Canadian Election: Martin's Shadow Cabinet. & Americanizing

[Hoping4Change]

Canadian politics.

One thing I have always found contemptible about Martin is his tight relationship with the spin doctors at Earnsclffe.

However what was before offensive has now become laughable. How more wrong could these supposed geniuses be than to have called the election at this time?

What I find so distasteful about Martin's reliance on Earnscliffe is that it reflects his corporate mindset such as using the slogan TEAM MARTIN.

(Nothing churns my stomach more than corporate idiots spewing their favourite word: team.)

Below is some quotes from one of the best articles I read about Martin and his shadowy cohorts.

"...We should be very skeptical about promise to end “democratic deficit” given Martin’s reputation—and that of his handlers—as being nearly obsessed with control.

...a Martin government, where it matters, will be even more preoccupied with control than its predecessor. At worst it could Americanize Canadian politics by making MPs vulnerable to the powerful and rich lobbying business which is already very influential in Paul Martin’s world.

Martin’s personal team, a tight-knit family of political operatives, have worked for nearly 15 years to make sure every aspect of Martin’s political career is carefully orchestrated...

http://www.thetyee.ca/Views/current/Paul+Martins+Democratic+Deficit.htm

[Domitan]

1. You want to know what's ironic on a personal level

My cousin's husband is one of Paul Martin's speechwriters. Maybe it's time to set up a family reunion and get some interesting stories.

No voting Liberal here this time: I'm going NDP or Green.

[Hoping4Change]

2. Wow access to one his speechwriters. Please have that reunion

I would love to know what people are saying behind the scenes about the absolutely disasterous decision to have this election. The other day TVO had an interview with a Quebec Cabinet Minister, I can't recall her name and when asked why they called the election, she was dumbfounded. She said they just didn't understand the feeling on the street. How could they have possibly not comprehended the anger of Canadians?

[Spazito]

3. I disagree that the timing was bad....

if Martin had waited it would have given Harper and his cabal more time to shore up their policies and hide their agenda deeper than it is now. Harper is having to, in effect, detail his policies on the fly when forced to talk about them and that causes mistakes.

Another reason it was not a mistake for him to call it when he did is that, had he waited, it would have given the opposition time to put together "chicken" ads.

Given the sponsorship scandal, there was no "good" time to call the election, the attacks would have been the same regardless.

[tom_paine]

4. And Bush-style "Managed Democracy" (which is really Totalitarianism)

Spreads apace.

Maybe a Canadian-Amerikan Anschluss won't be necessary after all.

[Hoping4Change]

7. I like the term "managed democracy". It suggests the

corporate mindset at work.

[Frederic Bastiat]

5. Canada is a centrist country

Canadians look to the right and see Harper and his fiscal and social conservative policies, look to the left and see Layton with his 65 billion dollar spending budget that we really can't afford right now, and hence Canadians run to the middle and vote Liberal.

The latest poll has the Liberals up by 6 points, coincidence? I don't thinks so, people are finally looking closely at the Conservatives and NDP and opting for the sure middle - Liberal.

[Hoping4Change]

6. Martin is way right of Centre. Liberals are simply letting

Canadians believe they are centrist. What is centrist about allowing corporate polluters like Shell to use fines levied agianst them for pollutng as tax write-offs?