CNN Projects: The Democrats Win The House!

Oh thank God, finally that moron Dubya will have effective opposition.

It's So Very Hard...

...to not be overconfident for tomorrow, the U.S. Midterm Elections. I'm really trying to guard against it. But I still know that Republicans have rigged the last 3 elections and after watching Hacking Democracy I think they're perfectly capable of doing so again, and it's far easier than it was for them before. I think if the Republicans somehow pull out a miracle and don't lose the House (The Senate is by all accounts a dead heat) there needs to be a massive investigation. There of course won't be, but I think there needs to be one.

Then we have people like this genius who keeps hoping against hope that his fascist buddies can pull one out of the fire. He's also painfully unaware of how his party stole previous elections. He actually thinks they won them on merit. BAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA Oh man, that's a great one. I mean I know the Liberals screwed up on the Sponsorship program, I readily admit it. I don't think it was as overblown as the far righters said it was, but still I admit they screwed up. But people like this guy, who is a Jesus freak as if you couldn't have guessed, are so hopelessly out of touch with reality it is frightening. This guy lost both his parents in Iraq (they were missionaries, there to spread the word of Christ) in the war W started and he's still drinking the far right cool-aid.

My Dream Scenario: The Dems win both chambers, impeach Bush and Cheyney, and Nancy Pelosi (the concencus for Speaker of the House) becomes President until 2009.

My Nightmare Scenario: The Republicans steal another election, and no one in the States seems to care enough to do anything about it.

I imagine the outcome will fall somewhere in between.

I need a little tech help

This is a long shot I know, but I'm asking everyone I can think of.

I'm trying to get the actual link to a zip file I'm trying to download from a php redirect. The redirect is in the format of
www.site.com/index.php?action=zip&id=1234

I'd appreciate anyone who could point me in the direction of a firefox extension, or perhaps a greasemonkey script, or a seperate program that can get this direct link for me. Instead of having to go through and click each link I'd like to be able to just add them all to a download manager to save myself a lot of time. If you can help drop me a line @ robertcode at gmail dot com

Thanks.

Plane Crashes in to Building in New York

This is no joke, today, October 11th, 2006 a plane crashed in to a building in New York City.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/10/11/plane.crash/index.html

Bloggers on the Leadership

I got caught up with some personal things and wasn't able to post this when I wanted to. Here are the final 2 installments of Bloggers on the Leadership We have nottawa for Ken Dryden and Yappa Ding Ding for Bob Rae.

-----------------------------------------

> 1. Why did you choose to endorse Ken Dryden?

My first inclination would be to say out of personal loyalty to a guy I
had the honor of working with and a person I idolized as a child. That's an
easy answer. Really, it's because as our party (and every party) has to
learn how to relate better to Canadians, and we need someone at the helm who can
win now. Not in a year or three years or eight years, but now. I also
appreciate what Ken brings to the party. When asked to run as a candidate, he
didn't shy
away or find a reason not to. For someone who is often seen as a
"non-politician", his "political" contribution to our party - as a Minister, as
a
candidate, even as a fundraiser, and as a person who could have given every
excuse not to run in 2004, or gone on to do other interesting things - his
contribution in three short years is arguably greater than anyone's. If an
election is called next week, next month, whenever, ask ANY liberal candidate
who they want in their riding after the writ is dropped.
>
> 2. In your view, what are the top three issues that face our country and
how
> do you see Ken Dryden handling them?

(1) Winning now - Beating Harper now. (2) Restoring the big things we did or
were on the verge of doing in the last government, i.e. Child Care, Kelowna,
Kyoto (3) Giving Canadians a reason to trust us in the wake of three years
of
fallout from the sponsorship mess.


> 3. What do you think Ken Dryden greatest strength
> would be in an election matchup against Stephen Harper?

Trust. Respect. Credibility. Imagine a politician that people like and wish
the best for.
>
> 4. What do you think Ken Dryden greatest weakness
> would be in an election matchup against Stephen Harper?

People say Ken's speaking style is too slow and that his French is not
where it should be. Both have improved dramatically, and will continue to
improve. They will continue get better with time. But trust respect and
credibility can't be coached or created.
>
> 5. If Ken Dryden couldn't win, who would you prefer
> he/she throw their support behind and why?

Behind whichever candidate shares the same desire to fight for all that we
did as a government in the last two years and build on it. I don't think that
candidate is clear as yet.
>
> 6. If Ken Dryden couldn't win, who would you prefer
> he/she not throw their support behind and why?
>

Stephen Harper.

> 7. If you were Ken Dryden's campaign manager, how
> would you run their campaign?
>

I really can't answer this question for obvious reasons.


> 8. Tell us something about Ken Dryden you think most
> people don't know.

That he's the most popular candidate of the bunch and has been in every poll
that bothered to ask that question since February. Believe it or not, this
is actually relevant. Or it should be. Shouldn't it?

>
> 9. Next to Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister, which cabinet position
> do you feel Ken Dryden would excel at?

I can't think of many that he wouldn't. He's a very well-rounded
thoughtful kind of guy.
>
> 10. If Ken Dryden were pitted in a three way 57
round battle royale against Paul Martin and Jean Chrétien who would win?

If you are talking about a real wrestling match I don't think it would even
be close.

-----------------------------------------

>1. Why did you choose to endorse Bob Rae?
I think a leader needs to be able to do three things: lead the party; beat
Harper in the next election; and be an excellent prime minister to lead all
of Canada. After a lot of thought I decided that Bob Rae was the best person
to do those three things.

>
>2. In your view, what are the top three issues that face our country and

>how do you see Rae handling them?
- Maintaining a strong economy
- Growing the social safety net
- Managing interprovincial affairs
(That doesn't mean I don't think there are lots of other important issues.)

"How he'd handle them" is a difficult one for those issues (they're too
big). I think he would see them as priorities and he'd handle them
innovatively and well. He doesn't just lead in a theoretical sense. For
example, one of his great achievements as Ontario premier during the
recession was finding ways to save large companies that were going bankrupt.
>
>3. What do you think Rae's greatest strength would be in an election
>matchup against Stephen Harper?

Bob Rae is a brilliant and crafty political operative. A big part of his
political effectiveness is his integrity. He is a straight arrow and he's
smart as a whip, and he's able to inspire people. He's won so many elections
because he's so good at politics and because voters can see what a star he
is.
>
>4. What do you think Rae's greatest weakness would be in an election
>matchup against Stephen Harper?
He's not a sitting MP. I'm worried about that one. All the other perceived
weaknesses are things that he can and will address.

>
>5. If Rae couldn't win, who would you prefer he/she throw their support
>behind and why?
I'm torn between Ignatieff and Dion. I think they're both excellent
candidates.
>
>6. If Rae couldn't win, who would you prefer he/she not throw their support
>behind and why?
I would be devastated if he threw his support behind Gerard Kennedy.
>
>7. If you were Rae's campaign manager, how would you run their campaign?
Do you mean campaign for leader or campaign in a federal election? I'll
assume the former.

Currently Rae's campaign is all about his leadership credentials, and it's
very effective. However, I'd like to see him also start addressing some
other things:

- allay people's fears about his perceived weaknesses
- identify a base and communicate to it
- set himself apart from the rest of the candidates
- inspire us. Rae is one of the most inspirational politicians I have ever
seen - right up there with Clinton and Trudeau - and at some point during
the campaign he needs to start rallying the troops. That might be best saved
for the convention.
>
>8. Tell us something about Rae you think most people don't know.
His motivation to be in politics is to make Canada a better place for
everyone.

>
>9. Next to Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister, which cabinet position

>do you feel Rae would excel at?
No idea - I'm not sure I see him in parliament if he's not leader. He might
be UN secretary general or something of that stature.
>
>10. If Rae were pitted in a three way 57 round battle royale against Paul

>Martin and Jean Chrétien who would win?

Can anyone ever beat Jean Chretien? He's a slippery one. I don't know if
even Bob Rae could manage it. I think he could take Martin.

-----------------------------------------

Frighteningly Enough, I Have Almost no Problem With This

Story

The Conservatives are introducing legislation that will protect those who oppose Same Sex Marriage. As a proponent of SSM you'd think I'd have major problems with this, but I don't. I have no problem with Ministers having protection against being forced to perform Same Sex Marriages. If we want them to respect our beliefs we have to respect theirs. As for justices of the peace I have no problem with them being protected as well, but I'd add the caveat that in places not close to a major urban center, where there may be only one or two justices of the peace, the government should have to arrange for a justice who is willing to perform the marriage to be transported there to do so, thus giving rural same sex couples the same access as their urban counterparts.

I do however have a major problem with the proposal that would protect opponents from voicing their opposition to SSM. Now, of course I'm for the Charter of Rights and thus for free speech, and if that's all the Conservatives have in mind I'm fine with it. But we need to make sure we don't condone hate speech. What's the distinction? I don't know, I'm no lawyer or legal scholar. But I do know freedom of speech should not give one the right to speak publically about harming homosexuals.

The difference between we Liberals and the Conservatives is we're willing to comprimise. We don't mind that they have religious beliefs that contradict our own and would even fight to protect their right of freedom to worship. But they don't share the same compassion for our side of the debate, they think that they're right and we're wrong and so the law must be set so that we're forced to believe as they do. I couldn't care less what the law says. The problem for them is their tactic won't work. Do you think that if Same Sex Marriage were banned tomorrow I'd be any less for it than I am now? Do you think if they passed a law saying we all had to attend Church on Sundays (Damnit! Don't give them ideas! -Ed.) that I would go?
We Liberals try to work out the best comprimise for everyone, Conservatives try to impose their will on overyone.

SANITY WINS!!!

Wooooooooooo Hooooooooooooo! Halleujah! SUNDAY SHOPPING HAS COME TO NOVA SCOTIA!!!! YEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAA!

Story 1
Story 2

Oh, this is such a great day for those of us who are sick and tired of religion sticking it's nose where it doesn't belong. To be honest, I didn't think I would see the day anytime soon, but thank GOD for Sobeys and Superstore, who took on the corrupt theocracial Progressive Conservative government and won the day!

Oh, I'm so happy right now. Finally this long fight is over, finally I'll be able to get grocieries or go to the mall or get supplies for my projects on Sundays like the rest of the freakin civilized world. I know it must sound ridiculous to those of you who already have Sunday Shopping and have had it for a long time, you've probably grown to take it for granted. But here in Nova Scotia if you needed something you couldn't get in a corner store on Sunday you were Shit out of luck, no longer.

Now, there is a caveat, they've set Rememberance day as the only day they need to be closed. And I've got no problem with that, Rememberance day isn't some bullshit religious holiday. For my money it's our most sacred of holidays.

Now, I'm sure the radical right, bible thumping, loony toons will try to get this overturned, but they won't succeed, and they can kiss my ass and burn in Hell for all I care. They've made Sundays a miserable, boring day here in Nova Scotia for far, far too long. This isn't aimed at all religious people, it's aimed at the assholes who try to force their religion on others.

Finally, the government is going to start moving toward protecting employees so they can't be forced to work on Sunday, and I'm 100% in favor of that. Because unlike those on the other side I actually give a shit about how they feel. I'm a proponent of the Charter of Rights, and as such I can't just pick and choose the parts I like like they do. So I'm fully for making laws so that those who wish to worship on Sunday are able to do so as they please, without fear of losing their job. I just hope the government doesn't settle for just Sunday, What about those who worship on other days?

But for now, we've won. And thank GOD for that.

Foley may be the Straw That Broke the Camel's Back

Foleygate. Ahhhh, that has a nice ring to it doesn't it?

I have a very very tiny bit more optimism about the upcoming midterm U.S. elections than I did a few days ago, the reason being the fallout from Congressman Foley's illicit emailing. Up until I heard about this I wasn't very optimistic at all. I mean come on, these people re-elected the worst president in the history of their country!

There is a lot of talk out there about the Republican's strength being the Homeland Security issue. (Why I can't imagine, I mean they only let 9/11 happen. -Ed.) But for my money Homeland Security isn't their number one trump card, it's the perverted sense of "morals and values" they pretend they have, and the alleged infranctions by one Florida Congressman tears at the very heart of this issue. The far right crowd have given the Republicans a near carte blanche, allowing them to let their fellow citizens die in terror attacks, from hurricanes, and in war, so long as they made it so that boys would be prevented from kissing in their state. But now, we have a member of the Republican congress an alleged petophile, and what's worse we have Republican congressional leaders allegedly knowing about this months ago. This could finally be the straw that broke the camel's back.

Still, the way the polls are looking I'm still not optimistic, I often wonder what Republicans would have to do to get destroyed at the polls. Could you imagine a party being this bad in Canada? Say what you like about the Liberals at least they didn't send troops off in a war over oil, and when Hurricane Juan (obviously not as big a deal as Katrina, but still) hit my home province of Nova Scotia the Liberals were quick to send in troops to help with the clean up. Could you imagine the Republican party running in Canada? They'd get all the vote in Alberta and shut out everywhere else.

Liberal Leadership Delegate Results so Far

As for me, I vote tomorrow. I'm voting for Brison. Because even though it'd take a miracle for him to win, I'm hoping that if he gets enough support he can hang around long enough to play kingmaker and get a plum cabinet post to set him up for the next time. It'll also be nice to have an enjoyable day, life has really sucked since the fire, the aftermath of which has just been terrible. I sometimes think that perhaps we died in the fire and this is Hell. ;)

So, How's That REAL Inquiry Going?

One of my favorite posts I've written since I started this gig was entitled That the House condemns the government for its arrogance... It got it's title from the dubious confidence motion Harper and his boys levelled at our Liberal Government, resulting in the election that swept him and his ultra far right buddies in to limited power. (Not Limited Enough -Ed.)

One of the quotes in this article was from Stephen Harper.

Harper: "Mr. Speaker, a new government will get on with the real inquiry."

So Stevie, how's that real inquiry going? You know, on the Sponsership Scandal, you know it's only the ENTIRE REASON you defeated the government.

Of course, there is no real inquiry. I knew there wouldn't be one. As I've said many times before the Conservatives aren't interested in cleaning up the corruption, they're interested in being the ones doing the corrupting. This is the same type of garbage they spouted off about how the Gomey inquiry was bogus, all the while taking any bad thing said about the Liberals from the inquiry and screeching about it at the top of their lungs for days afterward in Question Period. People who don't watch politics as closely as I do never get to see this hypocracy, never get to see how full of shit their new government was when they were in opposition. If I were the Liberal Ad maker all I would have done was taken videos from parliament such as instances of these, and then at the end I'd have a narrator ask "Are these really the people you want running the country?"

Now, all the right wing nutjobs out there will be able to come up with tons of bullshit explainations why we haven't seen a new inquiry, but they're already too far gone for anyone to be able to do anything to help them, no this is aimed at you're average Joe or Jane Voter out there, who voted against the Liberals because they were told by the Conservatives they'd get to the bottom of this. Also, what about all this talk about the gun registry being even worse than the sponsership scandal and how it was a massive slush fund? Why haven't the Conservatives blown the whistle on that? Simple, there's nothing to blow the whistle about.

Now do I want an inquiry run by Conservatives? Of course not, the purpose of such an inquiry wouldn't be to find the truth it would be a witch hunt.

Bloggers on the Leadership Day 2

Today I post my interview with Cherniak on Politics who supports Stephane Dion. Before agreeing Jason asked me to make it clear to all that this interview is purely his own words (which is of course what I wanted) and that in responding to it he is not speaking as a representative of the Dion Campaign in any way. (Like the Dion campaign would touch me with a 10 foot pole, especially upon reading question 10, but you can't be too careful. -Ed.)

1. Why did you choose to endorse Stéphane Dion?

I endorsed Stéphane Dion because I met him for lunch and agreed with pretty much all his policy thoughts. My MP was supporting him and I decided that Dion was a man I could support as well.

2. In your view, what are the top three issues that face our country and how do you see Stéphane Dion handling them?

1) National Unity
Dion understands that national unity is not about a supposed “fiscal imbalance” or whether Quebec is a “nation”. He understands that to keep the country together, we need to put forward bold ideas that prove to Québequois that Canada is where they belong.

2) Economic Management
Dion knows that we need a strong economy. As Prime Minister, I trust him to maintain a balanced budget and keep our tax rates competitive.

3) Environment
Dion understands that this is becoming a defining issue for Canadians. He wants to use the powers of the federal government to create incentives for industry to clean up its act. He also wants to encourage research and technology to ensure that Canadians are inventing the next generation of environmentally friendly technology, which will be the big money maker in the foreseeable future.

3. What do you think Stéphane Dion’s greatest strength would be in an election matchup against Stephen Harper?

Dion has the ability to explain policies very clearly and quickly. I think he would be able to show Canadians that the Liberals not only have clear plans, but also that our plans are far superior.

4. What do you think Stéphane Dion’s greatest weakness would be in an election matchup against Stephen Harper?

I think that in stressing his environmental message, Dion sometimes comes across as more left-wing than he actually is. That might give Harper more room to maneuver.

5. If Stéphane Dion couldn't win, who would you prefer he/she throw their support behind and why?

Michael Ignatieff. Of the four front runners, Iggy is only other candidate with a coherent set of polices who can communicate them in French.

6. Not Answered

7. If you were Stéphane Dion 's campaign manager, how would you run their campaign?

At this point, I would release a full “platform” that puts it all together. I think we need to highlight that Dion is the guy with the ideas who can also sell them. I would also start pushing the economic message.

8. Tell us something about Stéphane Dion you think most people don't know.

He really wants to have a one-on-one debate with Ignatieff.

9. Next to Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister, which cabinet position do you feel Stéphane Dion would excel at?

I’m going to add “other than intergovernmental affairs or environment” to the question. My answer is that I think he would be a great minister of Industry.

10. If Stéphane Dion were pitted in a three way, 57 round battle royale against Paul Martin and Jean Chrétien who would win?

I think Chrétien would win because he would have Warren Kinsella hit Dion and Martin with a chair when they aren’t looking.

Stephen Harper News Conference Transcript

I hope you enjoy a bit of broken record inspired theatre.

Press Paige: Ladies and Gentelmen, Prime Minister Harper will now make a brief statement, followed by his taking your questions.

PMS: Thank you Cheryl, Ladies and Gentelmen there has been growing discontent with my government for the last month now and I am here to set the record strait. Nothing that has happened is the fault of the Conservative government, everything that is wrong with the lives of Canadians today is the fault of the previous Liberal government. I'll now take your questions.

John Mackney, CTV: Prime Minister, how do you respond to critics who say that in your most recent finance announcement you simply cut programs you as Conservatives didn't like as opposed to what was best for the country.

PMS: I'm glad you brought that up Jack.

John Mackney, CTV: It's John, sir.

PMS: Oh, I'm sorry John, but as I was saying it's the fault of the Previous Liberal Government.

John Mackney, CTV: Uh, the Previous Liberal Government forced you to cut programs?

PMS: Yes.

John Mackney, CTV: Could you.... Um, Elaborate?

PMS: I'd like to, but the Previous Liberal Government prevents me from doing so. Yes, Jana.

Jana Sampson, CBC: Yes, Prime Minister would you say that your cut in the GST, which has gone largely unnoticed by the general public, was a wrong move?

PMS: Let's be clear here, we didn't make that utterly useless cut the GST, the Previous Liberal Government did.

Jana Sampson, CBC: But sir, I have the copy of the bill right here...

PMS: That's just what the Previous Liberal Government wants you to think you're holding, in actuality you're holding a bowl of lettuce cleverly disguised to look like the GST cut bill. Ok, now on to Sam.

Sam Parker, Calgary Sun: Supreme Leader Harper, isn't it true everything that's wrong with Canada is the fault of that devilish Previous Liberal Government?

PMS: Finally a good question! I wish the rest of you in the pres gallery would learn from good old Sam here. Yes, everything that's wrong with Canada is the fault of the devilish Previous Liberal Government.

Sam Parker, Calgary Sun: I have a follow up if I may you're highness.

PMS: Of course Sam.

Sam Parker, Calgary Sun: Now given that the economy is robust at the moment, and that taxes will soon begin to fall in Canada, isn't it true that you're a God?

PMS: Well, Sam, you know I don't like to brag but... Well. Yes, I suppose it's ok to let people know the truth.

Sam Parker, Calgary Sun: Why do you think so many people don't see that my liege?

PMS: Well, Sam you know what I think.

Sam Parker, Calgary Sun: That it's those bastards in the Previous Liberal Government?

PMS: Exactly, now as much as I'd love to chat with you all day Sam, I have to move on to the others.

Sam Parker, Calgary Sun: *wispers* call me!

PMS: Ok, Lisa?

Lisa Willington, Toronto Star: Mr Prime Minister, you're Parliamentary Secretary Jason Kenney has admitted to misleading Parliament, will you ask him to step down?

PMS: Of course not! Everyone knows he only lied because he was forced to by the Previous Liberal Government!

Lisa Willington, Toronto Star: And how exactly did they do that sir?

PMS: I'm glad you asked Lisa, before those bastards left they haunted all of the government offices with ghosts of themselves! And they scared poor Jason so much, and thretened to raise taxes on his family 1/4 of a percent, which would obviously mean they wouldn't be able to afford a Porsche and would have to settle for a Lexus, *sniff* I'm sorry it pains me just to think about the horrors they had to endure, but anyway suffice it to say Liberals suck and Conservatives own. Last question goes to Julie.

Julie Cholo, Montreal Gazette: Prime Minister, do you expect anyone to believe this?

PMS: *chuckles* The Canadian people voted me in as their Prime Minister didn't they? How much stupider can you get?

Press Paige: Thank you Ladies and Gentelmen, Prime Minister Harper is very busy fighting those mean old Liberals today, so we'll have to say TTFN.

Bloggers on the Leadership: Day 1

Today is day 1 of Liberal For Life's Special Report: Bloggers on the Leadership. Most bloggers who've endorsed a candidate can say anything they want about their chosen one anytime they want, but few if any have an oppurtunity to speak out about them in an interview type format and perhaps be asked questions they wouldn't have thought of mentioning on their blogs. That is the purpose of this exercise.

We start off with The Dan Report and Gerard Kennedy.

1. Why did you choose to endorse Gerard Kennedy?

The number one reason for me was that Gerard has always been dedicated to helping those most in need of a hand. And since I'm not a silly idealist I was also very impressed that Gerard has gotten the job done everytime he has taken up a task.

2. In your view, what are the top three issues that face our country and how do you see Gerard Kennedy handling them?

1. Education
2. Environment
3. Afghanistan

Well I think Education should be the number one priority for any country and it's pretty obvious that Gerard is the most fit of the group to work on this issue. I've heard many people say that Gerard "speaks teacher". Gerard probably doesn't have the expertise of some of the other candidates on environment but if Gerard were to make promises you can count on him to achieve those goals or to die trying. Well we know Gerard's position on Afghanistan, and I agree. If we're not winning we have to figure out how we can. I'm not interested in giving away Canadian lives to keep a "moral promise" or whatever Iggy called it. I think we have to cut off the NDP here. Remember that Pierre Trudeau was seen as scary isolationist when he first became Prime Minister.

3. What do you think Gerard Kennedy's greatest strength would be in an election matchup against Stephen Harper?

His character

4. What do you think Kennedy's greatest weakness would be in an election matchup against Stephen Harper?

His inexperience in leading a party in an election.

5. If Kennedy couldn't win, who would you prefer he/she throw their support behind and why?

I've flip-flopped between Rae, Iggy and Dion but right now I'm siding with Dion. I'm just not comfortable with Iggy's foreign policy and I was quite upset with Rae's massive flip flop on Quebec and the constitution. The auditor general's report on environment spending might once again throw my second choice in the air. I haven't made up my mind yet.

6. If Kennedy couldn't win, who would you prefer he/she NOT throw their support behind and why?

I'd have to say Dion again. But that's not my final answer and that's assuming Dion would be able to finish in front of Kennedy anyways.

7. If you were Kennedy's leadership campaign manager, how would you run their campaign?

I trust that the campaign managers are a little smarter and experienced than me. But I would have tried harder to find a way to fight perceptions. They haven't done enough for example to counter the idea that Gerard can't win which some in the media parrot because of ridiculous/untrue polling numbers. A little more focus on the air war. But they may be trying to stay under the radar, out of the way of all the flying mud.

8. Tell us something about Kennedy you think most people don't know.

Preston Manning once asked Kennedy to join the Reform Party. He obviously decided against it.

9. Next to Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister, which cabinet position do you feel Kennedy would excel at?

Good question. Jonathan Ross of TDH Strategies suggested, wishfully perhaps, that Kennedy would be a good Finance Minister under Ignatieff. But I could also see him doing great things in Aboriginal Affairs, Environment, or even perhaps Canada's first Education Minister.

10. If Kennedy were pitted in a three way 57 round battle royale against Paul Martin and Jean Chrétien who would win?

He'd beat Martin, but it's going to take a little bit more experience to beat a guy that won 3 straight majorities. Mad respect for Chretien!

----------------------------------------------------------

If you’re a supporter of Michael Ignatieff, Scott Brison, or Martha Hall Findlay and would like to participate in this L4L Special Report click here for information on how.

White House: Releasing Full Terror Report Would Endanger Lives

Link

I imagine the lives in question would be those of the Bush Administration were the people to find out the entire truth. It must be very nice to be able to classify anything that you don't want out in the general public.

But alas I've lost so much confidence in my fellow man in the 2,076 days since Bush was elected that I doubt even if they did know they'd do anything about it. Oh the Democrats would try, but with the absolute power the Bush Administration has they wouldn't succeed, and with so many sheep who possess a Harriet Myers like crush on the President to stand between those who would save the country and those who are slowly destroying it the bloodshed would make September 11th look like a drive by shooting.

Ever closer I get to advocating a new map of North America, allowing the nutjobs on the right to have their own country to destroy while we in the center/left prosper.

Special Report: Bloggers on the Leadership

I decided a little little while ago, while checking out Cerberus’ Blogger Endorsement Page, to send out a questionnaire to one blogger for each candidate and post them in a special segment on my blog. I’ve gotten results from four bloggers so far.

 

The Dan Report – Gerard Kennedy

Cherniak on Politics – Stephane Dion

nottawa – Ken Dryden

Yappa Ding Ding – Bob Rae

 

Tomorrow I’ll start posting the results starting with Kennedy, then Friday I’ll post Dion, Monday will be Dryden, Tuesday will be Rae, and then hopefully I’ll have responses for the other 3 candidates by then.

 

I sent requests to other bloggers, but haven’t gotten replies yet. So I’ll open it up to anyone. If you’re a blogger and supporter of Michael Ignatieff, Scott Brison, or Martha Hall Findlay. Simply answer the following questions and email them to me at robertcode at gmail dot com, if more than one are received for any candidate it’ll be first received first served. (So Hurry!) ;)

 

Questionairre

1. Why did you choose to endorse (insert your choice's name here)?

 2. In your view, what are the top three issues that face our country and how do you see (insert your choice's name here) handling them?

 3. What do you think (insert your choice's name here) greatest strength would be in an election matchup against Stephen Harper?

 4. What do you think (insert your choice's name here) greatest weakness would be in an election matchup against Stephen Harper?

 5. If (insert your choice's name here) couldn't win, who would you prefer he/she throw their support behind and why?

 6. If (insert your choice's name here) couldn't win, who would you prefer he/she NOT throw their support behind and why?

 7. If you were (insert your choice's name here)'s leadership campaign manager, how would you run their campaign?

 8. Tell us something about (insert your choice's name here) you think most people don't know.

 9. Next to Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister, which cabinet position do you feel (insert your choice's name here) would excel at?

 10. If (insert your choice's name here) were pitted in a three way, 57 round battle royale against Paul Martin and Jean Chrétien who would win?

 

 

 

5 Things Feminism has done for me

Feminism is the greatest thing ever, and if you don't think so boy you'd better be prepared to throw down, cuz I'll mop the floor up with you.

1. Feminism has given me a reason to live.

2. Feminism has made my life worthwhile.

3. Feminism has instilled love and joy in to my heart.

4. Feminism has made me the best person I could be.

5. Feminism has made this world the best place in the universe, and if these alien bastards want to dispute that they can cram it with walnuts.

VIVE LA FEMINISM!!!

I Love Ya Bill, But....

Link

What did you expect? It's Fox News! That'd be like me moving to Calgary, putting a Liberal Sign up on my lawn and expecting not to have blue eggs thrown at my house.

That being said, Man Bill Clinton rocks doesn't he? Oh God I would have killed to see him run against Dubya, he would have annihilated him. It would have been like The Simpsons' Mr. Burns said 'Butchered him like a hog!' And I would have laughed the entire time, I'd have laughed so much I would have needed a jaw transplant by November.

Ah well, at least the Pittsburgh Stealers lost today. Hopefully my Pats will do enough to beat Denver, but I'm kinda iffy and laying even money on them right now.

Ralph Klein Decides to Return to his First Love

Ralph Klein, who tendered his resignation a few days ago, has decided to return to his first love, a passion that had to take a back seat when he decided to enter the world of politics so long ago. With his wife Colleen by his side “King Ralph” will now enter the world of Gangsta Rap music. with his Debut Album "King Kong Ain't Got Shit on Me." :D

Canadian Political Blog Community

I'd just like to invite everyone in the Canadian Political Blogosphere to join my latest creation the Canadian Political Blog Community. The idea behind it is to create a blog where all sides of the political spectrum can discuss and debate issues of the day in a public and readable format. So undecideds, Liberals, Conservatives, Dippers, Greens, Progressive Canadians, are all welcome. Using the email post feature of blogspot anyone can post. Posts will only be deleted if they're something obviously unacceptable like personal attacks, racism, or spam. Surly we can all agree on that much!

You're also welcome to promote your own blog, however obviously I'd like some content, commentary, and discussion as well. So what I suggest is posting a link to your blog in your signature.

CPBC Site

Goodbye Ralph Klein

And Good Riddance.

Gee whiz, two horrible Conservative Premiers gone in 3 days, it's too bad we couldn't keep this trend going. Of course Keliny's probably going to be replaced by someone even worse than him, but that's Conservative politics. Maybe we'll get lucky and someone will convince Rob Anders to run.

Tags:

• [Conservative]

Is ABC's Sucking up Permanent or Temporary?

First it was the lie fest that was The Path to 9/11, and now I just happened to notice channel surfing today that ABC was the only U.S. network (in my area anyway) that interrupted their usual noon programming to cover the President's speech to the United Nations.

I can only think of two possibilites here, the first being the suck up that we all noticed starting with The Path to 9/11 hasn't achieved ABC's unstated goal yet; or the second being that ABC is becoming Fox News mainstream.

According to Newsmeat Disney's (ABC's parent company) President and CEO Robert Iger is pretty even when it comes to his political contributions. spreading some around to Deomcrats such as Hillary Clinton, Dianne Feinstein, Bill Nelson, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee; As well as Republicans such as Arlen Specter, Charles Hagel, and Bill Nelson and the National Republican Congressional Committee. Source

If I were a betting man my bet would be this is only temporary. It looks to me like ABC wants something from the Bush administration and isn't above doing a little sucking up to get it. If he was truly a Bush backer he wouldn't give money to far right Republican's most hated enemy Hillary Clinton.

Tags:

• [Bush]

Am I the Only one who Didn't Know the Yukon was Going to the Polls?

Not a whole lot of coverage on this, and when I say "not a whole lot" I mean zero. At least that's I've seen. I just happened to stumble upon it on CBC's website.

Link

Looks like the Yukon Party Leader and Premier Dennis Fentie is in some Hot Water over his offer of free plane rides while he campaigns, no doubt in the hope of some good publicity. Don't believe me? Here's what he said about the issue:

'The spirit and intent, I offer it to you. I would hope you reciprocate in kind.'

Nah, that's not asking for Quid Pro Quo. BTW The "Yukon Party" are what Conservatives up there call themselves...

Another old Conservative trick I noticed was him using was calling the election at the time most likely to cause low voter turnout. Apparantly municipal elections are being held there Oct 19th, with the Territorial election Oct 10th. Link Reminds me of a couple of elections ago here when Johnny Hammbone called an election on like the day before a long weekend in the middle of Summer. Ah those Conservatives love democracy don't they?

Tags:

• [Conservatve]

Hilarious Bernard Lord Pic

Hat tip to Darren McEwan

I know this is posted there too, but it's too hilarious to not spread around.

Tags:

• [Conservative]

New Front Page/Site News

In accordance with my current upgrading project for the site I've created a new front page and Site News section. I've got some exciting new features that will make the site easier to navigate and also allow me to more easily distribute information.

Read About it Here.

Goodbye Bernard Lord

And Good Riddance, Congratulations to Premier Graham!

WOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Update: More good news: The NDP got shut out.

Video of CTV's Call of the Election.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umHWi1puWIE
Update 2: Even more good news with the Liberal win it looks like Proportional Representation is dead in N.B.

Tags:

• [Conservative]
• [Liberal]
• [NDP]

U.S. Senate to Vote on Motion to Pardon Bush

I figured I'd pass this along, not that anything could stop it but still when you're on a bus headed for Hell it's nice to know.

The U.S. Senate is going to hold a vote on whether or not to Pardon George W. Bush for breaking the law in the whole wiretap fiasco. Nice to know he has unlimited power...

Anyway in my view this argument is moot, whether he gets pardoned or not he still broke his oath of office (you know the part about preserving, protecting, and defending the constitution) and if that isn't an impeachable offence it should be.

Anyway, here's a message I got from moveon.org about it.

Dear MoveOn member,

This week, the Senate is planning to quietly hold a vote that would pardon President Bush for breaking the law by illegally wiretapping innocent Americans without warrants. According to Senator Leahy, the bill would "...immunize officials who have violated federal law by authorizing such illegal activities."¹

President Bush broke the law, and courts are starting to agree. Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter once said the program was illegal "on its face." But he has now caved to pressure from Vice President Cheney, and introduced legislation that marks a new low: the bill justifies everything the president did. Worse, it makes it legal to wiretap Americans, in secret, without warrants or oversight, whenever the administration wants to.²

So far, Democrats and some Republicans are holding strong against the bill, and there are good chances to stop it if enough of us speak up. Can you sign the petition opposing the Republican move to pardon President Bush for breaking the law?

Many legal experts agree that the president's program to wiretap Americans who have nothing to do with terrorism violates the law. President Bush already has the authority to wiretap suspected terrorists—and we support that. In fact, his administration can tap anyone it likes as long as it gets an OK from a court a few days later.

Congress should be trying to hold him accountable—that's their job. Instead, some Republicans are trying to let President Bush off the hook completely. In fact, the legislation would give the president even more unchecked power.

Here are some quick facts about the Cheney-Specter bill:

• It allows President Bush—and every president after him—to wiretap Americans indefinitely, in secret, without a warrant and without any oversight. ³
• It effectively pardons the president for any illegal behavior by forcing Congress to concede that he has the inherent authority to conduct the program⁴—something federal courts, numerous legal experts and many leading Republicans disagree with. ⁵
• It completely guts FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) which has protected the privacy of Americans against illegal wiretaps for close to 30 years.⁶
• It prevents any legal challenges from taking place in the public court system. Instead, it moves all cases to a secret court, where only Bush administration officials can argue it. ⁷
• It would help "immunize" any officials who broke the law in this program from being held accountable in the future. ⁸

Since the program was exposed in December of last year, we've learned that President Bush personally blocked a Justice Department investigation of the program, Vice President Cheney also personally intervened to stop telecom companies from testifying to Congress about it, and a federal court recently ruled the program unconstitutional.⁹ In an effort to protect himself from further consequences, the president is pressuring Congress to let him off the hook.

This is an important issue and it will help remind Americans, in an election year, what Republicans are all about—accumulating power for themselves, and trampling the system of checks and balances designed to stop that. Can you sign the petition today?

It's the Senate's job to act as a check on the president's power. If they can't do it, they shouldn't be in Washington.

Thanks for all you do,

–Nita, Eli, Jennifer, Wes and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Monday, September 18th, 2006

More at Stake in New Brunswick Election Than is Commonly Known

New Brunswick is the latest battleground in the fight for the wholly irresponsible electoral reform known as proportional representation. Today’s election could start a wave of electoral ignorance that engulfs the entire country.

     Good luck to my Liberal brethren in New Brunswick today, hopefully they can put an end to the horribly inept, mind numbing Lord regime once and for all. Also, I imagine this is Shawn Graham’s last kick at the electoral can and he would make a great Premier. Also I hope the NDP continue to be shut out of the New Brunswick Legislature. New Brunswick voters, unlike those of my home province Nova Scotia, are very smart in never having given the NDP more than 1 seat. Of course that’s 1 seat too many, but it’s still better than the pathetic 20 seats we gave them here. Oh well, if there’s one thing I learned from the last two U.S. elections it’s that the drawback of giving people choice is they frequently make the wrong one.

The Danger for Canada

     However, the far more important battle being waged is that over Proportional Representation. The Lord Tories have stated that if they were to win another mandate they would hold a referendum on PR sometime in 2008. If this referendum were successful it could start a chain reaction that would lead to the whole country being overrun by this inadequate voting method. Now as you can no doubt tell I’m a firm opponent of PR in the current forms I’ve seen for one simple reason: It gives small parties far more power than they should have. Using today’s election as an example a party that has never won more than one seat, and is currently polling at a paltry 7 percent would suddenly hold the balance of power for the entire province. Proponents of PR will say that this is democracy in action, and that it would force parties to work together for the betterment of their Province/Country, they will say that smaller parties will have smaller roles in coalition governments because of their having less support; but what I say is where is the guarantee of that? Where is there a guarantee that these smaller parties won’t use the government’s fear of being dragged in to an election to hold them hostage just like the NDP did to the last Liberal government? The answer of course is there is none.

Why not a Points System?

     Proportional Representation advocates ignore these concerns, or if they do address them do so in a cavalier manner. I’m much more interested in some sort of points based system where we keep the same ridings as we have now and rank our candidates according to preference. So for me in the last election it would have been 1. Liberals, 2. NDP, 3 Marxist-Leninist, 4. Green, 5. Conservatives. This way everyone would be able to make their full preference heard, and if their candidate doesn’t win their vote isn’t wasted. PR advocates by and large reject this proposal because most of them are supporters of either the NDP or the Green parties and simply want more power for their respective parties. There are however a few who don’t fall into this category, I regard them as well meaning yet ill informed.

First Past the Post Isn’t the Answer Either

     First past the post is flawed, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind about that fact, but replacing it with any of the methods of Proportional Representation I’ve seen would simply replace one problem, bigger parties getting a disproportionate amount of power, with another more serious problem, smaller parties getting a disproportionate amount of power.

More for my own Sense of Sanity

     I imagine I’ll take a lot of heat for this post; I always do when I bring up PR, but educating the public on this irresponsible course of action makes me at least feel like I did something to stop the idiocy. And in the end it will probably amount to the same as Sunday shopping here in Nova Scotia, I did what I could but the sheer number of uninformed voters more than nullified my efforts. But at least when the Green party rules the entire country with 5% of the vote I can look people square in the eye and with a strait face and say: “You can’t blame me, I tried to stop this.”

Shameless Plug

I’d just like to plug my new site Choose Your Own Blogventure!

Choose Your Own Blogventure! Is a community blog that will allow anyone to post on any topic they choose (within reason of course) posts are emailed through the site, I check them for naughty stuff, and if they’re ok I approve them. If you’d like to post click the link, you’re even allow to post a link to your own site. The only catch is you have to do a review of it so people know what it’s about, etc. if you’d like to support the site please feel free to link to it.

The name is obviously a play on Choose Your Own Adventure, a genre of books I was very fond of when I was a lad.

Conservatives Never Miss an Opportunity to Exploit Tragedy

From 9/11, to the Toronto Boxing Day shootings, to the Dawson College massacre, Conservatives exploit tragedy at every turn.

     “I will say simply that the legislation we have in force today didn't prevent the incident.” said Prime Minister Stephen Harper, mere hours after a crazed gunman shot up Montreal’s Dawson College. No one should be surprised that Harper or his party would use a nationally publicized shooting to their advantage; they had done it only 10 months before in reference to the Toronto Boxing Day shootings. Yet Conservative cat calls in the days that followed that tragedy are decidedly different than they were back then. Now the Prime Minister is calling for new legislation to fix the problem, however during the election campaign when the governing Liberals called for a ban on hand guns then Leader of the Opposition Harper said “The problem is this is the first government in our history that seems unable to enforce our gun laws, and I think obviously this is just the consequence of 12 years of lax criminal justice in law enforcement.” Basically what he’s saying here is the government should be enforcing the laws already on the books more effectively. So if the laws were good enough back then and the “lax criminal justice in law enforcement” couldn’t stop the Boxing Day shootings what, according to the Prime Minister, caused the Montreal shootings? Why lack of legislation of course.

It’s a lot easier to complain…

     Don’t feel bad if you’re confused by this contradiction in stances, you’re not alone. The young Harper government seems to be setting precedent for governing differently than they campaigned. Was this oversight merely a slip of the tongue either now or back in December? Or do the Conservatives not bother to write anything down when they spout off about their opponents? Perhaps the cause of this confusion can be summed up by saying the Conservatives may have learned in the interim that it’s a lot easier to complain than it is to govern.

Conservative Cooperation

     This phenomenon isn’t limited to the Canadian brand of Conservatives either, earlier in the week (Where Was Their Outrage Four and a Half Years Ago? – 09/13) the case was made that Conservatives’ neighbors to the South, the beleaguered Bush administration, has used the September 11th attacks at almost every turn to frighten confused voters in to believing they had no choice but to vote Republican. This is a tried, tested, and true page from the Karl Rove playbook that has dubiously made its way north of the border to our country. It plays on the most basic human emotion: fear. Fear can be a good thing, it lets you know to stay away from that snake, it gives you a heads up that you might want to slow down a bit when it starts to snow, but used and perverted as it has become fear is a dangerous and difficult to combat weapon. The subtle but unmistakable similarities in tactics of both Conservative minded parties should serve as a dire warning for Canadians who don’t want to end up like their Southern counterparts.

Biding Their Time

     Many will point to the fact that the Conservatives have been in power since February and haven’t done anything crazy. The problem with that statement is that they haven’t been in total power at all. A minority government doesn’t afford Conservatives the ability to do what they truly want to do because they know their hold on any type of power at all is precarious. We’re living in dangerous moments, moments where Conservatives bid their time, waiting for the opportunity to mould Canada in to their vision of what it should be.

Colbert Report: Peter & Condi

Now, I personally don’t care much about Condi Rice, and even less about Peter Mackay. But this is funny. I’m more devastated by Belinda.ca’s supposed romance with…I can’t bring myself to say it….TIE DOMI!!! Belinda my love! Come back to daddy! Anyway, at least it wasn’t that scum sucker Darcy Tucker.

P.S. Leafs Suck

Click Here For the Video

Is This the First Step Towards Canada in Iraq?

Quietly, and without much National fanfare the HMCS Ottawa sails toward the Persian Gulf. Is this a routine mission in support of Afghanistan; or our new Prime Minister helping out his American counterpart?

     225 sailors on board the HMCS Ottawa set sail Monday for the Persian Gulf. If you weren’t aware of this it’s not surprising, the deployment just happened to coincide with the 5th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, leaving precious little TV news time and newspaper column inches to report the story. This is a tactic made immortal by an episode of The West Wing entitled Take out the Trash day. For the uninitiated Governments routinely drop news stories they don’t want getting much attention on days such as Fridays because so many fewer people read newspapers or watch the news on Saturdays than weekdays.

Circumstantial Evidence?

     That a Canadian warship is heading to the Persian Gulf isn’t exactly an eye catcher, but when you take in to account the recent change in government, said government’s view that we should have been there all along, the upcoming midterm elections in the United States, said election’s focus on Iraq as an issue, and the fact that this is the first of our ships to go there in about a year (when a different government was in power) you’ve got yourself an eyebrow raiser. Of course this is all circumstantial evidence, but when a shadowy right wing government is in power circumstantial is sometimes the only evidence available until it’s too late.

How Would we Know the Difference?

     What resources do we, the general public, have to know where any of our deployed warships are at any given moment? It stands to reason that if we did have a way it could be used by an enemy to attack them. How hard would it be for one of our ships to relieve an American one so its sailors could be sent ashore to fight? As for the crew on board how do they know where they are? I imagine from a distance all shorelines look pretty much the same, also career military men are generally more Conservative so the senior staff could be in on it.

Know Thy Enemy

     The point is those of us on the opposition side need to understand the enemy we face across the aisle. Conservatives don’t care about honor, especially when they’re trying desperately to gain a majority. We need to question everything these people do, to make sure that they know we’re watching every move they make. These people aren’t like us; they are sneaky, manipulative and deceitful, if you need more proof of that simply Google “Buckets of Grewal”.

 

Where Was Their Outrage Four and a Half Years Ago?

U.S. Democrats are only now beginning to mount effective opposition to the Bush Administration, but is it too late?

Two nights ago President George W. Bush sat in the oval office and delivered a speech to his nation. Much like he had five years before the President toned all of the familiar spin we’ve come to expect from him; his cowboy diplomacy peeking through his calm exterior if only slightly. But in the five years since 9/11 the President and prominent members of his administration have waged non stop psychological war on the American people, in so far successful attempts to scare them in to re-electing Republicans at every turn. This has culminated in their now total control over every branch of government. Democrats, though principled, have failed to call them on it until now, a full five years since the day of days of our generation.

Plenty of Opportunities

The Bush administration has used the attacks on America to their own ends since the day it occurred, and it has been the constant frustration of those in the center and on the left that the Democrats haven’t called them on it. What’s worse is the blatant and seemingly ubiquitous hypocrisy that comes from an administration that uses the attacks for political gain and then criticizes those who do the same. For example, the 2004 Republican National Convention was scheduled right around the time of 9/11 and took place in New York City. And one of the more blatant examples of this phenomenon is that of conservative commentator Ann Coulter, in her recently released book Godless: The Church of Liberalism. At one point Coulter refers to the now famous Jersey Girls, a group of 9/11 widows who fought for the creation of the 9/11 Commission and endorsed John Kerry in the 2004 U.S. Presidential election:

“These broads are millionaires, lionized on TV and in articles about them, reveling in their status as celebrities and stalked by grief-arazzis. These self-obsessed women seemed genuinely unaware that 9/11 was an attack on our nation and acted as if the terrorist attacks happened only to them. ... I've never seen people enjoying their husbands' deaths so much ... the Democrat ratpack gals endorsed John Kerry for president ... cutting campaign commercials... how do we know their husbands weren't planning to divorce these harpies? Now that their shelf life is dwindling, they'd better hurry up and appear in Playboy.”

Apparently, according to Ann Coulter, her President invoking 9/11 for political gain at almost every turn is acceptable, and even commendable; but widows of those who died on that day demanding answers from a resistant government, and then choosing to endorse a candidate more likely to provide them isn’t. Coulter has been challenged on live TV several times about her despicable writings and is totally unapologetic, and even repeated those sentiments when confronted. Yet Democrats have time and again received political gold mines such as these and have dropped the ball every time.

Too Little, too Late?

Now, finally, Democrats are starting to emerge from their hibernation and mount effective criticism and opposition to the Bush administration. This, coupled with the failing fortunes of the Iraq war, have resulted in a long shot chance at them retaking one of the Houses of Congress, and an even longer shot chance at taking both. Given their loss of four and a half years of effective campaigning, one of the missions of the Democratic Party should now be to work at calming the American public of the fear the Republicans have used so effectively to keep themselves in power. Even now however, when they’re just starting to wake up from their long slumber they find themselves fighting an uphill battle that may not be winnable. Congressional politics are notoriously localized in the United States. Incumbents, even Republican ones, hold huge advantages in name recognition, fundraising power, and the feelings of those who don’t view their local candidate as being in the same wing of the Republican Party as their President. It is for this reason and this reason alone that this election is even a close contest at all. When all is said and done, when all their bumbling and lost opportunities are taken in to account, the Democrats will find that this failure of the public to equate one branch of Republican to the next is their greatest enemy. They may discover on November 7th that such systemic change of voting patterns takes far more time than that they currently have allotted to come to reality, their motto from now until that day should be reminiscent of Gertrude Stein: “A Republican is a Republican is a Republican.”

Video Section Refurbished.

The Video Section has been refurbished, from now on I'll be using YouTube as my host for the most part except in cases such as HBO who went on a crusade against YouTube for people posting their videos on there. Enjoy it now boys, when Bittorrent coders figure out how to make it decentralized and anonymous it'll be game over for you, you'll have to shut the whole Internet down to stop us.

But, that's a debate for another day.

The first video I'd like to hat tip liberal catnip for finding. Keith Olbermann is fast becoming one of my heroes and his intelligent and thought provoking commentary is making me seriously consider picking up the phone and ordering MSNBC.

As for the video section I haven't updated the template yet as I have on the main page, but I'll get to it soon enough. I think this new one looks cleaner and more professional don't you?

More Americans Choose Football Over Partisan Lies

Well, it looks as though the American public for the most part has chosen not to watch ABC’s baffling “docudrama” The Path to 9/11. Good news for everyone who values the truth. For me, this was never about left vs. right this was about right vs. wrong. Spreading lies, especially about September 11th, is one of the lowest things anyone can do in this day and age. In choosing to watch the Manning brothers play (which because I’m a New England fan I chose to shun.) the American public has shown that by and large they don’t take kindly to being lied to. (At least by someone other than their government –Ed.)

According to overnight ratings 20.7 million viewers took in the Sunday Night Football game, as opposed to only 13 million for The Path to 9/11, which in turn had only 3 million more viewers than the compelling, yet thrice shown, CBS Documentary 9/11, which shows footage shot by the Naudet brothers inside the North Tower lobby on that fateful day, and was long thought to be the only camera to capture American Airlines Flight 11 hitting the North Tower. (Two more have been found in the years following.) Of course 13 million people is a lot, but I imagine most of those were Red State dwelling Clinton haters who love nothing more than to see any program smearing a President so obviously more competent than their own choice. You know, the type of people who watch Fox News every waking moment of their lives (Except Sundays –Ed.) and think Bill O’Reilly is today’s Walter Cronkite.

Criticism is one thing, bold faced lies are quite another. I’m not above critizing my hero Bill Clinton; I think there is a lot more that he could have done to get Osama Bin Laden and his minions. But we all need to remember on who’s watch 9/11 happened. Tonight is the finale of The Path to 9/11, after which I hope ABC learns its lesson and puts it in the Disney vault for 50 years with all the other fictional classics.

electoral-vote.com is Back

One of the best websites during the 2004 U.S. Presidential election was electoral-vote.com. It's finally back, this time tracking the U.S. midterm senate races.

http://www.electoral-vote.com/

Bush's Freudian Slip

Note: I know I pimp Bill Maher a lot on this blog, but seriously the guy is brilliant and his show is hilarious and informative. It's what David Letterman calls "Infotainment."

I'm not a big fan of Katie Couric. That isn't to say I don't like her, I like her fine I think she's a very good TV personality and she's obviously very bright, but I just don't really like her on my TV is all, nothing personal she's just a bit too bubbly for me. Anyway, as most of us know she is the new host of the CBS Evening News, and on her first night she got an interview with President Bush. During the interview Bush said the following:

"one of the hardest parts of my job is to connect Iraq to the war on terror."

Bill Maher discusses the incident (WMV)
Watch The Interview (RealMedia)
Transcript of That Part of the Interview

What makes the timing of this slip up even more interesting is yesterday the U.S. Senate declassified a report that stated there was no link between Iraq and Al Qaeda before the attacks of September 11th.

Associated Press Report
Declassified Report (pdf)

Sign the Petition Against ABC's 9/11 Propaganda

Link

I Support Jason Cherniak

I love how people seem to adore bloggers who go out of their way to not step on any toes. As if being boring is somehow good reading. When I first heard about Jason Cherniak I was still a young blogger, just hatched from my parent blog's shell. Jason was one of the most respected bloggers at the time because he didn't really offend anyone. His views were more from the head as opposed to mine which are from the heart.

Recently however, he's come under fire because he's had the audacity to express a strong opinion he has about an Ontario NDP candidate. *gasp* HOW DARE HE?!?! How dare he strongly express an opinion? That bastard! we'll have to hornswaggle him! (Whatever that means -Ed.)

Jason is finding himself speaking more and more from the heart these days, so instantly that makes him an undesirable blogger to some people. These killjoys just seem to love nothing more than dry, boring blogs that simply recite facts and now and then throw in an opinion just to let the reader know the writer isn't a computer. I happen to take the opposite stance, I like in your face bloggers. (You mean like you? -Ed.) I enjoy conflict, I like bloggers who like myself realize that the Conservatives and the NDP and the Greens are our enemies and the goal of anyone towards their enemies should be to destroy them. (electorally in this case)

That isn't to say I didn't enjoy J-Roc's blog before, I liked it because I liked the man behind it. Do I agree with him on everything? No, I'm a Brison supporter he's a Dion man. But we're both passionate Liberals, it's just now he's showing a bit more of that passion than before. He's been given a position of importance in the Dion campaign and people say it's going to his head. I think it's just given him a passion for his craft that he lacked before. I personally think Cherniak is better than ever.

But most of all I support him because he's my friend.

Oh Kids Look! It's The Pope!

I heard about the Pope's latest diatribe today from Peace, Order, and Good Government. When I think about the Pope I always think about Bill Maher's take from Victory Begins at Home.

“I think Western civilization is more enlightened precisely because we have learned how to ignore our religious leaders. You know, I mean every religious leader says things. You know when one of their ayatollahs issues a falafel they do it. *laughter* We don't follow it. I mean the pope says a lot of things.”

Imitating the Pope: “No pre-marital sex.”

“Thank you very much. *laughter* Charming you are a charmer, thank you. Hey kids get in here look it's the Pope! Oh it's like seeing an albino tiger in the wild! How much longer you be able to see that? The Pope.”

Imitating the Pope: “No Masturbation.”

“He's doing all his greatest hits! Look at that! Thank you you're a fabulous Catholic celebrity, now go back to the castle.”

Now, of course Harper is probably devestated that he's failed one of his masters on this issue, but thankfully he can't do anything about it....yet.

Absolute Power

Back during the last election campaign Stephen Harper reassured Canadians by saying that they shouldn't be worried about a Conservative majority. The reasons Harper gave came in a statement made in Quebec on January 17th:

"There's certainly no absolute power for a Conservative government ... The reality is we will have for some time to come a Liberal senate, Liberal civil service. At least senior levels have been appointed by the Liberals, and courts that have been appointed by the Liberals."- Source

Well today Harper took his first baby steps toward his dream of absolute power by announcing he plans to fight tooth and nail for an elected senate.

"This has to end, because the Senate must change. We will be the authors of that change."

See, those on the righteous right are all about checks and balances, but only as long as they're the ones doing the checking and the balancing. The far right in this country has seen the Senate as an obstacle to their dreams of reshaping Canada in their own perverted image for a long time now. We in the sane center aren't suprised by it, in fact I'm suprised he waited this long to start his crusade.

The Senate does need overhauling, I think anyone can agree with that. But it should be done by all elected parties, not just by the Conservatives. Next thing you know Alberta has a majority of senators and that's the ball game for Canada, we might as well just call in an air strike and start over.

Things such as this are why I'm seriously thinking of getting behind a plan to start a party in both Canada and the U.S. with the purpose of reorganizing North America, all the Liberals and centerists can live in one part and the Far righties in the other. We'd keep the name Canada and they could keep the name United States. Like the Jesusland. I'd call it the New North America Party.

My vision for the future! :D (Click to Enlarge)

Red = United States
Blue = Canada

Newsflash to Layton: Afghanistan is not Iraq

Unfortunatly however I fear that we're heading down the same path in terms of public reaction to it. I love how most people were for this war, until our soldiers started dying. Well sunshine what the Hell did you think was going to happen? These are soldiers and they're at war. Jesus haven't any of you ever watched any WWII movies? Soldiers die. I know it's not a good thing but it happens. I feel pain like all of us when one of our soldiers dies, but Afghanistan is an honest to goodness enemy in the war on terror, Iraq isn't. That's why the Iraqi war is wrong and the Afghan war is right. (Well as right as any war can be -Ed.)

Now trust me I'm the last person in the country to support Harper, but in this case he happens to be correct, at least partly.

Layton doesn't care any more about the troops than anyone else does, he just sees the big poll numbers against the Afghanistan conflict and
is using that to fool people in to believing he cares. Real leaders, leaders who deserve our respect and admiration have the courage to do the right thing even if it isn't popular. Paul Martin did it with Same Sex Marriage, and now Stephen Harper is doing it with Afghanistan, although I don't give him nearly as much credit because he's only doing it to help out his boy Dubya.

People in our society have become too adept at adoring yes men as politicians. All our greatest leaders have stood up for what's right. Lincoln abolished slavery, Wilson supported Women's sufferage, Truman desegregated the military, etc.

PRESIDENT BUSH ASSASSINATED!

George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States, has been assassinated by a sniper's bullet in Chicago moments after making a terrorism related speech.

Full Story

A Dying President George W. Bush is held upright by a secret service agent moments after the shooting.

I'm not shocked that something like this could happen, but it isn't what I want for this President. I'd rather see him impeached and thrown in a federal pound-me-in-the-ass penetentary (Classic Office Space Quote -Ed.) along with his cohorts for the rest of their miserable lives.

The right is already using this movie to cast every single Liberal as wanting Bush dead. Where have I heard that before? (The sponsorship scandal!!! -Ed.) Oh well, I'm sure I'll remember it some time.

I don't imagine I had any of you fooled, but if I did fess up in the comments. APRIL SEPTEMBER FOOLS!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It’s Off to War we Go!

Iran Must Face ‘Consequences’: Bush

It seems the Dubya administration is preparing for war against Iran. Now if you just read that article you might think they’re just going to stop at U.N. sanctions, to which I would say “Where the Hell have you been for the last 5 years?” Everyone and their dog knows when Cowboy Dubya starts talking tough about a country that means he’s getting ready to go in. Frankly I couldn’t be happier, I just hope if he does go in he does it well in advance of the November midterms so the Democrats can win back both Houses of Congress as opposed to what looks like now only being an outside chance at obtaining one (Don’t you love American electoral idiocy? –Ed.)

You think Iraq is a quagmire? Wait until you get a load of Iran, who’s military is far more powerful than Saddam could have possibly dreamed. Let’s see we’ve got a military of 11,770,000 soldiers, compared to a former military of 120,000. Yup that seems to be a bit more. (In fairness it’s only a little over 98 times more. –Ed.)

Meh, Americans had their chance to get rid of this moron in 2004, I say they made their bed now they have to lie in it. You know we’ll be helping them with this war anyway, The Harperfuehrer will get around any lack of public support by using the bullshit U.N. cover.

Start buying you're war bonds now folks, prepare for the draft!

Sunday Shopping Going to Court in NS

Story

Well today's the day the court case against the idiocy that is the banning of Nova Scotia Sunday Shopping started. I've been dissapointed on this issue so many times before that I'm not holding my breath, but I am hoping against hope sanity will prevail and church will finally seperate from state in my home province.

I found it funny, yet not suprising to learn that Premier Rodney McDonald has shopped on Sunday in his home riding. Conservative and Hypocrisy basically mean the same thing to me these days.

Rest in Peace Benoît Sauvageau

Obviously I wasn't a big fan of his goal, but the Bloc has always struck me as a far more classy and intelligent opposition party than the others we Liberals face. I didn't know much of this man, but I mourn the passing of a Parliamentarian and offer my condolances to the Bloc Québécois and his family.

Story

Congratulations to Elizabeth May

I'd just like to take this oppurtunity to congratulate Elizabeth May for being elected to the leadership of the Lets Waste a Vote That Could Have Been Used to Get Rid of The Tories Green Party.

Everyone knows how much I Love the Green party, and how professional I think they are. But most importantly how much they matter in the grand scheme of things.


Keep up the good work Lizzy!

Fight for Pluto, Because it Can't Fight for Itself!

If you are as sickened as I am about the announcement today that the International Astronomical Union has demoted Pluto to a Dwarf Planet (Couldn't they have thought of a more insulting term? -Ed.) I imagine you want a place to voice your concern.

Here's how to do it.

Snail Mail
IAU - UAI
98bis Bd Arago
FR - 75014 Paris
FRANCE

Phone
+33 (0) 1 43 25 83 58
Fax
+33 (0) 1 43 25 26 16

Email
iau@iap.fr

URL
http://www.iau.org/

Petition against the high cost of the Convention

I don't particularly care about this issue, cuz I'm not going to the convention. But one of the things that seperates us from Conservatives is we actually give a shit about people other than ourselves. And since KC is a good friend of mine I'm hookin him up with a link to his petition on my blog. I even signed it for him! :D So if you care, go ahead and sign it.

http://www.petitiononline.com/libconve/petition.html

My Favorite Kind of Justice is Poetic Justice

Article @ ctv.ca

Conservative MP Jason Kenney is coming under scrutiny for his appearance at a rally organized by supporters of a banned terrorist organization.

This comes two days after Kenney, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, condemned fellow parliamentarians for their comments about another terror group.

Oh how sweet it is. God I love Conservative idiocy, it constantly reminds me why I'd rather have an insane monkey with a dart board running the country than these clowns.

Awwwwwww Aren't They Adorable?

Ahhhh, it's once again time for a tradition in politics, some of you may remember way back during the last election (Or as we're calling it the Dark Times -Ed.) I spoke of this phenomenon. I'm talking of course of some irrelevant, fringe party trying to pretend like anyone sane gives a shit about them.

The party in question as it was before is the Green Party. The party that reminds me of a little chipmunk in a big huge park, and they come up to you and beg you for some food and you think to yourself "Awwwww Aren't They Adorable?" Their latest offering, which I'm sure was meant to make me laugh so hard I died and therefore was unable to not vote for them, was made in a CTV story. The leadership candiates all professed "the Green Party leadership ... winner will be just as essential to Canadian politics as the next Liberal leader."

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA AHHHHH HAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA OH OH OH AHHAHAHAH OH MAN THAT'S GREAT!!! HAHAHAHAHA OH MAN I DAMN NEAR WET MYSELF AHAHAHAHAHAH W.W.W.W.W.W.W WAIT I JUST DID!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH HHAHAHAHAHA HAAHAHAHHAH AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! MAN THEY SHOULD TAKE THAT SHOW ON THE ROAD!! HAHAHAHAH AHAHAHAHAHHA, MAN THEY COULD OPEN FOR BILL MAHER WITH THAT KIND OF MATERIAL! HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Um, Ahem.
A few facts that contrast that "statement."

#1 The next Liberal leader will become Prime Minister.
#2 People will actually know the next Liberal leader's name.
#3 People will actually know that the party the next Liberal leader comes from exists.
#4 The next Liberal leader will participate in the debates.
#5 The next Liberal leader will have MPs in the House, and may be one him/herself.
#6 Sane people will actually give a shit about who becomes the next Liberal leader.
#7 The next Liberal leader will have a candidate in the North that doesn't go on vacation for the entire election cycle.
#8 The next Liberal leader won't have candidates running for him that don't ever set foot in the districts they're trying to win.
#9 The next Liberal leader will win his seat.

Ok, so that's more than a few but hey what can I say, I got on a roll. Seriously though, thank God for the Green Party thought. With the Harperfuhrer in charge and the Midterm Elections in the States looking good, but not good enough things are bleak. It's nice to have something political to laugh at.

Will This Nightmare Ever End?

Just when I thought the American people had finally woken up and realized who was running there government there comes a poll that shows if the midterm elections were held today they would still keep a slim Republican majority in the Senate.

Wow.

Just.

Wow.

If these people vote in these morons one more freakin time I'll simply give up on them, I'll switch to the other side and cheer Bush on. "So you want to cut taxes on the rich and raise it on the poor? Go nuts!" "Banning all vehicles except SUVs? A great idea!" "You wanna go for the first quadrillion dollar defecit? You go Girl!"

Seriously folks, how many times. HOW MANY TIMES do these people need to be screwed over before they stand up and do something about it? I feel like the U.S. is a rape victim who keeps thinking it's their fault and keeps apologizing and supporting their assailant.

It wouldn't be so bad if the U.S. didn't control so much of the major currents that govern the world, but these moronic assholes get to make decisions that screw the rest of us over. And then they wonder why we take such a keen interest in their election, they wonder why we in the rest of the world by a vast vast vast majority supported Kerry and Gore. I know my gas isn't almost twice as much as it used to be because of the Canadian government. Of course we haven't got much room to talk, we elected the Harperfuheror in January.

Update: Republican compares Hillary to Bin Ladin (Hat tip to knb for finding the story)

Now I'm no fan of Hillary Clinton, but......damn.....