Pat O'Brien Jumps the Liberal Ship

[cybercoma]

Liberal MP Pat O'Brien, who opposes his party's position on gay marriage, says he's quitting the Grits to sit as an Independent. The move comes less than two months after he held a news conference in April to announce he was staying with the Liberals despite misgivings.

Whore! Opportunist! Prostitute!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How could you be so insensitive to women this way...using such derogatory terms and all. SHame on you.

[Riverwind]

I think O'Brien's purpose is to get PM PM to delay SSM legislation.  He's saying, "I won't vote against you and bring down the government during if you don't rush this SSM legislation through."  I gather as a caucus member, he couldn't play that game.

Our parliament is turning into the US House of Representatives before our very eyes.

Which is an absolute nightmare. The US house of representatives does not have the power to force an election of the president which puts a limit on the power of free agent representatives. We really need to rethink the parlimentary rules on confidence votes if we are really in a situation of perpetual minority.

I am not surprised O'Brian bolted - he was not exactly quiet about the SSM issue. PM PM should have delt with it before he went public. That said, I don't understand why O'Brian would stake his political career on a battle that is already lost - SSM marriage is a fact in 7 provinces and 2 terroritories and nothing the feds may do can change it (except for the nothwithstanding clause). Even if O'brian forces an election the new minority parliment would likely have enough votes to get the bill passed anyways.

[donvonbra]

Which is an absolute nightmare.

A nightmare? O'Brien and the rest of the anti-SSM Liberal whackjobs force an election on the budget vote. We then have the Liberals fighting on the lost budget and the irresponsibility of the election before the Gomery Report is finished. The Tories will have to placate the right-wingers who brought down the government and will fight the election on SSM. The BQ will be looking for someone to replace Duceppe who takes over the PQ job.

Nightmare? Or farce?

[Technocrat]

this guy is a sexist pig anyways... he got in some pretty deep over some of his past comment but they never got picked up outside of london.

Frankly i don't like the guy and never have... so if he wants to go run with the jeebas crowd... and fight a lost war let him, he won't be getting re-elected.

[kimmy]

this guy is a sexist pig anyways... he got in some pretty deep over some of his past comment but they never got picked up outside of london. 

Funny that nobody mentioned this while he was a Liberal. What, specifically, did he say, and where can we read about this?

Frankly i don't like the guy and never have... so if he wants to go run with the jeebas crowd... and fight a lost war let him, he won't be getting re-elected.

-k

{"Save me, Jeebus!!"}

[I Miss Trudeau]

What'd he sell to the radical religious right? And what price did he receive?

Oh jeez. You want an actual example, perhaps even evidence, of the sell out? My, if only we could extend the same courtesy to all MP's in his situation.

[kimmy]

What'd he sell to the radical religious right? And what price did he receive?

Oh jeez. You want an actual example, perhaps even evidence, of the sell out? My, if only we could extend the same courtesy to all MP's in his situation.

When Belinda.ca crossed the floor, you Liberal types took great exception to suggestion that she'd "sold out", despite the fact that she was immediately rewarded with a position far above her merits.

But Pat O'Brien leaves the party to sit by himself for no apparent incentive or reward, and he's a sell-out. Doesn't "sell-out" imply some kind of inducement? Personal gain? What are you proposing "the religious right" offered O'Brien? A truck-load of "Jeebus Saves" bumper-stickers? Do you have any reason to think that he made this decision based on anything other than principle? I'd like to hear the logic behind that.

Seriously-- why are you people so insistent that Belinda.ca made her big jump for reasons of principle (despite the obvious personal gain she obtained) and yet believe that Pat O'Brien "sold out" (despite the absense of any apparent inducement.) If you're honest with me, I think you'll concede that it's just partisanship in action.

-k

[Argus]

What'd he sell to the radical religious right? And what price did he receive?

Oh jeez. You want an actual example, perhaps even evidence, of the sell out? My, if only we could extend the same courtesy to all MP's in his situation.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Stronach's reward was obvious and immediate. I see no reward in the offing for Pat O'Brien. If you do then by all means spit it out. If not then I think you're probably just talking out of your ahm, posterior.

[Guest eureka]

Pat hopes to get his reward in heaven.

[bigdude]

Yes... just another startling example of the Independent Party's use of Largesse to get their way in parliament...

He has sold out to the radical christian right in the hope of winning again next election. To fatten the purse, he's also recieved a personal guarantee from Focus on the Family that he won't burn in hell. The man clearly has no principles.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What'd he sell to the radical religious right? And what price did he receive?

-k

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is typical Liberal hype and nonsense which they use however, time after time, to win elections. Change the name, change the issue, it's all the same to them. Whatever works to discredit your opponent regardless if he or she is standing on their principles.