Watch and learn. Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey holds a clinic for conservative politicians the world over.
UPDATE: Yanked by the Star-Ledger. There’s another copy here. You might download and save it while you still can.
Meanwhile, it’s business as usual in Ottawa….
This is what I look like when I’m wondering if Christie wants to move to Canada…
Our MPs, who have been screaming for weeks that Parliament, not government, is the supreme democratic authority, had best wake up really, really fast and understand that VOTERS are the supreme democratic authority.
If anyone can get some advice to PMSH really, really fast . . tell him to support the Auditor General and open up the MP expenses.
It is a perfect election wedge issue.
Amen and alleluia, a politician who has a spine.
As for MPs expenses the Auditor General Sheila Fraser should have been all over them years ago.
We elect MPs to govern not to turn government into their private slush fund as in years past.
Of course with the recent expenses scandal in Britain which included “moat cleaning” I’m sure one or two would be feeling the electoral heat.
Open up the books and have a gander. Its not like Canada Revenue Agency gives the rest of the hoi poloi a break do they?
Cheers
Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht, Commander in Chief
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
Like him a lot! Anytime a conservative says anything he believes in, he/she is confrontational or silencing dissent, according to liberals….
NJ Governor Christie doesn’t look like a great man but he certainly appears to be. New Jersey is almost as rotten as New York and Illinois and California are on another planet entirely. Christie should be simultaneously governor of all 4. Kudos to rookie MP Michelle Simson of Scarborough, who, despite being a Liberal, lit a tiny candle in a vast darkness with her remark that: “… people just don’t believe politicians anymore.”
Christie may be on to something.
Same with Sarah Palin.
example; While city councils and school boards trash Arizona’s upholding of immigration laws, most Americans support Arizona. And yet Palin, Christie and a few others are the only politicians who support the majority view.
Love it.
The money quote is at 1:04.
Hilarious!
I’ve been crowing about this for months now … the CPC are doomed until they get a leader who can “communicate”. Chess Players don’t cut it. Slick “rag the puck” manoeuvres don’t cut it. Letting the media set the agenda doesn’t cut it. And a chorus of tribal “Harper can do no wrong groupies” don’t cut it.
If you can’t beat the worst Liberal candidate ever fielded in the history of the Liberal Party of Canada, one Mr. Dion, you shouldn’t be there … if you can’t beat him on the precipice of a recession, when the entire country knows you are an economist while he is a bumbling “sociology professor”, you don’t belong there.
Only question is … in all of Canada, who is that inspirational Conservative? Is there not one single inspirational dynamic speak-to-the-people creature in the entire Conservative movement? … are they just a pack of hacks, tribalists, and back benchers too beat up by party whips to do anything more than salute their leaders and agree to play chess instead of lead, inspire, and “communicate”?
By the way, a while back a bunch of regulars here were suggesting that Christie was going soft … still think that?
It’s so rare for a contemporary conservative politician to be able to articulate their views in a simple and effective (and FUNNY!) way – like Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, and Newt Gingrich used to do.
This guy is going places!
Whatever that guy ate for breakfast, put it on Harper’s plate.
I’d love to see him debate The Vacuous One . . he’s eat Barry’s lunch in 30 seconds flat.
Christie reminds me of Ralph Klein. Both realize that the modern media only has as much power over you as you allow. They also both use straightforwardness and humor to put the media in their place. OTOH, PMSH mostly ignores the MSM, except for occasionally poking their hive with a stick. Just the insecure red Tory type conservatives still feel the need to play nice with the media. In general, it seems that more and more conservative politicians in the US and Canada have a dismissive attitude towards the MSM. That’s Good News, indeed.
Wow,I love it! Did they pick this guy up right off the Sopranos set,a straight talking shooter,something the Canadian electorate would frown upon after the MSM finished their spin.
Chris Christie for PM.
Would that we could have a conservative politician in Canada who spoke so plainly.
Puttin’ on a clinic is right. Christie just rocks.
“I came here to govern; not to worry about re-election.”
There’s a message for the CPC. Start governing like conservatives, if indeed you are conservative.
I hope there comes a day when federal Conservatives can be plainspoken but I fear that Canadians residing in cities east of Manitoba would go into convulsions (even conservatives). The Golden Horseshoe contains many who still maintain a Sesame Street view of the world where there is no conflict and no hint of unpleasant speech. Too often they equate blunt honesty with rudeness.
And Mr. Christie,I DO want to see you when you’re pissed.
Cjunk, I think you are wrong in criticizing Harper for not beating Dion. Having worked in Don Valley West in Toronto for the Conservative candidates going door to door as I have for provincial elections, also speaking to friends and family members who are Liberal or NDP you simply can not change their views. How long have you read and posted on this site and not noticed trolls like T or Robert McClelland that NEVER change their politics no matter what facts you, ET or so many great posters present? Doesn’t matter, they are brain-dead, its just they way they are and they represent millions like them across Canada.
I have talked to many people on the phone canvassing and invariably when a person says they work for the CBC they follow up with I must vote Liberal! This is becoming more entrenched not less as the leftist teachers “educate” their students.
When I asked Liberals how, how could you vote for Dion, a man who can’t communicate in English, just imagine him representing Canada on the world stage, blank stares. Did you also notice with the worst Liberal leader ever he still got 100 seats!
Just think back to the Coalition. Here was an attempt to usurp our freedoms with the lynch pin a man dedicated to tearing the country apart, a critical Canadian issue, and, what we had maybe 350 people at Toronto’s Queens Park while the Coalition on the same day had over a 1,000 at the City Hall.
Harris is still pillored by the left in Ontario for daring to challenge the Teacher’s Unions and their darling McGuinty has rolled back every one of his excellent policies. Harris was a great communicator.
One thing I agree with you is Harper should be on TV explaining the Consevative plans and policies. Each time we see him on American or European TV he is brilliant. Maybe its our left wing Lamestreammedia?
Yes thank you, I’d like another cup of “honest and refreshing”.
I too had high hopes for Harper and the conservatives. Now I just despise government. The only way things will improve is if people begin to take action to hold our government accountable. We need to get involved!!!
Dave
I don’t think anyone could have said it better than that.I could go on and on listing family members,colleagues and friends that think the exact same way.If someone like Mr.Christie representing the Liberal party came forward,I’d have no problem voting Liberal.Not lefties,Dion is proof of that.
Meanwhile in Ottawa . . . When I pay a tradesman to come in and do a job, he/she submits an itemized list of costs etc. When I buy a vehicle or a home, I get it inspected because it’s my money and I want to know what I’m getting for it. When I buy a politician, er, make that when I elect a politician, and he gets paid my money, then I want to know what I’m getting for it. Simple. Sheila Fraser, audit to your heart’s content.
We could sure use him for our Prez. O-bummer couldn’t tell the truth if he was forced too.
Damn, I wish I wasn’t so cynical!
All I saw was a large thuggish-looking pol doing breath-of-fresh-air soprano-schtick.
We shall see about that “escape hatch”.
We shall see if he does things that guarantees he loses the next election.
All this stuff about smaller government is just so much bumpf, and he knows it. That LARGE man will not usher in SMALL government.
Compare to this nutter, who Obama & Holder would think makes sense.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8OJvR7hAT8&feature=player_embedded#!
Dave: The target is centrists. All you need do is convince a tiny proportionof them to “take a chance” on smaller government. But, you need to convince them to do so, and Mr. Harper couldn’t convince a drowning man to catch a life jacket.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Christie
“Despite the initial misgivings over his degree of experience, Christie proceeded to earn praise for his history of convictions for public corruption. During his tenure, Christie’s office won convictions or guilty pleas from 130 public officials, both Republican and Democratic, on the state, county and local levels without losing a single case.[12] The most notable of these convictions included those of Hudson County Executive Robert C. Janiszewski in 2002 on bribery charges,[13] Essex County Executive James W. Treffinger in 2003 on corruption charges,[14] former New Jersey Senate President John A. Lynch, Jr. in 2006 on charges of mail fraud and tax evasion,[15] State Senator and former Newark mayor Sharpe James in 2008 on fraud charges,[16] and State Senator Wayne”
130 convictions on fraud and no losses, do you think the guy is serious on anti-corruption? Give your head a shake…
Well, pardon my cynicism, but while 130-0 fraud convictions is impressive, so what? He’s a highly skilled lawyer with an eye to a future political career. Doesn’t mean he won’t be as prone to corruption himself. After all, he IS a lawyer.
Martha Stewart was successfully prosecuted too, remember. That was a win statistic for the thuggish prosecutor. And let’s remember that university sports team which was convicted of raping that black stripper. That was a successful prosecution too, eh, which was thankfully overturned.
I knew nothing about the cat — was just commenting on what I saw on that clip: another BOSS pol who said “pi**ed” on TV and said nonsense about smaller government which is not possible. [see Thatcher, Reagan].
How about a couple of binding plebiscite questions on the next federal election ballot:
“Shall all MPs be subjected to a yearly A-G audit and the results made public? Yes. No.”
“Shall the CBC be privatized or if not, closed by the end of next year? Yes. No.”
I have been watching christi for awhile now …Iknew he was good for the job ……for now …lol…it just seems that way now you can never fully trust anyone in politics sad but true ..i beelive he will get jersey sorted out though and them roe he stands up for the people the longer he will be welcomed to serve . good luck .
As for our canadian politics …..uuhhhhhhhaaa…i just threw up in the back of my mouth !!!
Paul in calgary .
Gee, give that guy a Canadian accent and he’d sound just like …………….jeeez, I don’t know?
Me No Dhimmi
[……..smaller government which is not possible. [see Thatcher, Reagan].]
Naw you are a dhimmi—-or at least a “fence-post Liberal. Harris showed it was possible. The main problem for Harris was a coupla drunk swivellel servants in Walkerton who had been occupying a feather bed for decades. McSquinty (financed by the teachers unions) promptly undid most of Harris’ cost saving reforms and among other things took the education system from the ministry and gave it to the unions.
Fence-post Liberal = a useful idiot who would vote for a fence-post with a Liberal banner on it.
Cjunk, I think you are asking the impossible of socialist eastern Canada. Harper,IMHO, has done the best job in the G20 steering us through this economic crisis, which isn’t over by a long shot as we see in Europe. He has brought in excellent policies, obtained a majority in the Senate, is well respected globally as a statesman but you could have a cross between Reagan and Brad Pitt and you still would be in minority status or worse.
As long as the Bloc is able to get all that greedy Quebecers want there will be no change there and slim hopes for a majority.
Of course being Conservatives we will sharpen the knives and stab Harper in the back and then get to spend another decade(s)wandering in the political wilderness looking for that elusive saviour.
Here’s a great Newt Gingrich smackdown:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cLljB9AfSo&feature=related
Nobody is saying that stuff in Canadian politics today. Nobody.
And they need to.
That is the “tone” I’m looking for. A little less polish and a little more “I’m here to shrink government, right now.”
Palin, Christie, Fraser- with their powers combined they are a triumvirate of fiscal responsibility and awesomeness.
As much as I yearn for the day that a politician speaks what he believes without flinching (and also happens to believe what I do, but that’s another dream..) the problem is mostly with the Canadian people. Canadians are fat and comfy. They don’t want someone to speak about reality. They like having the media sort it all out for them. If that weren’t true, the liberal left wouldn’t have such a hold on our media/education and politics. Canadians ARE PC. Its not intelligent, but its a lot easier.
Dave: You’re using the same lame excuses that Tories always fall back on when they evolve into progressives. Steyn is right I guess … conservatives simply become caretakers of a vast progressive bureaucracy.
Harper and CPC are proving themselves to be nothing more than that … caretakers who have actually expanded government in order to cling to power instead of leading with ideas, vision, and clear communication … in power for a while until the LPC find a leader who has an ounce of charisma. Then they’ll crush us like bugs.
Harper’s only problem is that he’s been villified so long and lied about so much by the Opposition that gullible people (majority of Canadians) tend to believe the Lie.
That was a great smackdown of that d-bag “journalist”.
Its time for Western Cdns to stand up tell Eastern Cdns how its going to be.We are in the drivers seat we dont need an apoligist, we need somebody who knows how to drive.CBC is ready to roll over sit up and beg, they see the world news even if they wont tell the rest of Canada.A Western Independence Party would have them crapping their pants.We should watch this, Google we are change confronts Jay Rockefeller. This is the spirit we need Ive said it here before, Im tired of getting the government the rest of you deserve.
Re: Gov. Christie
There is some, ever so gentle drift to accountability, Gov. Christie of NJ and Jan Brewer ofArizona.
Gov. Christie was elected on what he said he would do, is it not interesting that so many never listened and did not hear?
There was once, beginning a two decades or so ago another politician like that right here in Canada. He said what he was going to do and did exactly that. Got reelected a number of times. Teachers and nurses anti was fierce. Did succumb to the nurses in his second or third term. That was his biggest mistake. Did get reelected again and again. His name was Ralph Klein. Eventually there was no challenge to go on. The DOME decease as he called it, set in.
Re: MPs refuse to let Auditor-General review their expenses
How is it that those that are (not only supposed to be) in fact servants of people of Canada, including those that did not vote for them, refuse an inquiry into how they drink, dine and hobnob on other peoples money, if they do. Other than their pay.
And on the other side of the coin, you have a clown like Obama who can talk for 15 minutes and never answer a straight question.
Christie is a model for all politicians.
Maybe Christy will give Harper lessons in finding his onions.
Sadly, I think Dave is more right than Cjunk as far as the PM goes. There are generations of voters out there that will grab any thread of an excuse to continue their ways and vote lieberal. Those on the fence who voted Tory last time will slump right back and declare that Stephen Harper and the gang haven’t done enough, fast enough even though it is a minority government. Don’t let the fact that we are in the best financial shape of any of the G20 get in the way of the MSM tsk tsking over the least hair out of place.
Make no mistake, any political party that is still promising to put a chicken in every pot is as honest as the (no more taxes) NDP government in Nova Scotia. Our HST is going up to 15% thank you very much. Those who want change, be careful of what you ask for. Bandwidth prevents me from listing other election promises.
“It’s devastating, the worst it’s ever been,” said DiMuzio, who sent out 300 non-renewal notices to teachers and support staff. ”
I think he is serious. Declining enrollments, increased teaching staff and higher cost per student.
Look at it this way, if he ain’t pretty, he just might be good to have made it that far.
Well then, send in the clowns. November can’t come soon enough.
Cjunk, I don’t remember giving you any lame excuses just saying how it is. Let me give you one more example of how difficult it is to get a Conservative elected in Toronto. I honestly don’t know why we even bother anymore.
McGuinty has bankrupted Ontario, it is a have-not province for its 1st time, 25.8 billion deficit, increased the government payroll by 215,000, 1 billion pissed away on EHealth, he is a liar, taxes through the roof, Hydro rate soaring 40%+, $1.5 billion for all day kindergarten to appease the Teachers Union, and on and on.
Result in Toronto by-election with Sue-Ann Levy, an MBA and Sun journalist, Liberals 47.51%, Cons 28.33%. What message is sent to McGuinty, carry on, we’re with you no matter what you do.
Yeah!! ‘love it when people act tough and mighty! This “I ain’t takin it no more” diatribe is exactly what I’m looking to have regurgitated to me over and over again when I visit websites that are in line with my political opinions.
If more Conservatives acted like it. Harper would not now have a minority.
Thats the death knell. Listening to progressives or worse believing they really matter.
Its a con, most Canadians have no truck with lefties except Toronto.
This guy calls his shots. A real man in other words, not just a mouth that speaks.
Lev @5:05…
Mike Harris was another premier who did what he said he would do…and with the same results…unions will diss him forever…even tho (or because) he cleaned up the Dipper mess made by Rae-daze.
And as Dave has clearlt explained in
La La’tario…lying pols like Mcguinty get a pass.
I hope some true small government Canadian conservatives take lessons from Gov. Christie, but even if they did the electorate wouldn’t change.
BTW…I’d love some to see some feedback from reporter “Tom”.