It took only 10 years for the Reform Party to self-fund itself from nothingness to Official Opposition.
What’s your excuse?
Update: Yes, indeed.
It took only 10 years for the Reform Party to self-fund itself from nothingness to Official Opposition.
What’s your excuse?
Update: Yes, indeed.
I did a search on the Elections Canada website for all McClelland names that supported the NPD for the last 2 years and guess what, Robert’s name did not show up. Only Audrey McClelland show up and she contributed 5 times for about $300 dollars. Robert did you really contribute? Did you really give money to starving children?
I’m just asking?
Pat Martin, an NDP MP from Winnipeg said “This means war.”
Really! The NDP is declaring war on the electorate. While also threatening to overthrow the government I elected so they can continue to receive their Political Welfare Bums (TM David Lewis NDP) handouts.
So, if I meet an NDP MP on the street and feel that my life is threatened, I can do what? I know the answer, do you?
maybe a few concerned Canadians would start a paper bag collection for the Libs, so that they could get a head start on the next election.
If they couldn’t fill ’em up with cash, maybe they could stick them over their heads to keep from hyperventilating.
Of course, to the NDP and Taliban Jack, war is talking very sternly to those who might slit your throat. And, of course, deeply deploring the situation wherein children starve.
ok4u, if corporations are so bad, why do so many people work for them? Is their paycheck so bad? Are the millions, if not billions they pay into the general tax coffer so bad? Take away corporations and you can say goodbye to ALL your social programs.
The one thought that came to my mind after hearing this is
Ronald Reagan would be impressed.
ducktrapper, and along that note, why is the NDP so quick and eager to declare war against the CPC, but willing to sit down and talk with the Taliban?
Mr. Chairman, I humbly submit that they are freaking insane.
Right on, make Kinsella and Warman fund the damn Liberals, that way they won’t have money for their lawsuits.
As for the NDP, give ’em some cash in the ridings where they can beat the Liberals.
Give it up, Robert M. (@ 4:19). Your thesis is pure hogwash.
Excerpts from the following article show that you’re a magical thinker—I’m being charitable. (The article describes American giving habits. Though Americans give FAR more to charity than Canadians—did you know that, Robert?—the conservative/liberal [as in NDP, Liberal, Green, and BLOC parties] pattern would be very similar.) Emphasis is mine in the following.
“A recently published book outlines the difference between C[c]onservatives and L[l]iberals who donate to charity – that’s the subject of today’s Talking Points memo.
“So what are we to make of the fact that conservative Americans donate 30% more to charity than liberal Americans? A new book called “Who Really Cares” by Syracuse University professor Arthur Brooks [who, himself, was surprised by the results]. . . states flat-out that religious Americans who vote Republican are far more likely to be generous to the downtrodden than secular-progressives.
“The big question, of course, is why? Liberal philosophy is all about ‘nurturing’ people who need help. The ‘tax the rich’ crew can’t yell loud enough that more money needs to go to Americans in need. JUST NOT THEIR MONEY . . .
“But a funny thing happened on the way to liberalism. Americans who believe in ‘income redistribution’ give 75% less to charity than Americans who do not, according to Dr. Brooks. That is a stunning differential. I believe this is a religious thing. Liberals believe in individual gratification, and that often takes money. Buying that jazzy new SUV and that vacation home can deplete disposable cash fast. If it’s all about you, then you are thinking about you, not about poor Dave down the street.
“But devout Christians, Jews, and Muslims are compelled to help the poor by their beliefs. Personal gratification is not a big theme in scripture. Jesus was a huge ‘help your neighbor’ guy. For Christians, it is all about Dave down the street, not the latest material possession.
“The statistics say that religious Americans give four times as much money to charity each year than secular people, and are 23 times more likely to volunteer to help people than folks who never attend church. And here’s another crushing stat: If liberals donated blood at the rate conservatives do, the nation’s blood supply would rise 45%.
“So in this season of giving, Christmas, a word some liberals don’t like to say, it might be worth pondering just who is really looking out for the have-nots. The leftist media [and a**hats like Robert] often portray[s] c[C]onservatives as mean, sexist, racist, bigoted homophobes who are cruel and insensitive to the plight of the downtrodden.
“So the next time you hear a big government liberal bloviate about helping the poor, please trot out the statistics mentioned in Dr. Brooks book. And then tell that person that in America today, giving money to charity seems to be the RIGHT thing.
“What’s LEFT is – well, liberalism.”
Now, Robert, what do you think of that?
After watching Pat Martin during the Mulroney witchhunt I really believe he has anger mangement issues,thought the NDP were the anti-war party.
Just ask everyone who votes for you to drop a toonie in a box and you will be ahead of the game.I support the CPC with membership money ,can it be that other parties aren’t worth a toonie to their supporters.
Perversely, Global Calgary’s coverage of this completely failed to mention that the major reason the oppo parties are up in arms is because of the proposed cutting of the $1.95/vote subsidy. They even had David Taras, a PoliSci prof from the U. of C. and a long-time contributor, on the program, and he also conveniently failed to mention the subsidy cut as a possible motivation for the oppo’s being up in arms.
Honestly, why do I bother watching the Lame Stream Media anymore?
Garth
Master stroke!!
I don’t even understand the intentions of the Conservatives at the moment – but I know a brilliant manouver when I see one.
Love it; the conundrum the Liberals face! And, worse for them, do they really want to be the government during a recession! Do they want to be responsible for forcing another election so, oh sooo soon?
As to asking the opposition parties to form a coalition government: there is no way the governor general could invite the Bloc Quebecois into the federal government. Something about treason??
What is it about lefties? They want the State to pay them and their causes celebres. I donate my after tax, personal hard won cash to causes I support, including scientists and the CP.
When the great intellectual Mr. Ignorantenuf said on John Gormley that we have to protect the high paying manufacturing jobs in his riding and the auto sector he suggested they could get a job at Tims for $13.00 an hour.
This means those $13.00 an hour taxpayers should prop up the richer workers who might lose their $70.00 an hour jobs. Taliban Jack I am sure would agree as He was in their pocket for years until Buzz realized they will never finish better than fourth and sided with the liberals.
The trouble with layoffs in the auto sector the first to go with less seniority are the young workers with families and mortgages while the old boys club {well heeled usually}who are less productive will remain on the job. This is one of the many things wrong about unions.
An RN returning to Saskatchewan with 18 years experience has to requalify to work in Sask and starts at the bottom pay scale because of the great union seniority rules. This is not right so it must be for the left!~ It surely doesn’t make ¢
I’m sure the Sally Ann would show the Political Welfare Bums (a good one Cascadian!) how to solicit money from the common people of the country.
In fact this would be the first step to forcing the politicians to talk directly to voters and find out exactly what is on the mind of the voters.
No more of these politicians hiding in dark rooms convincing each other that us arrogant politicians know more than the great unwashed.
And it is our right to push them around.
I would be willing to bet that after a few elections voter turnout would probably even increase because of the new found interest of politicians in what people really have to say.
Gee I wonder if Pat Martin would come to my door so we can talk about oxen being gored?
It’s healthier for democracy if the People Who Care What Happens To Them And Their Country Because Of Ottawa voluntarily put their money where their mouths are. Confiscation and distribution doesn’t advance democracy; the subsidy doesn’t reflect the Peoples’ choices; their voluntary donations and their votes do, because they’re made at the precise moment of decision, rather than later on in the future after a lot of folks have changed their minds.
I see no need to confiscate everyone’s money and give some of it to politicians just because they got so many votes in the last election. An election, then, becomes a race to see who can win more taxpayer dollars than the other guys, and this isn’t a good thing. It becomes about winning as much as possible just for the sake of getting as much money as possible. No good at all!
Forcing political parties to depend solely on donations from individuals is what’s really participative democracy. Some stupid arbitrary law involving confiscation and redistribution isn’t.
Subsidies to political parties is just artificial and really doesn’t help at all. If a party is worthy of being supported, then they will be, as we’ve seen in the Conservative Party. Compare them to the Liberals, who failed to hold a candle to the Tories in terms of support from individuals. Why did that happen? Surely it can’t be blamed so much on crappy fundraising practices as it can be on the fact that the Liberals just don’t deserve any support at all until they quit being a corrupt, hard-left, extremist-speckled party of entitlement and creeping socialist decadence and decline.
Let the Left scream bloody murder if they want. Not so sure the People will be impressed with them. After all, the Left is out of touch with the People and assume the People will always agree with what the MSM tells them they’re supposed to think/what the Leftist politicians try to tell them to think.
the Truedough model was to ghettoize the various immigrant groups, then you would only need to buy the leaders to get the “group” vote, but now it may come to the politicians needing to go to the group leaders with “cap in hand”, t’will be an interesting change to watch
I watched all this on CPAC today. It’s been covered well here.
Couldn’t help but notice all the nauseating praise for the “Office of the President-elect”
from Layton and Brisson. Obama isn’t even in the White House and those guys figure he has the world problems solved.
I want to know how any politician can justify funding from the public … and to bring a government down on this when the entire country is worried about their jobs is plain stupid. And with all the Obama hero worshipping did anyone notice that his campaign was taking in a million dollars a day from small donors all over the country … hello people wake up … grass roots low dollars add up and quickly if what you’re saying resonates with the average voter. Time to stop pandering to the “lower income’ brackets and start concentrating on maintaining support in the a solid middle class. (gee what party does that …)
Politicians and political parties that can’t raise funds don’t belong in the game. All those Liberal supporters just show how disengaged they really are, merely rote voters when they won’t support their party. As for the Bloc 80% of their funds come from our taxes … Andrew Coyne said it best … let them fund their treasonous way on their own dime … Even the NDP raises more money than the Liberals … maybe the NDP SHOULD be supporting this bill.
No economic stimulus package, maybe because we don’t need it yet … if ever … yes the autosector needs something, but whatever anyone else says, it’s got to be done in concert with whatever the US does because the problem is systemic, a bag full of money will not solve the problem and will not make them make better cars, have better customer service, or get rid of the ridicluous union and pension liabilities.
Can’t wait to watch the politics play out, but undoubtedly the Liberals will suddenly be 15 members short on Monday when the votes are counted. Dispite rumors to the contrary, there is no possible way a coalition would last especially with the liberals fighting among themselves for the next 6 months … Dream on lefties, dream on.
So, the question now is:
Will the oppo parties vote to bring down the government and trigger an election or try to maneuver themselves into creating a coalition BQ+ND+LP and asking the GG for the opportunity to govern?
Their strong rhetoric has already begun to box them into a corner – to abstain/call-in sick would really make them look like a bunch of chickensh$ts. And it won’t stop the CP from cutting the funding and thus their throats in the short-term (in the long-term I agree with others that this might be a good thing if they learned to actually be real partys rather than political welfare bums).
Triggering an election on this issue seems like political suicide. First they have (less-than)zero money whilst I think the CP base is energized more than it has ever been (i’ve certainly been getting lots of calls from fellow cp supporters). Money will come pouring in if there is an election.
Second, the electorate will punish them severely for causing one on such self-centered and issue. And the overall economic issue doesn’t seem to be as pressing as it once was – the cp seems to be taking a cautious go slow approach – IOW they are showing mature rather than chicken little leadership.
Third, if they lose again they will still loose their funding and likely any chance at 24 sussex for at least 4 yrs.
Which brings us to the third option, or rather the third rail option – getting into bed with the biggest political welfare bums of all the successionist BQ. How far would the stockmarket plummet if the oppo partys were to do such a thing? The looming recession will be made far deeper if these looney tunes get to be in charge – and they will clearly be the ones to blame.
What will Iggy and Bob Rae do with Stephane presumably the PM?
How long could they keep the coalition together?
How badly would the ROC punish the LP and the NDs for getting in bed with the Bloc?
How would the LP base in Montreal react?
The aftermath could be far worse than it was for Peterson hooking up with Bob Rae – 12 yrs-plus of Stephen harper as majority PM.
I confess that parliamentary procedure and precedent in non-confidence situations – perhaps someone who knows more could enlighten us on the possibility of the oppo partys forming a coalition.
bluetech wrote… “Couldn’t help but notice all the nauseating praise for the “Office of the President-elect”
from Layton and Brisson. Obama isn’t even in the White House and those guys figure he has the world problems solved.”
It won’t matter if Obama fails to deliver “change” and “heal the planet”. For the MSM, GWB will be the Mike Harris of the U.S. He will be blamed for everything… for the next 10,000 years.
A coalition with the separtist BLOC?????
Didn’t Belinda Stronach say she left the Conservative Party for the Liberals because “she did not want to get in bed with the BLOC????”
Oh my how things change in a party with no other moral or ethical reason to exist but to have “power” – at any cost- as long as the taxpayer pays the bills it would seem
Anybody else here just flabbergasted that the media is actually crowing on side with this??? Egads- this country is ethically messed up big time.
Seems that Harper asked himself “What would J.C. do?” In this case, “J.C.” being Jean Chretien. It is an elegantly cynical move that appeals to libertarian principles and perhaps will do some harm to the other parties without providing them any high ground on which to stand and protest.
I don’t see why politicians should have the right to distribute tax dollars to any causes, worthy or otherwise and I can think of no more unworthy cause than a political party that can’t raise it’s operating expenses from its supporters. Not to mention a business that can’t face up to its unions or make cars it can make money on.
As a union member I resented money being sent to a party that supported many issues I disagreed with. As a citizen I felt it was unwise to allow large donations from corporations or others. An eventual quid pro quo is to be expected.
I would rather that the politicians busk for spare change from many supporters so that they have too many to be beholden to have any conflict of interest. Jean did right to limit that and Harper did well to limit it more.
Who knows? Perhaps the only long term fall out will be cleaner airwaves from less advertising and cleaner streets from fewer signs. Not sure that money buys electoral results to any extent. Pretty sure it buys politicians, though. Well done, Stephen!
oops, should read:
As a union member I resented money being sent to a party that supported many issues I disagreed with. As a citizen I felt it was unwise to allow large donations from corporations or others. An eventual quid pro quo is to be expected. Jean did right to limit that and Harper did well to limit it more.
I would rather that the politicians busk for spare change from many supporters so that they have too many to be beholden to have any conflict of interest.
This is political theatre at its best. As I watch the opposition parties contort themselves to spin this in their favor, I laugh at their transparent attempts to frame the issue in terms of lack of any “stimulus package”.
Their motivation is simple: self-preservation. The Bloc and Greens would essentially die on the vine without the public subsidy. The Libs would be dealt a severe financial body-blow. I see the Dippers taking a short term financial hit, but they have a solid grassroots organization that could beef up individual donations. I agree with others on this thread that this issue could work in the Dippers favor, if only they could see past their own short term selfish needs.
Fascinating politics orchestrated by Harper, who continues to amaze me with his political instincts.
Capitalists use their own money to help the less fortunate and believe in giving it as close to who needs it as possible to lift them out of their circumstances without fanfare.Socialists believe in hiring people to give other peoples money(taxpayer)to causes that are a continuing need and take credit for doing it.They are like drug pushers in that their livelyhood depends on the exploitation of the less fortunate.Truly bottom feeders.
One interesting facet of conservative charitable donations is they tend to give money to charities which ACTUALLY help the poor whereas liberal/socialists give to charities which “advocate” or “raise awareness” of the cause.
My money to the Sally Ann actually buys a homeless people hot meals, some clean clothes and warm, dry and safe places to sleep for the night. Lib/Socialists fund a 25 year old grad student with braided armpits and so many facial piercings she looks as if she fell face first into my tackle box to set up a picket line “demanding” government do something! (something like hire her as the homelessness policy coordinator at $60k++/year).
C’mon guys/gals. I thought you were a lot smarter then to let the troll attack get to you!! They are hurting and know it! Call PMSH on this as a vote!! Bring on another election.Caused by the Lieberals/Diapers/Traitors.
Norm Matthew:
25 year old grad students with braided armpits and so many facial piercings need dry and safe places to sleep at night too.
Robert McLelland: Self-righteous and pompous left-wing windbag, claims he gives his money to the “poor starving children” rather than his political party of choice. At the same time he smears Conservatives as uncaring.
I give to my political party and last week I started spending 8 hrs a week ringing the bells on behalf of the Salvation Army – because like most good conservative right wingers, I believe it’s important that I actually walk the walk. I believe it’s better to set a good example for others. rather than simply writing a little ‘feel good’ cheque in order to feel all smug and righteous.
Lorraine: “Anybody else here just flabbergasted that the media is actually crowing on side with this??? Egads- this country is ethically messed up big time.”
Not flabberghasted, just disgusted.
Caught Chantal Hebert, Rob Rousseau, Alan Gregg, and Andrew Coyne on The National last night, and the only one who defended the CPC’s get-the-parties-off-the-taxpayer-welfare-teat was Coyne.
The rest of the crowd (bagmen?) looked spooked, dejected, winded, just not able to BELIEVE that their beloved political stooges in the Librano$ were having the rug pulled out from under them–something, BTW, that the Librano$ have always been good at doing.
I usually like Chantal Hebert’s commentary, but not last night. She’s pi**ed. Well, too bad.
‘No way the Canadian public should be supporting the Bloc Quebecois to the tune of 86% of their funding. That’s suicidal.
What a country! “Ethically messed up big time” is a good way to put it.
I’m just hoping that MAYBE there’ll be some floor-crossing to deprive the “coalition” of the ability to form. The Librano, Dipper, and Blockhead clowns need to be cut off at the knees.