The Star’s James Travers scared Mattbastard back to bed this morning with a column on the frightening possibility of a Conservative majority. Travers goes through the likely scenarios and maps out the new reality of Canadian politics. That reality has been wedged single-handedly by Harper. He has split the nation, manifested the most unsavory of the nation’s fears and prejudices, laid waste any civil debate and made ‘Canada’ a dirty word around the world.
Most chilling of all, despite the boundless scandals and negative direction in which Canada is heading, is that Harper maintains a minority and unbelievably could win a majority, despite a mere third of the country supporting him. How can this be? Has our system of government become so outdated that it can be played by Harper like a cat with a mouse? Is it the general malaise of the populace or the ‘rampant disillusionment with the political process’?
These are points that Ignatieff and Layton need to consider. With any coalition now seemingly kaput, it is up to the opposition leaders to remove their white gloves and play by the anything-goes rules. Travers put it succinctly:
Two lessons this Prime Minister learned from former prime minister Jean Chrétien are never take your foot off an opponent’s throat and never miss an opportunity to win an election. Both are relevant now.
There you have it. Travers states the obvious. To counter these two lessons, it takes a tough and ruthless student who can outplay his teacher. If Harper wants to be the authoritarian monster who has no respect for his also-ran opponents, it is up to the opposition to look to Chretien for clues on how to fight Harper with unsparing tenacity. Chretien was nowhere nearly as devious and devoted to foisting a foreign agenda onto Canadians as is Harper. But Chretien knew how to fight and how to win.
While Ignatieff and Layton play the erudite nice guys, Harper keeps ripping them a new one. The media doesn’t care who is right or wrong, they just report the show. It’s up to the opposition parties to come to our rescue with a combination of fight, effective campaigning and sheer audacity. And, as Ken Kesey once put it, “never give a inch”.
Neither Ignatieff nor Layton seem to have the goods. This is not good news. Where do we go from here? Not even James Travers knows.
Cross posted at Let Freedom Rain
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It’s looking like we don’t have an opposition at all, more like three branches of the same criminal gang who take turns propping eachother up.
We need to find someone with the balls and the vision. Someone who brings people together with a progressive playbook. Who that is, mystifies me.
ck Reply:
October 9th, 2010 at 4:16 PM
Problem is the polls from every polling firm. No matter what happens, the Harpercons flirt with majority territory. And we’re dealing with the majority centrists of Jane & Joe Six Pack who hang out at Timmy Horton’s who have Stevie Spiteful’s attention. He patronizes them and such, but he is pandering to them. It’ s the same phenonomenon that is going to get that purple faced whale Rob Ford elected mayor in supposed “liberal” Toronto. The politics of “anger”–none of these elite politicians listen, yadda yadda yadda. The NDP and the Liberals need to grab those votes away from STeve. Those same people used to vote Liberal once upon a time. Now, thanks to a right slanted Harpercon friendly media that caters to them (hell, Sun Media doesn’t use big words, for Gawd’s Sake! And look at the new decorative Grope & Fail??). Until the Timmy’s crowd are pandered to by progressive politicians, Steve could well get his majority.
Me too. There doesn’t seem to anyone out there at the moment. There is but it looks like it is up to us to find that person. Who could it be?
The key words, ck, are: “The NDP and the Liberals need to grab those votes away from STeve.” That’s the problem, neither party seems to want it bad enough. The Cons do. They will do anything for power. The NDP and Liberals like to think that they have principles. Too late, buddies. It’s time to fight. Joe Six Pack is ready and waiting. I really don’t believe all Timmy’s are Cons; they are just regular folks waiting to be inspired and charmed. It’s really not complicated. The Cons reach out to people not with speeches or by shaking hands but by appealing to their patriotism and fears. We can do better. It’s a fine line between dirty politicking and good campaigning. It’s art and neither Ignatieff nor Layton are artists. Need a new palette, guys. It’s time to fight!
ck Reply:
October 9th, 2010 at 7:27 PM
You assume Jane and Joe Six Pack and the rest of the Timmy’s Crowd have smarts or principles to begin with these days. I mean, look at the new design at the Globe? Made to fit their short attention spans. Sorry, to say this and really, probably a bad idea, that I point out the painfully obvious, because, pointing out the truth like this is why they keep being mesmerized by Steve. Remember, when Iggy tried to get oppositional last year, Steve’s numbers went up to majority territority and Iggy’s plummeted. He hasn’t recovered since. Every time the Liberals try to get oppositional, the media come out with headlines like “Liberals think they’re the Natural Governing Party” or “Liberals not ready to lead” Or “Liberals Too Arrogant!” And the Timmy’s Crowd eats it up with a spoon. Oh yeah! Steve does all those things, yet, somehow it’s ok from him.
Case in point, ADSCAM is still being talked about. They’re still being hammered over the head with it. To be fair, why should Iggy take ownership of it? He wasn’t in the country when it happened. Hell, a friend of mine, Pascal Zamprelli ran for the open Liberal nomination in the riding of Jeanne Le Ber, (he lost, I”m sorry to say; candidates like him are that party needs), was not a candidate and was only 16 year old high school student when ADSCAM came out, yet people chastised the poor kid for it! Imagine.
Yet, that same crowd of tea-baggers forgive Airbus and Karlheinz Schreiber affair and Steve doesn’t wear any of it, does he? He’s got scandals brewing like that Sean Bruyea debacle, that whole kerfuffle with Christian Paradis and another with Pierre Polievre, yet that same Timmy’s crowd is probably immune; probably know nothing about it.
The double standard used by the Timmy’s crowd, who are the majority in the country, regarding these scandals is just one example as to how near impossible they are to win away from STeve these days.
These same people are racist, anti-immigrant and want the big-assed prisons and want the tougher hard time sentences. And yes, they’re even willing to forego the mandatory long form census to get it.
I really don’t believe all Timmy’s are Cons; they are just regular folks waiting to be inspired and charmed.
It is more complicated than that. They want to see a three ring circus; a dog and pony show. they have short attention spans; hence the appeal of new design layouts at the Grope & Fail and the “lock and load” Sun Media. They’re rowled up, angry tea-baggers, just like in America. As Tea-bagging Tommy Schnurmacher said on the radio, candidates like Christine O’Donnell who believe mice have human brains among her other stupidities, are appealing to them & their anger. Just like the Rob Ford phenomenon. In the words of John Candy (paraphrase, been awhile I saw “the Great Outdoors”) the Timmy’s Crowd may start having an interest in Iggy or Layton if their heads spin and they toss up pea-soup. They want tricks, superheroes and stunt men. Or somebody just as belligerent and as angry and willing to take out their own short comings on others.
The Liberals have already put out a family plan, regarding home care and having to care for family members with extensions on EI and such, yet no one pays attention. Folks want to see ideas and policies. They come up with them; they’re either ignored or scoffed.
I went to both a Liberal Express stop here in Montreal and the open Mike in Outremont not long ago. Iggy did well. That open mike event in Outremont was tough audience. Hell, even a tea-bagger with a frickin ukelele, I wanted to rush up and break over his head! He answered the questions, unscripted. He’s meeting actual Canadians, but those polling firms prove that the angy Timmy’s crowd are determined to keep him down there.