THE CONSERVATIVE HIPSTERS
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
POLITICS AS USUAL: BLAST FROM THE PAST
Just for shits and giggles, I thought I would repost some of the wisdom that spewed forth from our fairweather friend, Carol Jamieson.
Its an interesting read on January 17, 2005--6 days from election day.
"Like you, I find myself in a political party that currently has little or no possibility of running this country anytime soon. Indeed, I have begun to think I may be stuck with a tax and spend Liberal Government in Ottawa for the rest of my life! I voted for the merger of the Progressive Conservative Party and the Canadian Alliance because I believed that it would end the Liberal stranglehold on Ottawa by giving Canadian voters choice.
So why hasn't that worked what has gone wrong?
Let's review these events. The newly minted party, The Conservative Party of Canada (CPC), needed a new Leader following the merger so that there would be no baggage carried over from the legacy partners.
Naturally, many people considered the prospect of leading a conservative party with a real chance of forming a Government. Peter MacKay, though interested, knew that the Party was a clean sheet of paper and should have a fresh face. Stephen Harper, either missed that section of the text in Political Science 101 or, saw this as a way to finally get rid of that pesky Progressive Conservative Party that had been standing in the way of his destiny: 24 Sussex Drive.
Meanwhile, with his numbers falling, falling, falling, Harper jumps into a new strategy. Instead of hiding out in the bunker in the summer of 2005, why not get out on the BBQ Circuit. Quite the strategy! Let's see, first, let's tell the world that we know our public image is bad; second, let's announce to the world how we intend to fix it and how; third, let's contrive a way to roar around all summer (while the world is on holiday) and flip burgers for the conservative voters we already have. Did I get that right? Oh yeah. That should work. Mr. And Mrs. Average Canadian will LOVE the man by the end of the summer. I know I personally thought the "Harper does the Calgary Stampede" look was his best casual ever! Made him much more approachable.
So where did this all get us? Are we any closer to seeing Conservative Government in my lifetime?
If Harper does not recognize this and move on, the electorate will be finished with us too and the CPC will not survive. Think about this. Many of you are sitting in the weeds whispering Oh well. He'll be gone after he loses the next election anyway, so let's not bother ourselves and just wait him out. What does that do for this struggling young party? How does that help us convince Mr. And Mrs. Average Canadian that we hear their concerns and know we have the wrong message and the wrong Leader? How can we swing the natural conservatives (to the extent they still exist) back to trusting us? Regaining TRUST is the hardest thing in politics.
So, why do I want Harper gone sooner rather than later?? Because, what matters to me, and what should matter to all of us is the recovery and survival of the Conservative Party of Canada beyond Harper. According to Mr. And Mrs. Average Canadian, his 15 minutes are up and they don't plan to invite him over for BBQ, so lets get on with it!
- Carol Jamieson, Toronto, ON.
September 19, 2005"
If you want to take a look at all the fine folk who decided it would be better to give up than put their shoulders to the grindstone, click HERE.
I wonder--will they be showing up to their local candidate's office anytime soon?
Its an interesting read on January 17, 2005--6 days from election day.
"Like you, I find myself in a political party that currently has little or no possibility of running this country anytime soon. Indeed, I have begun to think I may be stuck with a tax and spend Liberal Government in Ottawa for the rest of my life! I voted for the merger of the Progressive Conservative Party and the Canadian Alliance because I believed that it would end the Liberal stranglehold on Ottawa by giving Canadian voters choice.
So why hasn't that worked what has gone wrong?
Let's review these events. The newly minted party, The Conservative Party of Canada (CPC), needed a new Leader following the merger so that there would be no baggage carried over from the legacy partners.
Naturally, many people considered the prospect of leading a conservative party with a real chance of forming a Government. Peter MacKay, though interested, knew that the Party was a clean sheet of paper and should have a fresh face. Stephen Harper, either missed that section of the text in Political Science 101 or, saw this as a way to finally get rid of that pesky Progressive Conservative Party that had been standing in the way of his destiny: 24 Sussex Drive.
Meanwhile, with his numbers falling, falling, falling, Harper jumps into a new strategy. Instead of hiding out in the bunker in the summer of 2005, why not get out on the BBQ Circuit. Quite the strategy! Let's see, first, let's tell the world that we know our public image is bad; second, let's announce to the world how we intend to fix it and how; third, let's contrive a way to roar around all summer (while the world is on holiday) and flip burgers for the conservative voters we already have. Did I get that right? Oh yeah. That should work. Mr. And Mrs. Average Canadian will LOVE the man by the end of the summer. I know I personally thought the "Harper does the Calgary Stampede" look was his best casual ever! Made him much more approachable.
So where did this all get us? Are we any closer to seeing Conservative Government in my lifetime?
If Harper does not recognize this and move on, the electorate will be finished with us too and the CPC will not survive. Think about this. Many of you are sitting in the weeds whispering Oh well. He'll be gone after he loses the next election anyway, so let's not bother ourselves and just wait him out. What does that do for this struggling young party? How does that help us convince Mr. And Mrs. Average Canadian that we hear their concerns and know we have the wrong message and the wrong Leader? How can we swing the natural conservatives (to the extent they still exist) back to trusting us? Regaining TRUST is the hardest thing in politics.
So, why do I want Harper gone sooner rather than later?? Because, what matters to me, and what should matter to all of us is the recovery and survival of the Conservative Party of Canada beyond Harper. According to Mr. And Mrs. Average Canadian, his 15 minutes are up and they don't plan to invite him over for BBQ, so lets get on with it!
- Carol Jamieson, Toronto, ON.
September 19, 2005"
If you want to take a look at all the fine folk who decided it would be better to give up than put their shoulders to the grindstone, click HERE.
I wonder--will they be showing up to their local candidate's office anytime soon?
# posted by Anonymous : 11:35 a.m.
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