Comments | bitterwind: Are we even a democracy any more?

bitterwind

Are we even a democracy any more?

Oct 15, 2008 22:18

A day after the end of the election, the renewed governement has announced a series of plans to deal with the economic unheaval ... plans that they didn't see fit to release during the campaign ... some parts of which Harper ridiculed during the debate. The whole election was just a game, a popularity contest devoid of content and the voters were ( Read more... )

Comments 13

lynedd October 16 2008, 02:39:21 UTC

I can't help wondering how much it would have helped Harper, if he'd shown he had a clear plan a week or two ago. Honestly.

bitterwind October 16 2008, 02:52:38 UTC

I'm pretty sure that the Conservatives have Kim Campbell's "the unemployment rate won't improve until the end of the decade" comment burned into their memories. Even though she was right, it opened her up to attacks that couldn't be parried.

valkyri October 16 2008, 04:04:32 UTC

I don't think he had a plan. I think he let the other parties do all the work finding out what Canadians want, and what needs to be done. Then, during the debate they put their own platforms on the table and challenged him on his lack of platform. (Jack Layton: Where is your platform, under the sweater?)

Then, he stole their platforms.

Ingenious. Cutthroat. Conniving. Just the type who will gain power. I think I'm invoking Godwin's law here... oops.

He didn't have a platform that would help him, he didn't have the info from his opposition yet.

lynedd October 16 2008, 11:52:20 UTC

I think, upon consideration, that you are right. ...and this way, he can unveil a plan that will probably pass the crucial budget vote which is always deemed a non-confidence vote.

I don't like Harper. I am very close to loathing Harper. But the man is canny...

Thread 5

valkyri October 16 2008, 04:00:44 UTC

Hi, I wandered over from themage's journal.

Everything you said is true.

While talking to my sensei this evening I finally got it though. Harper called the election to bust the other parties financially. Then, he comes in with another minority (which he, himself, predicted and called this illegal election for no good reason, which for me was enough reason to vote against him - waste of time and money) and can send everything he wants to a confidence vote (again) and everything will be uncontested. NOT because Dion is a wimp, but because they do not have the resources to have another election.

The reason we had record low voter attendance was because there were no issues, there was no reason for this election, all the choices were lame, and it was the day after a long weekend. Harper orchestrated it all that way.

So, in short, the answer to your question is no, we are not a democracy anymore. Harper doesn't give a flying (insert your own expletive) about democracy.

bitterwind October 16 2008, 04:26:16 UTC

Welcome to the party :)

(I'm not normally a ranting person, but politics and telemarketing get under my skin)

I think that Harper honestly expected he would win a majority, but that he had the sense to keep expectations low so that he would be able to claim victory if he fell short.

Ironicly, the leader who lost the most (Dion) was the only one who actually presented a real idea (the Green Shift).

valkyri October 16 2008, 04:38:09 UTC

I'm not discounting that he wanted and anticipated a majority, but I am noting that even though he has only a minority he orchestrated it so he can run it like a majority because no one has full enough coffers to go back to the polls anytime soon. I think he can even be quoted saying that he intended on running his government like a majority, in any case.

Telemarketing gets under my skin too.

The way our politics are becoming so American-like scares the bejeezus out of me. I can't remember what show it was on, but it was immediately after the English debate - said "watching the Canadian debate is like going to school, watching the American debate is liking going to the circus, what would most people rather do?" Harper made it look a whole lot more like a circus. No ideas here, just Sideshow Steve and the Slander dogs.

Nice to meet you. :-)

whatawookie October 16 2008, 10:43:01 UTC

the trouble with democracy is that the majority... who are willingly uninformed, averse to critical thinking and change, elect the government they deserve.

Which means through what I feel are spectacularly shitty choices, Canada deserves a nasty, power-hungry bully as PM right now. Welcome to democracy.

bitterwind October 16 2008, 14:10:51 UTC

I'm starting to dislike the "masses are stupid" line of thinking. I think people are smarter than they are given credit for and governing is harder than we assume.

whatawookie October 16 2008, 18:56:43 UTC

I didn't say stupid, I think people don't like to think. They especially don't like to think uncomfortable thoughts, like the idea that we may as a nation not have the power to stop a recession, that we as humans have already f*ed the environment up and it's going to COST MONEY to even try to fix ( ... )

themage October 16 2008, 11:46:01 UTC

I'll be getting a copy of Gaming the Vote for some supplementary reading. I'm assuming that although the country is different, the game is the similar enough. The book review will tell.

sylrayj October 16 2008, 16:05:10 UTC

I just happened to look at an old Dec. 2006 Macleans editorial last week, and basically they said how things would go. Conservatives needed to wave the 'we'll give you more money' flag, and so they did. My gods, our local rep could barely speak without somehow bringing it back to 'Liberals will take your money, but it's YOUR money! Conservatives want to GIVE you money, for FREE!' And the people who heard the same old promises time and again just want more cash, to hell with everything else. To hell in a wallet, I guess, the other parties can keep their handbaskets.