscal imbalance.

Ok so do you remember Sesame Street when they played the game "one of these things is not like the other", obviously not a popular game with future detractors, but play anyway.

[Reverend Blair]

The similarities is in the proposed policies and reluctance to keep church and state separate, Goldie.

George Bush likes killing people, Harper wants to back him up.

George Bush uses his power to infringe on human rights, Harper would do the same. George Bush spends like a drunken sailor while reducing revenues, Harper's plan reads the same. George Bush puts money ahead of the environment, so does Stephen Harper.

[Goldie]

Reverend,

I think you should read this in the hated Star.

I have no problems with this guy being PM. He is not a social conservative, he defeated them when he was elected leader of the Alliance.

[playfullfellow]

"George Bush likes killing people, Harper wants to back him up.

George Bush uses his power to infringe on human rights, Harper would do the same. George Bush spends like a drunken sailor while reducing revenues, Harper's plan reads the same. George Bush puts money ahead of the environment, so does Stephen Harper."

Bush can't be listed as the smartest man on earth no doubt. Harper is definitely not a Bush. There are some similarities in the types of policies that they want to use but that is where the similarities end. Harper is more of an intelectual than Bush and Harper is definitely a much more moral person. Yeah I know, politicians shouldn't be moral or bring it into politics but thats the way it is.

[caesar]

Harper is very much a Bush parrot. If he is so "intellectual" as some would claim; he would quit putting his foot in his mouth. He hasn't an original thought of his own.

[Bro]

If you really take the time to listen to Mr. Harper,all his ideas are to help Canadians ,and even better,the hard working middle class,who have always under a liberal,or NDP provincially,government,have coughed up more than their fair share of taxes,only to see it squandered by the liberals.

Does a party,such as the Liberals,who cut 25 billion to healthcare,really a party that is for Canadians,or a party that is their for their own greed and special interests?

[maplesyrup]

Conservatives will tax the poor and give tax breaks to the rich and run deficit budgets - look at what Mr Harper's idol George Bush as done!

[Reverend Blair]

I read the Star article, Goldie. Sentimental slop.

Bush can't be listed as the smartest man on earth no doubt. Harper is definitely not a Bush. There are some similarities in the types of policies that they want to use but that is where the similarities end.

Bush's policies aren't working though. Why would we adopt them?

If you really take the time to listen to Mr. Harper,all his ideas are to help Canadians ,and even better,the hard working middle class,who have always under a liberal,or NDP provincially,government,have coughed up more than their fair share of taxes,only to see it squandered by the liberals.

I've tried listening, the thing is that he won't tell us anything. He only goes to highly controlled events full of partisan supporters. He Will not answer questions. He snuck out the back door instead of facing controversy here the other day. CBC even had trouble getting him to appear on a town hall. When he finally did, he had an earbud, likely so his handlers could feed him information.

[Bro]

I've listened,and one thing I am impressed with is the fact they will allow free votes ,a rather provocative move,considering the way Liberals dismiss the electorate

who put the backbenchers in parliament,and force their

elected official to vote the way their leader of the day does.Doesn't sound like a party that cares much about what the average Canadian wants.The conservatives will

give the voice of the people more power,something the Liberals are afraid of,becuase it would take away some of their spending money,you know,their petty allowance from the taxpayers of Canada.

[Reverend Blair]

Harper has a long history of not wanting the grass roots of his party to be heard speaking in public, Bro. He tried to silence them when he was a back room hack for Manning and now, when they do speak up, he denies that what they say has any bearing on policy.

He can't have it both ways. Either he is pulling strings in the back room like some well-coifed Wizard of Oz, or the radicals in his party that would limit human rights based on their religious beliefs will be allowed to run rough-shod over those of us who do not share their beliefs.

Neither of those choices is an acceptable way to run a country. Either the party has policies or it does not. If it does not, then it is not so much a party as a collection of special interest groups who lack the understanding of how to negotiate.

Harper and parties dsdain for and purposeful misunderstanding of the role of the Supreme Court of Canada is increasingly troublesome. They are pushing to remove one of checks and balances that force them to adhere to what Canadians want.

Right now the Notwithstanding Clause forces them to over-ride our Constitution in public. That requires disscussion and there will be open dissent. Harper's plan to silence the Supreme Court would move that discussion and dissent into the back rooms of Conservative policy meetings. How is that democratic? How does it protect the rights of minorities against the tyranny of the majority?

[playfullfellow]

Right now the Notwithstanding Clause forces them to over-ride our Constitution in public. That requires disscussion and there will be open dissent. Harper's plan to silence the Supreme Court would move that discussion and dissent into the back rooms of Conservative policy meetings. How is that democratic? How does it protect the rights of minorities against the tyranny of the majority?

And right now the supreme court protects us how? The supreme court is full of judges picked by the PM. What is stopping the PM from picking only judges that seem to follow their way of thinking? The not withstanding clause is there so that any dumbass decisions can be overturned, if a PM actually had the guts to do it. Look at the decision where the supreme court said a prisoner had every right to carry a shiv in jail, which he used to kill another prisoner with in a fight. So now, if a prisoner feels his life is in jeopardy he can carry a shiv? Holy Dina, I am sure the guards feel this will make their jobs a whole lot safer and easier.

Harper has a long history of not wanting the grass roots of his party to be heard speaking in public, Bro.

Do you really think that the other parties don't order their grassroots to toe the line during an election? Look at the Liberals under Chretien, if any of his sheep spoke out of line, they became a backbencher faster than you blink. Martin isn't much different, he has shown that he will walk over his own party members to do what he wants. Layton can pretty well do whatever he wants. The NDP are fairly radical and we have come to expect different stuff from them, which is not a bad thing.

[Reverend Blair]

The party line is what most people vote for, for better or worse. It was no secret that Chretien ruled his party with an iron fist. It is no secret that Martin does pretty much the same.

If the Conservatives ever bother to actually have a policy convention, I want to know that the policies they put out in public are actually the policies they will promote. The hidden anarchy that Harper prefers does not guarantee that.

When the Liberals didn't scrap the GST we could all look at them and say, "You lied to us." If the Conservatives ban abortion Stephen Harper will just say that it was the grass roots who introduced a private member's bill. It's a blank cheque to promote his hidden agenda.

Our Supreme Court is appointed. They are all qualified people. Their decisions are based on the constitution, human rights laws, and previous case law. Do I agree with every one of their decisions? No. Do I think we need such an institution to protect us against politicians who have little respect for human rights and don't understand Canadian law? You bet I do.

[Bro]

Either the party has policies or it does not. If it does not, then it is not so much a party as a collection of special interest groups who lack the understanding of how to negotiate.

Harper and parties dsdain for and purposeful misunderstanding of the role of the Supreme Court of Canada is increasingly troublesome. They are pushing to remove one of checks and balances that force them to adhere to what Canadians want.

Their is no one party that caters to special interest groups more than the Liberals,hence their lead in the polls,a rational thinking person could not in good taste or sense possibly vote for the liberals.

Checks and balances by the liberals partisan appointees.

That's a sure way to keep things democratic.

[Reverend Blair]

Their is no one party that caters to special interest groups more than the Liberals,

Oh? Why is it that the Conservatives shot down imposing fines on US meat-packing plants that very likely screwed farmers and ranchers and had been found in contempt of Parliament for not opening their books to a Parliamentary committee?

Why is it that L'il Stevie Harper stands alone among the leaders in opposing Kyoto?

Why is it that L'il Stevie Harper, along with his good buddy Stockwell "Doris" Day, felt the need to take out an ad in a foreign newspaper apologising for a government that backed the views of the vast majority of Canadians?

[Hjalmar]

Why is it that L'il Stevie Harper stands alone among the leaders in opposing Kyoto?

Why is it that Canada was the only country in North America that went along with Kyoto? We stand alone in North America.

Why is it that L'il Stevie Harper, along with his good buddy Stockwell "Doris" Day, felt the need to take out an ad in a foreign newspaper apologising for a government that backed the views of the vast majority of Canadians?

I'm taking you to task on this one. Let's see the proof that Chretiens stand against our traditional allies was backed by the majority of Canadians.

[Reverend Blair]

I'm taking you to task on this one. Let's see the proof that Chretiens stand against our traditional allies was backed by the majority of Canadians.

The polls. Most Canadians disagree with the US invasion of Iraq. Look it up.

You might want to define "traditional allies" too. Most Brits were also against the war. So was France. So was Mexico. So was Germany. So was Russia.

The USA is not our only ally, and Tony Blair's willingness to act against the British people does not negate the opinion of those people.

[redwhite]

The big white dog under my desk is likely twenty times smarter and more competent than George Bush though.

Which undergrad degree did your dog get, from which university, and which grad school did they attend? Just so we can get an idea of how much smarter your dog is than Bush.

[redwhite]

I'm taking you to task on this one. Let's see the proof that Chretiens stand against our traditional allies was backed by the majority of Canadians.

The polls. Most Canadians disagree with the US invasion of Iraq. Look it up.

No, you look it up and prove your assertion. That's how arguments work, you make a claim, then you prove it. Here's a guide for you: http://www.smouse.demon.co.uk/logargnew/logargs.htm

You may want to pay specific attention to "Burden of Proof".

[caesar]

That Canadians were AGAINST the invasion of Iraq is common knowledge. Only Alberta showed any interest in following the USA into disgrace.

There are 3 countries is North America. Canada leads the way in putting the environment in front of seeking the almighty dollar.