Does Stephen Harper suffer from Hero Syndrome?

[cybercoma]

Thomas Mulcair appeared on the March 27th edition of As It Happens and responded to the Conservative claim that the NDP are tax-and-spend party that will destroy the country. To that, Mulcair likened the Conservatives to a firefighter that is praised for putting out fires until it's later found out that he was the one setting the fires. The Conservatives are putting out fires by proposing fiscal restraint, but it was the Conservatives that set the fire with $50,000,000,000 in corporate tax cuts, thereby undermining the fiscal capacity of the government. How can you criticize a party for being tax-and-spend when your party has squandered fiscal surpluses and plunged the country into debt with absolutely nothing to show for it? Stephen Harper created the debt crisis and now he proposes cutting services to Canadians at a time when they need them most as the solution. Does he suffer from Hero Syndrome; is he the arsonist-firefighter?

Edited March 29, 2012 by cybercoma

[eyeball]

Well, he's certainly proven to be a Machiavellian shit-disturber who's real forte seems to be campaigning and winning elections. That said his ability to inspire a fear and loathing for things while positioning himself as the proverbial caped crusader that will protect us probably says more about the quality of people who look up at him - like children who look to their Poppa.

[PIK]

The question should read, Was cybercoma dropped on his head as a child?

[mentalfloss]

The question should read, Was cybercoma dropped on his head as a child?

Why?

[Shady]

Why?

Because the original premise is inane.

[Moonbox]

That said his ability to inspire a fear and loathing for things while positioning himself as the proverbial caped crusader that will protect us probably says more about the quality of people who look up at him - like children who look to their Poppa.

Like Papa Jack?

Honestly, this is a really stupid thread topic. It might as well say, "Is Harper a politician?".

At any rate, pretty much any criticism from the NDP on Harper's economic record, dubious as it clearly is, has to be taken with a truck load of salt. Regardless of Harper's overspending, the fact that Mulcair is fussing over proposed Tory cuts to public services shows you where he stands. You can't criticize him for his spending on one hand, and then fight him trying to fix it after the fact.

What were the NDP's proposals to deal with the recession again? Oh yea...increase corporate taxes...

What we have here is two party leaders bs'ing everyone and playing the dumb game of politics. Anyone falling for it is just dense.

Edited March 29, 2012 by Moonbox

[mentalfloss]

Because the original premise is inane.

I'm asking in earnest because I haven't been following the budgetary side of things. What specifically about the OP is untrue?

[g_bambino]

How can you criticize a party for being tax-and-spend when your party has squandered fiscal surpluses and plunged the country into debt...

It's hypocritical for the Conservatives to brag about their fiscal restraint in comparison to other parties while they're spending, spending, spending. However, has everyone forgot that the majority of that money went out of the Crown coffers during a minority parliament, when the government relied on the opposition's support, and thus had to carefully appease them? The budget would not pass without the opposition's approval.

As usual, things aren't as simple as either Mulclair or Harper make them out to be.

[ed.: +]

Edited March 29, 2012 by g_bambino

[Moonbox]

I'm asking in earnest because I haven't been following the budgetary side of things. What specifically about the OP is untrue?

See below:

As usual, things aren't as simple as either Mulclair or Harper make them out to be.

[Guest Peeves]

Thomas Mulcair appeared on the March 27th edition of As It Happens and responded to the Conservative claim that the NDP are tax-and-spend party that will destroy the country. To that, Mulcair likened the Conservatives to a firefighter that is praised for putting out fires until it's later found out that he was the one setting the fires. The Conservatives are putting out fires by proposing fiscal restraint, but it was the Conservatives that set the fire with $50,000,000,000 in corporate tax cuts, thereby undermining the fiscal capacity of the government. How can you criticize a party for being tax-and-spend when your party has squandered fiscal surpluses and plunged the country into debt with absolutely nothing to show for it? Stephen Harper created the debt crisis and now he proposes cutting services to Canadians at a time when they need them most as the solution. Does he suffer from Hero Syndrome; is he the arsonist-firefighter?

Hmmm, quite a fantasy scenario. Seems to me Canada was the solid financial country while the rest sank, and Harper was the captain who set the course of our ship of state.

There's a word for such as this OP, "agitprop."

Edited March 29, 2012 by Peeves

[cybercoma]

Many of you, who are so quick to defend Harper, are completely missing the point. Harper says we need fiscal restraint to solve a problem that he, if not outright created, certainly exacerbated by hindering the government's fiscal capacity.

Harper steering the ship and saviang us from economic disaster is complete nonsense. The regulations that protected Canada were put into place well before Harper took office.

[eyeball]

At any rate, pretty much any criticism from the NDP on Harper's economic record, dubious as it clearly is, has to be taken with a truck load of salt.

It's the truckloads of criticism from scientists, criminologists, doctors, economists etc etc that keeps getting my attention.

[g_bambino]

Many of you, who are so quick to defend Harper...

There's people who are quick to defend Harper. But, then there are also people who'll easily ignore the influence of other people, parties, and factors simply to make it easier to malign the man.

[Moonbox]

It's the truckloads of criticism from scientists, criminologists, doctors, economists etc etc that keeps getting my attention.

Okay let's stick with the economists here, because that's what we're talking about. I'll certainly llisten to economists' criticisms of Harper, because he's hardly done an admirable job. I mean, sure, Canada's been solid compared to the rest of the West financially, but it's certainly not because of his leadership. He exercised a campaign of pandering and appeasement through his minority governments which burned through our surplus, he dropped the GST instead of income taxes (and now we have a household debt problem) and he completely blew his prediction of recession in 2008. I'm sure he's glad Canadians are ignorant and have short memories.

Looking at Mulcair and the NDP, however, would indicate we'd probably be a lot worse. I don't think it's unfair to call their platform tax and spend, because that's exactly what it is. Aside from military spending, the NDP is pretty much ALWAYS promising increased services, benefits, social programs etc, as well as higher taxes, particularly for those aweful job-creating corporations.

The economists, by a VERY VERY VERY large margin, favour Harper over Mulcair and the NDP, and have done so for a very long time.

[mentalfloss]

Many of you, who are so quick to defend Harper, are completely missing the point. Harper says we need fiscal restraint to solve a problem that he, if not outright created, certainly exacerbated by hindering the government's fiscal capacity.

Harper steering the ship and saviang us from economic disaster is complete nonsense. The regulations that protected Canada were put into place well before Harper took office.

It is true that they inherited a surplus from the Liberals, so the reason they are in a deficit lays squarely on their shoulders for they way they tackled the recession.

[mentalfloss]

Okay let's stick with the economists here, because that's what we're talking about. I'll certainly listen to economists' criticisms of Harper, because he's hardly done an admirable job.

Drummond just came out yesterday to say the feds will be mis spending over 100 Billion.

Yes.

That's Billion.

[Smallc]

Drummond just came out yesterday to say the feds will be mis spending over 100 Billion.

Link?

[Shady]

It is true that they inherited a surplus from the Liberals, so the reason they are in a deficit lays squarely on their shoulders for they way they tackled the recession.

Recessions always lead to at least temporary deficits. Because your economy shrinks instead of it growing. There was no policy or procedure that could have prevented the Canadian economy from contracting amid the world economy. To suggest otherwise is pure falacy.

[Topaz]

Link?

Here's the link http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/Politics/Power_&_Politics/1305400780/ID=2216537880

[madmax]

Bad Thread Title.

Regardless the Conservatives have never had a handle on balancing books let alone cutting spending.

I wouldn't be so presumptous to by into the narrative the CPC that the NDP lack fiscal prudence. The NDP has a stronger track record Provincially then any other goverment.

More balanced budgets then Conservatives.

Economists and the Professors whom teach them can argue theory in their glass towers. And they can choose to ignore or promote whatever data they wish.

The Conservative cut spending on programs and services they don't like..the Conservatives increase spending on things they do like.

The Conservatives have not been fiscally responsible since coming to power.

But they talk a good game.

[Shady]

You talk a good game too!

[eyeball]

The economists, by a VERY VERY VERY large margin, favour Harper over Mulcair and the NDP, and have done so for a very long time.

Well, NDP economists also seem to favour ending prohibition and instead of throwing a lot more good money after so much bad, they're proposing to turn things around and start taxing the billions of dollars that Canadians spend on the things the Conservatives want to prohibit.

The Conservatives have clearly told us no cost is too high when it comes to doing this. And you say the economists, by a VERY VERY VERY large margin, favour Harper?

Maybe including the economists with the real hard scientists I listed above was a mistake.

[mentalfloss]

Here's the link http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/Politics/Power_&_Politics/1305400780/ID=2216537880

Good old Drummond.

Trolling the Libs.

Trolling the CPC harder.

I can't watch it here at work, but do you remember the main talking points for why he thinks the feds are mis spending $100 Billion dollars?

Edited March 29, 2012 by mentalfloss

[madmax]

You talk a good game too!

Thank you..

Here is Harpers Job Action Plan in the 2011 election

Plant got big federal tax break

ELECTRO-MOTIVE:

By Jonathan Sher, The London Free Press

Last Updated: December 30, 2011 12:27pm

If London's Electro-Motive plant is closed and its jobs moved to Indiana, it'll be after having milked the benefits of a billion-dollar tax break once trumpeted on the plant floor by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

As you are from London.. I am sure you enjoyed the Prime Ministers Propoganda visit.

As I said the Conservatives are weak pawns when it comes to understanding industry.

I haven't seen any smarts from Flaherty when it comes to finances.

I also have no value for people of the same mindset in a room chicken nodding that a tax break creates jobs or investment when the data doesn't support it.

I will state that the tax break for Corporations lowers government revenues...

I wouldn't be surprised if that last round of Corporate tax cuts matches almost dollar for dollar the size of the current deficit.

[Moonbox]

I wouldn't be so presumptous to by into the narrative the CPC that the NDP lack fiscal prudence. The NDP has a stronger track record Provincially then any other goverment.

More balanced budgets then Conservatives.

I'd love to see solid citations for that. I don't know about the rest of Canada, but that's categorically false as far as Canada's biggest province is concerned. The short track record the NDP has here looks pretty aweful...McGuinty aweful.

Economists and the Professors whom teach them can argue theory in their glass towers. And they can choose to ignore or promote whatever data they wish.

That's kind of a useless comment. You could say that about anything really.

The Conservative cut spending on programs and services they don't like..the Conservatives increase spending on things they do like.

The Conservatives have not been fiscally responsible since coming to power.

But they talk a good game.

I'll take whatever cuts they give us. Criticize their spending all you want, because that's fair. Presenting the NDP's platform as an alternative, however, would be adding to the problem. The whole platform is based on the expansion of oft-abused EI benefits, pension benefits and green money-burning energy.