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Harper gags cabinet ministers

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Neocons are such a contradiction. They love to proclaim how strong, tough, independent and individualistic they are, but eagerly and slavishly follow an autocratic leader like programmed robots.

It brings to mind the Monty Python movie "Life of Brian", where the crowd assembled below the window where Brian stands and speaks proclaim in unison "We are all individuals." But one in the crowd pipes up: "I'm not!"

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Originally posted by TweakedEnigma:
Well Harper & Bush are cut from the same cloth. They this doesn't shock me in the least nor does it shock anyone that voted against them.

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Isn't there a line in Tolstoy (Anna Karannea?) about all happy families being the same, all unhappy families being unhappy in their own way. Same thing with bad politicians ... Bush and Harper are both very bad news, but they're very different. For a start, Bush is dumber than a bag of hammers, Harper is pretty shrewd. As well, Bush really believes the fundamentalist Christian stuff he spouts, Harper couldn't care less about it other than the votes it gives him. Harper is, more than anything else, about power.

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Will there be a neocon in this crowd with the moxie to speak out?

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Originally posted by retread:

Isn't there a line in Tolstoy (Anna Karannea?) about all happy families being the same, all unhappy families being unhappy in their own way. Same thing with bad politicians ... Bush and Harper are both very bad news, but they're very different. For a start, Bush is dumber than a bag of hammers, Harper is pretty shrewd. As well, Bush really believes the fundamentalist Christian stuff he spouts, Harper couldn't care less about it other than the votes it gives him. Harper is, more than anything else, about power.

I see Harper as more like Dick Cheney

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From the article linked at the top...

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"Maintain a relentless focus on the five priorities from the campaign. Reduce the amount of ministerial/public events that distract from the five priority areas identified in the campaign," the Globe quotes the e-mail as saying.

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That just reeks of "Keep the public occupied with our top five issues so they don't know what else we're doing"... Thats just ugly.

[ 17 March 2006: Message edited by: Modest Mook ]

In the US, it works very well because it allows the Republicans to position themselves on a binary Repub-Democrat line, while controlling the parameters of the debate on any particular issues. So they set the terms, place themselves on it, and force the Democrats into the opposing position (which is framed as bad, unworkable or otherwise wrong).

Here it will be a bit more difficult to pull off. Provincial governments aren't as subservient, and premierships are not generally seen as a stepping stone to higher office. So provincial governments are less likely to toe the line, even if they are in the same party.

We also have a 5 party system, rather than a 2 party system, despite efforts in Maclean's and others to utterly ignore the NDP (and to a lesser extent the Bloc). So there are more voices in the fight, and it's a lot more difficult to frame the debate the way it happens in the US.

Layton is a pretty smart cookie, and I suspect he'll know how to bring issues and perspectives that don't fit the Con talking points. If he does it well, he'll break through the apparent CanWest policy of 'ignore the lefties'.

The Bloc is another wildcard, that can very easily screw up Harper's message machine.

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Layton is a pretty smart cookie, and I suspect he'll know how to bring issues and perspectives that don't fit the Con talking points. If he does it well, he'll break through the apparent CanWest policy of 'ignore the lefties'.

The Bloc is another wildcard, that can very easily screw up Harper's message machine.

The political scientist/media analyst in me is watching it all to see what happens next, like a hockey game would be to someone else. The social activist in me is hanging on by his fingernails and hoping they fall from power sooner than later, and never get the chance to run a majority.

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Could not agree with you more... I'm quite interested in what will happen when parliment resumes. Harper can gag his cabinet ministers, but he has absolutely no control over what the opposition parties can bring up. Hehe, I'd like to see one of the opposition parties have a sign that says 'Gag order this'.

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Originally posted by Modest Mook:
The majority potential frightens me as well... Harper right now is trying to run as a majority gov't, I'd think he'd try to run a majority gov't as a dictatorship.

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I think that the NDP & Liberals should be thinking about working together to cause trouble for the Cons.

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Unfortunately the math on that doesn't work out. Bloc + Cons will defeat Lib/NDP on any votes... So it'll ultimately be the Bloc that will hold conservatives in check (atleast if it ever came down to an important vote).

Quebec and Alberta agenda's are actually quite similar in many ways (taking power from the national level and transferring it to the provinces), so the Bloc and Cons will have common ground on some issues with the exception of childcare.

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Originally posted by eau:
The comment is priceless...true Canadiana

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Originally posted by caliope:
I will be very surprised if he can match Bush because of question period and the complete lack of respect our journalist have for politicians “personal space”.

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I think it's a pity he's gagging them... when with just a little more effort he could garotte them.

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I must admit I am a little disturbed by the fact our public democracy is a little hush hush on this particular matter.

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Originally posted by Tommy_Paine:
Drat, an euphamism. I thought this was some kind of new fetish thing.

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17 March 2006

Event Cancelled Due to PMO Gag Order: Organizers
"Canada's Role in Afghanistan," a panel hosted by the University of Calgary's Center for Military and Strategic Studies (CMSS)," was cancelled due to Prime Minister Harper's recent decision to place major limits on the media's access to ministers, organizers say.

CTV reported that the Prime Minister's Office issued an order restricting interaction with the press to discussions of the "five priority areas identified in the [Conservative] campaign."

"In order to keep a grip on such events (those that distract from priority areas), PMO will approve of all ministerial events," the order allegedly said.

Dominion Paper

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Originally posted by Lard Tunderin' Jeezus:
Nasty business, that. But standard operating procedure for neo-con fascists...

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Originally posted by scooter:

Jack Layton is a fascist? Didn't he kick Bev Desjarlais out of the NDP caucus because she wouldn't toe the line.

No. She was relieved of her critic's duties only. She remained in caucus, and then later quit the party in a huff to run as an independent when she couldn't even win the nomination race in her own riding.

She wouldn't let herself be gagged by the NDP.

No, she was bounced by her local riding association because they thought Nikki Ashton was a better choice. Equal marriage was not even mentioned at the debates.

Wasn't Buzz tossed for speaking his mind?

No, he was bounced for campaigning openly for the Liberals.

Its politics.

And you're trolling. Piss off.

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[ 23 March 2006: Message edited by: Hephaestion ]

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Originally posted by Hephaestion:
No, she was bounced by her local riding association because they thought Nikki Ashton was a better choice.

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Originally posted by scooter:

Obviously they didn't consider winning the seat to be a high priority. Niki wasn't able to bring over the 4000+ NDP votes that Bev took away. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that Bev is gone. But it was pretty nasty politics.

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Woo hoo!