The Big Flip Flop

Election 2008 (Canada) Comments (2)

At the outset of this election, Stephen Harper and his Conservatives have accused the opposition of being scare mongers of being frightened little sheep, in regards to the huge economic mess in the United States. Harper and his Finance Minister Flaherty have said our economy is strong, that what is happening south of our border will have no real impact on our own economy, because, well we do things differently. Strange but he isn’t saying that today.

Prior to the debates, Harper made out like our economy was basically bullet proof, that housing prices wouldn’t crash like they did in the states, that housing starts would continue to grow, and that values would continue to increase.

Then came debate time along with the failure of the huge bailout plan in the USA. Suddenly the economy became important to Mr. Harper, so important that at first he didn’t want any meetings to brief opposition leaders, but then wanted more time spent on the economy during the debates.

As the debates were revving up, the US Senate passed its version of the bailout, giving it new life, and suddenly the Economy wasn’t such a big issue for Mr. Harper. During the debates he tried to ignore that he has no economic plan for Canada, other than huge tax cuts and give a ways. But then, he also claimed it was what was working, as evident by the way we aren’t in a deficit, though the surplus is so razor thin, the margin of error could mean we are indeed in deficit, not like he would admit to that.

Just as George Bush and the Republicans refused to acknowledge the down turns in the USA Economy, constantly called the ‘economy basically strong‘ take a look at the stock markets. And our Stevie has been saying the exact same things now, since the crisis became more noticeable in the United States. In fact he said it several times during the debate.

Canada is headed into a worse recession than anyone expected, one that could last until almost 2010, said the country’s top economists on Monday.

Staid financial watchers, who usually speak in measured tones, almost screamed the r-word in two separate events Monday. (source – CBC News)

I have watched the bailout process in the USA, have seen how the elected leadership of the United States has forced the bailout onto the US Economy, onto the taxpayer, and then I turn to see our Stevie poised to do the exact same thing, despite his smug referral to our economy is basically strong.

Today the TSE is down by about 700 points, at one point over ELEVEN HUNDRED POINTS, and yet he says we are not heading into a recession. Funny, but our most respected Economists not only are basically screaming the word out, but are saying it is even worse than has been imagined.

Is that just Panic?

Maybe, in some parts it is that, again we thank our Stevie for creating it, in an effort to remain in power. Yes, his mantra of following the George Bush Tactics of attacking those who disagree, of refusing to give any credence to opposition of his ideas, has lead to where people panic. They see the similarities, and worry, but can’t discuss it, because our Stevie is never wrong. He is, after all, an expert on it all.

Global oil prices fell below $90 US a barrel at the start of the week; other commodity prices have likewise slipped in recent weeks in the face of slowing world economic growth.

Canadian housing prices have begun to slide as well, although the country will not face a home sector deterioration along the lines of what occurred in the United States, Scotiabank said.

Finally, exports to the United States will dry up as American demand for Canadian products evaporates, economists said. (source - CBC News)

Exactly what Stephen Harper and his minister of finance have said wouldn’t happen, IS HAPPENING. Yet as usual, he has nothing to say but that our economy is basically sound. And that too is typical, as he refuses to accept the notion that he could be wrong, that instead of listening to the real experts, he listens to those who tell him what he wants to hear, such as the Republican Advisers on his staff. Instead of listening to the real professionals, he will ignore them, in favor of those who point how to score cheap political points, instead of acting to prevent a recession, or to at least mitigate its effects on our economy.

There is a reason too for all this. Instead of shoring up our own industry, Stephen Harper has helped to send our manufacturing industry south, or offshore. He has let them be sold off, taken over, and all in the name of supporting Big Business. Our Industries are on the block, what is left, and as a result we have nothing to fall back on, to help during times of economic downturn. There is no structure left, in manufacturing, as even building ships for our Navy is out sourced to South Korea, while our ship building facilities rust and lay idle. THAT IS THE CONSERVATIVE PLAN.

And now we are about to pay for it.

VOTE ANYONE BUT CONSERVATIVE

Ian @ October 6, 2008