The War Room

ACT III:THE BIG PUSH

I wanted take some time after the debates to see how things played out over 24 hours before commenting on them. As of now, here are my thoughts:

1. Harper did just fine in the debate. Yes, he has been overcoached regarding the 'smile' but this is not going to hurt him.

2. I am so sick of hearing Jack Layton talk about 'working families' in a self sanctimonious way. I grew up in poverty and have even been on welfare at one point right after university. I know of no working class or poor people who vote NDP.

For thirty years the NDP base has been wealthy union thugs, wealthy gay rights activists, wealthy feminist groups, white middle-class marxist university students, communist leaning academics & laywers and flakey artists. So please, Jack, for the love of all that is good and holy, QUIT SAYING YOU REPRESENT WORKING CLASS FAMILIES! THEY DO NOT VOTE FOR YOU!

3. Paul Martin's stance on the 'Notwithstanding Clause' is at once bizarre and terrifying.

Obviously a way to try to rook Harper on SSM, this has implications that will further neuter Canadian democracy. For his part, Andrew Coyne further demostrated the inconsistency of libertarian philosophy by endorsing it.

I still have some libertarian leanings, especially with regards to free speech, but overall I increasingly see it as a moral short-cut that tries to take the easy way out of having any social responsibility to your fellow man or woman on either a social or economic level. Seeing as I used to refer to myself as a libertarian I will write about it soon in a Dossier to explain my position on this further.

Martin's wanting to take away rights from the people/parliament further illustrates what I have discussed about the neo-Marxist leanings of the New Left. The people cannot be trusted to them and democracy is defined in terms that are actually a contradiction to it. Martin is no longer calling the shots here. His younger underlings are.

Under different circumstances I suspect Layton would have supported this move.

4. The attack ads.

The nasty ones.

We knew they were coming, so we are not shocked. Will they work? Certainly with some. But remember; anyone who will be fooled by these ads most likely wasn't with us in the first place. This is the part where Frodo makes it to Mordor and sees how much further he has to go and it isn't pretty.

It will get a lot worse from here on in. We haven't heard from such 'ever popular' Canadian personalities as Sarah Polley or Steven Page yet.

5. Barring some unforseen final act that we can't predict, a week from now I believe this thing is sealed. Anyone who is with Harper a week from now is there to the bitter end. All undecideds at that point go to Gollum...er...Martin or stay at home to eat popcorn and drink beer.

6. Back to the ads; these are perhaps the most vile I have seen in my 11 years studying politics. They would make Rumsfeld and Rove have second thoughts. Canada is now a lesser nation for them.

7. The Quebec breakthrough is good for all. I do not believe Quebecers will be intimidated like Ontarians.

8. Mike Duffy did a fine job tonight by calling John Duffy out onto the mat. With regards to the media...they will make or break the next two weeks for Harper and they know it.

Perhaps maybe every now and then even the most loyal of dogs lashes out at its master if they are abused.

9. Michael Ignatieff not showing up at an all candidiates TV show on Rogers does not suprise me.

He did not get into this because he cares about making phone calls to help an old lady get her heat back on in the winter time. He is being groomed for the top position and he knows it. Anyone in Etobicoke-Lakeshore that votes for him is merely a footstool used to get another elitist academic to a higher place. A smart man...perhaps. An ethical one...you be the judge.

10. I do believe we are seeing a turning point in Canadian history. Harper or Martin winning will take the country down a totally different path. Harper has a much tougher road. His changes need a majority...either now or next election. And if he wins a minority now, it will be a lot tougher to get his views heard next time.

posted by Nicol DuMoulin @ 9:42 PM