Check out Susan Riley's latest column.
...Offstage you can hear the bleating of outraged Liberals. Once again, Harper is recycling their old policies -- even the promise of an east-west electricity grid to bring clean electric power from Manitoba into energy-starved Ontario. The Liberal did the tough negotiating with provinces, and much of the spadework for the projects Harper has been announcing. His so-called EcoTrust, which provides federal funds to provinces for green projects, is a belated, repackaged Liberal initiative.
You can't say, with one side of your mouth, that the Conservatives are far-right, neo-conservative ideologues and then, with the other side, say they are stealing Liberal ideas. It kills your message. Unless you are a New Democratic and you say that Liberal ideas are far-right.
Comments (11)
Right wingers, cons, etc are labeled as racist and anti french. Out of his own mouth, Garth Turner has publicly critisized Dion’s ability to speak french.
http://repocreepo.blogspot.com
More double standards from everyones favourite whipped boy.
Posted by repocreepo | March 7, 2007 3:41 PM
Posted on March 7, 2007 15:41
Riley is kind of a proxy for Jack. And there’s no doubt that both the NDP and the Liberals are “slightly” upset with Harper & Co. co-opting their allocations and ideas. And if you surf the LibBlogs, you will see that the troops and trolls are really, really upset. Maddened, really. I’ve never felt better at the sight.
The difference is, of course, that Harper is actually doing something, versus Chretien/Martin perpetually promising the projects … usually at election time. The story really should be at either the blindness, or the very limited/selective memory of Liberal supporters. It’s really surprising.
Posted by Erik Sorenson | March 7, 2007 4:14 PM
Posted on March 7, 2007 16:14
And wasn’t the clarity act lifted from Harper and Manning? And deficit reduction lifted from Manning?
The wierd thing is that the pundits expect politicians to look at the same issues and NOT come up with the same solutions! When they, quite logically, come up with the same solutions - they are accused of stealing ideas. But, what if the solution is simply a logical conclusion?
And the difference between the Liberals and the Conservatives is that the Liberal response is pure rhetoric while the Conservative response is action.
Posted by ET | March 7, 2007 4:20 PM
Posted on March 7, 2007 16:20
Is it really stealing someone’s ideas when the person never really intended to bring them into the light of day with any conviction or commitment… to quote the Liberals themselves… “you didn’t get it done!”
The number of Liberal broken promises verses the number of promises followed through on has got to be in the numbers of 1000 to 1…
Posted by Mr Ed | March 7, 2007 5:05 PM
Posted on March 7, 2007 17:05
Bang on, Greg. You can’t say that Harper is an extremist ideologue and a Liberal wannabee at the same time.
But I guess “reporters” like Jennifer Ditchburn of CP are too busy making fun of Harper’s crime strategy to point out fundamental flaws in Liberal political messaging.
Posted by Dennis (Second Thoughts) | March 7, 2007 6:52 PM
Posted on March 7, 2007 18:52
Unless you are a New Democratic and you say that Liberal ideas are far-right.
By George, he’s got it! I think he’s got it!
Posted by Greg | March 7, 2007 7:46 PM
Posted on March 7, 2007 19:46
Billions of dollars in porkbarrel spending ripped out of the Liberal platform and slathered all over swing ridings. Ha ha ha ha! Take that, taxpayers! I mean Liberals.
Er, all of us Conservative Party supporters either have government jobs locked up for the coming Harper majority or else have already moved most of our assets offshore, right? Otherwise we would look kind of stupid cheerleading for the same kind of welfare schemes that led the Liberal Party down the path to terminal corruption. Just checking.
Posted by Anonymous | March 7, 2007 7:50 PM
Posted on March 7, 2007 19:50
Rome wasn’t built in a day. We’ve had thirty plus years of big government taking care of everything. The mindset will not change overnight. There are many things I’m not pleased about with this government, but the general direction is right. As we move forward, it is just as incumbent for Conservative supporters to hold the government to account as anyone else.
Posted by BBS | March 7, 2007 8:24 PM
Posted on March 7, 2007 20:24
I wonder how “the mindset” will be changed if the party that claims to be against “the mindset” never mentions “the mindset” (except in coded phrases like “the mindset”), but instead continues to throw more fuel on the fire, because … (shrug) … you know, thirty years, Rome, can’t do it overnight …
it is just as incumbent for Conservative supporters to hold the government to account as anyone else
Very good. Here’s an excellent opportunity to stop making lame excuses for them and start kicking some socialist ass.
Posted by Anonymous | March 7, 2007 10:30 PM
Posted on March 7, 2007 22:30
WHERE’S FLIPPER?
Help find the Liberal’s missing “non-leader” and priceless French asset! Bonus points for actual sightings! Gory details at:
http://www.thiscanada.com/2007/03/08/wheres-flipper/
Posted by Erik Sorenson | March 8, 2007 8:08 AM
Posted on March 8, 2007 08:08
“kicking some socialist ass”
That’s a luxury only available to columnists and bloggers.
Blame the voters. Harper can’t make a sow’s ear into a silk purse overnight.
Posted by Alan | March 8, 2007 8:43 AM
Posted on March 8, 2007 08:43