I must admit that when I first saw the new Maclean's cover, I was stunned, and horrified.
And then I almost fell out of my chair laughing.
For how could anyone in their right mind portray those five old white Con reactionaries as The Resistance?
Or suggest that they were Justin Trudeau's "worst nightmare?"
When in fact the anti-carbon tax mob is the planet's worst nightmare, and we are The Resistance.
And the biggest problem I have with Paul Wells' story is that the planet has such a bit part, the Carbon Gang comes out looking far better than it should.
And is made to appear as a real nightmare for Justin Trudeau's Liberals.
It’s not axiomatic that just because Canada’s conservative parties are lining up behind this issue, they are sure of winning on it. Trudeau has read his share of premature political obituaries before now.
During the 2015 campaign, when Trudeau announced a plan to run budget deficits, the cover line on the next day’s Winnipeg Sun read, “POLITICAL SUICIDE.” And the Liberals believe that since the 2008 campaign, when Harper soundly defeated Stéphane Dion on this same issue, Canadians have had a decade to get much more worried about climate change.
But elections have to be about something, and forces tend to align according to perceived opportunity. Even at his least popular, Harper didn’t face such a determined coalition of federal and provincial Liberals working so hard to defeat him on a key policy. Trudeau will be tested in 2019, not only by Scheer but by all the Conservative leader’s provincial allies.
When as I wrote on Twitter I strongly disagree...
Climate change is the biggest issue we face, and one that can only get bigger. It can't be ignored any longer. Those who are fighting against it, have history on their side.
And those old planet burners are doomed.
So I was glad to see that others didn't think much of that cover either...
And what did Paul Wells think about all of this?
Nothing that anybody should care about.
But this is true. If the Con media keeps promoting the Carbon Gang who would torch the planet in the name of human greed.
They'll end up in the same place as these losers, in the graveyard of human history...
Remember when Wells,fawning and tugging a forelock before his hero , Slithery Steve , intoned ' the longer I'm prime minister. This piece of puffery helped steve out the door; thanks Paul.
ReplyDeleteNow he's showing the vacant minds of the reformatories to us.
Hi rumleyfips...Paul Wells has always been a Harper fluffer. Nothing Harper did ever changed Wells's view that he was a great leader. So I'm not really surprised, especially not with Macleans on the chopping block. I'm sure Wells has decided that it's about time he got himself a job with one of those five Cons...
Deletesomeone has already done a simpson photo shop of this group. its revolting who paid for this.
ReplyDeleteHi Steve...yes, somebody sent it to me, but I couldn't find it in time to include it in my post...
DeleteWells is the hack who previously did a puff piece on Hamish Marshall, so I'm not surprised he'd be the one to try and make the Scheer Idiots into the Avengers or the Justice League. When actually, they're more like the League of Stupid Villains. I'm sure the Marvel comic book with Trudeau on the cover was of higher quality. A coloring book would have made better reading material than this.
ReplyDeleteIf MacLean's had any semblance of quality oversight on the editorial board, they'd have made the "secondary" article about the Top-Performing MPs their cover story, and given proper credit to Freeland for putting up with Trump. At the very least they wouldn't have co-opted the term "resistance" and made it a slogan of a cadre of Trumpian Cons. Forget Wayne Gretzky, the real story here is how Canada's low-performing media failed you all. The press shall do no business in the bathrooms of the nation.
Hi Jackie...it's pathetic how somebody could put those Con clowns on a cover and call them The Resistance. As if all that counted was their determination to attack Trudeau over something like a carbon tax. As if the fate of the planet didn't count for anything. As if politics was just a game, and policies had no consequences. I was reading an article recently that wondered about the support some media outlets might be receiving from Big Oil, and I can see our oil pimps paying big bucks for that one. It was propaganda of the lowest order...
DeletePriceless - no captions required. The pictures of those five determined “resisters” are hilarious. You wouldn’t need any prior knowledge of their buffoonery to buckle over at this one. Put them in the file with Sheer’s homage to Blue Velvet. The photographer and the guy who coached them on their facial expressions and what to do with their hands are probably still in stitches.
ReplyDeleteYou’re right; Trudeau couldn’t have designed opposition messaging more advantageous to his side. Of course it’ll backfire. If the message isn’t silly enough, the pictures will seal it. Members of this type of tag team seldom make an accurate estimate of the potential effect of their combined accumulative disapprovals on public perception. I’ll take some time for a few more laughs before I start firing them off to everybody.
Hi John...As I said in my post, at first I was stunned and horrified, and then I couldn't stop laughing. Each of those ghastly Cons is scary enough just by themselves, but put them all together and it's a veritable horror movie. Who on earth would want to live in a Canada run by that collection of reactionary bigoted losers? The more they gang up on Trudeau the more popular they will make him...
DeleteWhat on Earth were the editors at Maclean's thinking? Did Big Oil pay for that celebration of their favourite politicians? And will Paul Wells please go and work for one of those Cons, instead of pretending he's a journalist.His heart clearly isn't in it any longer.
ReplyDeleteHi anon...As I told Jackie, I too wonder if Big Oil is helping to support media outlets in return for favourable coverage. It sounds a bit far fetched, but how else to explain their consistently biased coverage?Wells should have a little more respect for himself, and whoever designed that cover should be fired....
DeleteIt really is not about the Carbon Tax.
ReplyDeleteFor more than 30 years the economic orthodoxy that has informed political and economic discourse in the West has been a conservative one. I call it the Conservative Consensus.
In Canada, what this has had the effect of doing is ensuring that even when they were not in power conservatives could be ensured that the party in power would not introduce new taxes, would keep existing taxes low and would maintain low government spending as the dogma that has dominated politics for three decades had decreed. Those conservatives included the political parties, the owners of our media and corporate interests. Of course, when Conservatives were in power the Consensus let them pursue policies that helped the wealthy and big business at the expense of ordinary people with virtual impunity.
Then along came Justin Trudeau who ran an election campaign that included increasing government spending, running deficits to pay for it, increaseing taxes for the wealthy and introducing a NEW TAX in the carbon tax. Four policies that ran completely counter to the conservative orthodoxy and he won. To make matters worse he has kept those promises and the sky has not fallen as the proponents of the Conservative Consensus have been telling us would happen if we ever strayed from it.
For over thirty years progressive governments have been restrained by the Conservative Consensus. They had to adhere to it to win and maintain power. However, there have been signs that the Conservative Consensus is breaking down and moving towards a more progressive consensus and conservatives in the country realise that if they do not stop that breakdown now the momentum to it completely breaking down will become unstoppable.
That is why every Conservative of note has become obsessed with bringing Mr. Trudeau down, including those Conservatives that essentially run most of the Canadian MSM.
So, as I stated. it is not just about the Carbon Tax.
Hi ottlib...that's an interesting analysis, and I agree it probably is part of the reason So many Cons hate Justin Trudeau so much. To that I would add Trudeau's support for women's rights and LGBT rights, which if you read the comments clearly enrage a lot of Mostly older Canadians. However, why the Cons should be opposed to a market based solution to our climate change is hard to understand, and impossible to justify...
DeleteEvidence that the 'liberal left-wing' media agenda is a complete, BS myth.
ReplyDeleteHi anon...whenever I see or hear Cons complaining about the "liberal media" I have to shake my head, and wonder whether they can read, or are going insane. The bias is so one sided it's impossible to ignore. And the way the Con stooges in the media have piled on Justin Trudeau makes it only too clear what side that are on...
DeleteOn a daily basis most Cons accept the science and resulting technology behind jet travel, skyscrapers,life saving surgical procedures, and all forms of software control and communication technology including nuclear attack response systems but when it comes to statistics, environmental or social sciences their fu..ed up opinions and conspiracy theories rule the universe. The same methods and peer review produces all science so it would be only logical to either accept, intelligently question or reject all of it. The bottom line seems to be that Cons are special, they do not trust any science but do not have the confidence to evaluate it on their own so they defer it to trusted prophets with no credentials other than manipulative self promotion driven by personal gain, ideology or both. History suggests it was always like that but the gap between myth, half truths and science seems to be growing at the same time the stakes are getting higher.
ReplyDeleteRT
There is a fundamental problem with science. It is complicated and you have to do lots of mental gymnastics to understand it correctly. Energy is a big issue that is poorly understood. There is an idiot wind that has created our modern oil based economy. Costing power is a complex equation. Scientist use the Energy return on Investment as a decision making guide. So when you measure the amount of energy needed to produce the fuel, wind is 25% cheaper than gas and oil. If you have solar panels on your house the whole transmission infrastructure that wastes up to 60% of the power generated at the source is eliminated. Conventional gasoline vehicles only convert about 17%–21% of the energy stored in gasoline to power at the wheels.” An electric motor typically is between 85% and 90% efficient.
DeleteThe solutions are out there, all we need to do is educate ourselves the the COKE bros will be collecting empties to buy food.
Hi RT...I am dismayed to see how many Cons still deny the reality of climate change think it's some plot by George Soros to take their cars, guns, and bibles. And when I saw Scheer casually dismiss the work of one of this year's Nobel Prize winners I was similarly stunned. I have a scientific background, and have absolutely no time for such nonsense. At a time when the survival of the planet is at stake, those who get in the way of the efforts to try to save it should be sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for crimes against humanity..l
Delete"And the biggest problem I have with Paul Wells' story is that the planet has such a bit part, the Carbon Gang comes out looking far better than it should."
ReplyDeleteExactly Simon. Journalists have a responsibility to give us the facts, not overlook them. Shame on Macleans for allowing Wells to produce this Con propaganda and having the five fossil fools on their cover.
I'm guessing the photographer's directions to these clowns was simply, "Try to look like a condescending asshole".
JD
One correction. Scheer isn't old; he is only 39. However, he is firmly in the ranks of the "born old".
ReplyDeleteborn old, that may be the case or he may have early onset of dementia. some times I do think he is just bad shit crazy and 39.
Deletetook one look at the picture and headline and thought it was an ad for a horror movie. where did they find those unattractive white men. Not a person of colour amongst them and no women. They're going to be Trudeau's worst nightmare? No they are the Conservative and oil industry worst night mare. those guys are so out of touch with main stream Canada, it is hard to believe McLeans actually wrote the article. Must think they are doing a favour for the Cons. Really, what a rag, if that is their head line. Oh, right McLeans takes ads from corporations, perhaps that is why the printed the article. they call that journalism. that is the type of shite we saw in B.C. during the B.C. Lieberal (Cons) years. OMG, what a bunch of unattractive humans. they should take the mag off the racks. it will scare small children. Halloween is over.
ReplyDeleteThe Resistance, OMG, that guy must be out of his mind guess weed doesn't agree with him or something, because that isn't the resistance, that is the problem. we've got ford, who well is ford, there is the tall thin guy who spends a lot of time out of the country. then there is the guy with the weird smile and had a caucus member sexting and believed him he only did it once, then we have the chubby guy who always seems to have a sheen on his face==much roll in oil, and then the other guy--who the hell is he. resistance. guess the writer at macleans doesn't understand the language of today, resistance. obviously hasn't seen that star wars movie.