Monday, September 09, 2013

Harper Unleashes The Dogs Of War



Stephen Harper is stocking his office with fanatical loyalists and delivering red meat speeches about the "dangerous" opposition. Clearly he is preparing to go to war -- not in Syria, but at home. And that tells you a lot about the man. He does not see that he is the author of his own folly.

Lawrence Martin wrote back in May that "serial breaches of trust will doom the Harper machine." The Wright-Duffy affair is only the latest in a long list of abuses of power:

Much has been written about their odious record on ethics and abuse of power. But there’s a common thread to the narrative that is more offensive. At almost every turn you can find attempts by them to subvert the system to their advantage. The real scandal here isn’t excessive expenditures by Senate members — though given the involvement of the Prime Minister’s Office, it is serious enough. The real story is serial violations of the public trust. These Conservatives haven’t just breached it, as one MP said this week. “They’ve stomped all over it.”

There are countless examples, some still coming at us. One which did not get the notice it deserves — due to being overshadowed by Duffygate — is the ad campaign the Harper machine has launched for a job grants program that does not yet exist. The ads, running in prime time and costing exorbitant sums, are being paid for with public funds. The program is nowhere near being approved by Parliament, let alone by the provinces.

It’s an outrage right out of ‘fake lake‘ territory. It’s almost in a league with the Tories’ use of civil servants as stand-in stooges for a bogus citizenship ceremony a couple of years back. The full North Korean, as it was called.

Psychologists have a word for it -- projection -- blaming others for your own mistakes. And, to make sure there is no evidence of those mistakes, you make sure there is no paper trail, no documentation to provide clues to wrong doing. It's straight out of Richard Nixon's playbook -- like those edited volumes of what was on the White House tapes. And, when investigators got too close, he simply erased eighteen minutes of tape.

Obviously, Mr. Harper believes that, when the prime minister does it, it's legal. And the best defense is a good offense. Bring on the dogs of war.

10 comments:

Lorne said...

One hopes that Mr. Harper will soon discover that even the most ostensibly loyal dog can turn on its 'owner,' Owen.

Owen Gray said...

When one treats people like dogs, Lorne, the "dogs" will eventually refuse to come on call.

Anonymous said...

Harper is very accomplished at, shifting the blame. All Dictators and sociopaths do this. They always have a long list of degenerates, to do their dirty work for them.

We all know of Harper's economic and job actions plans, that don't exist.

I watched a program on the Documentary Channel. Harper is bringing foreigners over and training them to work, at the oil patch.

Harper's Omnibus Bill permits China to sue Canada if, anyone tries to prevent China from taking over our resources and resource jobs. China sued to take the 200 BC mining jobs away from, BC and Canadian miners. China is even allowed to sue Canada in the International Courts.

If Harper ratifies his FIPA deal with China? We can kiss Canada good-bye.

Owen Gray said...

When Harper talks free trade, Anon, it's not about creating jobs. It's about making corporations richer.

The Mound of Sound said...

Harper is desperate, Owen, and tired from the constant struggle to prop up stale ideas. His former BFF, Flanagan, has said that Harper is not a "vision" guy. He doesn't do vision, is frankly suspicious of it. Far easier for him to embrace ideology even aspects that are outdated or repudiated.

Desperation has driven Harper to surround himself with like-minded ideologues, dutiful vassals to the annointed one. There's been a wholesale changing of the guard in the PMO. Gone are the A-List operators like Nigel Wright, the bright lights. Their posts are now occupied by a lesser form of primates skilled mainly in throwing their faeces.

Harper has been reduced to a hawker of bitumen. Beyond that it comes down to promoting non-existing programmes and finding criminal penalties he can increase.

Eradicating all Senate expense scandal documents from the PMO and DoJ was an act of panic and desperation. There is something going on that we still don't understand but it/they is/are something(s) that Harper is prepared to go to extreme lengths to conceal.

It has been reported that Harper is growing increasingly wary and distrustful of those around him. That usually turns into a one-way trip into some bunker.

Owen Gray said...

The players now appear to all be third stringers, Mound. The party never had much bench strength. And Harper seems to have alienated or dismissed anyone with real talent.

Perhaps that was because they threatened the King.

Dana said...

Any day now I'm expecting Happer to announce that Canadian soldiers will be in the vanguard of an attack on Syria.

And that Parliament will be recalled when they come home.

In 2016.

Owen Gray said...

Yes, parliament really is an unnecessary appendage, isn't it, Dana?

Governing is much easier when he doesn't have to deal with it.

John B. said...

Investment protection and so-called “trade” deals will be pursued with no regard as to whether there is any benefit to Canada. The market libertarian considers this question only so far as to remind himself that he was told that prosperity is maximized by never turning down a deal of any sort. When you elect one of these fools to represent you his attachment to the teachings of the cult are reinforced by the personal success that he and his associates can maximize by doing the bidding of those who have economic power. There are always going to be some grateful investment interests that benefit from any deal that you make. That’s all that matters.

The nations and business interests with which our country is attempting to negotiate can read this ambition and naiveté from a mile away.

Owen Gray said...

Whether they were courtiers in Henry VIII's palace or lawyers for the Koch Brothers, those with wealth and power have always spotted these folks and -- without much effort -- they have manipulated them, John.

The irony is that Mr. Harper has confused being a courtier with being king.