THE CONSERVATIVE HIPSTERS

You know, I wasn't really going to get involved in the whole Leadership Review thing going on in the Ontario PC Party. I'm not even attending the Convention (not that I could of anyway, I didn't get notice for my DSM - but that's another story).

And its been well document documented in this blog that I had serious concerns about the election campaign and how it was run. Nothing new there. But now I'm seeing some stuff that's really getting me mad. And if you're a grassroots riding person, you should be too.

Firstly, a new blog has popped up called Tories4Truth. These Swiftboat-wannabe douchebags have decided that rather than propping up the Leader, they would go after the folks who are calling for a leadership contest - Rueben Devlin and Bart Maves.

Look, I'm not close to either of these guys. In fact, way back in the day, Rueben and I were on other sides in some riding fights. But to bring up his hospital's death rate record and his response in the media is beyond the pail. In fact, its shameful.

They also try to paint Bart as some guy would couldn't bring it home in his riding when he was a candidate in the fall. But I guess that was then.

Then, the Together for Tory crew send out this release with proxy attack dog MPP Lisa MacLeod as the point person:

----- Original Message -----
From: john@ratchford.ca john@ratchford.ca
To: john@ratchford.ca john@ratchford.ca
Sent: Mon Jan 21 14:20:37 2008
Subject: REALITY CHECK / 21 January 2008

REALITY CHECK
For Immediate Release
21 January 2007

Democracy 101 for Rueben Devlin

Toronto, ON – The Together With Tory campaign responded today to Rueben Devlin saying in a CBC Newsworld interview that a minority of PC Party members should decide the party’s leadership.During the interview, Devlin said: “I think if Mr. Tory can show significant support within the party then he deserves to stay.

But we want to see significant support that would translate into significant support among Ontario voters.”Don Newman: “Well, give me the number that comes with significant. That’s what I’m trying to get you to do.” Devlin: “We’ve always looked at 80 percent.”According to Rueben, this is democracy.

Unfortunately for Rueben, he hasn’t always thought this way. Here’s Article 24 of the PC Party Constitution – it’s the same as when he was Party president:

"24.1 At the first general meeting of the Party following an Ontario general election in which the Caucus does not form the Government of Ontario, and only at such meeting, the delegates shall be asked by secret ballot: “Do you wish to have a leadership election?”

24.2 In the event that more than 50% of the votes cast are in the affirmative, the Executive shall call a leadership election and such election shall occur at the earliest convenient date as determined by the Executive.

PC MPP Lisa MacLeod said: “The Constitution is approved by a democratic vote of PC Party members. It is not a buffet where people can pick parts they like and ignore the rest. We believe in democracy in our Party.”

-30-

Wow. That's friggin' profound. So, because he was President and didn't change the constitution, he's now a hypocrite. And that's great that the Together4Ever crew is aiming so low. 50% +1: that's quite an acheivement.

So here's what he have: the folks around John Tory are throwing sh*t at regular Party members from the Office of the Leader of the Official Opposition or their Constituency Offices. Others are anonymous cowards trying to take down Party members because they have the audacity to publicly question the Leader.

This is straight up embarrasing. I cannot believe that in less than 5 years, we have gone from the most successful fundraising party in Canadian history with 2 back-to-back majority governments to this lame circus playing out in the media.

Memo to Together4Ever clowns: numbers speak. If you jokers actually were as confident in your delegates, you'd ignore Rueben, Nick Kouvalis and everyone else, go in and defeat the leadership review.

But no. You had to once again show PROFOUND lack of judgement and start attacking party members. You should be better than that. This confirms to me that you guys couldn't buy a clue.

This is just beyond sad. Shame on all of you.

P.S. I will delete all anonymous comments as soon as they are posted. If you don;t have the balls to say who you are, you don't get a say on this blog.