I'm true blue -- One guess where my ballot will go this election day

Calgary Sun ^ | June 13, 2004 | Paul Jackson

[Clive]

Let me confess right here: I voted federal Progressive Conservative in eight straight elections, Reform in two elections, and Canadian Alliance in one election.

Come June 28, I'll be voting Conservative again.

Never have I sullied my crayon, conscience or country by voting either Liberal or New Democrat.

Never will.

I voted for John Diefenbaker once, Robert Stanfield three times, Joe Clark twice (Well, the alternative was Pierre Trudeau), Brian Mulroney twice, Preston Manning twice, and Stockwell Day once. Here's hoping I'll vote for Stephen Harper several times, and, unlike Stanfield, as prime minister.

Since, by way of the Internet, I've amassed a considerable following in the United States, over the same period I would have voted for Barry Goldwater, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George Bush. Sr. and George W. Bush. Republicans all.

It's too bad George Bush Sr. didn't get a second term, for the man who did, Bill Clinton, spent his time defiling a young female intern in the Oval Office itself. Not a commendable characteristic.

I find the New Democrats in our country to be either a naive or nefarious lot. J. S. Woodsworth, M.J. Coldwell, T.C. Douglas and other early Canadian socialists who fought a legitimate battle for the working man and the farmer would be appalled at what their party has become.

Smirkin' Jack Layton doesn't come close to being in their class.

Of course, socialism itself has been made irrelevant by the advances of the market economy.

Coldwell, Douglas and their Great Depression-era ilk could hardly have dreamed of a society in which the mass of the population held shares in companies for which they worked, or in companies that produced the products they bought.

My problems with Liberals, both in Canada and the United States, is they have few steadfast principles, with rare exceptions, such as getting themselves elected no matter what, and spending the taxpayers' money on services, programs and projects the taxpayers neither want nor can afford.

In Canada, Pierre Trudeau -- known to be utterly parsimonious with his own money -- doubled federal spending within less than three years, and since he didn't dare double taxes, just as quickly built the quicksand of debt the country now wobbles over. In the U.S., the Kennedy clan -- perhaps with the exception of JFK himself -- guarded their own vast fortune by all means possible while promoting huge extensions of government with tax hikes to fuel them. The aging and shrill Teddy Kennedy is still front and forward on this score.

What Liberals in both countries have forgotten is the philosophies of their political patron saints, Adam Smith and John Stuart Mill, who believed, respectively, in unfettered market forces and fettered government.

These admirable philosophies have now been adopted by conservatives.

Liberals on both sides of the border -- again with rare exceptions -- are hypocritical on most issues, particularly, as already mentioned, money.

In Canada, we have a perfect case in Paul Martin, one of the richest men in our nation, and a man who tries to become even richer by avoiding taxes other Canadians pay, but who then slams average Canadians with $100 billion in CPP and EI tax hikes.

True, facing an initially surging Canadian Alliance, he also cut taxes over a staggered five years by $100 billion, but in reality we have gained nothing at all.

Do the mathematics.

In the U.S., Clinton -- and, yes, he's a great saxophone player and does a credible performance of Elvis Presley singing Don't be Cruel -- took every two-bit charitable deduction he could, even putting price-tags on his worn out underwear and other clothing. Why not just give old clothing away?

Well, it's not the Liberal way, is it?

Conservatives, I contend, do stand by their principles.

Even Clark, before he became part of the political establishment, had a better idea of how the nation should be governed than Trudeau.

Mulroney went all-out to repair the damage done by Trudeau, and, to a large extent, succeeded. Given a third term and Mulroney would be looked on as a great prime minister, perhaps the best since the Second World War.

Manning would have been both a courageous and outstanding prime minister -- but the Eastern Canadian media cabal of the CBC, Toronto 'Red' Star and Maclean's magazine killed him as they did Stockwell Day.

Somehow I don't think they will do that to Stephen Harper.

[Clive]

-

[RunningJoke]

"What Liberals in both countries have forgotten is the philosophies of their political patron saints, Adam Smith and John Stuart Mill, who believed, respectively, in unfettered market forces and fettered government."

"Democracy means liberty much less than it means equality; democracy is infinitely more egalitarian than libertarian. Every victory for equality seemed to the man of 1900 a victory for liberty. He was not aware of the fact that it was first and foremost a victory for the state. From every victory for equality, each citizen could derive some advantages and personal satisfaction, but the real profit went only to the state... Totalitarian regimes are the most egalitarian of all: total equality in total slavery!"

[mathluv]

In the U.S., Clinton -- and, yes, he's a great saxophone player and does a credible performance of Elvis Presley singing Don't be Cruel -- took every two-bit charitable deduction he could, even putting price-tags on his worn out underwear and other clothing. Why not just give old clothing away? Well, it's not the Liberal way, is it? Conservatives, I contend, do stand by their principles.

needs to be repeated

[Grut]

Democracy means liberty much less than it means equality...

Where's this quote from, please?

[Paul_B]

Great piece. Best wishes for Canada.

[RunningJoke]

"The Last Essays of Georges Bernanos"

[muir_redwoods]

Hearing Mr. Mulroney at Reagan's funeral reminded me once again of what a strong Canadian sounds like and what we've lost here in the states as an ally and partner. I wish you success because your success is ours and ours is yours.