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Don't you think you are pouring it on a bit thick about Councillor Bateman? I fail to see the basis for claiming that he is "chomping at the bit" to get a $1200 cheque?
Sure he may not be doing everything you hoped when he was elected but he is still getting the feel for his office. He may end up a lap-dog for Alberts or he could end up as the best, most independent councillor Langley Township ever saw. The reality is that we just don't know yet. However, one thing is for sure, constantly insulting him is not very likely to garner his support and when we belittle people it makes us all look smaller in the end.
Blair, aren't you being a bit touchy? Councillor Bateman has a child eligible for the $1200 and is the only one on both Councils who qualifies. Let's face it, I would be chomping at the bit for $1200 too, wouldn't you?
If you haven't noticed, our style is irreverant. Politics in this town is a comedy and deserves to be viewed as such. The alternative is to worship our elected politicians. That's why we started this site. There was way too much worship and not enough reality.
Let me remind you that Langleypolitics.com started political irreverance online in Langley. They may have changed but there is still a glaring need for non-myopic commentary. Once a person enters the ring of politics, they should know they are fair game - be they rookie, veteran or wannabes.
Do Bountiful polygamists get the moolah too?
The Harper-Bloc Axis:
President Lyndon Johnson was a master at counting the votes when he was Senate Majority Leader. He knew that principles counted, but having them passed into legislation meant another set of counting: how many votes did he have?
To understand the dynamics of the Harper government, one must count the votes.
Firstly, the Liberals and NDP are impotent in this Parliament because they do not have enough votes to defeat Harper’s New Tories. So their votes do not count.
Secondly, the balance of power in this Parliament lies with the Bloc. Only they have enough votes to singlehandedly ensure that Harper’s legislation is passed or voted down. So the votes of the Bloc count.
Thirdly, the Harper-Bloc Axis is one of convenience – both sides need each other for certain purposes. Harper needs the Bloc’s votes to pass his program. The Bloc wants to negotiate as much transfer of powers (taxation, other) from the federal government as possible, and so will support Harper if he gives them this.
Fourthly, the Bloc has Liberal Premier Charest boxed in. He cannot be seen to be opposing the transfer of power from Ottawa to Quebec because this will cause him lost support in the next election. So he has to march to the Bloc’s tune and support the Harper-Bloc Axis program of the dismantlement of the Canadian confederation.
Where does that leave Canada?
There is no-one standing up for Canada, and no-one with the votes who will defend Canada.
The only hope for Canada is if it becomes transparent what is taking place, and the citizens start voicing their concerns. The pressure to preserve Canada must now come from the voters, in each and every constituency.
Aided, of course, by progressive bloggers, who are a new force in the political universe.
CKTC,
Thanks for your dipper spin too! Always interesting to hear the subconscious of the leftie braintrust.
Dubious, Curiosity, Gone Anon,
Dubious
First of all the Harper Conservatives as Dubious mentions must be really loved now by the Bountiful religious polygamists especially with all their bountiful kids under 6 years. Heck they may pound out more and even marry more! They will probably need the money soon for lawyers! Never thought about it though, thank you Dubious, you will get the next prestigious "smiling Gumby" award for innovative thought posted this weekend!
Curiosity
To Curiosity, well thought out but one thing, the Conservatives are planning an all out growth campaign targeting the Bloc in Quebec, ergo they are the Bloc's biggest threat more so than the Libs right now (look at their dramatic seat growth in Que) and obviously ex Federal Conservative leader and now Quebec Premier Charest is obviously conspiring (note all the private meetings together) with Harper to make sure that his provincial Libs get re-elected(and Harper wants Charest to help get him his majority in Quebec). It's obvious the Que. Libs. and Fed. Cons. are mutually planning to screw the Bloc (and probably Canada to). As such it is hard to believe that the bloc really wants to support the Conservatives in the mid to long term. They will in the very short term though to get some quasi independence stuff. But in the mid to long term they would like to cause as much federal chaos as possible. Your right though Canada and probably us in the west are off the radar for the duration by the Conservatives.
A Canadian Conservative majority is much more so a liability to the Bloc, they would much rather have a minority Liberal federal government back in power. So in my view they will work to oust the Conservatives (and probably ironically enough may end up working with the Federal Libs even if indirectly!)Latest this coming winter. Want to bet on this call? Your right though that the Bloc is calling the shots on a vote of non confidence. Watch for it by latest mid February 2007! A one year wonder at best.
Gone Anon
And to Gone Anon, get a life, are you always this paranoid or what. PS for your info I the Editor never ever had a "dipper" membership card (where does that term come from?). Not that I think they are evil as you seem to think. Heck I even voted for them sometimes as well as for the Cons and the Libs at times! Obsessing with political labels nowadays really does not mean much anymore, because they are all pretty closely clustered together on the right-center-left chart!
But you know I get really tired of you jackasses that are afraid of your own shadows and blame everything unilaterally and myopically on the evil far left or for that matter on the evil far right. If you haven’t noticed yet the lines between the parties are so blurry it’s hard to tell who is really what any more. That's why I am so disappointed right now with Harper's Conservatives (essentially Mulroney's Conservatives who I did NOT vote for).
I was really hoping for a move towards the core Manning Reform principles. Keyword is Principles. The Emerson/Fortier debacle utterly destroyed that hope for me. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. I really am unsure as to what to believe in any more federally. Certainly not the myopic view like yours of "my party right or wrong" that you and another local Warawa/Harper apologist, Eric, espouse. Once again get a life will ya? Go look under some other rocks for something you'd really find appetizing, worms, but be careful look out for left wing worms even though there are more right wing ones right now!
Ya make em, ya pay for em. That's birth control the easy way.
Please let's not have another government run bureaucracy to mind our children. The cost would be attrocious. $1200 a month per child is plenty, and it's a lot easier to estimate what the cost to the tax payer will be, without foul-ups like the gun registry running it out of control.
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