Harper’s New Regime
Ian @ October 31, 2008 # No Comment Yet
With inflation up to over 3%, with a faltering loonie, Stephen Harper bloats Government by adding to an already over sized cabinet, calling it a right team. Is it a team? The last Harper Government was a one man show, and this one is shaping up to be no different. He moves Stockwell Day to International Trade, so we can kiss any fair trade deals goodbye, and he keeps Flaherty in Finance, so we can pretty well kiss any economic solution goodbye as well. He replaces Lunn at Resources, but not like the new one will do any better, and our Health portfolio gets a rookie. That should be fun, to see how she makes it easier to get rid of our National Health for the Americans. Then we have a new Foreign Affairs honcho, who can kiss American Ass better than his predecessor, so that should be a help for Stevie Boy. The Harper sellout of Canada has new faces, but it is still the same conservative back stabbers in power, who have one goal, to get rich, at our expense. We are forced to conserve, while Harper bloats Cabinet. Makes sense, doesn’t it?
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The Conservative Trickle Down Effect
Ian @ October 29, 2008 # No Comment Yet
When all you have is smoke and mirrors, eventually a wind comes along that blows the smoke away, and the cracks in the mirrors are shown for what they are, big gaping holes. The Conservative line of attack, to give big business huge tax cuts, which in turn will lead to savings down the ladder, is just that, smoke & mirrors. Truth is that it is us the taxpayer, who foots the bills for those tax cuts, who then has to come to the rescue of these greedy corporate enterprises, and still the Harper/Bush plan ignores our needs. Yet it is our money they are giving away, by the cart full, to help those who give them the money to seek office, to lie and cheat their way into power. Harper needs to go, because his failed policies are only making things worse. We do need a change in how we do business, which isn’t to give more tax cuts. The solution is to put the money back into our hands, to protect us, the taxpayer and let the big boys spend their own cash. While the financial markets twist and turn, and people lose their shirts, did the bonuses for those traders get stopped? NO. So why should we bail them out, with our money, that they keep stealing? Yet that is what Bush & Harper keep doing, giving them rewards for raping our pocket books, for putting millions upon millions at risk of losing everything, simply to keep their political backers in power. Makes no sense, and it is time for a correction of the status quo. It is time to turf these liars and cheats out of office.
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Mind over Matter - Fake Drugs
Ian @ October 26, 2008 # No Comment Yet
When did we get so complacent, so lazy that we began to accept lies as being ethical? When did we lower our standards so much, that half the US doctors routinely give fake drugs to patients, without any qualms? Is it no wonder that we elect the likes of George Bush & Stephen Harper, when we accept lower standards for teaching our kids how to read or write? Is it no wonder, that we have a faltering economy when we reward greed, we reward sub par work, and more than that, we acclaim those who lie, cheat, and are dishonest? When do we, stop accepting third rate work, and start demanding top grade work, and start rewarding only those who perform well? When do we stop being lazy and stupid?
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The Lies of the 2008 Election
Ian @ October 25, 2008 # No Comment Yet
We all know that during an election, politicians stretch the truth somewhat. However, Stephen Harper has taken that to new heights, with what is turning out to be nothing but outright lies. Inflation is up, something Harper said was under control. Fuel prices are dropping, but slowly unlike what Harper said would happen. His own Government pledged to not have a deficit, which he is now backing off of, while at the same time, he spent more than he took in. Again more lies, as he now guarantees banks, to help them borrow more money. At the same time, the loonie dives, which is going to only cost us more shortly. What will be his lies then?
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Americanization of Canada, courtesy of Stephen Harper
Ian @ October 25, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Clements maybe offended at the Toronto Star report about high levels of lead in toys sold in Canada, but he should be outraged that his department didn’t detect them. But then, that would mean we had inspectors out there, doing their job, instead of cow toeing to American interests, instead of accepting NAFTA bullshit. This is a sellout, that is putting our kids at risk, and all the Harper Regime can do is cluck like some chicken, and threaten to toughen the laws. Course they can toughen them all they want, won’t matter if there aren’t inspectors out there checking to make sure they are safe.
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Stigma of Being a Socialist
Ian @ October 24, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Socialism is about helping the less fortunate, by those who have succeeded in doing better. It isn’t about increased taxes, or about hurting anyone, despite the Republican Party’s portrayal of what socialism is. It is about insuring everyone gets the basics, such as being able to take their kid to a doctor, about being protected from gangs and bullies. Yet somehow the Republican Party believes it is better to give the money from those very helpless people, to the rich, to make them richer, to prey easier on the less fortunate. Socialism is about spreading the wealth, from those who can afford it, but not for fancy new dresses from exclusive shops, but for medicine, for proper text books in schools. That is what real socialism is about, which happens to also be what Jesus preached about, something the moral republican zealots seem to conveniently ignore. True socialism is also known by another name, it is Christianity.
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Abuse of Power or Just Dictatorship?
Ian @ October 23, 2008 # No Comment Yet
If those at the top get away with abuse of power, with telling whoppers and sending troops to war, what is the effect down the power chain? Does it not lead to similar abuses, but on a more personal scale? Does it send a signal that freedom is okay, but not really important? Does it send signals to the lower command levels that covering your ass is good, and that you can then get away with anything, under the guise of simply following orders? When does the slide into Dictatorship become noticed, after it is too late? What happens to the rule of law, that sets civilized nations apart from tyrannical dictatorships? This is the Bush / Republican legacy, yet it seems no one notices the erosion of their rights, unless you are a reporter covering a story about lobbyists and politicians. You see it first hand, as you get handcuffed and thrown in jail, yet this is a supposed democracy, this is America, not Communist China, or is it?
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Obama The Socialist
Ian @ October 23, 2008 # No Comment Yet
McCain seems to think he got a gift when Obama mentioned how he wants to spread the wealth around, to redistribute it to those who don’t have much, who are under attack from their own government. Funny how they use labels to justify their attacks on truth, honesty, and common sense. Socialist is the latest label being attached to Obama, but what is wrong with wanting to help the less fortunate, wanting to let everyone share in the dream? Is it right that fifty odd million people can’t afford health care, many of them children? For the Republicans, obviously it is.
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Good Intentions, But Torture the Result
Ian @ October 23, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Truth is that the hearing couldn’t come to a complete decision, thanks to the unco-operation of our allies, such as the United States. This is what Harper calls close association and new stronger ties means. Bush gets what he wants, we let our citizens be tortured. So much for fighting the axis of evil. The true axis, has George W at its head, and our Stevie boy is gunning to be included in that infamous group. Bush, Howard, & Blair. After January only Harper will be left, which is sad. Would have been nice to see him take retirement along with his hero Bush. Point is, information provided by our intelligence agencies led to torture. Our Minister responsible, Stockwell Day, sees nothing serious in what happened. Shows you, this Harper government isn’t about working for people, but for shielding real criminals, like George W. Bush.
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The Fix is In
Ian @ October 22, 2008 # No Comment Yet
In June & July VISA & MASTERCARD opted to raise the merchant fees. They both claim it was done on their own, but come on, are we really that stupid? Then too, why should the merchants or us, pay for the stupid mistakes that these giants created? The whole economic mess, is because of the greed, that financial institutes had. Yet it is the taxpayer bailing them out, while being charged higher fees for credit. Makes no sense, really, but then our Government leaders side with them, instead of with the people who elect them. Typical of the likes of Harper & Bush, and we put up with it, typical of us, given how we keep electing these liars, these incompetents.
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Preserve Capitalism, Perish Mankind
Ian @ October 21, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Bush plans for several meetings on the world economy, and is in his preaching mode. This from the man who caused the current crisis now is off spewing his words of wisdom, again touting how free markets are essential, how important it is to have free enterprise, and how vital free trade is to the world economy. He is right, except that to him free markets means unrestricted access only for selected companies, free enterprise means anything big business wants, but no one else, and free trade means give everything big business wants, so they can ship jobs abroad and bring back dangerous products without being held accountable, or even needing to clear customs. What Bush is really saying is that he wants his buddies to continue to run amock, without any government oversight, other than to pay out taxpayer money to those big corporate giants, if they screw up like they have.
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Ten Billion Dollar Deficit for 2009 - 2010?
Ian @ October 20, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Just where was the Opposition during this election? I mean according to Merrill Lynch & the TD, the upcoming federal budget for fiscal year 2009 - 2010 will be in the red by about Ten Billion Dollars, yet during the campaign, and before, Harper & his stooge Flaherty kept saying they expected about a Billion Dollar surplus. Now how can they be that far off, and why didn’t the opposition parties exploit that discrepancy? What were they afraid of? Did they not know, and why not? Why the hell didn’t these economists step forward sooner, I mean it is important stuff, but once more, Harper seems to have gotten away with it. Will he a third time, or will we finally realize how dangerous this man is? Will we remember his quoting George Bush about how strong our economy is, while he makes Ontario a have not province?
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Hiding the Bad Debts
Ian @ October 19, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Well that is one way to help out the big boys that own banks, we just change the way they report their investments. Instead of making them declare the losses, and take their medicine for being stupid & greedy, we can now have them hide the information, but hey, not to worry, it will still be transparent. Like yeah right, just as it was in the S&L crisis, or with Enron. I mean come on, that was just some good old fashioned creative book keeping, and okay so it didn’t reflect the true position of the company. I mean didn’t hurt anyone, right? NOT! Now banks & other financial institutes get to have their own little creative book keeping tactics, so they don’t have to take the losses they incur, by just not, well trying to minimize the losses. Hold them, and not report them, sure does seem like a gift, doesn’t it?
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Will He Resign & Should He?
Ian @ October 18, 2008 # No Comment Yet
I wonder what they were thinking when they planned their election strategy? It is easy to sit back and second guess, but in all honesty, they did not really come out attacking the Harper mistakes. Lets be honest, the campaign ran wasn’t inspired, and it showed in how so many stayed home. Maybe if they had raised the issues and dealt with the high cost of fuel, in real terms, things might have gone better for them. I suppose the truth is, Dion will pay the price for that error in judgement.
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Murtha Should Talk
Ian @ October 17, 2008 # No Comment Yet
John Murtha is not known for being diplomatic, but as usual he opens his mouth to stick both feet in it. While there is little doubt that race could play a role in the coming election, specially in the South and in areas that have a real downturn, it would have been smarter to portray Obama more as the salvation, than highlight the race card. Then too, Murtha is not what one would call tolerant himself, of those who disagree with him. In so many ways, he comes across as a bully, which really, Obama doesn’t need associated with his campaign. It is about change, and Murtha is a symbol of the old guard.
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