At least Some Americans know the truth about the Conservative Win

In his article Conservative win not big Canadian lurch to right, John Nichols makes some very valid observations about the state of Canadian politics after the last election.

Very astutely, he advised his readers that although Canada now has a Conservative government, it is a minority and was elected with only 36% of the popular vote, which means that 64% of the country voted for more left-wing parties. If it werent for the flawed "first-past-the-post" system we use

He also points out that of the people who voted Conservative, 54% of them voted strictly for a change, [b]NOT[/b] because they support right-wing policies. Only 41% admitted voting for them solely on their policies. So, 41% of 36% = not quite 15% of all the Canadians who voted (really the only ones who count, the rest obviously don't care!) support Conservative social policies...

Glad to see at least one American is taking notice! :-)

US Judge decides email surveillance without evidence is OK

Using the Patriot Act as their excuse, the Justice Department has convinced an obviously Republican Judge has approved the use of email surveillance of people, even when there is no proof of wrongdoing. I know that the US has been hit with some pretty bad events in the past few years with regards to terrorism, but somehow, I don't believe giving police powers they can abuse without even needing any evidence is what should be permitted in a supposed "free" country.

Benjamin Franklin said it best:

They that would give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

So much for the land of the free and home of the brave... Maybe more like the land of Big Brother and home of the Cowardly Administration. I don't understand why more Americans aren't fighting against such totalitarian acts.

Bush politburo member at NASA faked credentials

So the little 24-yearold Republican Politburo member who was trying to muffle all the intelligent people at NASA for President Bush was a fake. George C (does C stand for "Caught Lying?") Deutsch was Bush's man at NASA, given a cushy job trying to push a conservative agenda over science and hide the fact Bush's administration has done nothing about climate change and global warming. He received the job after working on the Bush campaign.

Of course, now the truth is out. Turns out, Georgie-boy Deutsch faked his credentials. His resume stated he has a "Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, Class of 2003" from Texas A&M.

From NY Times:

Mr. Deutsch, 24, was offered a job as a writer and editor in NASA's public affairs office in Washington last year after working on President Bush's re-election campaign and inaugural committee, according to his résumé. No one has disputed those parts of the document.

According to his résumé, Mr. Deutsch received a "Bachelor of Arts in journalism, Class of 2003."

Yesterday, officials at Texas A&M said that was not the case.

"George Carlton Deutsch III did attend Texas A&M University but has not completed the requirements for a degree," said an e-mail message from Rita Presley, assistant to the registrar at the university, responding to a query from The Times.

Repeated calls and e-mail messages to Mr. Deutsch on Tuesday were not answered.

Mr. Deutsch's educational record was first challenged on Monday by Nick Anthis, who graduated from Texas A&M last year with a biochemistry degree and has been writing a Web log on science policy, scientificactivist.blogspot.com.

After Mr. Anthis read about the problems at NASA, he said in an interview: "It seemed like political figures had really overstepped the line. I was just going to write some commentary on this when somebody tipped me off that George Deutsch might not have graduated."

He posted a blog entry asserting this after he checked with the university's association of former students. He reported that the association said Mr. Deutsch received no degree.

A copy of Mr. Deutsch's résumé was provided to The Times by someone working in NASA headquarters who, along with many other NASA employees, said Mr. Deutsch played a small but significant role in an intensifying effort at the agency to exert political control over the flow of information to the public.

Such complaints came to the fore starting in late January, when James E. Hansen, the climate scientist, and several midlevel public affairs officers told The Times that political appointees, including Mr. Deutsch, were pressing to limit Dr. Hansen's speaking and interviews on the threats posed by global warming.

Yesterday, Dr. Hansen said that the questions about Mr. Deutsch's credentials were important, but were a distraction from the broader issue of political control of scientific information.

"He's only a bit player," Dr. Hansen said of Mr. Deutsch. " The problem is much broader and much deeper and it goes across agencies. That's what I'm really concerned about."

"On climate, the public has been misinformed and not informed," he said. "The foundation of a democracy is an informed public, which obviously means an honestly informed public. That's the big issue here."

Seems to me, President Bush has been caught with his hand in the cookie jar trying to alter truth and make his warped beliefs that the world is fine sending billions of tons of crap into the atmosphere by burning the oil that made his family and friends rich. Not only did he send in his hatchet man to turn science into spin, but he sent someone who lied about their qualifications for doing such a thing! Oh President Bush, what a tangled web you weave...

NASA Chief Backs Agency Openness

Last week I added an article about a NASA climatologist who was being silenced for his predictions about global warming. I had one ostrich dispute the entire belief the world is getting warmer and several who, like me, agree that those who dispute it are simply hiding from reality.

Today, in a New York Times article NASA chief Michael D. Griffin called for "scientific openness" within NASA, with the following statement:

"It is not the job of public-affairs officers," Dr. Griffin wrote in an e-mail message to the agency's 19,000 employees, "to alter, filter or adjust engineering or scientific material produced by NASA's technical staff."

Within the interview are some interesting clues that show the extent to which the Bush administration is going to stop NASA scientists from talking openly about global warming.

Right-Wingnuts using the term "Cultural Marxism" to make them appear less bigoted

'Cultural Marxism,' a conspiracy theory with an anti-Semitic twist, is being pushed by much of the American right. My favourite right wingnut, Paul Weyrich has an article in which he admits there was a silence conspiracy during the election, and that Canada has had "Cultural Marxism" foisted on them by the courts (which are, in his view, full of liberal judges).

Once again I see the right-wing agendas start to roll along with their narrow-minded views and show their ugly underbelly. By using semi-intelligent sounding terms like "Cultural Marxism", they are trying to convince the rest of the country (the normal ones...) that the cause of all the world's woes (you know, all that crazy commie stuff like basic human rights, state-responsibilities, access to medical care, compassion for those less fortunate than ourselves...) is really those nasty Jews. Wow.

Didn't we beat the Nazi's 60 years ago? I thought that dog was dead and buried. Apparently, some of them snuck into the country with those "nasty Jews" they refer to in their speeches and writings, the ones who are perpetrating this crime of "Cultural Marxism"...

Hard to believe they can actually say that with a straight face and still profess to be "Christians". Any bible I have seen says "Love thy neighbour" NOT "Love only those neighbours who believe the same narrow-minded, bigoted dogma I preach". Maybe they have the new, improved, remixed, dance version of the KKK bible, the one with the Village People on the cover all dressed as Himmler wearing tights and ballet slippers...

Right Wing US strategist thinks Canadians are liberal and hedonistic, but Harper can straighten us out...

Paul Weyrich says Canadians are "so liberal and hedonistic" that Stephen Harper can't hope to change their philosophy of "cultural Marxism" right away.

In his warped mind, Mr. Weyrich links same sex marriage, and abortion on demand to "Marxist" views... of course, he has no idea (or evidence) how these things have anything to do with Marxism. But then again, neither did Senator McCarthy, and look where he took the US!

Mr. Weyrich admits that there was a form of US right-wing gag order, for them not to speak to Canadian reporters during the election. I assume this is because they know the average Canadian does not want to be like them, and did not want to have people convinced of the Liberal claims Mr. Harper was too right-wing. For some reason he thinks it is in our best interests to change and become like them...

Maybe we should thank people like Paul Weyrich for having such close-minded views, spewing off such rhetoric for the rest of the world to hear. That way, we will always have a great example of what Canada does NOT want to be like!

Personally, I think this is the best compliment an American right-wing person could ever give Canadians. I guess he sees it as immoral to care about human rights, the poor, the sick, the elderly, and the unfortunate. For me, I am proud to live in a country where compassion trumps capitalism every time.

Expert says White House stifling global warming facts

A NASA scientist said Tuesday that the Bush administration is trying to hush up scientific evidence of global warming and keep the public uninformed.

It just frightens me to think of this happening. Even though I am sure that there are likely some facts on each side of this argument, the truth still lies somewhere I don't think a supposedly free society should go. Watch out Dr Hansen, with what has been happening lately, President Bush may be wiretapping your home phone now...

No wonder I don't trust right-wing politicians...

Hmm, Chicken Little was wrong... so far...

Hmmm, Conservative Stephen (aka Satan) Harper has been PM-elect for two whole days now and the apocalypse hasn't started... yet... ;-)

Google flip flop

So, Google won't release search information to American feds but then turns around and censors their search information for China.

I agree with their first decision, despise their second one... If China wants to become a major player in the world, they are going to have to start actually letting its citizens see there is a lot more to the world than the false picture painted to them by their government.

Almost final results...

It's late, I'm going to bed...

It stands as:

Conservatives 123
Liberals 104
Bloc Quebecois 50
NDP 30
Ind (Shock Jock) 1


FINAL (So far)

Conservatives 124
Liberals 103
Bloc Quebecois 50
NDP 30
Ind (Shock Jock) 1

Canadian Guardian's Canadian Election 2006 Predictions

So here are my predictions... They have been accumulated through many hours of extremely dilligent guesswork by my dedicated staff members (me!), so take them with a grain of salt...

I would like to steal some titles from Andrew Coyne's website. Although I don't agree with much of what he says, I find these titles hilarious!

Fascists      133 (Conservative Party of Canada)
Crooks          90 (Liberals)
Commies       30 (New Democratic Party)
Traitors        55 (Bloq Quebecois)

I will be posting actual results as soon as I know them.

Election 2006: Interesting, if nothing else!

With the latest polls showing a bit of a bounce for the Liberals, it is definitely becoming a bit of a horserace again. No longer considered likely to form a majority government, it does appear the Conservatives are heading into power.

So the really interesting question is... How long until Mr. Harper fires Frank McKenna? Harper is not likely to accept a member of a different party and likely future competitor for the keys to his house on Sussex Drive acting as his mouth in Washington.

Harper or Martin to blink first?

So Martin hooks up with "Bumbling Buzz", while Harper says "Even if we wanted it, the courts and Senate would keep us from having absolute power".

Buzz opened up his mouth long enough to insert both feet when he called Harper a seperatist and advocated voting Bloc instead of Conservative in Quebec. Not really sure what he was smoking, but "Buzz" appears to be an apt name for him after that.

As for Harper... Wow! After watching the Conservative leader acting very moderate during the whole campaign, this was probably his first major slip. I have heard more chatter about him and his policies since then, rather than simply "Well, we need to get rid of the Liberals". Might not cost him the election, but sure didn't shore up the undecideds who are worried about his plans.

If nothing else, this should keep things interesting a few days longer!

Jan 18 - Poll suggests Liberals back in lead in Ontario

A Toronto Star Poll suggests Liberals back in lead in Ontario, with Conservatives still comfortably ahead nationally.

Message for the Conservatives...

It appears the people of Canada are fed up with the party in power because of scandals. I would like to point this out to the Conservatives. Scandals, NOT political policies.

The country did not suddenly wake up one morning and decide they wanted a right-wing government, they decided it was time for a shakeup. Many Canadians are thinking that way, and without their support, the Conservatives will not stay in power. The Conservatives need to remember Canadians are not handing them a carte blanche to start cutting the social safety net, just a chance to show they are more than the neo-cons who blabbered stupidly and slobbered from their jowls at the thought of taking over the country for right-wing fundamentalism during their last campaign.

Apparently Harper has found a large enough muzzle for those types. If Harper shows he can do a decent job and control the neo-cons, they will have their chance. BUT, he needs to remember that the majority do not want wholesale cuts to programs.

Tax rebates or GST cuts? Which is best? You decide...

Direct from "Reality Check" on cbc.ca...

Simply put, if you earn less than $10,000, where you pay no income tax, or over $100,000, then Harper’s GST cut can work for you. But if you’re single and earning something in between those two figures, then you look to be better off with the income tax cut and its corresponding increase in the basic personal deduction and federal refundable credits. Otherwise, you’d have to spend close to your entire income on consumer items to come out ahead.

For someone earning $40,000, for example, the projected income tax relief this year under the Liberals is $359. That same person would have to buy $35,900 worth of consumer goods or services to generate a similar $359 GST savings. And as one tax economist contacted by Reality Check put it, that kind of spending doesn’t leave much left over for rent and groceries.

The GST advantage realistically really doesn’t kick in until you hit the $100,000 bracket. Because then you would only have to spend a little over 40 per cent of your total earnings to get a larger return from the GST break.

Two income families generally do much better under the income tax cuts because both earners benefit from the increased deductions. But kids, of course, can skew the entire equation.

Now THIS is how I want my government to act!

Carpooling helps N.B. candidates cover riding

CPC Policies "centrist" for a reason

With regards to the platform, perhaps the movers and shakers in the CPC party realized that the majority of people in Canada do not support the far-right views of the fundamentalists. Most Canadians still want social programs and do not want American-style policies.

Like it or not, most of the gains in CPC support during the past few weeks is because of government scandals, not support for the party's policies. The Liberals were still ahead until the RCMP announced their intentions of investigating RE: Income Trusts. That was the "final straw", not any great motivational factor for the country to change their views overnight. Liberal/Left-wing policy is still more popular to the masses.

The CPC, after being punished in the last election for not paying attention to what the majority wants, seems to have finally learned to tone it down. If they stay the course with balanced policies, they will likely have a good run at things for a while. If not, those who are thinking of "punishing" the Liberals will simply turf them next time. No party is without scandal - everyone remembers Mulroney.