Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Has Stephen Harper Shot Himself in the Foot?



Isn't it good to know that even as the Liberals and the NDP prepare for an early election.

Because they don't trust Stephen Harper.

Despite repeated Conservative assurances the next federal election will be in October, opposition parties remain skeptical and are preparing for an early campaign. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said he has no plans for a vote before Oct. 19 – the date mandated by 2007 legislation that establishes the third Monday in October every four years as election day.

His biographer Lawrence Martin at least believes that our so-called political genius may have shot himself in the foot. 

Our normally cunning Prime Minister – he with “the eyes of Caligula” as someone put it – doesn’t miss many tricks. He isn’t known for strategic blunders. But he made one in his year-end interviews. He put the kibosh on the possibility of an early election.

By appearing to rule out an early election in this part of his interview with Peter Mansbridge...



Which since it's on tape would be hard to disregard.

Given his words to the CBC anchor – in addition there’s a current Tory fundraising letter suggesting the timing as the fall – Mr. Harper would look like an out-and-out hypocrite if he called an early election now.

Even though by going early he could avoid the trial of Mike Duffy...



The trial could bring back memories of the many other ethical travesties under the Harper watch. Come the fall, it all could be hanging around his neck like a dead skunk.

Still hope to profit from the terrorist scare, from the safety of his travelling closet...



Going early would take advantage of the momentum the Tories got following the gunman’s attack on Parliament. It made national security a leading issue. It would be easier to keep the issue in the forefront for a few months than all the way to next October.

While looking a little fresher than he would look in October...



The government is long in the tooth. By next autumn the time for a change argument could resonate stronger than in two or three months.

Of course, Stephen Harper does have one good reason for going later rather than sooner.

And that is that in July many Canadians will start receiving cheques in the mail.

Which he may believe will be enough to make all those who receive them forget all his other crimes.


So if I was the opposition I start running ads like this one...



And the good news? I don't think any of this will work.

I think enough Canadians have seen enough of him to make up their minds, so it doesn't matter when the election is called.

If he goes early, he'll look like a liar. If he waits there won't be much left of him by the time the election arrives. We'll make sure of that.

But he will not escape the desire for change.

He will not escape his foul record...



He is the worst and most grotesque leader this country has ever seen.

And nothing will save him now...

Please click here to recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers.

25 comments:

  1. .. let me know when anything Harper says..
    himself or via minions, spokeswanks, Ministers etc
    holds any water ..
    If he has any legacy at all aside from attacks
    on Environment, Privacy, Seniors, Vets, Democracy
    it will be the sheer duplicity of whatever he proclaims

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    1. hi salamander...well I'm afraid you're going to have to wait a long time for anything the Harper cult says to hold any water. For all is fake, all are lies. And everything they touch is corrupted. But the good news is long before that we will defeat them, and force them to tell their stories to a judge...

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  2. Anonymous11:26 AM

    Seems quite clear to me that Great Closet Leader is terrified of the upcoming Duffy trial and wants to use the excuse that he is a sitting PM to avoid being compelled to testify.

    You know what's funny? Based on the latest EKOS poll, which BTW is one of the very few that does not use the very dubious self selected, non randomized, online panels methodology (as mainly used by Angus Reid, Ipsos Reid, Abacus), the only segment of Canadians where the Cons have the highest support is from those aged 65 and above. Thus, every day he puts off the election, he is going to lose more support as these seniors croak, eh?

    Perhaps he might gain a few more younger voters as his Porky plan to bribe them kicks in, but I would wager this would be more than balanced out by the loss of his 65 plus supporters.

    As to his shooting his own foot by announcing a fall date for the election, Martin seems to have forgotten that this fellow has a well known history of reversing himself, with a straight face. Case in point: the contract for the F35s. How many times was he on public record that we had a contract? Yet that did not stop him from claiming later on that he never said we had a contract.

    No, I suspect he must have at least a few of those boys in short pants in the PMO, or perhaps even some of the "pollsters" keeping track of the obituaries. If too many of those boys and girls in their golden years start to pop off too quickly, he might be forced to call an early election, eh?

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    1. hi anon...I must admit that I had a bit of a chuckle at the thought of his rabid base popping off, while Harper decides whether he dares call an election. But seriously, what we need to do couldn't be simpler. We need to convince more older Canadians not to vote for the Cons, and convincer more younger Canadians to get off their asses and vote. Because if we are even moderately successful the Cons will be crushed...

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    2. 17. If a federal election were held tomorrow, which party’s candidate would you support?
      Conservative 773 Votes 35.1 %
      Liberal 741 Votes 33.6 %
      NDP 228 Votes 10.3 %
      Green Party 67 Votes 3.0 %
      Bloc Quebecois 4 Votes 0.2 %
      OTHER 5 Votes 0.2 %
      UNDECIDED 386 Votes 17.5 %
      Total 2204 Votes
      This is the latest poll from CARP members, They have slowly shifted towards the Cons but note Undecided, I'm one of them, anybody but Harper.

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  3. Wendy K12:24 PM

    Hi Simon,

    I received a copy of "Party of One" by Michael Harris (no, not the ex-premier of Ontario) for Christmas and am half way through. This book should be required reading for ALL Canadians. What an insight into the mind of the depraved leader of this country.

    Just sayin'

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    1. Anonymous3:00 AM

      Mr. @HarrisAuthor Book "Party of One”
      Order here B!tchezz ~~> http://www.amazon.ca/Party-One-Michael-Harris/dp/0670067016 #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/SgRku2lziu


      -00-

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    2. hi Wendy...I can't wait to read that book myself. I know it's going to enjoy it immensely. But due to prevailing economic conditions I'm going to have to wait until the paperback version comes out...;)

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  4. This kind of movement has the potential to see him in jail long before the election: thndr.it/1t6cJO6

    Canadians can't just hate him for what he's done to Canada. They have to realize what allowing this kind of monster to have global influence has done to the World at Large.

    The Conservative Party has to pay for their crimes against humanity. They can't just be voted out.

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    1. hi Morlock...I agree with you completely. That criminal cult must not only be defeated, they must also be put on trial for their crimes against Canada and the planet. But first we must defeat them, and then we can jail them....

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  5. e.a.f.5:48 PM

    Doesn't matter what he said, or where he said it or to whom. If he thinks it advantageous to call an "early" election, he will. He will simply manufacture a reason to call the election and say he needs the mandate, even if its just to make a change say to the National Health Care Act, which still isn't signed. He may decide to get around the anger over the treatment of Veterans by appealing to the "patriotic" and want to spend tens of billions on new jets and wants a "mandate from the people". You can manufacture all sorts of reasons to go to the polls early. He could even use First Nations issues.

    The cheques in July, will go to a limited number of people. They will not be enough to swing the election. There will the limited supporters who receive that cheque, but there will be all those, who really could use the money, who receive nothing. That may anger people and get them to go out and vote against Harper. as in, they need money, they didn't get a cheque, just the well to do.

    Can't stand the man, think he ought to be tried in the Hague, but hey, I still don't see him voted out of office. The MSM is not doing "a number on him" and opposition to "hide in the closet coward" is not organized enough. The Liberals and NDP still would rather shoot each other in the foot without thinking what the impact will have on the cons. Organized labour is not what it once was and isn't in much of a position to organize a large campaign against him. The last CLC commercials were duds, and yes I am a trade unionist. there doesn't appear to be much organized opposition to the cons from Legions regarding the treatment of Vets. What may upset the apple cart for harper is if the First Nations in specific areas go out and vote against him. In some areas of this country, they will make a difference at the polls. Its not like Aglukkaq has done much for the First Nations of the north. The changes to the Act has made life difficult for many Bands. They vote for either of the other 3 parties, and they all vote, this country might look a tad different.

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    1. hi e.a.f...yes I agree that Harper will go when he feels the moment is right, and that he will respect his own election law as much as he has respected any other laws in this country. If he was honest about respecting the election law he would have ruled out any early election. But as you can see from the tape he did not rule it out, so he simply can't be trusted. I also agree with you that his bribery might win his some supporters but it will anger a lot of others, so it might blow up in his face. But I am a bit more optimistic than you when it comes to the question of whether we can defeat him, I think we can, I think we will rise to the occasion, and if we create a movement we still can crush the Cons. I have to believe that, because if I didn't I'd have to give up on this country, for if Canadians don't defeat that foul regime they will get the government they deserve...

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  6. I'm over 65 and I'm no fan of Steve Harper. I also live in Alberta and right now I'm sensing a BIG REALITY CHECK coming on. The first casualties are seemingly minor - admissions to museums and other provincial sites are going up. The long promised full day kindergarten program (espoused by most other provinces and all countries that care about the importance of early childhood education being cheap compared with juvenile delinquency and adult criminal behaviour down the road !) has been put on hold by the Reverend Education Minister Dirks, the pastor who does not care for LGBT Straight Alliance clubs in schools to counter bullying.
    There is talk of changing Alberta's Flat Income Tax system to the Progressive type enjoyed by other Provinces.
    Jim Prentice , Alberta's Premier and former CIBC vice prez and Harper Henchman, recently elected in a bye election with just under 6900 votes (!!) is at the helm.
    Major projects are on the chopping block.
    Albertans I know don't seem to be aware of what is looming.
    I remember the oil industry abandoning Alberta out of spite for the National Energy Program and the ensuing bankruptcies and foreclosures.
    The hatred for Pierre Trudeau was tangible and lives on in many of the white haired Harper Supporters.
    But this time. This time the oil patch doesn't have Pierre Trudeau to kick around.
    The Alberta Oil Patch with its " Freedom to Frac" to its hearts content developed and improved and exported that technology and unwittingly created the world glut of oil that has pushed prices down.
    The Energy Super Power with the world's largest industrial project, the Oil Sands, is priced out of the market by the OPEC countries who have cheap to produce oil and deep surpluses.
    And anyway there are no pipelines built yet despite all of Steve Harper's puny efforts
    .
    http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/12/28/how-canadian-oilmen-pinkwash-the-keystone-pipeline.html

    I hope all those young Albertans with massive student loans , those with the $65000 trucks and those with large mortgages will vote to kick out those who did not diversify the economy, but gave subsidies to energy companies instead of increasing royalties to put into the Alberta Heritage Trust Fund.
    Less than 6900 votes gets a guy the premiership of Alberta - go figure !
    I guess a vote does count !





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    1. hi hinofan...I'm afraid you may be right. I once used to think that Prentice was better than most Cons, but I am rapidly changing my mind. He is after all what you say he he is, just another Harper henchman, and no doubt just another willing tool of Big Oil. Hopefully it will be a real reality check for many Albertans who have supported the Cons so blindly. Because if after all those years of oil wealth the province is forced to make brutal cuts to public services, it can only expose those Cons as incredibly incompetent. If Albertans voted like people in other provinces, instead of acting like the citizens of a one-party state, we never would have had this foul Con regime hanging around our necks. But as you know I am an optimist, it's the Noddy in me. ;) And I'm hoping against hope that the Con hold on that province will finally be broken...

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    2. That article is balderdash Hin o Fan we all know what is going on and yes Jimmie Prentice is another Christy Clark Harper clone. And you know what? Alberta is already the land of the devil eh? Don't preach to me I grew up there when it was a safe place now it is a hell where your well water catches on fire due to unrelenting fracking fracking. Get out while you still can man...

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  7. Anonymous10:14 PM

    Hey Simon, Hapy New Year. Just thanking you for another year of great posts - informed, impassioned and all to the point that Harper and his puppet clown seals have to go. I have great respect for your energy and comittment.

    Canada deserves so much better, the time for change is now. We will only have a free and effectve democracy if Canadian citizens are truly informed. 2015 is the year! All the best.

    Bill

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    1. hi Bill...thanks a lot, and Happy New Year to you and yours !!! I can hardly believe that I am about to begin my tenth year as a blogger. How time flies, when you're not having a good time, and living in a foul dictatorship. But I welcome the fact that the year of decision is here at last, and I'm still confident we will defeat that filthy regime, for as you say this poor country deserves better...

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  8. Neo-con Ezra Levant loves referring to Justin Trudeau as "the shiny pony".

    What are some good nicknames for Harper? I found these on the net. How long a list can we generate?

    1. Helmet Hair
    2. Caligula eyes
    3. Herr Harper
    4. Thievin' Stephen
    5. The Automaton
    6. Great Divider
    7. Dear Leader aka Dear Litre
    8. Robo Steve
    9. Stone Cold Steve
    10. The Neo Con
    11.The Fascist
    12. Cowboy Steve (All Hat, No Cattle)
    13. The Deflektor

    With apologies to Arcade Fire:

    I thought I found a way to enter
    He's just a Deflektor (Deflektor)
    I thought I found the connector
    He's just a Deflektor (Deflektor)


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    1. hi David...I think I like Stone Cold Steve the best, because it goes with psychopath. Although Caligula eyes is good too, and the Great Divider will be his legacy. As for Arcade Fire, I knew them when they were just a tiny band getting their act together in Montreal. They are still my favourite band, and my only brush with greatness...

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    2. Very good David and Simon methinks Harper is discovered however I prefer military closet queen, eh? I'll fly over a flood zone in a military helicopter in southern Alberta dressed in military battle fatigues and when a lone man comes into parliament with an unloaded rifle and no bullets I'll hide in a closet. Seems simple he is a coward.

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    3. Steve Good2Go

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  9. If the RCMP tells Harper there is irrefutable evidence linking him directly to the Wright-Duffy deal eg. previously unpublished emails, cell phone/text messages between Harper and Wright, then Harper will call the election for March 2015, to avoid the Duffy trial, which begins in April.

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    1. hi David...I really would like to know what the RCMP has told the Cons, because the Commish seems to be acting like a Deputy Minister, and I no longer have any faith in him or his police force. As for when the election will be called I admit I am conflicted. Sometimes I think it will be sooner and sometimes I think it will be later. But one thing is for sure, we should be ready for one at any time, because we would be crazy to trust Stephen Harper...

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  10. Thank goodness 2015 is finally here! It should be one of the most interesting , dynamic election years in Canadian History. The imposter PM and his minions who have hijacked the PMO and government hopefully will be tossed out like so much trash. What a horrible ride it has been with them. Time to take our country back. Happy New Year Simon!

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  11. Happy New Year Simon and thanks for the blogs that brighten my mornings.

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