From Frances Russell in today's Winnipeg Free Press:
That's the upside to being a fiscal and social conservative in Canada. Your hardcore of true believers number a solid one-third of the population; enough to win elections especially if you keep them energized. So what if you horrify the other, hopelessly divided, two-thirds of the population?
Desperate rhetoric on behalf of an increasingly desperate government, methinks. Because the answer to this "so what?" is that the other 2/3s quickly becomes less "hopelessly divided", coalesce around the Federal Liberals, and Harper and co. get sent back to their previous careers as Alta. dung farmers... unless everyone in Mushaboo is granted nine votes apiece.
There is simply no way the Tories recent "boob bait for Bubba" strategy can be credibly seen as a plan for electoral victory. What it clearly amounts to is a "lets retreat to our prairie redoubt with as much silverware as we can cop from the HOC and man the turrets" strategy. There is no majority government there; there is almost certainly no minority government there.
So I sincerely hope Harper's gang listens to Ms. Russell. Because she is essentially arguing that they can abandon the East, abandon Quebec (already done, apparently), abandon Ontario, and still form a government. If that is the plan, then Iggy can probably look ahead to booking the hall for his victory banquet.
There's something a bit off with her math though.
ReplyDeleteThe Canadian Alliance/Reform never managed to get more than 26% of the votes. Even while doing everything he could to silence the socons, Harper's only managed to edge slightly above 36%.
And there's that too.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I tend to think 22% of the eligible electorate (what Harper garnered in the last election) is the true figure for Harper's core support.
ReplyDeleteI don't care which non-Con party does it, but they'd better ramp up the campaigns to expose the hate that is fundamental to Harper's brand of social conservatism. And it's a complete fantasy to think the Harpies own fiscal conservatism. This gang of innumerates can't even balance a cheque book.
I believe historically Conservative governments have the worst record of fiscal management, both federally and provincially.
ReplyDeleteIn Alberta, there's a blind adherence to the conservatives that is really the legacy of one outstanding Premier - Peter Lougheed.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, since that time, the Con$ in Alberta have fostered an atmosphere of apathy and ignorance to the point that most Alberta people who vote for the Con$ really have no idea what they represent.
I don't think any Conservative supporter really understands what the Harpies represent. I think the whole decrepit "conservative" movement is just a manifestation of our distracted, dumbed-down culture burdened with inchoate rage and ripe for snake-oil salesmen who'll tell them that their problems are caused by those people, whoever they may be. Liberals, Dippers, Quebecers, Ontarians, Torontonians, Maritimers, gays, feminists, welfare queens, atheists, Indians, Muslims, immigrants, Bay street fat cats, petty criminals, public servants, etc. etc. It doesn't matter who it is for a demographic that represents nothing but a culture of complaint for people without any substantive issues to complain about.
ReplyDeleteIt naturally has a home in Alberta, since that unsophisticated yet prosperous province (which ranks first in alcohol consumption, by the way) has always confused its dreary, sneering and pointless contrariness with bold free-thinking and robust individualism.
Well said Robert. What is we call people who make pejorative comments about others based on where they are from. Baggins? Bagels? Braggarts? No that's not it. Biggleswoth? No? I've got it. Bigots!
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ReplyDeleteWell now I'm going to go sit out on the porch of the double wide (Thats where the couch is.) and get into the crystal meth and the home made hooch. Read the western report and fire my shotgun randomly.
ReplyDeleteGod, I wish I had teeth.
12:38 AM
Robert, while you're out there, be sure to rant on endlessly about the "bums from the East". I don't actually like Lattes, but if you want to throw in the term "Latte drinking Liberal", feel free.
ReplyDeleteNah, that's not my style. I like Lattes and have always voted Liberal or Green both federally and provincially. I've never voted for a conservative at any level in my entire life.
ReplyDeleteWhen the Calgary Herald or Sun wrote one editorial after another about how the people of Ontario or Quebec were stupid or unpatriotic for not voting for western extremist right wing parties I got in their face and said that was wrong.
In return you get to lump me in with all the socons and the bigots as if we are one amorphous blob.
Thanks.
PS. I know a LOT of people from Toronto relocated to Edmonton or Calgary. Great people all of them.