Were husbands really this jerky in the 1960s?
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tax Funded Propaganda
The Conservative Party's well-publicized legal hassle with Elections Canada has put the spotlight on the role money plays in politics.
And it does play a role. For one thing, political parties use money to buy advertisments so they can sway public opinion.
Nothing wrong with that, so long as they are using their own money.
But when they use my money to buy ads to sway public opinion, that's wrong.
For instance, the federal government has a half-page ad in today's National Post featuring the headline: "Your Family's Safey-- our Government's Priority."
The rest of the ad then goes on to extol the government's "Food and Consumer Safey Action Plan."
Clearly, this ad is nothing less than Conservative Party partisan propaganda masquerading as government information.
No political party should use tax dollars to promote itself. To do so is essentially forcing Canadians, through their taxes, to financially support a political party. That's undemocratic.
Now I don't mean to single out the Conservative Party here. All governments, of all political stripes, engage in this dubious practice.
It's time to put an end to it.
And it does play a role. For one thing, political parties use money to buy advertisments so they can sway public opinion.
Nothing wrong with that, so long as they are using their own money.
But when they use my money to buy ads to sway public opinion, that's wrong.
For instance, the federal government has a half-page ad in today's National Post featuring the headline: "Your Family's Safey-- our Government's Priority."
The rest of the ad then goes on to extol the government's "Food and Consumer Safey Action Plan."
Clearly, this ad is nothing less than Conservative Party partisan propaganda masquerading as government information.
No political party should use tax dollars to promote itself. To do so is essentially forcing Canadians, through their taxes, to financially support a political party. That's undemocratic.
Now I don't mean to single out the Conservative Party here. All governments, of all political stripes, engage in this dubious practice.
It's time to put an end to it.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Gerry Shrugged
Paul McKeever provides an interesting Randian/Objectivist counter-analysis of my recent Sun media chain column calling for the scrapping of election gag laws.
I am posting this for people who complain I am too much of an ideological purist.
I am posting this for people who complain I am too much of an ideological purist.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Getting a taste of their own medicine
Pierre Lemieux over at Liberty in Canada has a different take from mine concerning the Elections Canada -- Stephen Harper brawl.
Unlike me, Lemieux has little sympathy for the Tories: "Let the politicians taste their own medicine by falling prey to the liberticidal powers they have vested in the state!", he writes.
And he also correctly notes, the Tories have done very little when it comes to undoing the very type of bad laws which have ensnared them.
"The Conservatives," he argues "have not only forgotten about repealing the gag law, they have, in fact, reinforced the state’s control of electoral financing by reducing the voluntary contributions individuals are permitted to make to political parties."
Perhaps this little run in will help convince the Tories that our election laws need reform.
Unlike me, Lemieux has little sympathy for the Tories: "Let the politicians taste their own medicine by falling prey to the liberticidal powers they have vested in the state!", he writes.
And he also correctly notes, the Tories have done very little when it comes to undoing the very type of bad laws which have ensnared them.
"The Conservatives," he argues "have not only forgotten about repealing the gag law, they have, in fact, reinforced the state’s control of electoral financing by reducing the voluntary contributions individuals are permitted to make to political parties."
Perhaps this little run in will help convince the Tories that our election laws need reform.
Friday, April 25, 2008
The problem with Elections Canada
For more than week now I have been busy exposing the less than stellar record of Elections Canada.
And now some media voices are chiming in on the subject
Licia Corbella of the Calgary Herald, recalls one of her run ins with Elections Canada, while John Robson of the Ottawa Citizen wonders if Elections Canada is part of the executive branch of government or the legislative branch.
And now some media voices are chiming in on the subject
Licia Corbella of the Calgary Herald, recalls one of her run ins with Elections Canada, while John Robson of the Ottawa Citizen wonders if Elections Canada is part of the executive branch of government or the legislative branch.
Media Alert
Rebecca Walberg, who works as a policy analyst at the Frontier Centre for Public Policy, has an excellent column in the Sun media chain today discussing some of the ideas I put forward in my manifesto, The Trudeau Empire Has Fallen and it Can't Get up.
Walberg compares the arguments I make as to how conservatives can win the war of ideas with the arguments put forward in two other works: David Frum's Comeback and Tom Flanagan's Harper's Team.
Walberg compares the arguments I make as to how conservatives can win the war of ideas with the arguments put forward in two other works: David Frum's Comeback and Tom Flanagan's Harper's Team.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Media Alert
I will be a guest on The Michael Coren Show tonight on CTS as part of a panel discussing federal politics.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Media Alert
I will be on The World Tonight with Rob Breakenridge (CHQR Calgary) this evening at about 9:05 PM EST to talk about my column on election gag laws which appeared in the Sun media chain today.
I wonder if they will thank me?
As readers of this blog know, I don't like to brag.
But I would be remiss if I didn't point out an interesting fact: I am doing a better job of defending Prime Minister Harper over this Elections Canada mess than is the Junior Kindergarten class now operating the Prime Minister's Office.
Let's face it, the PMO's pathetic attempts at damage control on this issue have only made things worse.
By contrast, I have been in the media on an almost daily basis: in the National Post, in the Globe and Mail, on Newsworld, on Newsnet, on Global TV and on the radio, hammering home the point that Elections Canada might be carrying out a vendetta to hurt Stephen Harper.
And now, thanks to my almost single-handed efforts, the press is beginning to pick up on this theme.
Oh and if you guys at the PMO are reading this, put down your crayons because I have some free advice for you.
Use this battle with Elections Canada to mobilize your base. Shoot out a letter/email to your supporters explaining how unelected, biased bureaucrats are unfairly using their power to undermine the Prime Minister just so they can settle an old score.
If you need help writing it, just let me know.
But I would be remiss if I didn't point out an interesting fact: I am doing a better job of defending Prime Minister Harper over this Elections Canada mess than is the Junior Kindergarten class now operating the Prime Minister's Office.
Let's face it, the PMO's pathetic attempts at damage control on this issue have only made things worse.
By contrast, I have been in the media on an almost daily basis: in the National Post, in the Globe and Mail, on Newsworld, on Newsnet, on Global TV and on the radio, hammering home the point that Elections Canada might be carrying out a vendetta to hurt Stephen Harper.
And now, thanks to my almost single-handed efforts, the press is beginning to pick up on this theme.
Oh and if you guys at the PMO are reading this, put down your crayons because I have some free advice for you.
Use this battle with Elections Canada to mobilize your base. Shoot out a letter/email to your supporters explaining how unelected, biased bureaucrats are unfairly using their power to undermine the Prime Minister just so they can settle an old score.
If you need help writing it, just let me know.
Let's face it, voters are clever
I have a column in the Sun Media chain today examining the election laws which are in the news so much thanks to the Stephen Harper -- Elections Canada vendetta.
My point is that these laws which essentially stifle free speech are bad for democracy and should be scrapped.
My point is that these laws which essentially stifle free speech are bad for democracy and should be scrapped.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Media Alert
I will be on the Steve Madely Show (CFRA Ottawa) to talk about the Elections Canada -- Stephen Harper feud.
It's Wednesday morning at 7:10 AM.
7:10 AM, are you kidding me!!
It's Wednesday morning at 7:10 AM.
7:10 AM, are you kidding me!!
The PMO needs a retool
Well you got to hand it to the crack team of political geniuses who work in the Prime Minister's Office.
They sure know how to make a terrible situation worse.
I mean, what in the world was that fiasco of a media briefing on the Elections Canada charges all about!!!??
Sheesh.
It's a maxim in politics that you never want to look like are a crook or a fool.
Well thanks to the PMO's keystone cops routine, the Tories now look like both.
I guess that's what happens when you hire egghead amateurs whose chief skill is that they will take a bullet for the Prime Minister.
They sure know how to make a terrible situation worse.
I mean, what in the world was that fiasco of a media briefing on the Elections Canada charges all about!!!??
Sheesh.
It's a maxim in politics that you never want to look like are a crook or a fool.
Well thanks to the PMO's keystone cops routine, the Tories now look like both.
I guess that's what happens when you hire egghead amateurs whose chief skill is that they will take a bullet for the Prime Minister.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Media Update II
I did an interview with Global TV news on Elections Canada Vs. Harper.
That's supposed to air tonight at 5:30 PM and again at 11 PM.
Note my Newsworld Politics interview is now set for 5:15 PM.
That's supposed to air tonight at 5:30 PM and again at 11 PM.
Note my Newsworld Politics interview is now set for 5:15 PM.
Media Alert
I am scheduled to appear on the Newsworld program Politics with Don Newman to talk about my Globe web edition piece on the "Harper Alliance."
Will be on, I am told, at approximately 5:25 PM EST.
Will be on, I am told, at approximately 5:25 PM EST.
Harper's Red Populist Nationalist Alliance
I have a column published in the "Web Exclusive" comment section of the Globe and Mail today.
In it, I explain how and why Prime Minister Stephen Harper is trying to create a new political coalition, a coalition I like to call the Red Populist Nationalist Alliance.
It's an alliance that has room for everybody, everybody that is except for free market conservatives.
In it, I explain how and why Prime Minister Stephen Harper is trying to create a new political coalition, a coalition I like to call the Red Populist Nationalist Alliance.
It's an alliance that has room for everybody, everybody that is except for free market conservatives.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Elections Canada vs Free Speech
Yesterday in a National Post column I suggested revenge was behind that Elections Canada "raid" on Tory Party headquarters.
Today, in the same paper and on the same page, David Frum suggests a more sinister motivation.
Frum argues the raid may have revealed the agency's "deep, sustained and highly ideological hostility to ordinary rights of free speech."
Elections Canada, he writes, is choosing to interpret its mandate in a way that is "indifferent to core freedoms".
I wholeheartedly concur with this analysis.
In all my dealings with Elections Canada bureaucrats (and I had a lot) they never gave the slightest inkling that they understood the importance of free expression. In fact, if anything they saw free speech as nothing but a nuisance.
And when it came to enforcing things like election gag laws, they displayed the close-minded-zealotry of the Spanish Inquisition.
And yes Elections Canada does have an ideological bias. Check this Globe and Mail column I wrote a few years ago for more on this.
How do we defang this monster?
Frum has the answer: "Stop gagging speech. Stop telling the public and the candidates what they can and cannot say."
Today, in the same paper and on the same page, David Frum suggests a more sinister motivation.
Frum argues the raid may have revealed the agency's "deep, sustained and highly ideological hostility to ordinary rights of free speech."
Elections Canada, he writes, is choosing to interpret its mandate in a way that is "indifferent to core freedoms".
I wholeheartedly concur with this analysis.
In all my dealings with Elections Canada bureaucrats (and I had a lot) they never gave the slightest inkling that they understood the importance of free expression. In fact, if anything they saw free speech as nothing but a nuisance.
And when it came to enforcing things like election gag laws, they displayed the close-minded-zealotry of the Spanish Inquisition.
And yes Elections Canada does have an ideological bias. Check this Globe and Mail column I wrote a few years ago for more on this.
How do we defang this monster?
Frum has the answer: "Stop gagging speech. Stop telling the public and the candidates what they can and cannot say."
Friday, April 18, 2008
Revenge of the bureaucrats
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Media Update
I am on the Michael Coren Show tonight at 8:00 PM EST on CTS.
And am also scheduled to be on Mike Duffy Live, this afternoon at about 5:00 PM EST.
Busy day.
And am also scheduled to be on Mike Duffy Live, this afternoon at about 5:00 PM EST.
Busy day.
Me in the Globe
A lot of people think I'm overly critical of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
But today, the Globe and Mail has a story about me defending Harper in regards to his recent tussle with Elections Canada.
In the story I repeated what I noted yesterday in this blog: the Election Canada "raids" were part of a bureaucratic vendetta against the Prime Minister.
But today, the Globe and Mail has a story about me defending Harper in regards to his recent tussle with Elections Canada.
In the story I repeated what I noted yesterday in this blog: the Election Canada "raids" were part of a bureaucratic vendetta against the Prime Minister.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Elections Canada Bullies
All this talk about Elections Canada "raiding" Conservative Party headquarters is giving me a case of deja vu.
Back in the days when we worked for the same advocacy group, Stephen Harper and I were waging a battle against the Elections Canada bureaucrats who were responsible for enforcing election gag laws.
In fact, Harper (in a letter I wrote for him) went so far as to call them "jackasses."
Later on, those jackasses kicked back.
In fact, Elections Canada dispatched the RCMP to lay charges against us, claiming we had violated election laws.
The charge was a sham.
But it was a perfect example of the kind of bully tactics the folks at Elections Canada like to use to intimidate anyone who dares to oppose them.
And believe me, Elections Canada is not some non-partisan government agency. The guys who run it definitely have an ideological axe to grind.
Yesterday's stunt at Tory party headquarters indicates they still like to employ the same tactics.
Back in the days when we worked for the same advocacy group, Stephen Harper and I were waging a battle against the Elections Canada bureaucrats who were responsible for enforcing election gag laws.
In fact, Harper (in a letter I wrote for him) went so far as to call them "jackasses."
Later on, those jackasses kicked back.
In fact, Elections Canada dispatched the RCMP to lay charges against us, claiming we had violated election laws.
The charge was a sham.
But it was a perfect example of the kind of bully tactics the folks at Elections Canada like to use to intimidate anyone who dares to oppose them.
And believe me, Elections Canada is not some non-partisan government agency. The guys who run it definitely have an ideological axe to grind.
Yesterday's stunt at Tory party headquarters indicates they still like to employ the same tactics.
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