Is Justin entitled to his? Publius reveals Liberal (un)reality:
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Justin Trudeau is a mediocre MP unqualified to head a major political party. His accomplishments both in an out of public life do not warrant the profile he has garnered. That he is discussed as a serious contender for the leadership is by virtue of his surname and histrionic public speaking style. Beyond the now shrunken confines of the Liberal Party base his name is at best a historical curiosity. In the West and Francophone Quebec it is utterly toxic.
…While working my way through university I could usually smell the Grit apparatchiks in the making. Literally. They tended to wear cologne. Good old Irish Spring just wasn’t enough for them. There were a few ethnics preparing for a profitable career in establishment grievance mongering. The Liberal Party was their ticket to patronage heaven. Most, however, were WASPs (or at the very least WASPish) whose parents were lawyers, doctors and the odd engineer thrown in for good measure.
They were upper middle class. Working as a barista was considering “slumming it.” They did not get their hands dirty. Uncles and aunts hovered in the background with internships and well placed phone calls. Granddad had fought in the war, yet they always spoke highly of peacekeeping, though few understood the concept beyond the image of nice men in blue berets handing out bags of grain.
Their conversations revolved around networking, status symbols and which professors were the easiest. When pressed they would offer political opinions. The more practiced ones could deliver pitch perfect sermons on the conventional wisdom. Multiculturalism, multilateralism, the importance of French (at a university where Mandarin was the unofficial second language) and the value of preparing for a globalized world through increased public investment in R&D. Trudeaupian Newspeak…
Justin Trudeau is their candidate. An unreal leader for an unreal party. He is where he is because of his father and grandfather. Just like the Liberals I meet in school. Unfortunately for both of them they are almost the only Liberals left in the country.
Read it all.
Oh, I hope Justin springs for it and the Libtards fall for him. That wilderness is beckoning.
Luv it
Nothing I would like better than to see the last nail driven into the lieberal coffin on that metrosexual spawn of PET’s watch
“Most, however, were WASPs (or at the very least WASPish) whose parents were lawyers, doctors and the odd engineer thrown in for good measure.”
Odd, being the operative word. Most engineers I have met were not too liberally bent.
JT is a charter member of “the lucky sperm society”
I initially thought the “red door, blue door” thing was biting the movie ‘The Matrix’ and the “blue pill, red pill” thing.
Iffy was no Neo.
I can smell the decay from here.
Louise, one of the fastest growing engineering fields of the last ten years has been environmental engineering. I used to work at such a consulting firm, and the cognitive dissonance on display was frightening. And this from people who knew actual math and science.
My apartment manager told me that while Justin was here in Vancouver he lived in a somewhat prestigious building in the South Granville neighbourhood of the city. She knew this because this was one of about 20 buildings she managed.
Perhaps if he becomes Leader of the Lieberals, he can spend the majority of the campaign in 2015 petitioning the 50 or so people in that building to vote for him; day in, day out. I don’t suspect there’ll be a whole lot more folks voting for him!
If Justin Trudeau becomes leader of the Liberal Party it will certainly be because of his heritage and as witnessed on election night not because of his advanced communication skills. The Liberals will of course continue down the road to obscurity because they still think they can successfully be led by a figurehead rather than a legitimate politician(whatever that is). The Liberal Party has a long road ahead of them before they once again become a legitimate option in Canada and hanging their hat on celebrities will make it much longer. While I was very happy with all aspects of the election I do feel that one day Canada will need the Liberal option again just to balance the power. I like Harper and many of his ideas but as we know power corrupts and absolute power absolutely corrupts. As far as the NDP by themselves being a legitimate contender for governing the country I believe whole heartedly that they have reached their high water mark and it will be downhill from here.
Anyone else remember him on election night celebrating?
The reporter kept asking him why when the Liberals lost so many seats. He basically said he did not pay any attention the the rest of Canada during the campaign and returned the topic back to himself…. That he was celebrating his win in his riding.
Lots of “me” and “I” language from him.
Not even a “WE respect the people and hopefully I can be part of a small but powerful Liberal voice and WE can use this election to reflect-refresh and reload for the next election. The Liberal party will not go away”
See Justin how easy it is to look just a wee bit smart.
Although….. give him credit for being truthful I guess.
The Liberals cling to the Old Canada vision (hallucination) of old man Trudeau. The Liberal party reminds me of Lola in the Barry Manilow song, Copacabana. Check out the lyrics and you will see the strong connection.
“Her name is Lola, she was a showgirl
But that was 30 years ago, when they used to have a show
Now it’s a disco, but not for Lola
Still in the dress she used to wear, faded feathers in her hair
She sits there so refined, and drinks herself half-blind
She lost her youth and she lost her Tony
Now she’s lost her mind!”
Oh please, yes please, run that vapid varmin for libtard leader.
Run, justine, run!
Can i buy a membership to vote for it?
Unconnected factoid, still have never in my life bought a drop from your fascist daddy’s gasoline empire.
You know, the one where liebrano insiders made millions buying shares in companies they were tipped off were going to get ‘nazionalised’.
Don’t ever criticize the liberals based on their real strengths and weaknesses!!! Forewarned is forearmed. Defeat at the polls should always come as a surprise.
justin trudeau a failed engineering student and kindergarten teacher. The spawn of the village idiot and little bo peep. A trifler and dilettante. Yeah he sounds like leadership material.
So desperate are the libranos that the criminal cretien is promoting bob rae for leader. Guess it make some sense as they both are in the hip pocket of power corp.
It’s going to be a fun 4 years kids!
I could name a couple more of his “ilk”: Amanda Lang of CBC, Ben Mulroney at E Talk.
I’d bet money that they never pumped gas at Dunlop’s ESSO in Westmount.
There are a few more ensconced in West Vancouver or Shaunessy. Don’t think that JT could compete with that crowd either.
Yes, the Liberal “inside gang”, fond memories of Petrofina. Say, why are “we” in Libya again?
Xiuhtezcatl Roske-Martinez, Hmmmm, are you in this country legally ?
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Look at the bright side, if JT and Barfly get together they will be in good company.
Superb piece. I have a bunch of folks in my own family like the elitists Publius writes about. Unlike my immediate family and me, they’ve always lived far from the madding crowd, never having to deal with the mean streets and schools that “diversity” and “multiculturalism,” which come trippingly off their tongues, have ensured for the rest of us not born with silver spoons in our mouths.
These guys hope “- very much in vain – that the Trudeau magic will once again be sprinkled across the land.”
While it may be true that Trudeau Sr. brought more than a little fairy dust to his duties as leader of the Liberal Party and as PM, the only thing Justin Trudeau would bring to the portfolio is entitlement and incompetence. When your only claim to the leadership mantle is a name — and virtually no experience in the working world except supply work and teaching drama for a couple of years a long time ago — supporters must be in denial to think you’re the guy for the job. Even Crazy Carolyn Bennett said the Liberal$ have to get off “the Messiah” schtick, and build the party from the ground up.
Even if Messiahs were the way to go, Justin ain’t no Messiah.
Immediately after the election I thought to myself, “Well, this will really shake up the Liberals and cause them to do some soul-searching.” But over the past days listening to Liberals I’ve come to realize that that very thought is itself so un-Liberal. It’s the thought of someone who makes reference to reality and can accept external inputs in formulating their world view. And I’ve come to realize that anyone with that capacity wouldn’t be a Liberal in the first place. So no, they don’t get it and they won’t get it.
As outlined in the article it’s the very divorce from and insulation from reality that is essential to being a liberal in the first place. So why should crushing electoral defeat be any different in its impact on the survivors? The icy water still hasn’t reached their deck of the Titanic so why worry? And since they’re still alive, why would the master plan of the most enlightened ones change? It wouldn’t. A conservative can see something’s not working so he’s got to change. A Liberal sees something’s not working so the others have to change. And he, the Liberal, is the one to change them! And if he can’t get through to them it’s because they’re too dumb to understand his enlightened world view brought down from the heights of Parnasus and too bad for them. JT would be the perfect leader of the Liberal party, the ultimate navel-gazer to lead the navel-gazers while the ship goes under.
DrD, if you have the time, watch this video called “Liberals at the Crossroads,” where a group of them, albeit a very small group, are beginning to get the picture.
If the Liberals choose Justin Trudeau to lead them we’ll know for certain they haven’t learned a damn thing in their gradual tumble from the top to the bottom of the heap.
Whoops, here’s the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPnCrJT–bE
And, BTW, Steve Paikin, the host of TVO’s The Agenda, self-identifies as a Liberal. I knew it! I knew it all along!
I am just a bit surprised that Power Corp hasn’t got a “Messiah” already in the wings to re-invent the party. The “Natural Governing Party” hasn’t been the same since the little thug from Shiwinigate abdicated the throne.
Personally, I’m happy they are toast but still surprised at how fast the empire crumbled.
Justin Trudeau has his father’s name and his mother’s intellectual ability.
Can’t remember where I first saw that.
Count IGGY was supposed to be the second coming of PET. Epic fail.
You’d think they’d abandon the attempt to re-create the Trudeauphian myth.
This is NOT 1968 and 1968 is way, way more than 43 years ago!
Is there anything more pathetic than trying to re-live a long-dead era. It is not completely unlike a 60-year old man oggling pretty 20-somethings believing he’s still in the game. SAD.
The Liberal party needs to realize that the era of the Personality Cult is over. Consider PMSH’s huge success despite, as Rex observed, his being a singularly unnatural politician.
JT is Liberal Party viagra.
I hope Justin runs because I would get a chance to vote against a Trudeau. My parents had the pleasure of voting against PET and now I could have my turn.
Re Steve Paikin self-identifying as a Liberal in the TVO video referenced by batb: it’s at the 12:05 mark. Steve says, “We . . .” when talking to the all-Liberal panel. Whoops!
SYF, don’t know if Ezra was the first to use it but I’ve heard him use the phrase “his father’s last name and his mother’s brain” more than a few times!
I like the two party system that is shaping up in Canada. On one side we have the responsible adult pary (Conservatives) on the other side with a the lunatic children’s party (NDP) who have no clue about where money comes from and that they are not the only people in the world.
Who to vote for … mmmmm …let’s see now mmmm …
When my friends graduated from High School they all headed off to UBC with great aspirations to be doctors, lawyers, engineers. In the second year, because it was tough, they switched to accounting and related subject. In the third year, because it was tough, the switched to education.
Now you know why our education sytem is screwed up beyond belief.
Those who can,do.
Those who can’t,teach.
Those who can’t teach,lead the liberals.
Damn that was a great read, and bang on.
Thanks for posting.
Me No Dhimmi
“Is there anything more pathetic than trying to re-live a long-dead era. It is not completely unlike a 60-year old man oggling pretty 20-somethings believing he’s still in the game. SAD.”
SAD is giving up…..This 65 year-old still has the ” pretty 20-somethings” on his arm but he now knows they are more interested in his wallet than him….and always have been.
The problem with the LIBRANOs is that they haven’t figured that out.
The LIBRANOs swerved left back in Pearson’s time and abandoned the middle and the tories unconsciously occupied the vaccuum. They are in essence today’s liberals….The right is unoccupied.
Many here have noticed this and are complaining bitterly.
DrD
The thing about Liberals is they are in it for themselves, not the country. This is why there are not Preston Manning’s in the party who would cheer for someone else to win if it means their vision for Canada becoming reality. There’s not a one Liberal or socialist for that matter that doesn’t first and foremost see themselves at the top of the pyramid, regardless of the state of that pyramid. The only thing that matters is being on top.
papa turdeau was instrumental in starting a club known as ‘les snobs’ in his early years.
about the same time he was spotted rocketing around montreal or wherever wearing a WW I german infantry uniform replete with pointy helmet just as our service personnel were busy boarding troop ships that did not bring all of them back.
so dear sda, STFU about my liberal ‘leftist’ sympathies; they dont exist.
freealberta dot com/trudeau dot html
back in 68 I pegged papa t as a goddamm turd, said so, I never voted for him all those years and look forward to not voting for yet another turdeau.
Thanks batb, a good vid indeed, and Indiana, I agree. At core, and this is one of the issues touched on in the vid, every liberal, and the leadership of the Liberal party most particularly, believes they have nothing to learn from anyone and can govern on the principle of papal infallibility. It’s why at core democracy to a liberal is a tool of convenience to be dropped like a hot potato the instant it isn’t getting them everything they want. Thus the disdain for referenda and plebiscites and the use of the supreme court, court challenges programs, and opposition to a triple-E senate, in other words any and every available tool to make an end run around the popular will on issues of social consensus.
Tecas Canuck: “Personally, I’m happy they are toast but still surprised at how fast the empire crumbled.”
‘Power of prayer, my dear, power of prayer!
I’m happy to say that I never voted for Trudeau, even though all of my 20-something friends (my age) were swooning over him. I smelled a rat and I was right. 😉
#1. Don’t underestimate JT. The NDP picked up over 60 seats and it was lead by a funny guy with a mustache we’ve already seen three times before. Difference this time? He had a cane.
#2. This vote subsidy issue is massive. The older I get the more I realize most of life boils down to cash. Kevin O’Leary is mostly right. Money is what matters. If the Tories cut the money it won’t matter what kind of ideas and personalities the Liberals dream up…it’ll be hard to stand up to a tsunami of Tory/NDP spending.
#3. Life in Canada is great! The victim machine culture doesn’t work in a country where poor people are fat. The concerns of people 50 years ago have been addressed. Same reason unions aren’t necessary for most industries anymore. The stuff they wanted has been enshrined in legislation already. Liberalism, big and small has been done….what now?
#4. The NDP are probably going to flame out as official opposition. They are a clown show and too far left for 75% of us. The Liberals might bounce back just because they are the only opposition worth voting for.
#5. Harper could beat himself. Love the guy, but pride cometh before the fall. If he blows it, the Liberals will be voted back in just cause they’re there.
Not all liberals were bad. Eric Kierans was a very good man. He allowed Jews to hold seats on the Montreal Stock Exchange when he was head of it. Someone said to him afterwards, why did you waste some much political capital on such an insignificant matter. He replied, “for all we know, this may be the last fight I am ever given to fight, and it is a good one.”
He cut off his best friend Rene Leveque when he wanted to separate from Canada, and left the Trudeau cabinet in order to criticize it. He could have been your prime minister but you went for pretty boy Trudeau instead.
Justin Trudeau will never be their leader, he hasn’t got what it takes and he knows it. The only way the Liberals survive is to find a centrist who can present the party as competent economic managers. If they fail that basic test, then they fall into the oblivion of being the agents of slightly different change, when the agents of change are now well established and have their lines fully memorized. Younger voters in particular have no reason to connect the Liberal party to anything, and they could very easily fall off the political radar if they choose the wrong leader.
So far, the Liberal attitude seems to be “this election must have a lesson for us, but it sure can’t be that we were wrong about anything, because that’s just not possible.” Therefore the voters must be wrong, I suppose. On that note, the Liberals will probably have a three-year sulk and come back at us with another guaranteed loser, perhaps they should let Harper nominate their next leader just to streamline the process.
Sheila
Belinda
Martha
Come on Libs, be bold, play the sex card!
Reading the description of a liberal at the cocoon stage I thought of one person – Paul Wells.
The politics of an undeserved sense of entitlement. How Liberal.
Like the Kennedys, Trudeau and those around him presume they deserve first place in line. Whether they have earned it is a question for someone else to answer. The name alone is Trudeau’s “merit”.
From my perspective the only liberals left in Canada are the media and university students, they both cling to their glory days of lore with a fierceness I wouldn’t expect from the entitled crowd.
puddin n pie, you missed Hedy, same brainpower as turdeau jr. and a brown skin, how many more qualifications do you need?
Though it’s Warren Kinsella, this is still an interesting discussion.
Me No Dhimmi at 3:38 PM: “JT is Liberal Party viagra.”
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Hah! That’s a good way of putting it. If the poor fools think that’s the only problem they have, they’re worse off than I thought.
margret turdeau has written atleast 2 books, has gotten “stoned”, and is recognized, thusly perfect libtard leadership material:-))))
Justin won’t run because he fears having to debate the other leadership candidates in an open forum, and to be totally frank, the other hopefuls fear it as well lest they offer up the perfect youtube moment and provide a critique of one of dear daddies social engineering schemes. The smart ones left in that party realize it, the ones stuck in the past don’t see this train wreck approaching.
The only way Liberals will become relative again will be to do an end run around Canada’s Best Prime Minister in at least 60 years and go Tea Party.
They won’t though because of exactly what DrD has painted for us tonight like a freakin Mona Lisa.
Me No Dhimi “The Liberal party needs to realize that the era of the Personality Cult is over.”
It worked for Obama and could work here.
Bob Rae thankfully is damaged goods because he’s a very, very good speaker and is still a serious threat.
Unbelievable discussion and comments all, thank you Kate!