Monday, April 30, 2012
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Conservatives, NDP statistically tied in new poll - and Canadian's discover Harper's shadow
Following politics in Canada is an interesting hobby. Unlike the USA where political polariaztion along ideological lines is almost a bloodsport, Canada has had the reputation of being a more polite and gentle nation. Unfortunately, things have changed over the past few years, since Stephen Harper has brought Republican tactics and NeoCon ideology to the Canadian political scene.
Since the 2011 election, where Harper succeeded in winning a slim majority of seats through a skillful combination of organized voter suppression and Republican wedge politics, Stephen has worked relentlessly to shape Canada into his own image. From undermining First Nations and weakening environmental protection to legislative attacks on union rights and re-sphaping the justice system, he has managed to frustrate and alienate large sectors of the Canadian public. Through all of this, while his Conservative party has dropped in the polls, surprizingly his personal support remained almost unchanged - at least until recently.
Perhaps it is the F35 scandal, the voter suppression scandal, ongoing attacks on First Nations and environmentalists over piplelines and tankers or growing dissention in his own ranks over issues like abortion. Whatever the cause - or causes- it seems that Harper's public popularity is finally taking a big hit. Recently voted the least trustworthy Canadian by a Reader's Digest poll, the latest Nanos poll also suggests that the Stephen Harper's honeymoon with the Canadian public may finally be over.
Conservatives, NDP statistically tied in new poll - Politics - CBC News
Since the 2011 election, where Harper succeeded in winning a slim majority of seats through a skillful combination of organized voter suppression and Republican wedge politics, Stephen has worked relentlessly to shape Canada into his own image. From undermining First Nations and weakening environmental protection to legislative attacks on union rights and re-sphaping the justice system, he has managed to frustrate and alienate large sectors of the Canadian public. Through all of this, while his Conservative party has dropped in the polls, surprizingly his personal support remained almost unchanged - at least until recently.
Perhaps it is the F35 scandal, the voter suppression scandal, ongoing attacks on First Nations and environmentalists over piplelines and tankers or growing dissention in his own ranks over issues like abortion. Whatever the cause - or causes- it seems that Harper's public popularity is finally taking a big hit. Recently voted the least trustworthy Canadian by a Reader's Digest poll, the latest Nanos poll also suggests that the Stephen Harper's honeymoon with the Canadian public may finally be over.
Conservatives, NDP statistically tied in new poll - Politics - CBC News
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Money shapes our media -media shapes our reality- our reality shapes our politics
For the vast majortity of North Americans, media shapes of reality. And when it comes of media - it is shaped by the big money that flows from multinational corporations - especially from oil and gas companies.
This problem can be clearly seen in terms of the massive sums of money that the Fossil Fuel industry is willing to spend on everything from denying climate science to shaping national energy policy and buying elections. In BC, you might wonder why the Provincial Liberals are backing the idea of Supertankers in our Coastal waters - especially in view of the fact that the tankers will threaten tens of thousands of jobs in the fisheries and tourism sectors while offering only a few hundred jobs in return. Alberta gets all the reward and BC takes all the risk - what government would support that?
The answer become more clear when you learn that the Enbridge groups have contributed a total of $156,940 ($91,840 under the name of Enbridge and $65,100 under the name of Northern Gateway) and Kinder Morgan has contributed $16388 to the Liberal campaign coffers. In total, pipeline companies contributed more than $334,000 to the Liberals. On the other side of the political aisle, the NDP received less than $1,000.
So who really owns our politicians and by extension, our political process? In the USA, Oil companies are outspending Obama by a factor of 10:1 in pushing their agenda to maintain our total reliance on obsolete energy systems.
In this way, Money - an imaginary concept which has no objective reality in the physical world- takes total control of our conceptual world in a way that unleashes unlimited destruction on the natural world that gives us Life. It's a delusion that fosters a slow-motion suicide.
With odds like this, how can we move to a more sustainable future?
Charts: Dirty Energy's Election Ad Spending Spree | Mother Jones
This problem can be clearly seen in terms of the massive sums of money that the Fossil Fuel industry is willing to spend on everything from denying climate science to shaping national energy policy and buying elections. In BC, you might wonder why the Provincial Liberals are backing the idea of Supertankers in our Coastal waters - especially in view of the fact that the tankers will threaten tens of thousands of jobs in the fisheries and tourism sectors while offering only a few hundred jobs in return. Alberta gets all the reward and BC takes all the risk - what government would support that?
The answer become more clear when you learn that the Enbridge groups have contributed a total of $156,940 ($91,840 under the name of Enbridge and $65,100 under the name of Northern Gateway) and Kinder Morgan has contributed $16388 to the Liberal campaign coffers. In total, pipeline companies contributed more than $334,000 to the Liberals. On the other side of the political aisle, the NDP received less than $1,000.
So who really owns our politicians and by extension, our political process? In the USA, Oil companies are outspending Obama by a factor of 10:1 in pushing their agenda to maintain our total reliance on obsolete energy systems.
In this way, Money - an imaginary concept which has no objective reality in the physical world- takes total control of our conceptual world in a way that unleashes unlimited destruction on the natural world that gives us Life. It's a delusion that fosters a slow-motion suicide.
With odds like this, how can we move to a more sustainable future?
Charts: Dirty Energy's Election Ad Spending Spree | Mother Jones
Most Trusted Canadians - 2012 Trust Poll Results | Stephen Harper is the Least Trusted Canadian
Okay, well you can't say that Stephen Harper hasn't won anything. In a recent Reader Digest poll, he won the distinction of being the Least Trusted Canadian - beating out Rob Ford, Toronto's unpopular mayor, by a margin of 47% to 44%.
Most Trusted Canadians - 2012 Trust Poll Results | Reader's Digest
What is more aggravating than this - is the fact the Harper spends more tax-payer money on his PR department and information officers whose job it is to make him appear positive to Canadians. Looks like these characters are incompetent should all be fired.
Thanks to Elizabeth May for pointing out this interesting observation. http://elizabethmaymp.ca/news/blogs/2012/04/19/how-orwellian-traps-are-laid/
Most Trusted Canadians - 2012 Trust Poll Results | Reader's Digest
What is more aggravating than this - is the fact the Harper spends more tax-payer money on his PR department and information officers whose job it is to make him appear positive to Canadians. Looks like these characters are incompetent should all be fired.
Thanks to Elizabeth May for pointing out this interesting observation. http://elizabethmaymp.ca/news/blogs/2012/04/19/how-orwellian-traps-are-laid/
Monday, April 16, 2012
When Mormons were socialists - what has happened to the Church of Jesus Christ?
Growing up as a member of the LDS church, it took me years to understand the message of the Book of Mormon. Believed to be a word of warning to the American people of our day, the Book of Mormon claims to be a prophetic witness of the fall of two earlier American nations and a warning to the present-day citizens of the land.
In his provocative 1994 essay, "A Latter Day Warning from the Book of Mormon", Richard Draper observed that the Book of Mormon appears to be speaking to our time. Two main periods of the Nephite history are compared wit hpresent day America. The first outlined the initial destruction of the Nephite nation-state prior to the coming of Christ to the Americas (covered in the books of Helaman and 3rd Nephi) and the second detailed the 2oo year period between the peak of the Nephite society and the total destruction of the people (mostly recorded in 4th Nephi).
In his conclusion, Draper states "For the most part, the Church today finds itself in much the same circumstances as those in the beginning of the book of Helaman. It is wealthy and growing rapidly. Are we in danger? The Book of Mormon suggests that the only real danger to the Church itself is not an outward foe but rather a more powerful and far more devastating enemy within—pride. It grows in the hearts of those who profess to be Saints. It is little wonder that President Benson has warned us against pride.17 Will we heed the warning or become as the Nephites of old?"
How did the Mormon church change from a Christian socialist Utopian endeavor to the most Republican of religions? Are we living through some inevitable cycle in human nature or do we still have a choice?
On the political side of this equation - this article from Salon may provide some of the answers.
When Mormons were socialists - Salon.com
In his provocative 1994 essay, "A Latter Day Warning from the Book of Mormon", Richard Draper observed that the Book of Mormon appears to be speaking to our time. Two main periods of the Nephite history are compared wit hpresent day America. The first outlined the initial destruction of the Nephite nation-state prior to the coming of Christ to the Americas (covered in the books of Helaman and 3rd Nephi) and the second detailed the 2oo year period between the peak of the Nephite society and the total destruction of the people (mostly recorded in 4th Nephi).
In his conclusion, Draper states "For the most part, the Church today finds itself in much the same circumstances as those in the beginning of the book of Helaman. It is wealthy and growing rapidly. Are we in danger? The Book of Mormon suggests that the only real danger to the Church itself is not an outward foe but rather a more powerful and far more devastating enemy within—pride. It grows in the hearts of those who profess to be Saints. It is little wonder that President Benson has warned us against pride.17 Will we heed the warning or become as the Nephites of old?"
How did the Mormon church change from a Christian socialist Utopian endeavor to the most Republican of religions? Are we living through some inevitable cycle in human nature or do we still have a choice?
On the political side of this equation - this article from Salon may provide some of the answers.
When Mormons were socialists - Salon.com
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Hume: Pipeline opposition likely to grow as supertanker risk assessed
Great story from the Calgary Herald - and it clearly shows the importance of asking the right question on a survey!
Hume: Pipeline opposition likely to grow as supertanker risk assessed
Hume: Pipeline opposition likely to grow as supertanker risk assessed
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Conservative response to Elizabeth May's question about oil tankers off the BC coast
Elizabeth May managed to ask a straight-forward question about the Conservative Goverment's willingness to ignore the will of British Columbians regarding oil tankers of the BC Coast. I have provided the link, and I will reproduce the text here.
Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister for many years expressed concern as an Albertan about the heavy-handed intrusion of federal policy on the will of Albertans.
Right now, British Columbians oppose supertankers on the coastline, the Union of British Columbia Municipalities opposes the supertankers and today’s polls show, by a margin of three to one, that British Columbians do not want oil tankers on their coastline.
Will the Prime Minister run roughshod over the will of British Columbians for his pet project?
Hon. Denis Lebel: Mr. Speaker, our government is confident that sound regulations are in place to ensure petroleum products are transported safely along the B.C. coast.
In the last five years, close to 500 supertankers have been close to the shores with no accidents. All tankers arriving in Canadian ports are inspected by Transport Canada to ensure that they comply with all Canadian and international regulations.
Notice how Conservative Minister Lebel answered the question "... the Union of British Columbia Municipalities opposes the supertankers and today’s polls show, by a margin of three to one, that British Columbians do not want oil tankers on their coastline. Will the Prime Minister run roughshod over the will of British Columbians for his pet project?" with "our government is confident that sound regulations are in place to ensure petroleum products are transported safely along the B.C. coast.".
A shorter, more straight forward version of the exchange looks like this:
Q. British Columbians clearly don't want oil tankers in our coastal waters. Does PM Harper intend to run roughshod over the will of the people?
A. Yes - absolutely.
Oral Questions – Transport
Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister for many years expressed concern as an Albertan about the heavy-handed intrusion of federal policy on the will of Albertans.
Right now, British Columbians oppose supertankers on the coastline, the Union of British Columbia Municipalities opposes the supertankers and today’s polls show, by a margin of three to one, that British Columbians do not want oil tankers on their coastline.
Will the Prime Minister run roughshod over the will of British Columbians for his pet project?
Hon. Denis Lebel: Mr. Speaker, our government is confident that sound regulations are in place to ensure petroleum products are transported safely along the B.C. coast.
In the last five years, close to 500 supertankers have been close to the shores with no accidents. All tankers arriving in Canadian ports are inspected by Transport Canada to ensure that they comply with all Canadian and international regulations.
Notice how Conservative Minister Lebel answered the question "... the Union of British Columbia Municipalities opposes the supertankers and today’s polls show, by a margin of three to one, that British Columbians do not want oil tankers on their coastline. Will the Prime Minister run roughshod over the will of British Columbians for his pet project?" with "our government is confident that sound regulations are in place to ensure petroleum products are transported safely along the B.C. coast.".
A shorter, more straight forward version of the exchange looks like this:
Q. British Columbians clearly don't want oil tankers in our coastal waters. Does PM Harper intend to run roughshod over the will of the people?
A. Yes - absolutely.
Oral Questions – Transport
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
B.C. opposition to oil supertankers outweighs support 3:1 — Dogwood Initiative
Living on Vancouver Island, these polling results are hardly surprizing. What I can't figure out is why the Conservatives are so strongly behind this pipeline when there are much better alternatives -in terms of jobs, economic benefits, etc.- for Alberta and the rest of Canada.
Just who is Harper working for anyway?
B.C. opposition to oil supertankers outweighs support 3:1 — Dogwood Initiative
Just who is Harper working for anyway?
B.C. opposition to oil supertankers outweighs support 3:1 — Dogwood Initiative
Monday, April 2, 2012
Robocalls and the petrostate | Focus Online
Interesting links between Conservative and Republican tactics in the recent election.
Robocalls and the petrostate | Focus Online
Robocalls and the petrostate | Focus Online
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