Posted on 01/20/2006 7:11:04 PM PST by kanawa
Lot of Folks Can’t Tell Left From Right
By: Rachel Marsden
If Liberal leader, Paul Martin, ends up shopping around his resume after Monday’s election, it will be mainly because the one thing all Canadians have in common is that we’re fed up with endless Liberal scandal.
But a Harper victory might also indicate that a lot of Canadians have held those “scary conservative values” all along, but just didn’t know it until now. I’m serious.
In fact, a 2002 Compas poll found that over half of Canadians are oblivious to the differences between the political “left” and “right”. Some 18% thought the Canadian Alliance precursor to the Conservative Party was on the left. Another 32% admitted outright to not having a clue.
This campaign has spotlighted some of the tangible differences between the two ideological camps:
- Conservatives want increased military funding so we can defend our interests and support our allies abroad. Liberals aren’t so keen on that, but they like the idea of sending ordinary folks over to places like the Mideast and Haiti with the Canada Corps Global Citizenship Program.
- Conservatives want to take meaningful steps to crack down on the gun crime in our cities. Liberals seem more obsessed with preventing the “weaponization” of outer space—apparently putting their little green friends on par with Canadians living in urban centres.
- This week, Harper reached out to Quebecers as important members of our federation. Martin verbally flipped off Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe during the leaders' debates—yet he’s determined to help Palestinians and Israelis settle their differences through his new Canada Centre for Peace and Democracy in the Middle East.
- Harper has said he would allow for a free vote on whether to reopen the gay marriage debate. Having decisions made by ordinary people though the MPs accountable to them is apparently not cool with Martin.
Canadians may finally be realizing that lefties tend to pop off about nonsense for dramatic effect—as Martin did during the TV debate when he promised to rip the notwithstanding clause out of our Charter of Rights—while conservatives are about getting things done.
In the 2004 U.S. Presidential race, John Kerry lost to George Bush largely because Kerry had people scratching their heads and wondering what this windbag had actually accomplished in his 20-year Senate career.
Likewise, if Paul Martin loses next week, his lackluster results as Prime Minister will have played a big role. And rehashing your stellar record as Finance Minister from the good old days when AdScam was in full swing hardly compensates for the fact that you’re out of new ideas. Besides, that’s a little bit like bragging about being the Human Rights Minister during the Third Reich.
Conservative Ronald Reagan crushed then-U.S. President Jimmy Carter in 1980, after Carter had proven himself to be one of the biggest political fubar artistes of all time. Voters were so desperate for change that they took a chance on an actor. But this actor ended up selling real conservatism through results. If Harper gets his shot, he will have to do the same—or I’ll be all over him like Mick Jagger at a supermodel convention.
PUBLISHED: TORONTO SUN (January 20/06)
Ping
LOL!
Canada Ping!
Some of the worst Bush haters are so brainwashed, that they like conservative ideas, until they find conservatives proposed them, then they try reverse themselves to find why this must be bad.
The result is usually an elaborate populist themed conspiracy theory.
If the democratic party stole some conservative policies, they could do some serious damage in elections....instead they just try and steal the rhetoric every now and then....until the inner liberal comes out.
One would think people would realize that liberals have to lie about being conservative to get elected. But nobody pays attention.
I wish I could have said that!
She's crazy, but....
;-)
Agreed but the libs program children in public schools and then brainwash "educated" college students into thinking their ideas are the norm.
In "grown up life" it works the same with party-line Republicans- although Republicans/Conservatives are usually more tolerant of different ideas within the fold than leftists are within their fold.
Watching the CBC/CTV television networks as election day draws closer.
The closer election comes the more shrill the left wing media.Stories on the Liberal/Librano party are now all positive while the reporting on the Conservative Party is mostly very negative.
I always used to spoil my vote. 3 white dots where I`d place 3 words THEY ALL SUCK.
This time i`m voting,although in a decidedly left-wing area (neo-marxist ndp)but i`m still voting.
I commend you for voting, it must be tough in a little-to-no chance riding.
I'm hoping we can throw out the veteran Liberal incumbent in my riding.
The chances seem better than last election.
This time he's been forced to come out into the open and the exposure has hurt him.
ping
Not quite a Canadian Ann Coulter, but nice turn of a phrase!
It's not called "Can-a-duh" for nothing you know!
Looking at that picture, I hear Fats singing, "Yes indeed, I'm in love again".
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Agreed. IMO, a good many of the folks who call themselves "liberals" don't realize they are also leftists. They might not keep voting Democrat if they actually put this together.
I could have sworn I heard on the radio today that Don's going to be one of the panelists on CBC election night coverage.
Haven't been able to confirm it yet.
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