PALIN!
PUFFIN!
PALIN!
PUFFIN!

Let's call the whole thing off.

I wish they'd play those ones around here... they seem more interesting that the 'You're gambling on your future' ads. Those just make me want to buy scratch tickets.

This election is completely pointless and stupid. Its really just a power move by Harper to get rid of Dion. Here's how I think it will play out:

1. Harper wins another (but stronger) minority government
2. Liberal party dumps Stephane Dion
3. Liberal party goes into chaos selecting a new leader and probably tears itself apart
4. Stephen Harper laughs at his improved position in government

Political Poop Thread!!!!

Fisty Bum: This election is completely pointless and stupid. Its really just a power move by Harper to get rid of Dion. Here's how I think it will play out:

1. Harper wins another (but stronger) minority government
2. Liberal party dumps Stephane Dion
3. Liberal party goes into chaos selecting a new leader and probably tears itself apart
4. Stephen Harper laughs at his improved position in government

You say that like it's a bad thing.

40below: You say that like it's a bad thing.

Getting rid of Dion? Yeah, that's not a bad thing. However, dealing with another Conservative government? Do not want.

Isn't that good luck?

Look at old political cartoons (old as in hundreds of years, not old as in "Eeeh! My Parents!") and today's mud slinging is practically antiseptic.

Perky 'Canada' Has Own Government, Laws

I see a lot of Canadian political ads at work, and I have to say that for the most part they are rather civil. I like the lotto scratch off ones in particular.

Fisty Bum: 40below: You say that like it's a bad thing.

Getting rid of Dion? Yeah, that's not a bad thing. However, dealing with another Conservative government? Do not want.

I want another minority government.

I don't get all the hate for Dion. I was lucky to sit beside him for 4 hours one night long before the leadership election and he was a great guy. Even picked up the beer tab.

Stay classy America's Ugly Hat.

OMG Harper is just like Bush, He's a fascist!

/probably more liberal than Obama, except on social issues that he will only bring up for votes, and not do anything about it.

lelio: Stay classy America's Ugly Hat.

Damn you! I came in here for a variation on the "Stay classy" meme.

TFA: Just scan the headlines. In June, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development warned that Canada-for years the only G8 country to post regular budget surpluses-was likely to fall into deficit this year, thanks to a reckless cut to the national sales tax.

Don't worry, Canada. Reckless tax cuts always pay off in the end. In theory.

Aarontology: I see a lot of Canadian political ads at work, and I have to say that for the most part they are rather civil. I like the lotto scratch off ones in particular.

those ones are stupid because they lack any actual substance, just some very short and probably out of context quotes that instill some vague fear mongering.

the online CPC Puffin-thing was completely childish and unbecoming of a national political party. I don't want our politics to stoop to such nonsense (and actually get away with it). It's already bad enough as it is.

Fisty Bum: This election is completely pointless and stupid.

Absolutely. The Conservatives could win every single seat outside of Ontario and Quebec and still come up short of a Majority Government and Harper doesn't play well enough in Ontario and Quebec for the Conservatives do very well. The riding I live in (Huron-Bruce) is one that should go conservative (large, rural, church-going, pro-gun) and yet the Liberal candidate has won by double-digit margins for virtually every election in the past 20 years.

The Conservative Party as it is can't win in Ontario and Quebec, it may pick up the odd seat here or there, but can't do well enough overall to even think about a Majority.

Welcome to 2 weeks ago, subby. They took that ad down last week. Apparently, the CPC website also had some Taliban jokes, but since the media saw the puffin first (it was on the front page of the sitr) there was more outcry about the bird than the Taliban jokes.

Liberals did worse, they compared Harper to BUSH in the last election!

CanadianCommie: the online CPC Puffin-thing was completely childish and unbecoming of a national political party.

You say that like this sort of action was unusual for the CPC.

CraicBaby: Welcome to 2 weeks ago, subby. They took that ad down last week. Apparently, the CPC website also had some Taliban jokes, but since the media saw the puffin first (it was on the front page of the sitr) there was more outcry about the bird than the Taliban jokes.

While it is old news, and I understand that it seems like this election has been going on forever already (Thanks for the constant campaign mailings, CPC. Think you could manage to get me one from an MP in my province at some point?), it was only taken down on Tuesday -- which isn't last week, and even less two weeks ago.

Speaking as a Canadian Liberal, Slate needs to get over themselves. We're doing just fine with our minority governments, and the work is getting done regardless. Harper can be a douche, but he's no Reagan (which means he's tolerable), and we're not polarizing (except in the arctic sense of the word).

Harper is going to win a majority and Liberals are going to dump Dion and replace him with Ignatieff. You heard it here!

g026r: While it is old news, and I understand that it seems like this election has been going on forever already (Thanks for the constant campaign mailings, CPC. Think you could manage to get me one from an MP in my province at some point?), it was only taken down on Tuesday -- which isn't last week, and even less two weeks ago.

Whatever. The point is, it's old news and it's already been taken down.

/wish there was a better choice of candidates in my riding (Edmonton-Sherwood Park)
//one Tory, one independent who is a Tory who didn't get the nomination, and one Liberal
///Green candidate vanished off the face of the earth and the NDP hasn't picked anyone for this riding yet

CanadianCommie: Aarontology: I see a lot of Canadian political ads at work, and I have to say that for the most part they are rather civil. I like the lotto scratch off ones in particular.

those ones are stupid because they lack any actual substance, just some very short and probably out of context quotes that instill some vague fear mongering.

the online CPC Puffin-thing was completely childish and unbecoming of a national political party. I don't want our politics to stoop to such nonsense (and actually get away with it). It's already bad enough as it is.

The ones I've seen were about Dion (I think) and the GST, a child care voucher/stipend, and grocery prices going up. I didn't think they were at all substantive, but they were silly and not nearly as menacing as ours are.

But you are right about the whole bird crap thing. I don't think it's unethical, just childish and petty.

Aarontology: The ones I've seen were about Dion (I think) and the GST, a child care voucher/stipend, and grocery prices going up. I didn't think they were at all substantive, but they were silly and not nearly as menacing as ours are.

But you are right about the whole bird crap thing. I don't think it's unethical, just childish and petty.

The funny thing is, some of those other ones you mentioned are quite possibly unethical. Harper and the CPC have been called out a few times already for blatantly lying about the Liberal Party's platform, with the GST and the childcare voucher being two of the points in question.

Remove all Republicans
It took the Americans eight years to figure out conservative ideas don't work. Let's see if our Canadians friends are any smarter.

Canadian Conservatives are the same as American democrats.

Yes, It'll be wonderful when Nambla gets a majority. Old Pedosmile will begin to dismantle Canada one law at a time.

g026r: The funny thing is, some of those other ones you mentioned are quite possibly unethical. Harper and the CPC have been called out a few times already for blatantly lying about the Liberal Party's platform, with the GST and the childcare voucher being two of the points in question.

That may be why they were so unspecific about what Dion had planned for the GST and childcare voucher.

Fisty Bum: 40below: You say that like it's a bad thing.

Getting rid of Dion? Yeah, that's not a bad thing. However, dealing with another Conservative government? Do not want.

A Conservative minority government led by a person who is willing to compromise and worth with other parties? Awesome. A Conservative minority led by Stephen Harper? 2 years from now, yet another election. Just with a new Liberal leader this time.

/We need a GG with balls. Metaphorical balls.

GavinTheAlmighty: Harper is going to win a majority and Liberals are going to dump Dion and replace him with Ignatieff. You heard it here!

This what I think will happen, and I usually vote Dipper

CraicBaby: Welcome to 2 weeks ago, subby.

News takes a while to travel from the harsh wilderness of Canada.

Canadian Liberals aren't a "left" party. They're centrists.

strangeguitar: Political Poop Thread!!!!

The animals we've got for our options so far are barracudas and pigs....

Anyone good with Photoshop?

I still have no idea how I will vote. I'm stuck in the middle with a choice of a bunch of parties that I hate in the state they're in. Harper's a weasel, Dion has the personality of a piece of cardboard and Layton just kinda creeps me out. I was contemplating Green until May decided to use the sexism card about the debates.

I may be stuck with the reasonable choice of picking whoever I think will be the best candidate for my riding.

/ this election is useless.

In Canada, the political "brands" are all upside-down:

New Democratic Party == Hard Left Wingers - Crazy and will never form government

Green Party == Loony Left Wingers - Might actually get a seat this time around at the expense of the NDP

Canadian Liberals == Centre-Left Wingers with a broken compass

Quote from Buzz Hargrove, Canadian Auto Workers head after rebuffing offer to run for Liberals in this election:

"I'm still a socialist without a home," Hargrove said. "But the Liberals are as socialist as the NDP now."

Conservative Party of Canada

- Just like the Liberal Party was in the 1990s - meh

/was conservative - have given up as the word carries little meaning in Canada; everyone's just shades of spineless Lieberal
//now libertarian

I have a new nickname for Helmet Boy: Poopy Puffin!

They did fire with all seemly celerity the Prime Ministerial aide who sent an email suggesting that the father of a soldier who died was just kicking up a stink because he's a Liberal.

So as much as I despise the New (neo-) Conservatives they haven't sunk to the level of depravity typical of oh, let's say, Ann Coulter.

Chapalahara: In Canada, the political "brands" are all upside-down:

New Democratic Party == Hard Left Wingers - Crazy and will never form government

All the Conservatives have to do is say "NDP? Yeah, look at what they did to Ontario in the early 90s. THEY MADE US BRING IN MIKE HARRIS. You want them to do that to the whole country?"

The NDP is the conscience of Canada. They fight a good fight and work well as an opposition party but will never get the big seat.

Chapalahara: In Canada, the political "brands" are all upside-down:

New Democratic Party == Hard Left Wingers - Crazy and will never form government

Green Party == Loony Left Wingers - Might actually get a seat this time around at the expense of the NDP

Canadian Liberals == Centre-Left Wingers with a broken compass

Quote from Buzz Hargrove, Canadian Auto Workers head after rebuffing offer to run for Liberals in this election:

"I'm still a socialist without a home," Hargrove said. "But the Liberals are as socialist as the NDP now."

Conservative Party of Canada

- Just like the Liberal Party was in the 1990s - meh

/was conservative - have given up as the word carries little meaning in Canada; everyone's just shades of spineless Lieberal
//now libertarian

Lawks-a-mercy! How right wing are you? You must be from Alberta. (And I'm smiling when I say that, partner.)

The closest the NDP get to "hard right" is Social Democratic.

The Liberals talk centre-left in elections and govern from the centre-right.

The Green Party was founded by a Tory and Elizabeth May was an ardent supporter of Brian Mulroney's green award--many think she has gone native. She's no more looney left than Myron Bullroney.

"Quote from Buzz Hargrove, Canadian Auto Workers head after rebuffing offer to run for Liberals in this election:

"I'm still a socialist without a home," Hargrove said. "But the Liberals are as socialist as the NDP now.""

And the NDP are as socialist as the Clintons and the Bushes, which is to say, not at all. They wouldn't be any greener in office than the Liberals, Greens or Conservatives would be because their base is Buzz Hargrove's auto-workers--who are true blue Democrat-type high paid working class conservatives.

Why do you think Geo. H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton go gallivanting around hand-in-hand like James Garner and Jack Lemon in that movie where they played ex-Presidents? Because they pretty much see eye-to-eye on things outside of the Oval Office. (And in it.)

As for the Bloc, they're pretty liberal on social issues (except immigrants and other anglophones) but they've got some real dyed-in-the-wool Mon Beauf' types. Right wing nationalists are nearly as numerous as left-wing nationalists in the séparatiste camp.

John Kerry's rich wife=John McCain's rich wife.
John Kerry's swiftboating=John McCain's swiftboating
John Kerry's "liberal" credentials=John McCain's "maverick" credentials.

To the tune: "Here we go gathering nuts in May"

Here we go triapsing hand-in-hand
hand-in-hand hand-in-hand
Here we go triapsing hand-in-hand
Across the bourgeoisie!

If the NDP are socialists, why would Hargrove be "a socialist without a home"? For the same reason American socialists have no home--they won't find one in the Democratic party--neither will social democrats, nor most liberals.

The Democratic Party has no where to go but to the right during an election. And it goes even further to the right when it is in power, trying to stay there.

They're just the upper-bourgeoisie breaking down into "skins" and "shirts" for a nice friendly game of pick-up football to see who pretends to run the country for the next four years on behalf of the corporations.

Hargrove, by the way, is New Brunswick. Kick a potato on his birthplace and you could probably hit mine if you have a good leg.

He might as well have said the NDP are as socialist as the Liberals now. After Paul Martin and Jean Chrétien the Liberals are further right than they were when Diefenbaker (Con.) came to power, let alone Trudeau. And the NDP are not far behind. They're the party of college professors and unionized skilled workers who make more money than the professors and drive the SUVs they make (or something more macho). They couldn't harm a flea even if they were in office, which they were in Ontario under Bob Rae (who ran for the Liberal leadership--which is about the right place for most high-ranking NDPers on the political spectrum).

The PC party farked up our local hospitals in South West Nova so everyone voted for the Liberals. That's not going to change any time soon. Not like the federal government even cares about rural Nova Scotia.

For all the more good the grits have done, and all the more likely they are to do anything soon, Jack Layton as leader of the opposition sounds peachy right now.

Tr0mBoNe
The PC party farked up our local hospitals in South West Nova so everyone voted for the Liberals. That's not going to change any time soon. Not like the federal government even cares about rural Nova Scotia.

Nobody cares about Nova Scotia

Lawnchair: For all the more good the grits have done, and all the more likely they are to do anything soon, Jack Layton as leader of the opposition sounds peachy right now.

Agreed. I'm not sure I would be comfortable with the NDP in the big chair but I'm happy to have them in a position where they force the government to compromise and remain "honest".

I'm just sick to death of the Conservatives. They're not the PCs and they're sure as hell not Tories anymore, they're Republicans Light. The Liberals have always been a nice, safe centrist party but they basically self-destructed after Chretien, and, like the article said, at the worst possible time, just when we needed someone there to keep the newly-minted Conservatives in their damned place.

I'm voting NDP but if they formed the government it'd be some kind of insane miracle, so I hope Dion can get his shiat together between now and the election and at least keep the Conservatives out of a majority. I can't imagine who is voting for Harper but they're out there, like Alberta's been exporting mongoloid formerly-Reform-voting rednecks to the rest of the country or something, so it's unlikely that they'll get the utter trouncing they so richly deserve after the last several years of stupidity.

brantgoose: They did fire with all seemly celerity the Prime Ministerial aide who sent an email suggesting that the father of a soldier who died was just kicking up a stink because he's a Liberal.

Unless things have changed since the last piece I read, they didn't fire him. They merely suspended him until the end of the campaign. Come October 14th he's back to work as CPC COmmunication Director.

Nastyboy Quote 2008-09-14 12:31:50 AM
Tr0mBoNe
The PC party farked up our local hospitals in South West Nova so everyone voted for the Liberals. That's not going to change any time soon. Not like the federal government even cares about rural Nova Scotia.

Nobody cares about Nova Scotia

"Screw Atlantic Canada" was actually the title of the first draft of the British North America Act.

Scarrio: I still have no idea how I will vote. I'm stuck in the middle with a choice of a bunch of parties that I hate in the state they're in. Harper's a weasel, Dion has the personality of a piece of cardboard and Layton just kinda creeps me out. I was contemplating Green until May decided to use the sexism card about the debates.

I may be stuck with the reasonable choice of picking whoever I think will be the best candidate for my riding.

/ this election is useless.


That's pretty much where I'm standing. I'm contemplating voting NDP but don't know enough about them to do that. My dad hates them and would probably shiat a brick if I told him I voted NDP. Anyone mind filling me in on Layton and his party?

Canadian Canuck: I don't get all the hate for Dion. I was lucky to sit beside him for 4 hours one night long before the leadership election and he was a great guy. Even picked up the beer tab.

I've had beer with Dion, too and I agree that he's a great guy. His problem is that he doesn't do sound bites that well, and doesn't have time to have beer with the rest of the country. That and he's not aggressive enough to deal with the likes of Harper.

Harper, on the other hand, does do sound bites well, and is a very skilled, if hugely unethical, politician. (no, that's not redundant)

Dion's best hopes are that either Canadians see through Harper's lies and attacks (possible, but I'm not hold my breath) or that the Conservative machine continues to do stupid things like this. (Or preferably stupider... Which is very possible. There's a reason Harper keeps most of his caucus on a very tight leash)