Wednesday, October 07, 2015

The Nightmare Campaign and My Day of Rage



I was going to write a post about young Canadians and the campaign to get them to vote. But like so many of them I was just too tired, after attacking the punching bag at the gym like I wanted to kill it.

I had to, I was that angry. 

For this this was the day when the horror of this campaign finally sank in, and made me explode with rage. Rage at the bigotry of the Cons, or at other bloggers for seeming to surrender. 

Because I just can't believe to what monstrous place Stephen Harper has taken us.



Or how low we have fallen.

Who is this maniac leader?

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper says his government would consider banning public servants from wearing the niqab, but rejects the suggestion that recent assaults against Muslim women should stifle debate about the issue.

Who would kick his bigot game up a notch, shrug off the fires of hatred he has ignited, and then claim it's only an issue because the opposition parties made it one.

Even though everybody knows that Harper's twisted Australian hitman Lynton Crosby deliberately set out to turn that trivial issue into a massive wedge issue.

And has managed to turn this campaign into something the CBC's Neil Macdonald compares to The Twilight Zone.



If this election was indeed a movie, we would probably now be watching monochrome images of bewildered Canadians clutching their children while some sinister, shifting shape takes form in the near distance – foreign eyes staring malevolently from beneath slit veils or religious zealots mutilating their helpless daughters and forcing them into marital servitude. 

 I can think of no better narration than Rod Serling's dire intonation at the beginning of each Twilight Zone episode: "It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge."

And Harper knows it too, knows that he's playing the dirty game. You can see it in his eyes...




He knows he's peddling political porn like a pervert, but he just can't help himself.

He needs this ghastly, totalitarian cabaret...



Even though it couldn't be more of a farce.

Just out of curiosity, I called the RCMP's media relations department to ask about this new task force and what sort of barbaric cultural practices would merit a call to the Mounties. The officer who answered said that if, say, an honour killing is taking place next door, it'd be best to dial 911 and tell the local police. 

Otherwise, the force said in an email about 20 minutes later: "It would be inappropriate for the RCMP to comment on a political announcement."

And is only designed to divide Canadians, and distract them from Harper's ghastly record of corruption and incompetence.

And the real barbaric practices of his monstrous Harperland.

It’s barbaric that almost half of the population of Nunavut cannot access healthy food. High food prices over the long term mean that Inuit children are experiencing stunted growth, with 22 per cent of Inuit families reporting chronic hunger. Northern food insecurity is a real threat with frightening consequences and, thus far, zero airtime on the campaign trail.

Which couldn't be more disgusting or depressing.

And the good news? Harper's bigot game is still getting him nowhere.



In fact it may even be backfiring, as more and more Canadians join the Anyone But Conservative movement to try to save the country from him and his Cons.

And in that regard this song couldn't be more symbolic.

It comes from two bands at each end of the country. It's called Land You Love. It includes a plea to avoid another " tragic Harper government."



It ends with a sign that reads "Anything But Conservatives."

And it's just another example of how many young people are getting involved in this campaign like they never have before. Which is what I was going to tell you in the post I was too tired to write.

Isn't that amazing?

It's all coming together.

This Twilight Zone nightmare is almost over.

And this monster's days are numbered...



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35 comments:

Marmalade said...

"Is there something in the water"? This is what we used to say when one of our friends started acting 'funny'.

When I see /hear what some of these politicians are saying or doing, I say to myself "there must be something in the water"!

I honestly believe that the ones who left the Con Party, do have some common sense after all.......

Lorne said...

I share your anger and distress, Simon. Who would have thought we would live to see the day when Canada's leader is openly fomenting hatred against a group of people in order to win re-election?. Are the Canadian people sufficiently self-aware to see the terrible manipulation they are being subjected to? I pray they are.

rumleyfips said...

Makes you think of the time, years ago, when we thought that slithery stevie had a hidden agenda.

In my riding, the ballot will feature ABC. Armstrong, Blanch, Casey .

Anonymous said...

Has anybody done a criminal background check on crosby? Foreign criminals aren't permitted into Canada if I remember correctly. We might be able to pack his malicious ass out of here today if somebody with the resources would bother to check!

A Political Junkie said...

This is the same Steve Harper who has shown, time after time, that he doesn't really care about missing or murdered aboriginal women in Canada. Why should we be surprised about anything else that he does?

mizdarlin said...

Your emotions are getting the better of you, Simon..I had the same problem when Christy Clark, outside of all poll projections, won the last election here in BC Witha majorityu no less...I try not to let the goings-on of the campaign, especially the bleeding, leading media, so anxious to create outrage, Cannot decide which is worse, the Cons and their knuckledragging supporters, the MSM for surrendering to this insanity instead of being level-headed in their reportage, or, as Martin Luther King once said (and I paraphrase, of course) that the real enemy were those who sit back and do nothing...those people, the ones who can't be bothered to vote or to care about anyone but themselves, are the ones that would really make me crazy, if I let them..
I've been around along time, Simon, many years longer than you, and I find myself becoming immune to the posturings of the rightwing MSM..you should try it...no, it won't affect the outcome, but it will keep you from going crazy over the stupidity and pig-headedness of some Canadians....

Omar said...

"Enough "who, me?" bullshit. If you're on about "barbaric cultures" and banning Muslim women from civil service then you're a fucking racist."
~Jessie Brown via Twitter~

Says it all doesn't it?

Anonymous said...

There may be some skeletons rattling in his closet: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/oct/03/tory-lynton-crosby-linked-tax-haven?CMP=share_btn_fb

Anonymous said...

Don't get mad, get even by voting the f***er out on Oct. 19, eh?

If a significant number of these younger Canadians show up to vote, instead of fuming about it (I know that you Simon will vote so this is not aimed at you), I would wager we have a very good probability of showing Steve and his bigot supporters the door.

Anonymous said...

Again, I see a blue sign on someone's lawn and I want to puke. Who supports this crap?

Anonymous said...

When Harper doubled down on the Niqab issue yesterday he knew exactly what he was doing. He knows that even the Supreme Court (which he has stacked with Tories) will rule any such law as unconstitutional. In my mind he went from being a nauseating political opportunist to an out and out RACIST. That is it folks...we have a racist for a PM....will the 1/3 of the population that is deluded and plan on voting for this creature finally come to their senses. If not...this Country is doomed.

Anonymous said...

mizdarlin, Clark won her majority because a lot of the NDP supporters didn't bother to vote. IMO , she would have won anyway because in BC, most NDP supporters live on Vancouver Island. Now the province is turning Green. I support the Green Party over the others.

Irene

Anonymous said...

To: Anonymous 12:17 pm ... I too found a link ... please see: www.cbc.ca/news/business-harper-government-partnered-with-industry-group-fighting-cra-over-kpmg-case-1.3257994 dated October 6th 2015 ... the signing event happened Nov 2014 ... lots to read ... all of this to protect the 1% rich of Canada via TAX HAVENS ... Steve and his cabinet were all involved ... possibly why those few so-called PC's such as McKay and Baird and Moore and others resigned when they did??? ... NOT A THING about this on the NOON NEWS ... more BS on NIKABS and supposed nuclear weapons sales across the Ocean ... what a way to get the attention turned around to everyone else ... far from the words of ex-president Nixon, The Crime Minister should be saying "I AM A CROOK" ... and be led out in handcuffs ... ... TY

Anonymous said...

Today's my day of rage too, Simon. It started with getting a nasty mailout from the cons with a big picture of Tom Mulcair looking like he had an upset stomach - and who wouldn't, given what he's up against? The "Authorized by" line was in such small print that many older people will miss it.

This is way worse than the Alberta nail-chewing election run-up. At least we could be pretty sure 2 weeks before the election that Rachel would win; we just didn't know how well. And it didn't last for several eons. That wears one down. I need to have faith that there are enough decent people to put an end to this f***ery once and for all. Also, I know people who consistently lie to pollsters, saying they're voting con. So those polls could be WAY out.

The comment from "mizdarlin" is appreciated. I'm not immune yet, but I'm working on it. I should have learned this by now, being "older" too, but I came to an interest in politics late in life - if that's any excuse.

I hope you'll use that Guardian link in the comments above and whatever else you can glean on that topic, maybe tie it in with this dastardly business, which needs to be widely known:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/harper-government-partnered-with-industry-group-fighting-cra-over-kpmg-case-1.3257994
Apologies if you've already mentioned this and I missed it.

And thanks, Simon, for all your work and dedication. Please know that in a karmic sense you are way ahead of many of us.

Noah said...

The anti-Harper vote is nearly twice the pro-Harper vote, he doesn't have the popular vote, yet he's still going to get first crack at forming government should the polls reflect the outcome. That's our wonderful electoral system at work, and one that Harper is all to delighted to exploit to the fullest.

I suspect this is why we're seeing a continuing surge in Liberal support, as people are perceiving Trudeau as more likely to rally support and oust Harper than Mulcair presents.
Which is a shame as the NDP are the only party with a chance at winning that has promised to bring in proportional representation. But I also understand the over-riding desire to remove Harper first, and then deal with the other problems.

I just hope, really HOPE, that if the election results mirror current polling, the Libs and Cons cast no-confidence votes and can agree to support the other and form some sort of coalition.

Of course Harper will scream and go on about that being anti-democratic and that whichever party has the most seats is de facto leader and all of that, which of course isn't true under Westminster Parliament but his base and swing voters don't know that. Harper knows it's legit, which is why last time he panicked and prorogued government faster than most people could look up what that word meant.


Anonymous said...

Why have the media not reported on this Tory cesspool:


Canada's Biggest Political Scandal You Never Heard Of
Big oil, taxpayers' millions, call girls and a 'mechanic' named Bruce Carson.
By Andrew Nikiforuk, 5 Oct 2015, TheTyee.ca

mizdarlin said...

She definitely won because everyone believed the polls,and didn't bother to vote..except the rabid Con/Liblites...and yes, many NDP supporters live on Vancouver Island (including me) but who is it that is electing the Greens? I wish the province were turning Green, that would be a nice change..but...see what I actually wrote, above..

mizdarlin said...

Just went to Facebook to reconnect with one of my best friends, or at least try to, and could only get his wife, who had a racist slogan and logo on her FB page, anti-Muslim of course..I was shocked..could not believe that my friend would marry such a racist..but....needless to say, I didn't bother to get hold of my now ex-friend..you are known by the company you keep....

John said...

The mainstream media is not covering any of the issues anymore. It just covers the Harper insanity, the mistakes and the niqab. There is virtually no discussion of the TPP already it seems to have been accepted. I also live in BC and I'm in a riding (not Vancouver Island) which, at this point is NDP. But their campaign has crashed, much like it did in BC giving Clark a majority right wing government. When are the NDP going to learn that they are not the government in waiting and that they are the last choice of the capitalist media and at each election the media will do everything they can to discredit them? Instead of putting forward weak barely progressive issues in order to attract the mainstream voters they should just tell it like it is and get their voters out. We need to have a campaign that includes youth, the environment, women, first nations and that stops dividing the left up in a way that Harper can campaign just enough to get the exact split he wants. He has already tripled his potential seat count in Quebec as the NDP folds like a cheap tent and he may get his seats back in BC. Every day looks more like a majority Harper government. Its a tried and true strategy.

Simon said...

hi Kathleen...I never thought of that, but now that you mention it, I'll start boiling my water immediately...;)

Simon said...

hi Lorne...yes these are distressing times, and like you I never thought I'd see a Canadian leader use bigotry to try to win an election. Harper could not sink any lower, and I only hope that Canadians reject his politics of fear. But fear is often irrational so who knows what might happen?

Simon said...

hi rumleyfips...Well his agenda is no longer hidden, him and the Lizard of Oz are more slithery than ever, and one thing is for sure this country is in big trouble....

Simon said...

hi political junkie....I have never been surprised by anything Stephen Harper does. I started portraying him as a hog years ago, and sadly I have been totally vindicated. Why others didn't see the danger is something historians will have to try to answer. All I know is that if we cannot defeat him the worst is still to come...

Simon said...

hi mizdarlin....I do wear my heart on my sleeve, but in this cynical age I'm proud of that. It might be easier to pretend that I didn't care, but what's happening in this country is a real nightmare. I just found out something tonight that leads me to believe that Harper may still get his majority. And if it's true this country's nightmare has only just begun....

Simon said...

hi Omar...yes it does. You know, a few months ago I was sitting by the canal in Leith, a place I'm sure you know, and I wondered whether I was living in the right country. That question has come back to haunt me.
And if Canada turns into a racist sewer, I know what my answer will be....

Simon said...

hi anon....yes that is the only thing to do. Work to get out the vote. I know a lot is being done to get out the youth vote, and I am confident that more will vote this time. But whether it will be enough to save us, only time will tell....

Simon said...

hi anon....I can't understand myself how any decent Canadian could vote for the Cons after their hideous record of corruption and incompetence. But as I've said before, letting Harper remain in power for so long has corrupted this country, and corrupted many of those who live in it. Only decency can save us and it's in short supply...

Simon said...

hi anon...yes you're right, the evil was always within him, but now it has erupted. And yes if Harper is able to win the election by making racism the central issue this country is indeed doomed....

Simon said...

hi anon...thank you for your kind words, and yes I have seen that KPMG story. The CBC's Frederic Zalac did an excellent report on it and the money laundering scandal. In any other country that scandal alone would be enough to bring down a government, but not in this foul Harperland. For almost ten years I have warned that Stephen Harper was dangerous, after something Preston Manning of all people once said about him in an interview. I only regret that I wasn't able to warn more people before it was too late....

Simon said...

hi Noah...our electoral system is indeed largely to blame for the situation we are in. But we also have ourselves to blame as well. From the day the Cons united the writing was on the wall. But no serious effort was ever made to unite the left and now we must live with the consequences. If Harper gets enough seats he will be very hard to evict, and if he should snatch a majority we will live with the consequences of our folly forever....

Simon said...

hi anon...they did report on it, and if the Carson trial hadn't ended so soon it might have done Harper some damage. But it seems Canadians have forgotten the Duffy trial so sadly Carson will not come back to haunt Stephen Harper until after the election. And by then it will be too late....

Simon said...

hi mizdarlin...it's frightening how the poison is spreading. I follow the news in Quebec quite closely because I live with a French-speaking Quebecer. And the other day I saw a Radcan reporter interviewing people at a gas station. and I was horrified by what I heard. All the older people were fixated on the niqab, while a handful of younger ones talked about voting for whoever could stop Harper. That is still our best hope, but I have to tell you it is a slim one...

Simon said...

hi John....yes unfortunately the media has played into Harper;s hands. The cartoonist Aislin, who is a friend of mine, had a cartoon in the Gazette the other day. It showed one man screaming angrily about the Free Trade Deal. And another man looking at the TPP and yawning. Which kind of sums up the situation. As for the NDP I can't imagine that that they could have run a worse campaign. This election was always going to be about change, but Mulcair made it sound like it was all about being prudent to the point of being mousy. And surrendered the banner of change to Justin Trudeau. You'd think that they might have learned something from what happened to Andrea Horwath, but they learned nothing and made the same mistake. I believe that making the same mistake and expecting a different result is the very definition of insanity. And now they are paying for it, and I fear so will we....

Scotian said...

I agree with your Horwath comparison Simon, I've made it myself. I also think that part of the problem there is that after that election Horwath paid no political price for her poor leadership, indeed stayed on as leader and was ratified once again as leader. That essentially washed away her electoral sins at it were. I wonder if in the back of Mulcair's mind he is hoping/expecting the same, but given how things look I don't see him holding onto the same number of seats and only increasing his share of the vote by 1% which seemed to be enough for Horwath to call it a victory (her speech on election night really sounded more like a victory speech than anything else, it was really weird listening to it given that she went from balance of power to third place no power), no I suspect Mulcair will be presiding over losses, the only question is how severe.

For my view, the more severe the better, because that makes the chances better of the Liberals picking up a change wave and surfing it over the body of the Harper government into majority territory, the one situation which FORCES Harper out immediately without leaving him any way to clutch onto power. I've made this point before, that the only way to be sure Harper leaves office is to elect a majority government, and the only party I ever saw that possible from was the Libs even before this election campaign started, and at this point in the campaign I should think it obvious that the Libs are clearly the only way to that outcome now.

I'm just hoping/praying that the large soft voters of the Libs/NDP (in that about half of each said they could still switch their vote) along with the remaining undecideds are waiting for the end of the campaign to see which side is the better positioned to be the anti-Harper vehicle to throw him out and they are going to move en mass to that side, which again at this point would almost have to be Trudeau and his Liberals. I've never made a secret as to my electoral preference, but I also have made no secret that my first last and main goal is also the stopping of Harper, especially since I've been doing it for over a decade now.

At this point the best thing that can happen for Canada is for the NDP to crash into the mid teens, not because the nation would be better off with a weak NDP presence in Parliament (on that front I have to say I would not agree, and in normal times I would not want to see it, but these are not normal times are they) but because then the anti-Harper vote would be large enough on the Liberal side to make the removal of Harper pretty close to guaranteed, especially with a majority government. I would also point out that a Trudeau majority following the Harper majority would be a massive repudiation of Harperism too given the high animosity between the two, especially given the Harper fixations on destroying the Liberals more generally and the absolute hatred of all things Trudeau more specifically.

David said...

On Wednesday's CBC News Now, Ian Hanomansing had a report about 6 tidings in the Surrey area. The Liberals seem to making inroads, and many of the newer immigrants don't plan to vote Con.