Harper's 5 years as PM: Mansbridge interview

[styky]

Harper's 5 years as PM: Mansbridge interview

http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2011/0 ... w-mon.html

[Peter O'Donnell]

We'll see if part II is any better, but a conservative critic would have sharper and more relevant questions for Harper, like, when is somebody in your Cabinet going to give voice to widespread doubts about climate change, or the role of the CHRC in political free speech, or standing up for property rights even when the going gets tough?

Those are questions that would reveal whether Harper really has abandoned his principles for power, or believes he is simply playing a complex game to avoid greater losses.

Mansbridge thinks he is a deep thinker but the questions so far were trite and predictable. Maybe if they let Rex Murphy ask the questions we would learn something. I would also ask Harper if he thinks we are on our way to becoming a colony of the Peoples' Republic of China, or if he cares since he can afford to go live in Bermuda or some other enclave of freedom later on while we're working for the Chinese as wage slaves.

[Smaug]

We'll see if part II is any better, but a conservative critic would have sharper and more relevant questions for Harper, like, when is somebody in your Cabinet going to give voice to widespread doubts about climate change, or the role of the CHRC in political free speech, or standing up for property rights even when the going gets tough?

Those are questions that would reveal whether Harper really has abandoned his principles for power, or believes he is simply playing a complex game to avoid greater losses.

Property rights are a provincial constitutional jurisdiction. The federal government cannot legilsate in that area.

About widespread doubts on climate change, I doubt anyone will actually come out and stir up a debate on the issue. There is no need. Let the U.N. lacky's chatter about raising enviroweenie taxes. All the government has to do is say, 'we are concerned, and we have enviro legislation that will solve all carbon problems". Since there are no carbon problems, doing absolutely nothing will make that statement the truth.

The same applies to the Chrc, except is not now on the radar as a political issue. In a minority situation, the government cannot get rid of the CRHC. We will have to wait and see what Harper does if and when he gets a majority.

[Charles J. White]

When Stephen Harper's time as PM is done, he will never get a column published in a conservastive publication or be accepted by any conservative think tank in Canada.

He is a god damn sell out. He has thrown every conservative under the bus, and has spat on them. All the while passing some stupid law and order powers for the government.

He doesn't belong, in any province in Canada, he belongs in the former USSR with his fellow travellers...

[Connie Fournier]

When Stephen Harper's time as PM is done, he will never get a column published in a conservastive publication or be accepted by any conservative think tank in Canada.

He is a god damn sell out. He has thrown every conservative under the bus, and has spat on them. All the while passing some stupid law and order powers for the government.

He doesn't belong, in any province in Canada, he belongs in the former USSR with his fellow travellers...

I totally agree. Harper has done more to turn Canada into a socialist craphole in five years than Trudeau was able to do in all those long, horrible years he was Prime Minister.

We have two options. Get rid of Harper, or watch Canadian conservatism die.

[DA_Champion]

I do not share the values of the Harper government, and I am not a fan the far-right direction in which he is trying to take the country: more militarism, anti-Arab, anti-China, deep tax cuts, anti-environment, a war on imaginary crime, elimination of public health care... however, I have to grant that he is a masterful tactician and strategist. I expect him to be Prime Minister for another 10 or 15 years or more, by which time Canada will be a fundamentally different country. By the end I am sure that it will be conservative groups in the USA that talk about how great Canada is, rather than the current state where Bill Maher and the Baldwin brothers talk about how great Canada is.

[styky]

I do not share the values of the Harper government, and I am not a fan the far-right direction in which he is trying to take the country: more militarism, anti-Arab, anti-China, deep tax cuts, anti-environment, a war on imaginary crime, elimination of public health care... however, I have to grant that he is a masterful tactician and strategist. I expect him to be Prime Minister for another 10 or 15 years or more, by which time Canada will be a fundamentally different country. By the end I am sure that it will be conservative groups in the USA that talk about how great Canada is, rather than the current state where Bill Maher and the Baldwin brothers talk about how great Canada is.

Far-right? On what planet.

more militarism, anti-Arab, anti-China, deep tax cuts, anti-environment, a war on imaginary crime, elimination of public health care...

More militarism - more like bringing the troops into this century with equitment that wasn't made pre WWII,

Anti-Arab, Anti China - So he won't let the big boys walk all over us that's not a bad thing.

Deep tax cuts - If you are referring to the corporate tax it is those very corporations that hire the Canadian tax payers. They less they pay in tax the more they can throw into their business. More business means more jobs and more Canadians working.

Anti Environment - If that means they are not falling for the IPCC BS more power to them.

Imaginary crime - How would you know..........you don't live in this country. However they changed how crime was counted several years back so no there is not less crime it's just counted differently.

Elimination of public health care - That's the biggest load of BS of all. At no time did the Conservatives ever say they would end Public health care you full of S.

[tanpro]

I do not share the values of the Harper government, and I am not a fan the far-right direction in which he is trying to take the country: more militarism, anti-Arab, anti-China, deep tax cuts, anti-environment, a war on imaginary crime, elimination of public health care... however, I have to grant that he is a masterful tactician and strategist. I expect him to be Prime Minister for another 10 or 15 years or more, by which time Canada will be a fundamentally different country. By the end I am sure that it will be conservative groups in the USA that talk about how great Canada is, rather than the current state where Bill Maher and the Baldwin brothers talk about how great Canada is.

Harper is 'anti-arab'? Being pro-Israeli isn't the same thing. Your list includes deep tax-cuts, anti-environmentalism, elimination of public health care...if he WERE all those things, I'd have no problem voting for him.

[styky]

Oh and just for interests sake NO I am not a Harper fan when it comes to many of the bills that are before the house and hope there is an election called killing them where they stand. Harper is more centre than ever in fact at the moment he's more Liberal than the Liberals.

[DA_Champion]

tanpro,

The deep tax cuts I refer to were the slashing of the GST from 7 to 5, that is very significant and has had a major impact on government revenues. Right now taxes are frozen due to the recession, once the economy picks up I bet that taxes will start falling sharply again.

He is ridiculously pro-Israel. Avigdor Lieberman has referred to Canada as one of Israel\'s best friends. Get back to me when the 4 million Palestinians in the occupied territories are given a right to vote for the government that rules them.

Public health care is slowly being eliminated, notice the unopposed proliferation of private treatment in Quebec. It is too bad as it is one of Canada\'s strongest competitive advantage. If we have a health care system as expensive and inefficient as the American one we will lose millions of jobs.

[Peter O'Donnell]

It will be interesting to see if there are any more probing questions in part two this evening. The party exec types both here and on SDA have the mantra down pat, Harper he not so bad, everything else worse, can't expect much this is Canada.

With attitudes like that, is it any wonder the party is stuck at 35% and if you exclude the gimme seats from MB to central BC, not even 30% in the polls?

I'm sure a lot of conservatives have totally tuned out of this party's message, it may resonate with some but others just find it too watered down and gimmicky. A tax credit for playing hockey is fine, but where's the outrage on climate fraud, where's the sense of natural justice prevailing over political correctness, where's the beef?

What is Harper anyway except a front man for the red Tories who pretended to lose a showdown in 2003 then took over the new party behind the scenes? Who really elected them? Who are they accountable to except each other?

[doggedlyright]

He. Get back to me when the 4 million Palestinians in the occupied territories are given a right to vote for the government that rules them.

DAC

The Palestinians worst enemy is their own Arab countries. Billions of dollars given to Arafat and his crowd ended up in their pockets and not the people.

Matter of fact, Arafat's wife was and still is living in decadence in Paris with millions of dollars per year stipend from the omeny the west gave.

I will set you straight on Harper. He is not a conservative, not a neo-con. He is a progressive liberal with a tint of fiscal responsibility.

[Godwin]

tanpro,

The deep tax cuts I refer to were the slashing of the GST from 7 to 5, that is very significant and has had a major impact on government revenues. Right now taxes are frozen due to the recession, once the economy picks up I bet that taxes will start falling sharply again.

He is ridiculously pro-Israel. Avigdor Lieberman has referred to Canada as one of Israel\'s best friends. Get back to me when the 4 million Palestinians in the occupied territories are given a right to vote for the government that rules them.

Public health care is slowly being eliminated, notice the unopposed proliferation of private treatment in Quebec. It is too bad as it is one of Canada\'s strongest competitive advantage. If we have a health care system as expensive and inefficient as the American one we will lose millions of jobs.

On the question of the GST I would suggest cutting the GST is a Keynesian liberal approach to tax cuts. It stimulates consumption.

A conservative would have cut income taxes. This could stimulate savings and improve the work/leisure tradeoff.

Granted this is a distinct issue from whether tax revenue should be reduced. Of course I think federal tax revenue should be reduced.

A related question to your posts is the use of the federal government to intervene in areas of provincial jurisdiction.

[tanpro]

tanpro,

The deep tax cuts I refer to were the slashing of the GST from 7 to 5, that is very significant and has had a major impact on government revenues. Right now taxes are frozen due to the recession, once the economy picks up I bet that taxes will start falling sharply again.

He is ridiculously pro-Israel. Avigdor Lieberman has referred to Canada as one of Israel\'s best friends. Get back to me when the 4 million Palestinians in the occupied territories are given a right to vote for the government that rules them.

Public health care is slowly being eliminated, notice the unopposed proliferation of private treatment in Quebec. It is too bad as it is one of Canada\'s strongest competitive advantage. If we have a health care system as expensive and inefficient as the American one we will lose millions of jobs.

The GST has always been and will always be nothing but a government slush fund. It should be cut even lower than the current 5%. Perhaps if Canada didn't still have so many gov't-run programs that money wouldn't be needed.

Health care in Canada has always been a problem. Quebec (and Alberta) introducing more private treatment within the framework of the CHA is the only viable solution so far. What's the problem with private care in a universal system? It shortens the waiting lists for the public, and people receive quality treatment both in the private and public paths.

Regarding Palestine/Israel, Canada finally has a PM that is worthy of praise on the international stage. In fact, that is perhaps Harper's strongest area. Being a friend of Israel is a problem? Considering the unwarranted attacks the only Middle Eastern democracy is whethering, it's good to know they have an ally left - can't say that about Obama.

The Arab nations could have lifted Palestine out if its quagmire long ago, but that would have taken away their crown jewel - it gives them leverage, and appeals to the uninformed.

The items you have a problem with read suspiciously like a leftwing textbook.

[DA_Champion]

Godwin,

I am not a big fan of the argument that certain tax cuts are Keynesian. If it were about Keynesian economics, would the first response not be drastic spending increases on public works rather than cutting consumption taxes? Also, how are cutting sales taxes more stimulative than cutting income taxes? Income taxes make a significant dent per paycheck. For a typical worker who makes $45,000 a year in Canada, a 2% cut to income taxes would work out to about $40/paycheck (assuming 2-week paychecks), a sum that he would notice and for which he would adjust his behavior accordingly. Cutting the GST means savings of a few cents per fast food meal, which is not noticeable. I think Harpers point was to reduce federal revenues so that it would be harder for a future government to expand the socialist state.

Whether or not the constitution states an area is provincial or federal jurisdiction is of no concern to any of the players involved so it is not my concern when I analyze their decisions.

tanpro.

Yes my arguments sound lefty that is because I am on the left. I gave up on most right-wing thinking around 2006 due to the economic problems in the USA, the quagmire in Iraq, as well as the anti-intellectuality on climate change. I know you are less of a forum regular than you used to be, but probably other forum regulars read your comment and laughed at it as it is kind of self-evident.

Anyway,

1) Yes the GST is a government slush fund. That is why cutting it is a conservative move. It is a decision to reduce the power of government.
2) I do not think private health care as we have now is any kind of problem, it is probably benmeficial. My conclusions come from extrapolating the trend. I am skeptical that the current framework is sustainable, private health care will want to grow their profit base and will lobby extensively to do so. They can only grow by successfully lobbying to eliminate the public system.
3) There are no democaries in the middle east. Israel has 4 million Palestinians under its direct and total control and they do not have the right to vote.
4) The Arab leaders are cowards, and so is Barack Obama.