Stephen Harper the Big Lie and the Merchant of Venom

It's hard to tell these days whether Stephen Harper is lying because he's desperate, or because he's lost his moral compass.

Or on a day like yesterday, because he's simply delusional. 

He says he doesn't want to sound paranoid, but Prime Minister Stephen Harper is concerned his own federal bureaucracy is trying to bring back the long gun registry "through the back door."

"I don't want to feed paranoia, but as prime minister I can tell you I share the frustrations of our caucus members," said Harper, before alluding to "bureaucratic initiatives that we think are effectively trying to put the long gun registry back in through the back door." "This is not something we can tolerate." 

And he's seeing threats where none exist...



He said the government would ensure, in future, that such measures "can't be done without some degree of political oversight." However, documents obtained by the CBC through the Access to Information Act show the RCMP notified the public safety minister well in advance about — and sought input on — its decision to ban the Swiss Arms Classic Green and the CZ858 rifles last winter.

Harper himself was briefed in May 2013 on issues surrounding the reclassification of firearms, according to a heavily redacted document obtained by The Canadian Press.

At least none he didn't know about.

Or whether he's just a COMPULSIVE LIAR:

Harper opened by thanking the federation "for putting this event on," although an official with the group had already confirmed to The Canadian Press that it was a production of the Prime Minister's Office to which the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters had been invited.

Who would claim he was invited to that event, just like he claimed Obama invited him to join the Great War on ISIS, when in fact he invited HIMSELF.

And is just trying to scare his gun-loving base...



Like he's trying to scare the rest of us...



For crass political purposes.

And of course the answer is ALL of the above. But what's really stunning is how he has been able to get away with lying so much for so long.

And why after all these years the progressive parties have failed to define him as he has defined his enemies...



Even though, as Michael Harris points out in his new book, Harper learned his dirty game at the feet of Arthur Finkelstein, the Republican operative.

The one they call the Merchant of Venom. 



Finkelstein is a “brilliant and secretive political consultant who had perfected the political attack ad,” Harris writes, tracing his connection to Harper over the years.

“Finkelstein’s modus operandi was always the same: pinpoint polling aimed at exposing a weakness in an opponent; then use a trenchant, repetitive advertisement to exploit the candidate’s Achilles heel,” Harris writes.

And what's good for the goose should be good for the gander, or the monster.

But even though we know attacks ads work, and even though Harper and his foul Cons have provided us with more than enough ammunition to make them look like a zombie invasion...



Progressives have so far failed to exploit Great Liar Leader's Achilles heel.

American research shows that attack ads can help tuned-out voters engage, particularly when campaigns are forced to respond to one another’s attacks. At their best, they can create real debate, highlighting the contrasts between candidates. 

In Canada, for the past two elections, only the Conservatives have mounted effective attack ads — and a lot more of them — so observing our elections has been as dispiriting as watching a one-sided boxing match.

And the good news? That's NOT going to happen this time. If the progressive parties don't make the kind of attack ads we need, we will. Social media will be a huge force in the next election.

That's why he's trying to intimidate the only media he can't control...



By giving the police and CSIS new powers to invade our privacy and violate our Charter rights.

But it won't work either. There are too many of us, and some of us at least have learned the Merchant of Venom's lesson.

The sooner we define him.

The easier we'll DESTROY him....



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