[martin14]

raydan raydan:

commanderkai commanderkai:

You forgot executing gays, artists, and other "dissidents"...

Throw them in the arena and feed them to the moose and beavers.
I'd go see that.

Are Quebeckers counted as 'dissidents' ?

Only if they vote for the NDP !!

[Curtman]

More anti-partisan ( ) attack ads..

[Dragon-Dancer]

commanderkai commanderkai:

andyt andyt:

Exactly. Anything but a Harper majority. Anything.

BUT WHY?

Zip, so far, is the only poster who really gave me a decent reason why he's concerned over a Harper majority, and most relates to social issues, with a dab of foreign policy. Most of this "Fear Harper" bullshit stems from nothing but your view of his evilness.

I'm concerned about all majorities, not just Harper led ones. I hear all to often that majority equals stability. Sure, it may equal stability if your idea of stability is unrestricted authority. Majority governments get to do what they want with the country regardless of what a severely weakened opposition may have to say and baring distension in their own ranks. That isn't democracy, it doesn't properly represent everyone's interests and points of view.

At least in a properly functioning minority there should be debate and consensus building required so legislation is balanced.

If you want a specific reason for fearing a Harper majority, it's pretty simple. I'm a left leaning voter and conservative party policies do not reflect my interests in the least. Having them rammed down my throat without a viable working opposition to challenge them does not sit well with me.

[Curtman]

Dragon-Dancer Dragon-Dancer:

I'm concerned about all majorities, not just Harper led ones. I hear all to often that majority equals stability. Sure, it may equal stability if your idea of stability is unrestricted authority. Majority governments get to do what they want with the country regardless of what a severely weakened opposition may have to say and baring distension in their own ranks. That isn't democracy, it doesn't properly represent everyone's interests and points of view.

At least in a properly functioning minority there should be debate and consensus building required so legislation is balanced.

If you want a specific reason for fearing a Harper majority, it's pretty simple. I'm a left leaning voter and conservative party policies do not reflect my interests in the least. Having them rammed down my throat without a viable working opposition to challenge them does not sit well with me.

For now there is still the Senate, the house of sober second thought. Its full of Conservatives these days, but that should help placate your fears.

[Zipperfish]

andyt andyt:

I agree with you about all except the last. We should get out of Astan, humanitarian mission and all. We'll never destroy the Taliban sufficiently that they won't rebuild, since they have their bases in Pstan.

The worker's paradises in Sweden and Norway work really well. Way less poverty than we have here, much more cohesive societies. Sweden is ranked number two in competitiveness, so it knows how to attract business without impoverishing it's people. Norway is like us - it has natural resources. Unlike us it manages them with an eye on the future, not a let's blow the wad now mentality. And it has one of the highest disposable incomes in the world (spent on a high cost of living) with again very little poverty.

If the Dippers would use their heads, be as disciplined and smart as Harper is in brining in their agenda, I would probably vote for them on an ongoing basis. Unfortunately what I've seen in BC, ideology gets in the way of pragmatism and they screw things up.

That might be your smartest post ever, which still isn't that smart, but a lot smarter than most of the mindless drivel you usually try to pass off as intelligent comment.

Just joking--good post. My thoughts exactly.

[Thanos]

Norway and Sweden also have almost entirely homogenous populations, which Canada certainly does not, that don't incessently plague them with a potential powder keg of ethnicity politics. They're also both are tiny compared to Canada in terms of area and size, which gives them an ease in terms of basic governance, maintenence of infrastructure, and provision of services that Canada finds challenging to accomplish in comparison.

What works there will not necessarily work here. And that especially includes the NDP's incessant copycatting of the alleged successes of Europe.

[commanderkai]

Dragon-Dancer Dragon-Dancer:

If you want a specific reason for fearing a Harper majority, it's pretty simple. I'm a left leaning voter and conservative party policies do not reflect my interests in the least. Having them rammed down my throat without a viable working opposition to challenge them does not sit well with me.

Fair enough. I'm just a bit tired of "Fear Harper" bullshit and the extremely hyperbole statements. If you're against him because you're not a fan of his policies, fine, but sheesh, he's not the Anti-Christ.

[Curtman]

commanderkai commanderkai:

Fair enough. I'm just a bit tired of "Fear Harper" bullshit and the extremely hyperbole statements. If you're against him because you're not a fan of his policies, fine, but sheesh, he's not the Anti-Christ.

Worse. He's the Anti-Christ, with an Anti-Christ senate.

[commanderkai]

Curtman Curtman:

Worse. He's the Anti-Christ, with an Anti-Christ senate.

Sigh...

[2Cdo]

commanderkai commanderkai:

Curtman Curtman:

Worse. He's the Anti-Christ, with an Anti-Christ senate.

Sigh...

But he's a totally level headed clear thinking guy.

[Dragon-Dancer]

commanderkai commanderkai:

$1:

5.1 Building a New Relationship with First Nations

Massive waste of money.

Building a new relationship could mean all sorts of things, but it's very much needed. First nations in many parts of this country are in dire need of help.

commanderkai commanderkai:

$1:

5.3 Building Home-grown Film and TV Production

Waste of money.

I'll agree since we already have a home-grown industry and it's doing just fine.

commanderkai commanderkai:

$1:

6.1 Leading the World in Response to Climate Change

I don't see climate change as a huge issue to Canada, and more importantly, why compromise our financial and industrial growth to have barely any effect on the environment, especially since the United States, China, and India will never sign on.

Environment and climatology is directly connected to financial and industrial growth. To tie in to first nations as a very simple example, the loss of sea ice is destroying the local economy of the Inuit. Because they can no longer depend on hunting for a primary means of sustenance it makes them more dependent on outside sources of food which in the end costs the communities more money which in turn costs the federal coffers more money to assist these communities.

Everything is connected and nothing exists in a vacuum but someone needs to be the innovator. If we can develop the technology and make it cost effective there will be a market for it and in the end we'll diversify our economy in the process.

commanderkai commanderkai:

$1:

6.2 Ensuring our Troops are Brought Home from Afghanistan

No, I don't think, for all the mess that Afghanistan is, that Canada will somehow conduct a humanitarian mission without protection. We should do our best to destroy the Taliban as much as humanly possible before even thinking about leaving.

As much as I support trying to build Afghanistan into a more modern society this sort of change has to come from within before anything can really be done. Destroying the Taliban is a pipe dream. To think that you can destroy a completely decentralized organization when you can't even really identify who all the actual members are and who may simple be bystanders or incidentals is expecting too much.

[Curtman]

2Cdo 2Cdo:

commanderkai commanderkai:

Curtman Curtman:

Worse. He's the Anti-Christ, with an Anti-Christ senate.

Sigh...

But he's a totally level headed clear thinking guy.

Hahah. He's your leader. Support whoever you want.

[Zipperfish]

Curtman Curtman:

commanderkai commanderkai:

Fair enough. I'm just a bit tired of "Fear Harper" bullshit and the extremely hyperbole statements. If you're against him because you're not a fan of his policies, fine, but sheesh, he's not the Anti-Christ.

Worse. He's the Anti-Christ, with an Anti-Christ senate.

Proof:

[scarecrowe]

Dragon-Dancer Dragon-Dancer:

Building a new relationship could mean all sorts of things, but it's very much needed. First nations in many parts of this country are in dire need of help.

The only way that can be done is through self determination/governance. The current way has lead to unsustainable reliance. Very sad to actually see...children running around with loaded rifles for the "fun of it" on "Heritage Days"; shooting at "things" in town; scaring the life out of visitors who are trying to help out; absolute insanity. Who's heritage is that? A society of many lunatics on both sides.

Dragon-Dancer Dragon-Dancer:

Environment and climatology is directly connected to financial and industrial growth. To tie in to first nations as a very simple example, the loss of sea ice is destroying the local economy of the Inuit. Because they can no longer depend on hunting for a primary means of sustenance it makes them more dependent on outside sources of food which in the end costs the communities more money which in turn costs the federal coffers more money to assist these communities.

Everything is connected and nothing exists in a vacuum but someone needs to be the innovator. If we can develop the technology and make it cost effective there will be a market for it and in the end we'll diversify our economy in the process.

There are two approaches to changing the current climatic situation; mitigation and adaptation. Mitigation has been used almost exclusively by those who should know better than to piss into the wind. Adaptation should have the greatest emphasis but that will not happen until it is too late and hoards of money will have been thrown at an unstoppable tide.

Just wait, if you can, until a reversal occurs (the next inevitable ice age); adaptation will barely work for the "lucky" few; mitigation has no prayer of ever doing a thing.

Dragon-Dancer Dragon-Dancer:

As much as I support trying to build Afghanistan into a more modern society this sort of change has to come from within before anything can really be done. Destroying the Taliban is a pipe dream. To think that you can destroy a completely decentralized organization when you can't even really identify who all the actual members are and who may simple be bystanders or incidentals is expecting too much.

Pulling out of Afghanistan does not help the Afghan's we want to help. I guess the NDP will ask that you contribute monetarily (i.e. send in what is left on your pay cheque); contribute in spirit; contribute by shouting so Afghan's can here our chants of support over seas or by not doing a thing at all. In the end, it shows a long yellow stripe down the back of a typical NDP'er. Shame on them.

[commanderkai]

Dragon-Dancer Dragon-Dancer:

Building a new relationship could mean all sorts of things, but it's very much needed. First nations in many parts of this country are in dire need of help.

I agree they are in dire need of help, but there are huge issues with just tossing money at them. Corruption being the highest amongst those issues. Also, I just made extremely short summaries of why I was against the NDP, without treating Jack Layton as the new Anti-Christ or adding codewords that can mean anything I can want them to mean. The NDP website has a bit more for their platform, but I see First Nations issues as something chock full of corruption.

$1:

Environment and climatology is directly connected to financial and industrial growth. To tie in to first nations as a very simple example, the loss of sea ice is destroying the local economy of the Inuit. Because they can no longer depend on hunting for a primary means of sustenance it makes them more dependent on outside sources of food which in the end costs the communities more money which in turn costs the federal coffers more money to assist these communities.

Everything is connected and nothing exists in a vacuum but someone needs to be the innovator. If we can develop the technology and make it cost effective there will be a market for it and in the end we'll diversify our economy in the process

Researching effects of environmental or climate change is needed, and can certainly affect Canada beyond the Arctic, I agree. However, the approach of throwing treaties on the issue won't really change anything. Even without CO2 caused Climate Change, environmental efforts (recycling, conservation, proper forestry and wildlife management) all have beneficial uses for Canada's economy. Making our industries cleaner and more efficient is something we should strive for, but coming up with treaties that will have the largest polluters not sign on, mixed in with developing countries having their growth hampered is not a good thing.

$1:

As much as I support trying to build Afghanistan into a more modern society this sort of change has to come from within before anything can really be done. Destroying the Taliban is a pipe dream. To think that you can destroy a completely decentralized organization when you can't even really identify who all the actual members are and who may simple be bystanders or incidentals is expecting too much.

True, but I don't feel, be it as peacekeepers, or as members of a civilized society, that we should leave innocent people to be destroyed by wolves (the Taliban), as much as it might be a pipe dream, we need to get the Afghanis as stable and as protected as we can before pulling out. It won't be easy, no doubt, but bringing peace is never easy.

Anyway, this is what I'd prefer. I enjoy trading ideas and thoughts back and forth, instead of hyperbole, partisan bullshit. Be against the CPC all you like, but it just feels like there's no discussion about the issues or the platforms. Saying you're against "Harper's neo-con agenda" doesn't inform me about anything. I could just say I hate Layton "push for a worker's paradise(Communism or socialism with a nice phrase)" but that's not informative at all.