Gotta Luv the Media

Let’s see, the election was May 2, and today it is May 10th.   You’d think they’d have figured it out by now, that the Election is Over, and We’ve had our say.   But no, they are still rehashing it, trying to explain to us (supposedly) why Harper got a Majority, and why Jack Layton is now the Leader of the Opposition.

Course they are also trying to explain how they didn’t quite call it like it turned out, but that little part gets buried under all the speculation, hyperbole, and other Media Bullshit.

The NDP won more seats than the Liberals because Jack Layton wasn’t attacked as much as Michael Ignatieff, or as viciously, so he was the logical choice for a change.   Harper’s attack ads pretty well neutered the Liberals, but that is simply due to the Liberals ( mainly Michael Ignatieff ) NOT answering all those 5 second barks.

But hey, it worked for Harper, he made nearly 40% of Canadian Voters ( okay, those who actually voted ) afraid of the other guy so much, that they bought into his crap and gave him a pass.   I mean why not, given there was a rather dirth of confrontation on his policies, or his abilities.

AND you can see, the Media aren’t exactly thrilled with a Jack Layton led opposition. I mean just look at how they are going after every miscue, and the final tally of votes isn’t accredited yet.  I mean geez, you would think that Stalin was reborn and came down to earth.  The Socialist Horde has landed in Ottawa and is about to Consume Us All.

IF the Liberals are smart, they’ll let the Media keep going after them thar Socialists, while they quietly rebuild, so that come the next election, Harper gets blindsided.

TRUTH IS, this is one more example of WHY we must maintain our multiple party system.  Think about it, if all we had were the top two parties, that means come the next election, our choices would be NDP or CONSERVATIVE.     So where would someone who is leery of the NDP Social Agenda go to vote, if they were just as leery of the Far Right Fake Conservatives of Harper?

They’d have no where to go, which means, it becomes an either or situation, leading to more extremism on both sides of the fence.   HOW DOES THAT BENEFIT US?

It also, will turn off far more voters, than turn them on, and we need people to become MORE ENGAGED in our political system, not LESS ENGAGED.

NDP & Liberal Merger?

Perhaps the remarks by former NDP leader Ed Broadbent shows what both the NDP & the Liberals, need to stop thinking about.  That is a Merger.  Honestly, that just isn’t what I’d expect from either of these parties, and yet, somehow they have the notion that joining of two distinctly different parties, is somehow gonna sit well with Us Average Joes.

I mean let’s be honest, any talk of mergers is nothing more than a power play, for some to go from ‘has been’ to being ‘in power’.   Harper did it when he took the reins of the Reform Party slash Alliance Party, in his buying the Conservative Party.   The result is that he became Prime Minister.

AND look at how that has turned out for Canada.

To think that any of the leaders of the NDP & LIBERALS would have seriously considered such an option, turns my blood cold. It is why so many are dissillusioned with our Political Parties today.  I mean what happened to standing by your values, your ethics?

YES, we have sort of a two party system in Canada, since Confederation. It has either been the Liberals or the Conservatives that have formed our Government.  Yet, it has also been the THIRD PARTY that has helped shaped this country, into its unique position.

I am not an NDP party member, BUT I happen to like our social programs. I need our National Health and Canada Pension Plan.  As do many, if not most of Us do.  Without our National Health, our sense of Federalism, we’d be a United States territory long ago.

IT was the NDP who helped get us that National Health Act, along with Lester Pearson & the Liberals.  Without that THIRD PARTY, where would Canada be today?  So talk of a merger, is nothing more than an attempt by those who want to be IN POWER, than in holding true to their Canadian Values.  It is a VOICE that gives US CANADIANS an alternative, based not on personalities, not on charisma.

IT GIVES US A CHOICE.

This last election clearly showed that Canadians wanted a choice, otherwise we’d have Michael Ignatieff as Leader of the Opposition or Prime Minister.  We’d not have Jack Layton as Leader of the Opposition.

AND THAT CHOICE IS GOOD.

IF we have any doubt what it means to have less of a political choice, we just need to glance southwards at the good Ol United States.   Politics has evolved to where you don’t VOTE for the idealogoy, or the policies, but for who is the least evil of the two candidates.

What kind of choice is that?

Stephen Harper is trying to do that here. And the result is apparent, we have nasty elections, mean spirited name calling ads that pretend to help us decide who to vote for.  It creates division, within the country.  Again just look at how divided the United States is.

Is that really what we want for our Country? I know I sure as hell don’t. I kind like to have a strong Federalist country.  It means we can see a doctor, without checking our bank account first, or taking out a second mortgage if we get real sick.

But hey what do I know, I am Just a Canadian.

I Trust What Harper Says…

or so someone told me today.

I suppose that is what surprises me, more than the attack ads.  I mean, what is there to trust, when a man for the last five years has lied repeatidly  LIED to us.  Do people really not see the lies?

I mean okay, he says we can’t afford the Liberal Programs/Plan, and can’t even begin to consider the NDP program/plans.   Yet, can we afford his programs, his plans?

This is the man who told us in 2004, that he would give us an accountable, transparent government.   So where is his copy of the Auditor General’s report on the G8/G20 conference?   Hasn’t been released now, has it?

What about the deal to buy all those F-35 Fighter Jets.  He says it will be $75 Million a pop, yet won’t release the letter of intent.  Even the US Congress is investigating the cost of these jets, reviewing their own purchase agreement, based on how much EXTRA they are going to cost.  The Only One who isn’t reviewing the purchase, who isn’t worried about it, is Stephen Harper & His Conservatives.

Like how does that even make him a true Conservative?

He tells us that we need super sized prisons, and a three strike your out law, because of the high crime rates.  Yet even he can’t discount, that in reality CRIME IS DOWN.  So just why do we need those mega prisons?  Because he says we do?

How about in 2008, when he told us during an election, that our economy was bullet proof from a world recession.  Yet every single other economist in the world, said he was wrong. But hey, he knew better and in a few short weeks, we were getting a multi billion dollar deficit.  Yet, not even a few weeks had passed, from when he told us we’d have a surplus.  How does that make his word trustworthy?

Think about this. IF you lied to your boss, to his shareholders,  under oath too, would you expect jail time?  Least you could hope for would be to be fired, right? So how come his own Minister Oda is not only praised by him, but defended, and is still a candidate?  How is that worthy of trust?

Consider too, how his first major speech to Parliament, was spoken by someone else, but he didn’t know that.

Consider how he has taken credit for the health care increases, that were actually achieved by the Liberal Government before his.

Consider too, how he claimed that the Auditor General praised his government for its fiscal prudence in hosting the G8 Conference, that in truth, was praise for the Liberal Government, years earlier.  While his own management of the public purse, for a similar conference, is under investigation for MIS-USE of our money.

And the list isn’t even close to being finished.  How can he be trusted, I really would like to know?  Look at his own promises, of tax cuts, that have big strings attached to them. Things like cutting $11 Billion from the budget, but he won’t say where those cuts will come from?  Just trust him?

Consider his attack ads, about the Coalition between the NDP & the Bloc, about the ones about Ignatieff & the NDP, Bloc.   He himself tried to form a coalition in 2004, so how come it was okay for him, but not for Layton or Ignatieff?

Trust a man who has a double standard? Really? That isn’t worthy of my trust, nor my vote. How can it be worthy of your vote on Monday?

HONESTLY, HOW CAN YOU TRUST A MAN WHO HAS LIED SO MUCH?

What Do You Want In A Government pt.2

The whole idea of a National Health system, is something I grew up, into.  When I was born, we didn’t have Universal Health Care.  Not until I was 12 years old actually, which shows you what an old fart I am.   Still, I remember a few times when we needed a Doctor, and back then ( in the beginning of National Health ) Doctors actually made house calls too.  (  I know, hard to believe isn’t it, Doctors actually come to your home, for your son’s tummy ache, at 1am, but that is what they did, back then. )

In this election, the biggest issue seems to be about whether or not the 6% increase to funding to the Provinces, will continue beyond 2014

Harper says he will continue it, with some stipulations, but it isn’t actually detailed in his health care plan.

Ignatieff says he will make it permanent, while also calling for a First Ministers meeting, to discuss health care funding.

Layton guarantees it as well, but does lay out some other plans he wants to include.

Haven’t read the Green party plan nor did I hear if they would guarantee the rise, but given how the media keeps them off the news, doubt if they’ll be forming the next Government.

Frankly on this issue, I am conflicted.  I don’t like that there is no absolute guarantee from the Harper Conservatives about continuing the increase.  However, Health Care is a bit more complex than just giving the Provinces an additional 6% every year.

What about Doctors & Nurses?

Harper Conservatives get a Strike

He’s had Five Years to do something about the shortage of Doctors & Nurses. To suddenly say he will do something now, just doesn’t cut it. The plan to provide funding for Immigrants to get their skills upgraded, so they can be qualified to practise.

Problem with that is just how many Immigrants actually are Doctors, and will pass in how long of a time, before they enter the ranks of Doctors?

Should also note, the plan calls for loans to agencies, not to actual Immigrants.

Ignatieff Liberals get a Ball.

It just, well doesn’t quite go much beyond the guarantee increase. He does says he’ll add more Doctors & Nurses, but uses his Education Passport as the vehicle for that.  While it isn’t a strike, it isn’t a base hit either.

His plan has some tax cuts, incentives, but he hasn’t really articulated it well enough for me to actually know what he plans.  Least it isn’t as much double speak as Harper does.

Layton NDP get a Base Hit

While also accepting the increase, he doesn’t exactly say it’ll go beyond 2014. He does say that he would begin negotiations now, to begin improving our Health Care system.   That is good start, but what if there is not agreement?

He also has said he would create more Doctors & Nurses.  So there you go, though he doesn’t quite go far enough in saying how. I also like how he’s tied in the Home Care plan to it.  Kind of like that.

The Edge on this one goes to the NDP, but then, it should. I mean come on, we have National Health because of the NDP.  Course it came about thanks to the poltical savvy of Lester Pearson, a Liberal.  Oh, and it was a Minority Government.  ( Kind of shows you, Minority Governments can create good government, can actually accomplish great things, when the parties are willing to work together. Not what the Harper Minority Government has even tried to do…  work with the others. )

What Do You Want In A Government pt.1

This election has so many sides to it, that it makes one’s head spin a bit. I mean all the different dynamics ( fancy word huh? lol ) make it hard for an average guy like me, to make up my mind on who to support.

Which makes me wonder, just what is it that I want in a Government?

Take the F-35 Fighter Jet debate that is raging.  I mean Layton thinks we should concentrate on ships first, Harper is gung ho for the jets, while Ignatieff thinks we should open up the process, not commit until we see what else is out there. The Green party suggests a review of our entire Military, to determine its exact role, before running off and buying jets, or ships. Ignatieff sort of goes along with that, though he seems to state pretty clearly our role should be Peace Keeping.

Harper of course, attacks Layton & Ignatieff for being UN Patriotic, for questioning the jet deal.  Which really makes me wonder, what is so unPatriotic about questioning a major purchase like the Jets are?

1. Are they what the Military wants?
2. Are they the best available for the Military, & their needs?
3. Will they be long term survivors like the current Jets?

Now, tell me Mr. Harper, how is asking those questions, somehow Un Patriotic, and non supportive of the Military?

So on that score, I would have to say that I want a Government who will not attack me, or others, for having a different opinion on the value of a major taxpayer expense. By wanting to make sure the price is as quoted, that the purchased goods are what is needed, is also something I think MY Government should be encouraging.

I mean hell, if it is the best, on all scores, it should stand up to scrutiny, right?

Strike to the Harper Conservatives.

To not associate anyone who questions this kind of purchase, as being Un Patriotic, is just wrong. IF the price is as stated, show it, prove it, don’t attack me for being against the Military, or wanting something less for them.

As well, IF this is the best out there, then show me that it is what the Military has asked for. Surely if it is, then that should help settle the issue, irrespective of the cost.

Base Hit to the Liberals

Traditionally our Military Role has been one of Peace Keeping. It hasn’t been a force of invasion, and too, when involved in Peace Keeping, it should have the ability to defend itself, as Mr. Ignatieff points out.  So yeah, that’s a hit with me.

Base Hit to the NDP

Just as the current Jets are reaching the end of their usefullness, so are our Naval ships. We do need them as well, and an overall defence refit is a good idea. I also like the need being a job creating one, for Canadians.  The Jets, from all I’ve seen, don’t benefit Canadian Businesses as much.

Two Base Hit to the Green Party.

A double base run for them, simply because they are the only party openly discussing a full & complete review on the role of our Military. Also, they are not supporting the recent excursion into Libya, and becoming not a Peace Keeper, but a Western World police force.   I honestly don’t believe it is our role to play Cop, in countries like Libya, Iraq, etc.