Stephen Taylor has begun to document the flood of gratuitous comparisons between Stephen Harper and Darth Bush’s Rethuglamericans.
Stephen – that’s a job for a team of bloggers.
Definition: Drive By Media
The perplexing part about this growing trend to tie Harper’s policies to those of Bush is that it’s taking place in the duly diligent world of fact-checking, editor supervised, professional journalism. WaPo, 2003;
A Pentagon spokeswoman said the military-wide policy [barring media from covering return of “flag-draped coffins”] actually dates from about November 2000 — the last days of the Clinton administration […] Dover Air Force Base, which has the military’s largest mortuary, has had restrictions for 12 years, others “may not have been familiar with the policy,” the spokeswoman said. This year, “we’ve really tried to enforce it.”
“Harper’s policies on Afghanistan sounding increasingly Clinton-like”. Somehow, I doubt we’re going to see that in the headlines.
Actually, Harper’s policies are so Bush-like its almost to obvious to state. But if you want a good, non-partisan example, go to SpaceDaily, where you will read that Canada’s new environmental policies will “mimic” those of the U.S.
‘Drive by media’; ‘drive-by reporting’. Very nice and accurate metaphor.
That’s exactly what’s going on with Canadian MSM. They have one agenda – to discredit the CPC and Harper, and return Canada to its Natural Governing Party, the Liberals.
An important axiom of the Liberal platform is its insistence that it alone represents Canada. An important plank in that platform is that the Canadian identity is: not American.
Canada has not developed a self-identity. Actually, it had one before Trudeau- but, this has been destroyed by setting up, in law, a set of rules that defines us. The problem is, these definitions are all false. We are defined as bilingual; but we are not. We are defined as multicultural; this has prevented integration and the development of a modern Canadian identity. We are defined as ‘peacekeepers’ which is a meaningless term.
Our economy is bonded to that of the USA; 85% of our exports go there; we have no role to play in the international economy.
So-we have gradually, since we haven’t been able to develop an identity, come to identify ourselves only as ‘not-American’. That is the dead end that the Liberals have led us into.
Our MSM, brought up in this era, are brainwashed in this mindset. The fact that the CPC won the election is, to them, ‘unnatural’.
They have to show that Harper/CPC are ‘unnatural’, are ‘not Canadian’. Since we don’t have an identity, then, all they can say is – “We are becoming like the Americans! But, the identity of Canada is to be Not American!”
The MSM: “Sentence first – verdict afterwards”.
So- the MSM – are nothing but ‘a pack of cards’..Liberal Cards. (Alice in Wonderland).
bcl,
considering their policies have been wildly more successful than ours, why is that a bad thing?
Good policy is good policy….. I thought you libs always claimed to be pragmatic not idealogues. I mean, you guys stole enough ideas from the reform party back in the day, right? So whats wrong with copying a successful idea?
Man, if you think the Canadian Media has Adopted American-Style “Drive By” Reporting , since the Conservative Harper came along , you ain’t seen nothing yet. Give it a year and they will try to impeach him.
Down here in Gringo Land , we already have the mojo on ABC/CBS/NBC/MSNBC/GOOLGE/CNN/AP/REUTER’S/PBS/BBC and any other alphabet channel , besides FOX , and we ain’t to sure about them half the time.
Well, either way , I will spend my American Money with Conservative Canadian Establishments.
Now , any chance of banding together and taking OPEC down ?
,
Well said ET. To define the Canadian experience as “not” anything is by definition, no definition at all.
The lingering hangover from the Trudeau era has left this country with a collective case of “Where the hell am I”? That sinking feeling one has following a night of over indulgence.
We are suffering from a cultural and political blackout. Time to sober up.
Syncro
Dear Fred,
Almost all forms of emissions reductions in the states have been on the State level. The Feds under Bush have been a writeoff in this regard. the Asia Pacific Partnership, the main Federal initiative, is nothing but a PR gesture (as responsible Republicans like McCain have stated).
And Canada hasn’t even committed to joining that.
Dear Fred,
Almost all forms of emissions reductions in the states have been on the State level. The Feds under Bush have been a writeoff in this regard. the Asia Pacific Partnership, the main Federal initiative, is nothing but a PR gesture (as responsible Republicans like McCain have stated).
And Canada hasn’t even committed to joining that.
bcl,
So you’re saying that a decentralized, domestic emissions policy (with tangible and measurable objectives) has achieved far greater sucess than the disgrace that has been the Liberal emissons policy (ie sign on the dotted line and bury your head in the sand)?
Great, so what’s wrong with going south of the border, examining why the americans have been sucessful and copying their approach?
Actually, the notion that it was a Clinton policy that barred images from being taken of military caskets returning to the US is not entirely true either. The policy was put into effect by the Pentagon in 1991, presumably during Operation Desert Storm. It simply had fallen into lax use until the present administration decided to tighten up on it again.
Because, if they examine what they have done on the Federal level, they will find that they have done nothing. You can’t accomplish anything by doing nothing, unless your plan is to do nothing.
But we are straying off topic. I sense Kate’s heavy hand nearby. My point was, here is a non-partisan, non-Canadian jouranlistic source saying that there is nothing more to Canada’s policy than warmed over Bushisms.
I thought for sure those lacrosse players were guilty! It is sad to think you cannot believe anything anymore.
Actually, the post, by AFP on the Canadian government’s involvement in the Asia-Pacific Parnership (which includes major polluters like China and India, unlike Kyoto) – isn’t at all like the Canadian MSM attacks on Harper/CPC. The Canadian MSM are using the metaphor of ‘You are like Bush’; You are American’ as a form of criticism.
The AFP (and Reuters) article are simply reporting the facts. Something the Canadian MSM don’t do.
The article quotes Ambrose: “They (the United States) are beating us in every industry on pollution control, so we don’t want to just catch up, we want to compete, we want to outperform,” Ambrose said.
And “There’s no physical border (between Canada and United States) when it comes to air,” Connaughton said in support of more bilateral cooperation on this issue.
“Last year, Canada was flagged in a UN report as high on a list of countries most likely to run into difficulty implementing commitments to stem global warming under the Kyoto Protocol.”
“In 2003, Canada had increased its emissions by 24.2 percent from the base 1990 level, far from its 2012 target of a six percent reduction, according to the report published in November 2005.”
So- this AFP isn’t behaving at all like the Canadian MSM, which is bashing Harper by saying ‘you are like Bush’..with the term ‘Bush’ meaning ‘BAD, EVIL’.
The AFP (and Reuters) are doing what the Canadian MSM doesn’t; provide facts, just facts.
The Reuters article about the same thing, noted that Canada, under the Liberals, had no ability to meet the Kyoto targets and was instead, planning ‘to buy emissions credits abroad, a course of action that Ambrose ruled out”
Can you imagine – the Liberals weren’t planning to do a thing about pollution! They were planning instead, to use our tax dollars to pay the huge fines…which would be given to those ‘developing countries’ which are not party to the Kyoto Agreement!
By the way – why haven’t our Canadian MSM reported these facts – why are they from Reuters, CNN, and AFP? Because they show Harper and the CPC in a good light?
“But we are straying off topic.”
Maddas Hussein did not stray from his “topic”: Death.
The MSM will not touch these documents. Why? +
Undated Document: Change Chemical, Nuclear, And Missiles Sites for Fear of Western Attack
Pentagon/FMSO website for Iraq Pre-war documents ^ | April 25 2006 | jveritas
Posted on 04/25/2006 12:56:52 PM PDT by jveritas
This document ISGZ-2004-007589 is an undated Top Secret and Immediate memo sent by the Director of Iraqi Intelligence to the Military Industrialization Commission asking warning them about potential military attacks by the West against Nuclear, Chemical, and Long Range Missile Sites and he asked them to do what they can to hide these targets in order to prevent the air strikes from succeeding in hitting the targets . What is also interesting in this document that the Iraqi Intelligence Service obtained the information from a Double Agent who was given the information of the attack targets by Western Intelligence Services and was asked to spy on their behalf to monitor these targets.
Beginning of the translation
In the Name of God the Most Merciful The Most Compassionate + more…
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1621334/posts
I think there is an inconsistency in the thinking that, on the one hand, the press and Canadians generally ought to be interested, aware and supportive of the troops but ,on the other hand, if one or more gets killed, well lets draw the line there. Just let them go to their families and leave it at that. Don’t lower the flag and don’t show the coffin, and don’t cover the funeral(?). It just doesn’t make sense to me to follow them there but not to follow them home.
I think there is an inconsistency in the thinking that, on the one hand, the press and Canadians generally ought to be interested, aware and supportive of the troops but ,on the other hand, if one or more gets killed, well lets draw the line there. Just let them go to their families and leave it at that. Don’t lower the flag and don’t show the coffin, and don’t cover the funeral(?). It just doesn’t make sense to me to follow them there but not to follow them home.
I think there is an inconsistency in the thinking that, on the one hand, the press and Canadians generally ought to be interested, aware and supportive of the troops but ,on the other hand, if one or more gets killed, well lets draw the line there. Just let them go to their families and leave it at that. Don’t lower the flag and don’t show the coffin, and don’t cover the funeral(?). It just doesn’t make sense to me to follow them there but not to follow them home.
I think there is an inconsistency in the thinking that, on the one hand, the press and Canadians generally ought to be interested, aware and supportive of the troops but ,on the other hand, if one or more gets killed, well lets draw the line there. Just let them go to their families and leave it at that. Don’t lower the flag and don’t show the coffin, and don’t cover the funeral(?). It just doesn’t make sense to me to follow them there but not to follow them home.
I think there is an inconsistency in the thinking that, on the one hand, the press and Canadians generally ought to be interested, aware and supportive of the troops but ,on the other hand, if one or more gets killed, well lets draw the line there. Just let them go to their families and leave it at that. Don’t lower the flag and don’t show the coffin, and don’t cover the funeral(?). It just doesn’t make sense to me to follow them there but not to follow them home.
I think there is an inconsistency in the thinking that, on the one hand, the press and Canadians generally ought to be interested, aware and supportive of the troops but ,on the other hand, if one or more gets killed, well lets draw the line there. Just let them go to their families and leave it at that. Don’t lower the flag and don’t show the coffin, and don’t cover the funeral(?). It just doesn’t make sense to me to follow them there but not to follow them home.
I think there is an inconsistency in the thinking that, on the one hand, the press and Canadians generally ought to be interested, aware and supportive of the troops but ,on the other hand, if one or more gets killed, well lets draw the line there. Just let them go to their families and leave it at that. Don’t lower the flag and don’t show the coffin, and don’t cover the funeral(?). It just doesn’t make sense to me to follow them there but not to follow them home.
sorry for the repetition but my computer kept telling me it didn’t transmit! I guess it did.
steve d- yes, indeed, you’ve made your point. But I disagree with it. You are talking only about MSM coverage of the return of the bodies to their families. Not, thank goodness, of the silly argument about the Peace Tower flag remaining up while other flags are half-staffed.
Being aware and supportive of the troops is, I think, absolutely correct. But, death is private; it belongs to the family. The MSM have no right to thrust a microphone into a relative’s face and ask ‘how they feel’. A national ceremony, such as we have on November 11th, referring to them by name at that time, is far more of a tribute, and respects both the soldiers and the relatives.
I simply don’t see how MSM coverage of the relations of the relatives, is any of our business. I’m not at all advocating ‘forgetting them’…which is what some people might think we are doing if we don’t cover the burials. I’m just saying that some things are private, and some things are public – and we must respect the differences.
LCBO said: “But if you want a good, non-partisan example, go to …” rabble.ca where the left moonbats are committing hari-kari.
Prime Minister Harper has driven them underground: no ceremony, taps, no fond goodbyes from rabble.ca’s admin/mod (temp, protem?)… just lip-biting as Willy Coyote Clinton does.
Angry posts: It’s hilarious.
…
Not a unique comment — there are several people on this thread hoping for the deaths of Canadian soldiers, either as a way of ending the mission in Afghanistan, or to punish them for being part of the imperial war machine, or for Iraq, or Vietnam, or something.
Well, hoping for Canadian soldiers to die has earned these people the sternest response possible from a fellow leftie and board moderator:
What appeared to start off as a link to a news article has turned into a stupid and offensive slugfest. Neither Wilfred Owen, nor Horace from whom he borrowed would be impressed.
This has come up before, and I am NOT comfortable with the suggestion that harm coming to soldiers from Canada or anyone else would be a desireable thing.
As an interem [sic] moderator, I’m reluctant to start suspending people, so I’m closing this thread as it’s going nowhere good, and will consult with my colleague on policy regarding wishing for soldiers to come to harm.
You can tell the moderator is angry because he capitalized “NOT” when describing his discomfort at people wishing for Canadian deaths. That indicates a great deal of discomfort. Like being forced to sit on a really lumpy couch, I suppose. You know, really uncomfortable.
But now the hammer comes down. Maybe. Once he discusses the issue with a colleague. To check on policy. I mean, there must be a policy to justify suspending people who hope Canadian soldiers die. + http://angrygwn.mu.nu/
Et
Yes, the MSM should keep its distance but I think they should cover them arriving back in Canada. But then leave the families alone in their grief.
If my child came back like that I would want the whole country to show appreciation. I wouldn’t want to get the impression that we only cared when he was alive. I think to know a nation supports me in my grief would help immensely.
I was watching Rona Ambrose on Politics yesterday and Mike Stuffy Live today; she was very impressive on both shows: measured, knowledgeable, unflappable, and not able to be swayed off-topic.
The reason she gave–which sounded very plausible to me–for the CPC asking the U.S. Department of the Environment (or whatever their Department is called) for suggestions as to how Canada can best improve its air quality is because on every measurement of clean air and pollution in the environment, the U.S.A. is WAY AHEAD of Canada on lessening pollution.
For all of it’s big, tough talk on the environment and the need to clean it up (are YOU listening, Suzuki?) the LPC, as in every other area, was blowing hot air rather than putting pragmatic policies in place. They had 13 years to start cleaning Canada up, and did they? No. But they did have the gall to deliver a stinging criticism of George Bush last year about the s U.S.’s negligent record on the environment.
LOOK IN THE MIRROR, YOU LPC MORONS.
The Honourable Rona Ambrose also pointed out that because our borders are porous, as far as air quality is concerned, it makes a lot of sense for Canada and the U.S. to work closely together. Doesn’t it always work out better when neighbours co-operate? We Canadians would hardly know, because of our infantile we’re jealous of the U.S. and want to stick our tongues out at them every chance we get attitude as championed by the Librano$ for the past 13 years. But, now that grownups are in charge, maybe we’ll see a move forward on cleaning up the environment…
Press Release from our Courting PM Rae Days.
Location: House of Commons, Speaker’s Chair. Mace in his lap. All heil PM Rae Days.
Rae Days, PM: Yes, you over there with the cute smile. No, not you, Svend. VD.
VD: Mr. PM, Honourable Sir, Lord & Masterer, my Liege, Judge & Eternal Helpmate; O, Sir, you are the most courting PM we have ever had here at the Presstitute Brothel. Tell the whorld, how sweet, lovable, hug-a-thug, socialism is for all the oppressed of this Canada of yours. Amen.
Rae Days: Ahem, well, as I said to Iggy & Paul & Power Corp., & Maurice, & Jean & Mao & Paul Pot… …. Stalin was my mentor &… +
Liberal hopeful Bob Rae courts media in contrast to Prime Minister Harper
OTTAWA (CP) – Liberal leadership hopeful Bob Rae cast himself Tuesday as an avuncular, media-friendly consensus builder, drawing a stark contrast to Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper…
cnews
Right, maz2 – but, it’s really an open war between the Liberal MSM and Harper/CPC. They have essentially, for the past generation, acted as the Communications Gurus for the government. By this, I mean – not that they transmitted facts – but that they wrote, authored, ‘reality’. They were collaborators with the Liberals, in defining the fiction that was Canada.
This meant that they as the actual authors, not the gov’t, informed the public about national matters. That has ended. Now, the gov’t is informing the public and the MSM are expected to report, not mould reality.
They don’t like this; they are no longer authors but are reporters. They’ve lost power.
So- it’s a real war – and we can’t pretend that the MSM aren’t biased. It isn’t even that they are ‘Liberals’ (though most of them are); it’s about the Power To Write The Fictional Account of Canada.
Obviously the reporters of the Ottawa press gallery feel that enough time has passed since the election that it’s no longer going to come across as unseemly to attack a newly elected government that hasn’t had a chance yet to implement it’s policies. So as a result they are back to their equate-conservativism-as-uncanadian mode, and the gloves are off.
The overwhelming anti-conservative slant of the Ottawa press gallery (or at least of CBC and CTV television reporters who have the most influence) is as usual being skillfully manipulated by certain Liberal politicians – a particularly egregious example being the execrable Ujjal Dosanjh, who if there can be such a thing as a low-key demagogue, surely is one. He is back to using the Steven-Harper-is-a George-Bush-wannabe trash the Liberals tried, and failed, to use to smear the conservatives in the last election. To use the tragic deaths of 4 Canadian soldiers as a political opportunity is simply beneath contempt, and utterly despicable. I hope that when the Liberals select their new leader whoever it is has the courage to purge that once-honourable party of their bilious anti-American types like Dosanjh and his ilk. Perhaps then we might see them to return to their more natural home in the NDP, and the Canadian political scene would be the better for it.
I see the MSM, like the leftist Opposition, is ever so wont to compare the Conservatives to the American gov’t, be it the Repubs or the Dems. They’ll stoop to making biased statements quickly without offering any evidence to back up what they tell viewers/readers.
Why is it that many folks still assume that the MSM is necessarily telling the truth and doesn’t have an idealogical/political agenda?
Why is the MSM sharing the obsession of the necropoliticizing leftist Opposition with the flag and the flag-draped coffins? It’s not as if the MSM and the leftists even care about the military or the mission or the heroes. They secretly actually believe that we don’t even need a military. One Liberal actually said to me that we don’t need a military. It was then that I knew there was something wrong with him.
Thankfully, more and more intelligent folks are coming to the realization that the MSM needs to be taken with a grain of salt and cannot be relied upon to provide full, unspun, hard facts… Nevertheless, the MSM will continue to act as if they’re perfectly scrupulous and belittle anyone who dares criticize them…
What is it about America that the left thinks is inherently bad? Clearly Canadian moonbats are no less brainlessly and unnecessarily anti-America than are American moonbats such as Michael Moore and Ward Churchill.
The left still hasn’t learned from its ignominious defeat in the last election, treating it as a one-time aberration despite the plainly obvious reality. The MSM also continues to ignore the people when they increasingly say they don’t trust them anymore and are turning to alternative, non-estabishment, non-elitist sources which, btw, are usually free…
Oh, btw, the unintelligent, dogmatic anti-American near-theology of the left and the MSM will guarantee their increasing irrelevance to Canadians.
The fact that more and more people are coming to see for themselves that the left and the MSM are just plain stupid and wrong will guarantee a long, long era of conservative rule in North America. As long as there’s democracy, the people will continue to reject the monstrous dogma of leftism.
Isn’t it curious that the MSM has all but forgotten the Income Trust Scandal and that they never question “Honest Ralph” as to why he met with his friends from the IDA just before he screwed his fellow Canadians out of billions of savings?
I think Harper’s out of his element. He wants to be a second Bush. Be prepared more soldiers are going to die. Are we ready for the backlash from the rest of the world. We are not war mongers. We are not a world power like the USA . He uses Bush quotes. “He’s a legend in his mind”.
Dave_K, I liked yur comments. Make your points easier to read. after you write a block of text, use the enter key here and there to open the solid block of copy to paragraphs.
Dosanjh; Ujjal, that is, has a vast ethnic following. In fact, Dalliwahl and others have an enviable way of co-operating for their mutual advancement.
Call me a racist and you err. I simply point to this raw co-operative ambition as a matter of fact observation. Raw in the sense that power and financial gain is the singular goal.
Provincially we have two power hungry fellows in the BC legislature who we understand got kickbacks in the sale of BC Rail while making a few sheckels on the side with pot grow-ops.
Ethics bending is a common trait among liberals both provincial and National. Even though the BC liberal party is in many ways extremely conservative..as in [penny pinching tight.] TG
TG
Heads up!
Avast just trapped the latest Virus worm for me.
Thanks, Avast.
I put up a screen shot of the Alert warning window
that includes the details of the current threat making the rounds, complete with it*s nuclear like yellow alarm device.
http://TonyGuitar.blogspot.com
Click on the graphic to enlarge so you can jot down the ID details. Then check against your anti-virus list to see if you are protected.
Lots of malicious Email these days. TG