The Conservative Party is deeply divided. But there is one thing that unites them. Alan Freeman writes:
Conservatives may be divided on all sorts of questions, like gay marriage and abortion, or the role of government and tolerance for deficits, but they all seem to agree on one thing, their intense hatred of Justin Trudeau and what he stands for. Justin hatred has been a sure-fire money-spinner for the party’s fundraising arm for years but not so good when it comes to winning elections.
You know the lines. In 2015, Trudeau was “just not ready” and “economically clueless.” This past fall, Andrew Scheer renewed the attacks, calling Trudeau a “phoney” and a “fraud.” But above all, it’s always been very personal. Justin is nothing but a part-time teacher, a snowboard instructor, a virtue signaller, a celebrity sock-wearer, a purchaser of upscale donuts.
In contrast, Tory leaders and would-be leaders like Harper, Scheer and MacKay are hockey players or big hockey fans, regular dads who love to drive gas-guzzling pickups, order hotdogs on the Sparks Street Mall and patronize Tim Hortons drive-throughs. “I’m a guy who likes to stay active,” says MacKay. “Trudeau does yoga. I play hockey.”
It's reminiscent of the battle between George W. Bush and John Kerry fifteen years ago:
I recall the U.S. 2004 presidential election campaign where the Republicans managed to destroy John Kerry’s Democratic candidacy by characterizing him as an effete, wine-sipping Eastern liberal as opposed to that down-home regular-guy Texan, George W. Bush.
In fact, both men shared very similar, privileged backgrounds. Both attended New England prep schools (Kerry went to St. Paul’s while Bush was sent to Phillips Academy). Both graduated to Yale. Kerry was an accomplished athlete and decorated officer during the Vietnam War while Bush managed to serve far away from the action in the Texas Air National Guard.
Yet Republican operatives successfully tarnished Kerry’s war record and then portrayed Kerry’s sporting pursuits as somehow fey. They took footage of Kerry wind-surfing (he was also an accomplished cyclist and skier) and mocked him in an ad as a flip-flopper who changed his positions on issues like a sailor in the wind.
There was also Kerry’s French, which he spoke fluently but couldn’t be caught dead speaking for fear of being dubbed as an out-of-touch fancy-pants university type.
Bush, on the other hand, made sure that Americans knew his favourite pastime was brush clearing on the his 1,600-acre Texas ranch. More manly and the hobby of choice for another would-be cowboy on his large ranch, Ronald Reagan. It worked wonders for Bush. Kerry, never the most talented retail politician, went down in flames.
This week, we have been watching where all of this leads. In Washington, opposing sides can no longer talk to each other. And one side, at least, works to sabotage the constitution. This virus is deadly. If the Conservatives are hell bent on this path, Canada is in deep trouble.
Image: Skip Prichard
4 comments:
The problem for conservatives is that their economic ideas are proven to make life worse for the average guy and their social ideas are outdated and unpopular. What's left is white grievance, aka "culture wars." Culture wars, tax cuts and destroying government - that's the Con agenda.
But this agenda is not enough to get them elected to power, so they turn to cheating. The Harper government was the first in history to be convicted of election fraud. As David Frum wrote, “if conservatives become convinced that they cannot win democratically, they will not abandon conservatism. They will reject democracy.” Harper proved that his party is on the same path as Republicans.
Cap
Exactly, Cap. They're Northern Republicans. And they're headed down the same path as their southern cousins.
.. it often seems it really just comes down to oil.. to Energy as being something they all embrace completely. Oil is money, as is natural gas. Oddly, it is something both Liberals and 'Conservatives' agree on - Energy. But here's yet another seemingly grim reality for Conservatives to get a whacking on together.. what if the price of LNG got even lower? Alberta produces the major percentage of Canada's gas output for domestic or export markets, BC with the next largest output. Jason Kenney simply cannot ignore world prices and countries such as Australia or Venezuela ie aggressive competition.. hell, even the USA is competition, although gas is allowed to flow freely back or forth at the border So yes, the hatred thingy & Trudeau non-appreciation gang from out west, cue the righteous Riders On The Storm theme.. grab your yoga voodoo dolls eh ! Aiieee.. it really does get quite silly, the banal sneered propaganda pimped out daily
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-01-24/from-texas-to-tokyo-global-lng-poised-for-terrible-year
Thanks for the link, sal. Perhaps what it all comes down to is economic illiteracy. Seems to me Conservatives have made a number of bad economic bets.
Post a Comment