Well, maybe not a strategic "genius"...but...
Say what you will about Stephen Harper (and I’ve said a lot), but he’s nobody’s fool. Two small, but very good, examples of smart messaging:
1. Make it look like Liberals and Tories have come together on Afghanistan, in a bid to take a very problematic issue for him off the table.
2. Lower expectations for the budget so that anything Flaherty gives out will be welcomed with open arms.
Clever guy, eh?
Now, as for our example of not so smart politics, I'd say this fits the bill. When you've been hit hard on the ethics issue in the past, blatantly breaking the fundraising laws right before on election strikes me as an odd tactic.
1. Make it look like Liberals and Tories have come together on Afghanistan, in a bid to take a very problematic issue for him off the table.
2. Lower expectations for the budget so that anything Flaherty gives out will be welcomed with open arms.
Clever guy, eh?
Now, as for our example of not so smart politics, I'd say this fits the bill. When you've been hit hard on the ethics issue in the past, blatantly breaking the fundraising laws right before on election strikes me as an odd tactic.
posted by calgarygrit at
5:52 p.m.
13 Comments:
Another pitiful week for a true Liberal.
Only salvation is that no matter how pathetic our representation in Ottawa gets and how prime ministerial/brilliant Harper appears, polls never give the Conservatives anything better than another minority.
More of the same and Dion will have to start to really watch his back. More than a few Dion leadership backers are not impressed with his capitulation on Afghanistan.
By
Anonymous, at 6:20 p.m.
How much I hate to admit it, Major Mackenzie just echoed what I have been saying the past few days...if you are in Kandahar, you are in COMBAT.
The mandate issued by the German Parliament, does not allow the Bundeswehr to take part in combat operations against the Taliban insurgency in the south and east of Afghanistan, other than in exceptional circumstances.
The mandate issued by the Italian Parliament, does not allow Italian forces to take part in the battle against the Taliban insurgency in the south and east of Afghanistan, other than in exceptional circumstances.
The mandate issued by the Spanish Parliament, does not allow Spanish forces to take part in the battle against the Taliban insurgency in the south and east of Afghanistan.
Canada had more casualties last year - 30 - than Germany (7), Italy (2), and Spain (3) combined - 12, even though we have 2,500 troops in Afghanistan, and Germany has 3,210 troops, Italy has 2,880, and Spain has 740.
Keeping us in Kandahar was the work of Iggy and a few other Liberal MPs who voted with him in 2006 to extend the mission.
I would love to know why Dion voted against staying in Kandahar in 2006 and now will vote to staying in Kandahar in 2008.
By
Anonymous, at 6:51 p.m.
This comment has been removed by the author.
By
leonsp, at 8:34 p.m.
I thought of showing up at the Ottawa Civic Centre tonight, and bidding "1 MILLION DOLLARS!!!" in Dr. Evil style, for a golf date with Paul Martin. And then not paying. Would that fit with the spending rules?
The rules are there to prevent undue influence by people with cash (definitely not me). Apparently, this sort of thing is still allowed.
By
Möbius, at 9:05 p.m.
"Apparently, this sort of thing is still allowed."
Is that ever lame Mobius.
I'm with CG - odd tactic
By
Anonymous, at 9:15 p.m.
MississaugaJoan said... Only salvation is that no matter how pathetic our representation in Ottawa gets and how prime ministerial/brilliant Harper appears, polls never give the Conservatives anything better than another minority.
I'm sorry but you can't characterize Harper as prime ministerial/brilliant just because he isn't acting like a vicious bully for two seconds... for every occasion where he comes across as someone who cares about this country... there are maybe 100 others where it's like he's playing the villain in a lame high school play.
By
MERBOY, at 9:16 p.m.
mobius - I dunno. If that IS allowed, it seems like a HUGE loophole. I mean, if John Rae wants to donate $30,000 to the Liberal Party, he can just bid that much for a game of checkers with Bob. It would pretty much end the donation limit since you could just have people "bid" on signed pamphlets or something.
I can't for the life of me see Elections Canada not declaring this illegal. (not that other parties haven't broken the rules either...)
By
calgarygrit, at 11:11 p.m.
I believe EC did say it violated the rules, and therefore the liberals decided to limit bids to $1100.00.
Just so you know, auctions like these happen at charity events all the time and they are not tax deductible, so I can kind of see why the liberals thought this would be OK. It was completely stupid of them not to check with EC first though.
By
Gayle, at 12:28 a.m.
gayle: "Just so you know, auctions like these happen at charity events all the time and they are not tax deductible, so I can kind of see why the liberals thought this would be OK. It was completely stupid of them not to check with EC first though."
Yeah, right.
By
Candace, at 4:14 a.m.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080214.wliberals14/BNStory/National
OTTAWA — The Liberal Party scrapped plans to accept unlimited amounts of corporate cash at a fundraiser last night after Elections Canada warned that the party would be breaking the law.
--------------------
Yeah, seems weird that you wouldn't double check for something like that first.
Oh well, no major harm done...
By
calgarygrit, at 8:24 a.m.
I must admit that I am impressed that you have admitted Liberal mistakes and given credit to Harper in this instance. Too many bloggers with a certain party affiliation (regardless of party) are so blinded by partisan interest that they are unable or unwilling to blog anything but good news for the party. I commend you on this post!
By
Anonymous, at 10:46 a.m.
OMG, Mulroney has been nailed. Read the full text.
Jack Aubry, Canwest News Service
Published: Thursday, February 14, 2008
OTTAWA - Karlheinz Schreiber's former accountant says he was present in 1986 when bank accounts were opened in Switzerland which he was told were being set up to eventually receive Airbus commissions intended for Brian Mulroney and Frank Moores, a parliamentary committee was told today.
Giorgio Pelossi testified by teleconference from Europe to the Commons ethics committee, saying he knows now that the Airbus commission money, which was estimated at about $20 million, was never funnelled to the Swiss accounts.
"I_have no knowledge of what happened to the (commission) money," he said at one point.
By
JimTan, at 12:08 p.m.
I don't think we are going to have an election anytime soon. If we do, I cannot see the Tories causing the writ.
I think that Mr. Harper is going to try and continue to extend this parliament. The longer he goes, the more he'll be able to blunt the anger over the realignment of transfer payments; he's also hoping to increase the comfort factor with Canadians.
To wait brings its own perils, however, for instance he's banking on Stephane Dion to be unable to rally the Liberal forces behind him.
By
NorthBayTrapper, at 8:45 p.m.
Post a Comment
<< Home