Tuesday, March 25, 2014

The Bates Motel and the House of Cons



One of the few television programs I watch is the Bates Motel. The series shot in Aldergrove BC, that sets out to explain how Norman Bates became the homicidal maniac in Psycho. 

The one with the mummified mother in the basement.

Because it makes even Harperland look almost cheery eh?

But it only lasts an hour, and then I'm back to cruel reality.

There is no horror show quite like Harperland, and the House of Cons...



Because there they were in Question period today, minus their Great Leader who is busy in Europe trying to free Ukraine, and liberate the ethnic vote.

The whole shabby gang in all their grubby glory. 

Old Joe Oliver shuffling through his colour coded talking points, preaching the gospel of Big Oil. Peter MacKay showing why they call him Dumbo by claiming he was "genuinely surprised" that the Supreme Court rejected their unqualified candidate Marc Nadon.

And of course Pierre Poilievre making a mockery out of democracy with his Unfair Elections Act. 

The Conservative government is pushing ahead with changes to Canada’s electoral laws despite mounting criticism of its proposed Fair Elections Act and the looming testimony of several experts.

Claiming that the opposition is exaggerating and that the Cons are only trying to protect our democratic freedoms.

“The opposition has reacted with predictable hyperbole to the Fair Elections bill, yet the bill is full of the common sense measures that are required for the improvement of our democratic system,” Mr. Poilievre said Monday in debating the NDP motion.

Despite the fact that his arguments have been shredded by experts, widely condemned as dangerous. 

And when it comes to protecting our democratic freedoms Pierre is as scary as Norman...



The kind of guy who makes you want to take a shower, and then change your mind in a hurry.

But of course what this horror show does demonstrate is that we can't expect much from that broken Parliament, that House of Cons.

And that the only way we are going to stop the Harper cult from strangling our democracy is by joining protests like this one today. 

By turning our opposition into a giant movement they can't ignore. Even if it means taking it to the streets...



Or demanding an election NOW.

It’s now pretty clear that this federal government has been trying to make some huge changes to institutions at the very foundation of this country -- the Supreme Court, the Senate and, not least of all, the laws over how people are chosen to sit in the Commons. 

We need more than just a spirited debate among elites about those proposals. We need a national referendum -- an election, in other words. Not in 2015, but right now.

And of course by making absolutely sure that we defeat them whenever that election comes. Because in that regard polls like this one are both encouraging and a warning. 

As MPs return to the House of Commons, the latest monthly poll from Angus Reid Global (ARG) that tracks support for Canadian political parties and leaders shows the Liberal Party slightly ahead with eligible voters, but pushed back to a statistical tie with the Conservatives among likely voters. 

Although the Liberals hold a five-point lead over the Conservatives among eligible voters, their advantage shrinks to just one point when voting turnout factors are applied.


We are much more than them, but we are divided, and their supporters are more likely to vote.

Which makes it absolutely imperative that we do all we can to motivate our supporters to cast their ballots, and do what we can to avoid splitting the vote.

How we avoid that split I frankly don't know. 

But what I do know is that we better start giving it some thought, because it remains our greatest weakness.

And if we can't find some way to overcome that handicap, our divisions could still defeat us.

The House of Cons will not be toppled.

And his evil madness could still consume us...



Hey, why meet him in the basement?

When we can be united.

And stop him in the streets...



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5 comments:

deb said...

I love the bates motel analogy, lol! I just started watching episodes this weekend, and the mom does kinda remind me of harper, with ya know the control issues. I guess the canadian public are the naive normans out there, trying to do the right thing but being brainwashed by maniacal mentors.

e.a.f. said...

Don't watch the show. Not my thing. What is funny is Aldergrove is in the Fraser Valley, just as you are approaching Con territory. Yes, the bible belt and they all vote Conservative. So filming the Bates Hotel out there, works really well.

Simon said...

hi Deb...it's a really good series. I absolutely love the West Coast atmosphere. And although I hardly ever watch anything but the news on TV or old movies, I must admit I'm totally addicted...

Simon said...

hi e.a.f...as I told Deb, the fact that it's shot in BC is a big plus for me. I only spent six months in the province, but I miss the unique atmosphere of its small towns that I used to drive through or fly over just about every weekend. And the fact that everybody in the fictional town is working in the marijuana business is a BONUS... ;)

deb said...

its a lovely part of bc, very atmospheric for the show, but yeah themountains and the water, just stellar. Full Disclosure, I live close by in just as beautiful of a place. BC really has tonnes of great locations.