Monday, September 08, 2008

Bastards! They're a buncha bastards!

Whooee! Well friends an' foes, ol' JimBobby's chewin' nails an' fartin' tacks. The big, strong men-in-chicken-suits have pushed their chickenshit weight around and managed to make sure the gal I adore, Earth Mother Lizzie May, got excluded from the televised debates.

Nevermind that polls have consistently shown that 77% of Canadians want the Green leader in the debates. Nevermind that 660,000 Canadians voted Green in 2006. Nevermind that the Green Party is one of only 5 parties to receive federal funding. Nevermind that Canadian taxpayers shell out over $1 million a year to the Greens. Nevermind that the Greens run candidates in all provinces.

Nevermind democracy, you wimp chickenshit bastards.

Harper, Layton and Duceppe have conspired to deny Canadians a chance to see the leader of the only growing party in a head to head debate on national television. Harper, Layton and Duceppe do not care what Canadians want. Harper, Layton and Duceppe are enemies of democracy.

Did I mention that they're a buncha chickenshit bastards?

The Greens are running against Liberals in 305 of Canada's 308 ridings. How can they be the same as Liberals when they are running against Liberals in so many ridings?

The Greens have at least 29 major policy planks that are unique to the Green Party. These are policies that, in many cases, are diametrically opposed to Liberal policy. Here's a list of those uniquely Green policies:
  1. “Income-splitting” to reduce the tax burden on middle class couples.
  2. A continuing role in Afghanistan but within a transformed U.N. mission, legalizing and regulating the poppy trade for medicinal use, and bringing in more Islamic nations into the peace-keeping, security efforts in Southern Afghanistan through the U.N.
  3. An end to asbestos mining and export to developing countries. (truly outrageous that for all the talk about asbestos, only the Green Party is prepared to call for banning mining and export.)
  4. The phase out of nuclear power and uranium mining.
  5. The reform of the Divorce Act to make family law less of a battleground.
  6. To launch a national dialogue toward a Guaranteed Livable Income.
  7. The legalization of marijuana, to be controlled, regulated and taxed.
  8. The six month notice to get out of NAFTA with immediate re-negotiation of key provisions.
  9. Support for open source software and net neutrality.
  10. National shift to GE-free, organic agriculture and regional food self-sufficiency.
  11. Creation of a federal Department of Tourism
  12. Protect drinking water at its source (no other party will do this--the BC NDP jailed citizens for trying to protect drinking water).
  13. Amend the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to enshrine the right of Canadians to an ecological heritage that includes breathable air and drinkable water.
  14. Pass federal legislation to prohibit bulk water exports.
  15. Establish a National Parks completion budget; protect at least half of Canada's Boreal Forest in a network of large interconnected protected areas as called for in the 2003 Boreal Forest Conservation Framework
  16. Zero waste, including laws requiring lifetime stewardship of products
  17. A cancer prevention strategy that includes a toxic-free Canada -- taxing toxics and pollution; ending the production and use of the most dangerous toxic chemicals by 2012.
  18. Pan-Arctic waste management strategy.
  19. Shift funding from mega-freeway projects like Pacific Gateway that encourage urban sprawl and use the funds instead for public transit.
  20. Implement Genuine Progress Indicator (or Index of Well-being)
  21. Enact "living will" legislation to give person the choice to die with dignity.
  22. Explore establishing a new crown corporation to bulk purchase and dispense generic drugs - to bring down the costs of pharmacare.
  23. Pass pay equity legislation; immediately implement full pay equity for women employed in the federal sector and develop tax incentives for companies to meet gender and pay equity.
  24. Press professional societies to remove unnecessary barriers recognizing the professional credentials of immigrants.
  25. Canada must support and implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
  26. Revamp CIDA to focus on developing community-based green economies, poverty alleviation and programmes to combat and adapt to climate change.
  27. Declare Canada a nuclear free zone.
  28. Reform WTO, IMF and the World Bank, placing these under the authority of the UN General Assembly and shift the direction of international trade away from free trade to fair trade.
  29. Scrap the SPP (Security and Prosperity Partnership).
Today is a dark day for Canadian democracy. The blame goes squarely to Harper, Layton and Duceppe. I will not watch the debates between these tweedle-dee and tweedle-dumbasses. Craven cowards who used their collective might to thwart democratic debate. Bastards! Dirty, rotten, chickenshit bastards!

JimBobby

15 comments:

Scott in Montreal said...

I'm mighty po'ed myself JB. But I am starting to see a potential for an online experience hosted by May to coincide with the debate. Say a liveblogging? It could become the kind of cause celebre side story that overtakes the debates themselves if done properly and with enough hype.

Chrystal Ocean said...

Am gonna fight those anti-democracy NDP and Conservative in-name-only shills tooth and nail.

Harper sulked that he'd take his bat home? Layton blustered about "letting the media consortium make the decision" while refusing lately to state publicly his position against May's inclusion?

You guys ain't seen what a woman in fightin' mood can wreck!

lil miss hissyfit said...

Ok I'll admit it I've never really paid attention to to the green party. They just seemed to me like that group of kids in highschool who sat off to the side of everyone else and did their own thing ( nevermind that I was one of those kids)

This post made me actual care to see what policies they held and what if anything they had to bring to the Canadian political field.

I'm starting to like them more than the NDP which is saying something since I've loved the NDP for years longer than I've been able to vote.

I'm gonna agree here and say May ought to have the chance to debate with everyone else. I'm actually rather pissed that it appears Layton didn't want her to speak either.

Seconding Scott in montreal's though on some sort of online response on May's part. utilizing blogging and good old Youtube ought to get her message out loud, clear and to a lot more people.

Thanks for giving me something to think about.

Chrystal Ocean said...

GAB, I'd be at that protest in a heartbeat if I lived in the vicinity! I tell ya, my loathing for Layton in particular has gone visceral - cuz when has anyone supposed the CONservatives had any principles anyway?

Anonymous said...

I admit I'm mighty tempted to blow a gasket too, but that's just our instincts talking. When we're cornered, it's fight or flight. But we can fight back smarter, and win this.

YouTube won't cut it, the online world is a tiny fraction of those reached through the TV and radio. We have to fight back and win this, for our democracy.

JimBobby said...

I just sent the following message to Jack Layton:

I can't begin to tell you how disappointed and disgusted I am at your actions vis-a-vis Elizaberth May's exclusion from the TV debates. FWIW, many NDP bloggers are also calling you out on this shameful display of anti-democratic self-serving hypocrisy. You claim to be in favour of proportional representation. If we had it, there'd be 13 Green MP's. You have absolutely no scruples and you are losing support by the minute. Take a look at www.progressivebloggers.ca and see just how your ploy is backfiring. Shame. Shame. Shame.

JB

I used the form at http://www.ndp.ca/node/1261

Scott in Montreal said...

The plot thickens. Go check out Andrew Coyne's blog. The Bloq Breaks Ranks, wherein Coyne challenges Layton to ask himself: "What would Obama do?"

Heh.

JimBobby said...

This is really biting Layton in the ass. His position is indefensible. Gilles' assertion that the consortium misrepresented his position gives Layton the opportunity to make the same excuse and back away.

Curiouser and curiouser...

Saskboy said...

Would appreciate a pb.ca vote when it comes up. And spreading the word that people can get a link from my blog just by calling Layton and Harper what they proved themselves to be. Strong leaders? Heck, they aren't even strong enough to debate Elizabeth May for 4 hours.

Anonymous said...

JB, I received the Green Party's email this morning and sent a message to several people on their list. It is too bad they don't have emails for the broadcasting execs they listed (they gave phone numbers) but I did also send a message to ombudsman@cbc.ca.

Ryan said...

I can't say I'm impressed. But I can't say I'm surprised, either. It's a low day for democracy.

Anonymous said...

When to a meeting last night and found that people are making an effort, are asking for our signs and asking to help which took some of the edge of my anger.

However, I still contend we are going all third world despot and that polite complaints and emails are going to gain us nothing.

Anonymous said...

If Layton would state (as has Duceppe) that he will not boycott the debates if May is included, then Harper would stand alone and be exposed. Harper loses either way. Canadians either see that he uses threats to control who is allowed to debate him or he caves and has to debate May.

I don't agree that emails will do nothing. Layton just needs to be convinced that this undermines his campaign message of standing up to Harper. Does Layton want to expose Harper or provide cover for Harper? His choice.

JimBobby said...

Good points, GAB and Catherine. I suspect that angry emails from GPC members or supporters will fall on deaf ears (Oops. I guess we'll need to stop using that expression now that Dion's disability has been made public.)

If the reaction from the NDP bloggers is any indication of general NDP disgruntlement with Layton's stance and enough NDP backers email Layton, he'll get the message.

Sadly, this sort of media manipulation and politics of exclusion are exactly the type of crap that turns people off voting. The system is a sham. A party can get a majority with less than 40% popular support. Established parties can control the media and exclude threats from up'n'comers. Corporate executives and bureaucrats make the big decisions and we are all forced to abide by them.

As a young feller, I was jaded enough that I didn't see any point in voting. Later, I started to feel that if I didn't vote, I didn't have any right to kvetch. Since I value my right to kvetch, I decided to exercise my right to vote. I understand where those who've opted out of the electoral process are coming from and this situation does nothing but exacerbate shortcomings in our democracy.

For those who may not have got the addresses of the bastards to write to, here they are:

Stephen Harper:
Conservative Party of Canada
Election Headquarters
#1204 - 130 Albert Street
Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5G4
Toll free: (866) 808-8407
Phone: (613) 755-2000
Fax at: (613) 755-2001
Email: pm@pm.gc.ca

Jack Layton:
Canada's NDP
300 - 279 Laurier West
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5J9
Phone: 613-236-3613
Toll Free: 1-866-525-2555
Fax: 613-230-9950
TTY: 1-866-776-7742
Email: Layton.J@parl.gc.ca

Gilles Duceppe:
Bloc Québécois
3730, boul. Crémazie Est
Montréal (Québec) H2A 1B4
Téléphone : 514 526-3000
Télécopieur : 514 526-2868
Email : Duceppe.G@parl.gc.ca

Broadcast Consortium:

John Cruikshank, Publisher, CBC news
(416) 205-6300

Robert Hurst, President of CTV News
416-332-5000

Troy Reeb, Senior Vice President of News Canwest Global
(416) 967-1174

Pierre Dion, President, Groupe TVA Inc.
514-526-9251

Ronald Cohen, National Chair, Canadian Broadcast Standards Council
P.O. Box 3265, Station D Ottawa, ON K1P 6H8
613-233-4607

Glenn O'Farrell, President and CEO, Canadian Association of Broadcasters
P.O. Box 627, Stn. B Ottawa, ON K1P 5S2
613-233-4035 ext: 326

Bastards, one and all.

JB

Anonymous said...

xanax generic xanax drug test fail - is xanax good for opiate withdrawal