Stephen Harper's New and Absurd Politics of Fear

Well there was Stephen Harper yesterday, trying to show he's really a nice guy, by releasing a lobster over the side of a fishing boat.

But of course for the real story of that photo-op, you'd have to read this account of that media nightmare. 

To understand that in Harperland nothing is what it seems to be.

And that his phoney Mr Nice Guy act didn't last long either.

Because now he's back to peddling the politics of fear.



Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, stung by criticism over his government's slow response to the Syrian refugee crisis, shifted the focus of his re-election campaign to national security on Friday, a move analysts said brings the politics of fear to a deadlocked race.

Harper shuffled his campaign staff this week and began repeating the message that his nine-year-old government is best placed to protect Canadians from global threats. "When Canadians stand together against ISIS, we stand in support of Canadian values and in defense of our way of life," Harper tweeted on Friday.

As one might expect now that the Aussie attack monkey Lynton Crosby is managing his campaign...



And trying to turn helpless refugees into deadly enemies.

But as disgusting as that might be, it is only a sign of desperation. 

And the most frightened person in Canada must be Stephen Harper himself.

For his campaign is literally falling apart...



His decision to start it more than a month ago, instead of yesterday, couldn't have been more disastrous. 

He’s been beat up over the Mike Duffy trial, hit with a recession declaration, haunted by lousy candidates, blindsided by Syrian refugee empathy and, as a result, is now scrambling to enact damage control in a war room apparently left without adult supervision.

And while he shows remarkable personal energy at the rallies, Harper has also endured about 180 questions from pesky reporters so far on tour, a daily inquisition he’s faced with the same grim look one would see on a patient at the snap of a rubber glove in a doctor’s office.



He must be hurting all over, and it's an open question whether his once mighty War Room is going to make it to the end of the campaign.

Sources say an understaffed Conservative war room is filled with inexperienced and overwhelmed workers already approaching burnout.

Which can only make him look even less like a political genius, and even more like an idiot or a loser.

If Harper’s campaign manager and chief of staff were kicked off the plane for advocating this trouble-plagued early election call, they clearly deserve the doghouse treatment. 

But it’s more likely Harper made the call. If time continues to work against this campaign until the Conservatives lose power, then the defeat rests solely on his shoulders.

And as for his mighty air war that was supposed to destroy his opponents. 

Or crush them under the wheels of his bus...



Well it isn't going anywhere either, and his ghastly attack ads are now being parodied by his opponents...



And if all of that wasn't bad enough, his attempt to relaunch his campaign is going to be made even more difficult by the impending trial of Bruce Carson. 

As the Conservatives try to turn the page on a rocky first half of their election campaign, the beginning of a criminal trial for a former Harper staffer threatens to bog down this relaunch. 

Bruce Carson, a former senior adviser to Stephen Harper, faces a charge of influence peddling and three counts of illegal lobbying. His influence peddling trial starts on Monday in Ottawa, while the other charges will be dealt with in a separate trial next spring.

Which can only do him even more damage, and make him look even more corrupt. 

And explains why he is desperately trying to change the subject, and scare Canadians again.

And why he must be so scared himself...



For there never was a more cowardly leader. 

And one who would use fear as a weapon against his own people does not deserve to remain in office.

Of course we need to keep up the pressure, for there are still 37 days left before the election, and he is now so desperate he is capable of anything.

And in the next couple of days I'll have some suggestions about how we can do that.

But for now I'll just say that the universe is unfolding even better than I had hoped...



The monster is indeed destroying himself.

And our long nightmare could soon be over...

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