Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Conservative Groups

What is it about conservative organizations that get left-wingers into such a tizzy?

During the last federal election, union boss Buzz Hargrove called my group, the National Citizens Coalition, a “secret society,” and now the Civitas Society is getting the same treatment.

Maybe they think we are all hatching some sort of “hidden agenda.”

Or maybe they don’t like the fact that conservative organizations tend to rely on voluntary contributions and grassroots support.

By contrast, many left-wing organizations subsist on either government subsidies or big union hand outs.

That means conservative groups are more independent, more representative of their members and more likely to come up with good ideas.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

The same sort of swipe at Conservative organizations came out in Question Period yesterday. Check Hansard. It's the old double standard isn't it?

Now if we really want to discuss corruption and secret deals perhaps the Liberals need to be reminded of a little thing called "Gomery"? My they have such short, short memories don't they?

Monkey Loves to Fight said...

I would prefer political parties not get too cozy with any organization be they on the left or right. I have no problem with libertarian type groups like the Fraser Institute, but I do have a problem with groups promoting a Conservative agenda similar to what you see in the United States today. I like most Canadians don't wish to go down that path.

I am no fan of the left wing special interest groups but considering most support the NDP their influence is not as strong as they make it out to seem. The only time they ever endorse the Liberals is when the Conservatives look like they will when. When the Liberals had majority governments these groups were complaining about the Liberals far more loudly than Conservative groups.

Anonymous said...

Well, Miles, I think I'd be more sympathetic to the left wing think tanks if they weren't financed from public money and their reports treated as gospel by the media.

Monkey Loves to Fight said...

I don't think any special interest organization should get public funding. I realize occassionally organizations that do legitimate work, but also political advocacy may get political funding, but they should be required to establish a separate fund and not one red cent of government money can go into. For example a group wanting to help the Homeless could still get money to help the Homeless, but any political advocacy they did, they couldn't use the government money.