Monday, January 28, 2013

Stephen Harper and Our Dead Parliament


Well I see that Great Batty Leader will be flying back to Parliament later today.

And I'd like to think the pundits are right when they predict turbulence ahead.

But all I see is more of the same.


A lot of sound and fury in a dead Parliament, where the Cons do what they want, and the opposition can't stop them.

Because although they are only supported by about one in three Canadians, they are united but we are divided.

So I'm glad to see that at least someone in the MSM is suggesting a way out of this deadly trap. Even if it is Andrew Coyne.

Fundamentally, it comes down to this: are the opposition parties serious? Do they really want to beat the Conservatives, or just talk about it? Are they serious about electoral reform, or is it, too, just a talking point? And assuming they mean either, do they realize how crucially each depends on the other? 

Let me put it plainly: They aren’t going to beat the Conservatives until they change the electoral system. They aren’t going to change the electoral system until they beat the Conservatives. And they aren’t going to do either until they find some way to cooperate.

And even if he dismisses the idea of a coalition or an eventual merger too easily.

Because I know it's more than a dream, I once saw the future with my own eyes...

















If only too briefly. And it was AMAZING.

But the hard truth is while this good.

And this is encouraging:

The time has come for Canada-wide coordinated action against the Harper government's agenda, which is fundamentally changing our society and our country. Common Causes will work to support the many mobilizations and campaigns that already exist, but also to create a strategic, coordinated plan to ensure that the Harper agenda is stopped at the next election and replaced with a progressive alternative.

Nothing will ever change until we channel all this political energy into a way to defeat the Cons in the next election.

For until we work with each other, instead of against each other. Put our country before our parties. And leave our old ideas behind.

We will not get out of the deadly trap, that is killing our country.

Like this dog will not get out of the field.

Without leaving his stick behind...



Of course being a dog he was able to have his stick, and eat it keep it eh?

But we can't.

Organize, unite, at least think about the possibilities of a new and better future.

Don't let this Con dog hog monkey run away with our country...


















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6 comments:

thwap said...

This is exactly right Simon. We have to put our country before party. None of the parties are my cup of tea but all three of the opposition parties at least respect the basic premises of parliamentary democracy.

I refuse to allow the harpercons to drag us down to the buffoonery and corruption of US politics.

Anonymous said...

The Federal election was, dirtied, fouled and not even valid. Harper is a litany of, lies, deceit, corruption, thefts, dirty politics, dirty tactics, and he cheats to win. They keep finding new evidence of Harper's robo-call election fraud. What do we do about it? Squat, is what we do. We should be out there, supporting the F.N. against Harper's reign of terror. None of have any rights in this corrupt Harper Government. Why aren't we out there blocking highways and rail tracks, with the F.N. too? Never in my life, have I ever been this ashamed of this country, to treat the F.N. people in this shameful manner. This country was no different than...Goebbels propaganda machine, and his hate speech towards the Jewish people.

Harper was Policy Chief for his, Northern Foundation Party from 1989. That does explain, his abusive dictatorship. I sent two web site names to friends overseas. They were horrified by Dictator Harper and his evil propaganda machines.

CSIS warned about Red China's takeover of Canada. BC was specifically mentioned. Henchman Campbell sold BC out to China long ago. We were told we could kiss Canada goodbye, if Harper cheats his way into a majority.

Canadians are well known to sleep through, absolutely everything. That's exactly what Harper counts on.

Anonymous said...

Spot on, Simon!

Simon said...

hi thwap...although I frequently poke fun at what goes on in Parliament, I have a lot of respect for the institution. So it hurts me to see what the Cons have done to it. But all I can say is that it's no longer serving our democracy, and that the opposition parties are going to have to reach out beyond it if they hope to mobilize support. And since doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result, is the very definition of insanity, we need to break with past tradition and come up with new ideas...

Simon said...

hi meadowlark...we know the Harper government is the worst government in Canadian history. But what we need to concentrate on now is how are we going to make sure we defeat it in the next election. I'm hoping that all of you out there can come up with some good ideas...

Simon said...

hi Way Way Up...thank you. I'm trying to get people to focus on the big question, and come up with positive ideas how to change the government and the country. For although I spend a lot of time criticizing this government, we need a better vision of the kind of country we want, and imaginative ideas about how to join Canadians together to eventually defeat this government. We're pretty good at complaining in this country, but not so good at coming up with creative solutions...