Canada's Steven Hoover Harper has gone too far this time. We may be going

[Monk06]

to the polls again this Spring. The Libs, NDP
and the Bloc look like they are ready to bring
down the Tories with a non confidence motion.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/11/27/question-period.html

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

1. this can only go badly...

The Liberals don't have a leader - and the New Democrats would be better off if they didn't have one at all.

[Monk06]

2. Dion is a corpse left too long in the sun Ignatieff, Layton and most importantly

Duceppe are pissed because the Tories want to
eliminate government funding of political parties.

The Tories want the same system as the US where
corporations control the government through financial
contributions.

[davidinalameda]

3. that would be a great gift to Obama

having a friendly government north of the border

[Monk06]

4. I just want Harper gone. He's a smart version of Sarah Palin a MEAN, AVENGElical

with a big ass personal ax to grind because he
couldn't get laid at University. The classic resentful
RW nerd.

[Winnipegosis]

5. No way we'll have another election over this.

BTW, comparing Harper to Palin in any way ( mean, evangelical...) is just crazy.

[Monk06]

7. I qualified my comparison of Harper and Palin. Nobody gives Palin credit for

her determination and ambition. Remember Harper
eliminated all his competitors, Preston Manning
(another prairie evangelical), and Stockwell Day.

Besides a visceral hatred of those less fortunate
than himself, a trait he shares with Palin, he like
Palin is ignorant of cultural affairs and hates
intellectuals.

What I am saying is both Harper and Palin are typical
right wing populists. They want to recreate a world
that never existed and destroy everything in their path
in order to do so.

[Winnipegosis]

9. The nature of leadership is to "eliminate" your competitors

and that's politics.

Don't get me wrong, Harper is a cunning person, but "visceral hatred"?: that's a bit much.

And he wants to "recreate a world that never existed."? I don't see it that way at all. Heck, Gary Doer has nothing but good things to say about him.

He's far from the monster some people make him out to be.

[Monk06]

12. I thought the same as you a year ago. He's basically a good guy. A little

square but competent. But then he declares war
against the Canada Council and Arts funding. Say
goodbye to the Arts industry in this country which
has flourished under state funding and tax breaks
for the Arts. Without arts funding Cirque du Soleil
would never have gone beyond street theater.

Now Cirque is a multi billion dollar business employing
performers from around the world.

Under Harper Cirque would have never left the streets of
Montreal.

[RFKHumphreyObama]

6. Harper may have a game plan here

If another election is held so soon after the last one, Harper could probably make quite a strong case about how minority government is preventing him from governing effectively during an economic crisis and how the Liberals and minor parties are supposedly playing politics over the national interest. With Dion an ineffectual lame duck and the minor parties set to remain as minor parties, Harper would be in a good position to win a decisive majority government

An early election can only benefit Harper

[Monk06]

8. Harper is going to eliminate large numbers of government jobs and is thumbing

his nose at Ontario factory workers claiming
that he will balance the budget when every
economist says that is not possible in the
present crisis.

He's either lying about his intentions or he's
a typical Tory in the Diefenbaker mold. Stubborn
miserly and mean.

Canadians won't tolerate that. If it comes to an
election on the budget he is proposing he will go
down.

Prairie conservatives will never learn that they
are outnumbered and unloved by Ontario and Quebec

[Winnipegosis]

10. That makes some sense

but it could also backfire on him if voters get pissed off about having another election so soon after Oct. 14ths affair.

Plus, he'd have to answer for the do-nothing budget.

It wouldn't be a gimme majority, IMO.

[snake in the grass]

11. Peaches for Prime Minister!

Saw her in Berlin and found her awesome!