(Aired on October 8, 2010)
Back in December, an interview I did with Bob Simpson made me sit up and take notice. He spoke about an upcoming party convention in which the New Democrats would discuss their Harmonized Sales Tax strategy. While his colleagues were simply launching attacks against the Liberal government, Simpson was much more reluctant. He said after the party already opposed the Carbon Tax, it needed to be careful. Opposing the HST, he thought, would position the NDP as an anti-tax party. BC politics are crazy, but not that crazy.
The interview confirmed to me that Bob Simpson isn't always in step with the rest of the party. Sure enough, Simpson was booted out of the NDP camp this week for criticizing leader Carole James.
Most people will recognize that Bob Simpson was ejected from the caucus for speaking the truth. Simpson sees that the NDP have failed to capitalize on the giant political football fumbled by the governing Liberals directly into their hands. The HST boondoggle should be what the party is jumping all over - not the substance of the tax, but the way the government screwed up its imposition. Instead, the upstart Fight HST group has been the dominant voice keeping the government accountable, and as such has become the de facto opposition party. The NDP are riding high in the polls, but that's because they are the default second option. The party has failed to find its voice. It's exactly the reason why I am still reluctant to write off the Liberals for the next election.
Bob Simpson is right to criticize his party, and he is justified in doing so because he wants to see his party do well. If he stays on the outside looking in, and if his critiques are not heeded, it's Carole James who regret not having him on board.
Showing posts with label BC Liberals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BC Liberals. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
HST Debate Turning Nasty
(Aired on October 1, 2010)
Two weeks ago, I theorized that advertising would be key in determining who gets the upper hand in the Harmonized Sales Tax campaign prior to next year's referendum. Turns out I was wrong. Or at least that's the way this week turned out.
First, there was the comments unearthed by the Liberals, attributed to Okanagan Fight HST organizer Al Romanchuk, who was sympathetic to holocaust-denier Ernst Zundel. Then, Liberal MLAs pointed to Cariboo-Chilcotin organizer Gary Edwards, who peppers his angry blog entries with profanities and vulgarisms. The Fight HST campaign countered by uncovering comments made by a former Young Liberal official, who tweeted that Bill Vander Zalm is to politics what Michael Jackson was to children.
So no, I suppose it won't be advertising or rational debate that will turn the tide. It will be the nastiest, most cynical form of political dirty tricks. Certainly, the comments made are deplorable, and in some cases, completely reprehensible. But it doesn't have any real impact on the debate. In fact, instead of changing the minds of the voters, it will only further entrench people in their own positions.
I thought sanity would be restored today when I learned that Cariboo-Chilcotin organizers are proceeding with a recall of MLA Donna Barnett. My idea was that maybe we'd get down to something real. But when I spoke to Barnett about it, all she wanted to do was direct me to read up more on the foul-mouthed blogger.
It's my hope that British Columbians keep their eyes on the prize, and consider all relevant points before making a decision on HST. Character assassination, to my mind, is not relevant.
Two weeks ago, I theorized that advertising would be key in determining who gets the upper hand in the Harmonized Sales Tax campaign prior to next year's referendum. Turns out I was wrong. Or at least that's the way this week turned out.
First, there was the comments unearthed by the Liberals, attributed to Okanagan Fight HST organizer Al Romanchuk, who was sympathetic to holocaust-denier Ernst Zundel. Then, Liberal MLAs pointed to Cariboo-Chilcotin organizer Gary Edwards, who peppers his angry blog entries with profanities and vulgarisms. The Fight HST campaign countered by uncovering comments made by a former Young Liberal official, who tweeted that Bill Vander Zalm is to politics what Michael Jackson was to children.
So no, I suppose it won't be advertising or rational debate that will turn the tide. It will be the nastiest, most cynical form of political dirty tricks. Certainly, the comments made are deplorable, and in some cases, completely reprehensible. But it doesn't have any real impact on the debate. In fact, instead of changing the minds of the voters, it will only further entrench people in their own positions.
I thought sanity would be restored today when I learned that Cariboo-Chilcotin organizers are proceeding with a recall of MLA Donna Barnett. My idea was that maybe we'd get down to something real. But when I spoke to Barnett about it, all she wanted to do was direct me to read up more on the foul-mouthed blogger.
It's my hope that British Columbians keep their eyes on the prize, and consider all relevant points before making a decision on HST. Character assassination, to my mind, is not relevant.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Wait and See on Campbell's Future
(Aired on August 10, 2010)
I never get tired of reading and hearing political pundits, and seeing newspaper headlines about things you absolutely know will change. The latest series of headlines and stories concerns the political future of Gordon Campbell. "Campbell Down But Not Out," screams one headline, "Even a New Leader Won't Help Liberals Win Next Election" says another.
Now when you've seen as much news as I have over 40 years of headline watching, you know that this group of headlines is going to change. When it's going to change, I'm not sure, but it will change. Those speculating about the future of Gordon Campbell will soon find out that Gordon Campbell is going to come back. Will he come back strong enough to win the next election? Who knows. Will he give way to a new leader? Again, uncertain. But we know for sure that the election is far enough away that anything can happen between now and then.
There have been lots of elections where political leaders have been dead right up to election day, and they wind up winning. I can recall doing polls just before an election and find out election day that the polls are totally wrong. Politicians are fond of telling you that the only poll that matters is the one on election day. And in this case, they are right.
The news headlines you are seeing right now may well sell newspapers and have you watch more TV, but that's all they do. They are hardly the essence of reality, and a lot of water will cross under the bridge between now and May of 2013. To paraphrase a famous quotation from Mark Twain, the reports of Gordon Campbell's political death are greatly exaggerated.
I never get tired of reading and hearing political pundits, and seeing newspaper headlines about things you absolutely know will change. The latest series of headlines and stories concerns the political future of Gordon Campbell. "Campbell Down But Not Out," screams one headline, "Even a New Leader Won't Help Liberals Win Next Election" says another.
Now when you've seen as much news as I have over 40 years of headline watching, you know that this group of headlines is going to change. When it's going to change, I'm not sure, but it will change. Those speculating about the future of Gordon Campbell will soon find out that Gordon Campbell is going to come back. Will he come back strong enough to win the next election? Who knows. Will he give way to a new leader? Again, uncertain. But we know for sure that the election is far enough away that anything can happen between now and then.
There have been lots of elections where political leaders have been dead right up to election day, and they wind up winning. I can recall doing polls just before an election and find out election day that the polls are totally wrong. Politicians are fond of telling you that the only poll that matters is the one on election day. And in this case, they are right.
The news headlines you are seeing right now may well sell newspapers and have you watch more TV, but that's all they do. They are hardly the essence of reality, and a lot of water will cross under the bridge between now and May of 2013. To paraphrase a famous quotation from Mark Twain, the reports of Gordon Campbell's political death are greatly exaggerated.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Don't Write BC Liberals Off Too Quickly
(Aired on June 4, 2010)
Yesterday, Doug Collins tried to convince you that the BC Liberals are doomed when the next election comes around in 2013. He said their gaffes are piling up to the point of absurdity. While I agree with the latter statement, I cannot agree with the former.
The Liberals are not doing themselves any favours these days. Cuts to funding are going deep and to the wrong services, MLAs are showing remarkable flexibility in being able to put their feet in their mouths while having their heads buried somewhere else. The Kash Heed scandal was a major gong show, and the jewel in the crown of shame for British Columbians is the Harmonized Sales Tax.
But let's remember, the election will not take place tomorrow, this fall, or even next year. By the time we go to the polls, much - not all - but much will be forgotten. And as I have said before, for the Liberals to fall, they have to have some decent competition. The New Democrats have yet to show they can provide that.
All you have to do is look at the federal scene to see this principle in action. The federal Conservatives are in power simply because they're the least of the evils in most Canadians' eyes. Their competition, the federal Liberals specifically, haven't convinced the public that they are any competition whatsoever. I'm not willing to predict victory or defeat for either party when the next provincial election campaign. There's a long time before 2013, and there's a lot more than can go right, or wrong, before then.
Yesterday, Doug Collins tried to convince you that the BC Liberals are doomed when the next election comes around in 2013. He said their gaffes are piling up to the point of absurdity. While I agree with the latter statement, I cannot agree with the former.
The Liberals are not doing themselves any favours these days. Cuts to funding are going deep and to the wrong services, MLAs are showing remarkable flexibility in being able to put their feet in their mouths while having their heads buried somewhere else. The Kash Heed scandal was a major gong show, and the jewel in the crown of shame for British Columbians is the Harmonized Sales Tax.
But let's remember, the election will not take place tomorrow, this fall, or even next year. By the time we go to the polls, much - not all - but much will be forgotten. And as I have said before, for the Liberals to fall, they have to have some decent competition. The New Democrats have yet to show they can provide that.
All you have to do is look at the federal scene to see this principle in action. The federal Conservatives are in power simply because they're the least of the evils in most Canadians' eyes. Their competition, the federal Liberals specifically, haven't convinced the public that they are any competition whatsoever. I'm not willing to predict victory or defeat for either party when the next provincial election campaign. There's a long time before 2013, and there's a lot more than can go right, or wrong, before then.
Friday, June 4, 2010
BC Liberals Self Destructing
(Aired on June 3, 2010)
The B.C. Liberals continue to wind their way to self-destruction. It's hard to imagine circumstances that will prevent the Liberals from either losing the next election, or at the very best, holding on to a minority.
Let's look at a few of the things just in the last few weeks that have caught the public's attention. We already know about the HST, and whether it's a good thing or not, the end result of the petition initiative will be that the Liberals will do nothing. It may be the right decision to do nothing, that's another story, but the perception among the public is that the government doesn't care. We have the "let them eat cake approach" to school funding and health care. Again, editorials we've done before. This week, arts groups find out they're going to be hit hard again, losing funding that they were promised just weeks ago. Again, the government hitting out at groups that desperately need help. This week, a new group is formed to try to keep sports and arts programs alive in schools. These programs again decimated by the province. The Liberals continue to push Ottawa to again permit offshore drilling, even in the face of what's going on in the Gulf of Mexico. How stupid a move is that? What's next?
If I were interested in politics, it would be a good time to put my hat in the ring to run for the NDP. I don't think even the Premier is safe.
Now of course, we still have three years to go before the next election, and the Liberals are banking heavily on that to change their fortunes. They're going to count on a resurging economy, and hopefully a reduction in the deficit to allow them to spend money leading up to the vote in May of 2013. Whether the NDP can capitalize on the government's miscues remains to be seen. If they can, look for major changes in Victoria three years down the road.
The B.C. Liberals continue to wind their way to self-destruction. It's hard to imagine circumstances that will prevent the Liberals from either losing the next election, or at the very best, holding on to a minority.
Let's look at a few of the things just in the last few weeks that have caught the public's attention. We already know about the HST, and whether it's a good thing or not, the end result of the petition initiative will be that the Liberals will do nothing. It may be the right decision to do nothing, that's another story, but the perception among the public is that the government doesn't care. We have the "let them eat cake approach" to school funding and health care. Again, editorials we've done before. This week, arts groups find out they're going to be hit hard again, losing funding that they were promised just weeks ago. Again, the government hitting out at groups that desperately need help. This week, a new group is formed to try to keep sports and arts programs alive in schools. These programs again decimated by the province. The Liberals continue to push Ottawa to again permit offshore drilling, even in the face of what's going on in the Gulf of Mexico. How stupid a move is that? What's next?
If I were interested in politics, it would be a good time to put my hat in the ring to run for the NDP. I don't think even the Premier is safe.
Now of course, we still have three years to go before the next election, and the Liberals are banking heavily on that to change their fortunes. They're going to count on a resurging economy, and hopefully a reduction in the deficit to allow them to spend money leading up to the vote in May of 2013. Whether the NDP can capitalize on the government's miscues remains to be seen. If they can, look for major changes in Victoria three years down the road.
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