All Three Leaders Should Resign

Now that the Governor General, Michaëlle Jean has prorogued parliament the leaders should take this time to reflect and hopefully resign, none are fit to represent the Canadian people.

It’s very apparent that this whole political crisis that has been created in the midst of this global financial meltdown is nothing more than political infighting and the furtherance of individuals political careers. Mr. Harper, Mr. Dion and Mr. Layton, have disregarded what is best for this country to further either themselves or their personal vendettas.  The only leader that has stayed true is Gilles Duceppe, who basically is looking after the interests of Quebec at the expense of Canada’s but that was his mandate.

Mr. Dion was the architect of one of the largest Liberal defeats, after the election it became apparent he was solely responsible, would not take advice or listen to anyone.  The Party, rightly so, basically forced his resignation.  The party found him lacking to lead, now these same party members are asking the Canadian public to allow him to be their leader.  The election did not provide a majority government but it was very clear that the Canadian voters rejected Stephane Dion as leader of this country.  During the campaign Mr. Dion clearly stated that he would never form a coalition with the NDP, further stating that their economic policies would hurt the country.  Here we are on the eve of Stephane Dion asking to be the Prime Minister of this country after forging a coalition with the very party that he said would be dangerous for the economy of this country.  Fellow Liberal’s such as Dalton McGuinty, the Premier of Ontario, do not back this coup saying “The political uncertainty in Ottawa with opposition parties forming a coalition to try to topple the minority Conservative government is not helpful in the current economic crisis” and “he has warned Dion not to look for support for his coalition with the NDP from the Ontario government.”  The time has come Mr. Dion do the right thing and step down now.

Jack Layton is nothing but drunk on the thought of getting some power.  This man is actually going to have a large say, 6 cabinet seat to start.  This despite only receiving 18% of the popular vote and holding only 37 seats.  The NDP has never even come close to being elected to form a government.  Jack Layton was the architect behind this coup, it was obvious that he had no intention of working with the conservatives.  Since the election he has been the busy little beaver hatching this scheme with the Quebec separatist party The Bloc.  Jack Layton is looking out for himself, like Jack has always done since serving in on the Toronto City Council.  Jack step aside let someone who can put their country first above their own aspirations.

Stephen Harper, unfortunately played petty politics, by trying to lay the financial crisis at the feat of federal workers and removing their right to strike, no other industry can address their financial difficulties by passing legislation against it’s workers, neither should the government. Then he had to go a take away the public election funding, it maybe the right thing to do but it was definitely at the wrong time.  Stephen Harper squandered his sizable lead going into the election with many silly partisan decision that really had little to no effect on the economy but had drastic consequences on the election.  He didn’t rain in Jim Flaherty, with his stupid comments regarding Ontario.  Stephen Harper had he makings of a majority but he blew it, then he blew the stronger minority that he was give, step aside let someone else lead who doesn’t have your baggage.

All one has to do is look at what this has done to the Canadian market, we have now had our 4th straight day of losses.  Thanks guys, that money that is being lost while you bicker, belongs to tax payers, it’s jobs and it’s retirements.

Financial Assistance to the Auto Industry… There’s a question?

I’ve been listening to the Congressional hearings in regards to financial assistance,  these congressmen just don’t get it.  The auto industry is a victim of the failure of the financial industry that basically drove the economy into the toilet.

The comment keeps being made that they don’t want to through good money after bad, well guess what, if the auto industry fails that $700 billion to $1 trillion that you handed over to the financial industry, will be totally wasted.  Then there is the fact that the money given to the financial sector was handed out with-out very little oversight.  The $34 billion being asked for is a loan, not a hand-out, they are the only industry with any track record of paying the government back.

The auto industry is not in trouble because of their products or their pay structure, they are in trouble because their funds have been wiped out because of the stock market, there is very little credit and next to no leasing for customers.  Even if there was financing available to customers, they are too afraid to make a large purchase like a car or home.  

The failure of the auto industry or large scale closing and lay-offs in the sector will only depend the entire crisis.  Auto workers make good money, people who make good money spend it, when they spend it it drives the whole economy.

This idea that the auto industry is failing because of miss management is just silly, until gas rose to $4.50 a gallon, which no one foresaw, they were selling what the customer wanted and that was large  cars, trucks and SUV’s.  No one knew about the mess that financial industry was creating, which basically stole between 30-40% of the stock market.

There is another thing everyone commends the transplants as to their lower operating costs, in such things as wages.  The truth is they are all immature and have do not have the other cost that the Big 3 have, such as pensions and health insurance for an aging work force.  They all received Well guess what, ask why the transplants are here to begin with.  They were established to head off protective legislation.  If the Big 3 fail there is nothing to make the transplants stay, they will most likely pack up the tents and do what the rest of the manufacturing industries have done move off shore to the cheap labour markets.

So I really can’t believe that there is even a question about providing them a loan, not a bail-out, which they will pay back.  

Another question did I miss something, what is the plan for the financial industry to pay back the $700 billion to $1 trillion?   (Is that the sound of crickets I hear)

People bought cars before, the need for vehicles hasn’t gone away, they will buy them in the future.  The question is will there be any domestic automotive manufactures left when they go to buy one?

Call It What It Is

The media keeps calling it a coalition between the Liberals and the NDP, the last I looked neither had enough seats to form a government. The Liberals had 77 the NDP has 37, for a total of 114, which on my calculator is less than 50% of the 308 seats.  So call it what it is, its a coalition between the Liberals, NDP and the Bloc.  The coalition needs the Bloc’s 49 seats, the second largest member of the coalition in fact, these seats give the coalition 52.9% of the 308 seats. So who’s going control this coalition.  The NDP is getting six cabinet post, they have never even came close to forming a federal government in Canada.  The Bloc, the separatist, what are they getting for their participation, they are getting something.  The Canadian public deserves to know what back room deal was hatched to get the Bloc to participate.

Here’s a solution why doesn’t Harper strike a deal with the Bloc, he could let them separate, that would reduce the number of seats giving him a majority government.  There’s other benefits to, it would stop Quebec from holding the rest of the country hostage, the Liberals would be relieved of Stephane Dion he either stay in quebec or go home to France.

The Canadian Coup

Well I guess Stephane Dion found away to be Prime Minister even when the majority of Canadians rejected his party and his party even rejected him.  The first step for a Canadian coup is you get in bed with a socialist with no scruples and a separatist, then you fake that your upset about a government policy when really your upset that the government has just ripped the feed sack from the feeding pigs.

This is really outrageous and has nothing to do with the economy, as you can see what their behaviour did to the economy yesterday sending the market crashing 9%.  This is nothing more than a pure and simple power grab by greedy Liberals, upset that public funding was going to be removed.  When public funding was introduced the Liberals basically stopped even trying to raise money for their party, they sat back and fed from the public trough along with the NDP and the Bloc.  The only parties that went out and still raised money were the Conservatives and the Green Party.

Just over a month ago the Canadian people spoke, the only clear thing from the election was that the Canadian people didn’t want Stephane Dion to be Prime Minister.  Before all the votes were counted many in his own party didn’t want him to lead even that.  Here we are about to have this lack luster leader, who can’t even effectively communicate with the vast majority of the population of this country, forced upon us.

Stephen Harper for his part needs to get his knuckles rapped. He just had to go and rub their nose in the crap they made.  Resting the needs of the economy on the backs of federal employees by removing their right to strike, was just pure lunacy.  Private industry can’t and shouldn’t be able to do this and nor should governments.

Then you have the NDP whining about their secret conversations being recorded, as a taxpayer I say good.  I don’t want to be governed coalitions with agendas worked out in secret little meetings.  I want to know what the Bloc has been promised.  Gilles Duceppe is not going along with this out of the goodness of his heart he’s been promised something.  What was the Bloc promised, the taxpayers have a right to know?

Maybe this is the best thing for the Bloc, maybe this will show the rest of the country that it’s time to tell Quebec to get out, and don’t let the door hit you on the ass on the way out. Basically the Bloc is holding the country hostage.

Stephan Harper you have choices to make, none are good for you, but hey you made the mess, give the comrades the keys to the country and we can hope that they don’t total it, or you can step aside and see if that stops them from having their tantrum.

For those involved in the coup, remember there will be another election, unless they plan on taking that away from the people too.  I just hope that the retribution is thorough and swift.

Election Day in Canada

Well Election Day in Canada has arrived. After a whrilwind 38 day campaign, it’s now all up to the voters. Stephen Harper enters today on an upswing of support, Layton has it easy because he can make promises knowing full well he’ll never have to implement them. Dion is just a lack luster candidate who’s days are numbered, it’s hard to be the leader of a party when you can’t effectively communicate with a majority of your population. Elizabeth May is there sucking the votes from the liberals. Will the Greens get a seat? There best chance is probably in May’s home riding. May was a pleasent surprise this election, the only down side was her whinny debate performance.

I went out and cast my ballot at 9:45 this morning, so it’s all over except for the waiting. A few more hours and we should see if we have a Conservative minority or majority. A majority would be nice, parliament might actually acheive something.

Biden and Palin

Well Palin suceeded, she didn’t fall on her face. She only had one incoherent ramble when asked about nuclear weapons. The sad thing is that the only thing she had to do to be sucessful was to not fall on her face. She basically still talked in sound bites and platitudes. There was no real substance in her answers.

Biden did very well and he focused on McCain and tying him to Bush. He really brought home the failures of the Republican administration and spoke to there differences.

A New Level of Vindictiveness and Greed

The Republicans like to pretend that they voted down the Bail-out bill to protect your freedoms, yes your freedom to go broke through no fault of your own.  The truth is all they are doing is listening to their vindictive, greedy constituents so that they can get re-elected.  You hear it when they are interviewed with statements such as “let Wall St. suffer”, ” we shouldn’t be bailing out Wall St. fat cats”, and “why should my neighbor next door be bailed out because he bought a house he can’t afford and I’m not getting anything”.

To top it off now you have John McCain  shooting off his big angry mouth, talking about being bipartisan and at the same time blaming Obama for the the failure.  The failure lies directly at the feet of the Republican Party, the Republican Administration, and while we’re at it the great Republican senator who “suspended his campaign” to rush to Washington to help broker a deal.  It doesn’t look like his leadership worked.  Its not surprising because “the maverick” has pissed so many off in his own party, now he’s pissing off Democrats, its very clear if he was to win it would be a very dysfunctional relationship between a house (no matter who controls it) and a McCain administration.

This should also be a wake-up call to business that the Republican aren’t your friend, not matter what they say.  They just hung everyone out to dry for their own political gain.

 

Answers to the questions above:

1. Why we shouldn’t “let Wall St. suffer”?

No matter what you think not bailing out the financial institutions which are responsible for ensuring the free flow of credit to businesses and individuals is essential for the function of our economy.  Companies, jobs, peoples life savings and insurance depend on the free flow of credit.  By not passing this legislation its not going to make Wall St. suffer, it’s going to make everyone suffer.  

2. Why we aren’t bailing out ” Wall St. fat cats”?

I understand everyones desire to make the CEO’ of these corporations pay, defeating this bill is not the way and this is not the time.  If there was fraud or wrong doing let the FBI, SEC and DOJ investigate and bring those responsible to justice.  What we are doing is bailing out small businesses that need to merchandise on credit, allowing you to get credit to buy a new car and keep people employed, saving mom and pop retirement and ensuring things such as insurance companies remain solvent that provide you with health, life, and car insurance.

3. Why we should bail out your neighbour next door and what’s in it for you? 

Yes your neighbor was stupid and got in over his head, maybe knowingly maybe not, but you didn’t do anything wrong, why should you be punished?  If your neighbors loose their house, it’s not just them who will pay but you too, your property value will go down, maybe your employer will ay you off, maybe those investment you made for your retirement will be worthless.

Silencing of a Candidate or So Much for the Straight Talk Express

McCain went on national TV this morning on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos”, and back peddled a statement that his Vice Presidential candidate made when answering a question while picking up cheesesteak sandwiches in Philadelphia.  He further embarrasses himself by saying that talking and answering questions like that isn’t someone’s stand on the issue.  Personally I feel exchanges like these are when the candidates are expressing what they really think, not what some handler tells them polls better.  

She was asked if the US should go after terrorists inside Pakistan. She answered yes, if that’s where they are we should go get them.  The answer was clear consise and articulate, unfortunately it also is the same answer the opponent Barrack Obama has said and has been ridiculed by John McCain for saying.

By the way John, the Bush administration, whom you agree with on just about everything have been going into Pakistan for a while.

Today Wolf Blitzer on CNN interviewed the new President of Pakistan, Mr. Zardari, whom when asked agreed with  both Obama and Palin.  So really the only one wrong in this case is the person who fancies himself an expert on foreign policy, because he was a prisoner of war don’t you know, John McCain.

I really think the McCain campaign should let Sarah Palin talk, express her views, I’m not a fan of her views, but McCain shouldn’t be trying to hide them either.  The McCain supporters have railed against the unfair criticisms that they say the left main stream media have attacked her with, when really the McCain campaign has hurt her far more substantively by keeping her on this tight leash and stiffling who Sarah Palin really is.  If Sarah’s views differ from that of McCains so be it,  he should either live with it or shouldn’t have picked her if they are not compatible.

I really don’t know where this notion has come from that a vice presidential candidate has to agree with everything the presidential candidate believes.  Look back in history, it is rarely the case.  The only one I can think of is Bush/Cheney, and that’s only because Bush doesn’t have any views until the Cheney and the Hawks tell them to him.

So a few things:

1) McCain shut-up and let your running mate speak, stop being an angry, sexist, old man.  Let the woman speak, she shouldn’t be your pretty little cheerleader.

2) I’m impressed that Sarah Palin went out and picked up her own food, cheesesteaks no less.

3) I’m philosophically opposed to Sarah’s stand on many issue, but hell I’d have a cheesesteak with her any day and enjoy debating the issues with her.

4) If you listen to John McCain’s response on the issue he didn’t say that he wouldn’t go into Pakistan, he just says he wouldn’t tell them.  So he’d rather just lie to his allies and the American people about his intentions.

So much for the straight talk express.

Ps It goes along with his lie to David Letterman too, and his suspending of the campaign (you saw his big ugly mug more than when he was campaigning), starting to see a pattern of lying here.

The Dew is off the Rose

Wow, I can’t believe my eyes and ears, watched the Sarah Palin interview with Katie Couric.  I’m glad Sarah has learned all the talking points, but someone should have told her how to use them.

Lets face it that was the most pathetic interview that I have ever seen anyone running for any type of office give.  The church lady running for bazaar president could have given a better interview.  She was incapable of answering a single question.  Somehow she seemed to think that if you string enough talking points together that would satisfy the reporter and they would stop asking questions. 

Q: What’s your position on the bail-out?

A: It makes us sick <snip> it’s about healthcare and jobs.

What is she talking about?

I have foreign policy experience because I live beside Russia and Canada, give me a break. I’m an expert in French culture because I’ve eaten Poutine.  Paul Begala summed it up well, “I can see the moon from my back yard so I’m an astrophysicist”.

If I hear her shrill that she and John McCain are mavericks once more, I think my ears will bleed.  Please tell me when they changed the definition of maverick to stupid.  John McCain is stupid for picking her and well her performance says it all.

She was given a free ride, been coddled and isolated from the press, the McCain campaign thought it was a bright idea to pick a fight with the so called “leftwing” media, now it’s all coming home to roost.  The usual republican talking heads aren’t even coming forward to defend this.

I always watch the debates, but I have to say this is the first time I’ve ever been excited to watch the VP debate.  I’m inviting people over to watch it, I suspect it’s going to be “theater of the absurd”.

McCain said he puts country first, is choosing this hockey mom as the vice presidential candidate, his idea of putting the country first?

Important Word of the Day “Vetting”

Vetting

•  investigate (someone) thoroughly, esp. in order to ensure that they are suitable for a job requiring secrecy, loyalty, or trustworthiness : each applicant will be vetted by police.

John McCain, maybe next time you should try this before selecting someone whom you barely know to be your running mate.  

The McCain Campaign ran commercials insinuating that Obama and Britney Spears had something in common, well it looks like his running mate has more in common with the Spears clan than Obama does.

Sarah Palin’s 17 year old daughter is pregnant, I wonder how the religious right are going to spin this transgression of the daughter of their darling Vice Presidential candidate.  I wonder what other skeletons are going to come out of the closet from this dynamo with so much executive experience.  Maybe she should of had them teaching sex-ed instead of creationism, or maybe this is an immaculate conception.

This is really has nothing to do with Sarah Palin nor her family,it has more to do with judgement.  John McCain clear has excerised poor judgement in his choice, the man isn’t fit to president.

 

Heres the score card in the first week (actually it hasn’t been 7 days yet);

1. Accusations that the Palin Family tried to use their influence to have a State trooper fired then dismissed  the Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan when he refused.

2. She was once a member of the Alaskan Independence Party.

3. Her 17 year old un-wed daughter is pregnant. (not a big deal but a little hypocritical for a religous right darling).  I thought only social Democrats were capable of such depravity.

I thought only the Democrats could self destruct like this.

At this rate I think the Obama children can start thinking about how they plan on decorating their room in the Whitehouse.