Topic awaiting preservation: Why the US can at times really piss us off (Page 1 of 1)

When I saw this guy make these remarks on tv the other day I thought ' you arrogant little shit.' He reminded me of a dimwitted schoolyard bully.... you know... ' Oh ya.... ya bedder shudup or I'll... '

When George W. appointed him I shuddered. You'd think you'd appoint an ambassador to your neighbouring country who knew at least a little bit about that country but from the moment he opened his mouth it's been nothing but a pittiful display of ignorance and arrogance. And that probably explains why he and bush are the best of buds.
I'll be happy when they're both gone. I'll tell ya the US supreme court sure wasn't thinking the day they elected george.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4530744.stm

hey...don't make us liberate you now! ( )

<LOL> Ya... no kidding! I have bad dreams about that you know. =)

Don't know if you've ever seen this guy in action.... he's a right piece of work for sure.

Just have to remind myself he comes from where they still fly the confederate flag.

Yeah, I thought it pretty stupid--sending a southerner to Ottawa. Then again, maybe his brain will freeze. Or, by focusing on firewood, he'll forget about lumber.

Interestingly, the BBC article you liked to doesn't really show Mr. Martin in very good light either. Are you backing the NDP for next month?

edit:
On further reflection, conspiracy theorists might wonder in Mr. Wilkins is setting things up for Mr. Martin's campaign. From http://www.macleans.ca/topstories/politics/news/shownews.jsp?content=n121557A

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The prime minister took his hard line on Wednesday well aware that standing up to the Americans and waving the flag plays well in an election campaign, particularly given the Bush administration's unpopularity in Canada.

And the strategy appears to have worked.

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(Edited by brucew on 12-16-2005 04:18)

No not the NDP. So that leaves the theiving liberals or the mostly fundamentalist conservatives and since I'd rather be robbed than preached at.... =)

I wouldn't be terribly upset tho' if the ndp held the balance of power in a minority gov't.

(Edited by NoJive on 12-16-2005 04:07)

Sorry, I snuck in an edit while you were posting. Might want to scroll up a bit.

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since I'd rather be robbed than preached at...

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Funny, there's a rising tide of that sentiment on this side of the lake too. (I'm hopelessly eastern.) Except that here, the "preachers" are even greater robbers than the liberals.

I tend to agree that a minority government with the NDP holding the palance would work out best in these times. That's what I love about your country, that there are more than two viable parties and any party can make a difference.

In fact Bruce, we are defacto a two party country.

The NDP is, at best comic relief, at worst hopeless bunglers who wil-gratefully-never form a federal government.

So, we are stuck with a clever and competant bunch of thieves who have plundered the country's coffers for generations and a bumch of fundamentalist xians who want the opportunity to do the same all the while scourging us all and burning gays at the stake.

To make matters worse, the liberal candidate in my riding is one Sheila Orr...as arrogant, ugly and incompetant a pol as ever got elected.

What shall I do?

Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what's right.
Isaac Asimov
US science fiction novelist & scholar (1920 - 1992)

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Sheila Orr...as arrogant, ugly and incompetant a pol as ever got elected.

What shall I do?

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Contribute a makeover (and perhaps a health club membership) to her campaign? That would at least take care of the ugly part.

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So, we are stuck with a clever and competant bunch of thieves who have plundered the country's coffers for generations and a bumch of fundamentalist xians who want the opportunity to do the same all the while scourging us all and burning gays at the stake.

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Also a succinct summary of Washington.

I'm not so sure the Liberals would agree the actions of the NDP of late fall into the category of "comic relief". They also generate a lot of press and got a seat in the debates. They may not be able to form a federal government, but they can (and do) work as an effective prod in the overall government--something we don't have here in the US, where the two parties are no longer even two sides of the same coin. They're much closer than even that.

Again, coming from a decidedly Eastern viewpoint, the Quebecois are taken seriously around here, even in New York State. Again, not that they'll form a federal government, but they hold influence considerable enough to be courted by both the Liberals and the Tories. And of course, they got a seat in the debates.

Of course, holding the French-language debates in Vancouver was meant to move them from their power base, so maybe I'm wrong in the larger scheme of things.

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Diogenes said:

In fact Bruce, we are defacto a two party country.

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Diogenes, your Canadian?


Hmmm..., I always thought Canadians were polite.

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-- not necessarily stoned... just beautiful.

Nojive, you can't seriously be siding with Martin here. He's completely running on the campaign that voting for the conservatives would be like electing Bush. Every single time Martin makes a speach he talks about how he chose not to go to war, and how he did sign the Kyoto accord (amazingly, there are in fact people stupid enough to think the Kyoto accord has something to do with preventing global warming). Obvious references to how he doesn't support US policy. I think the US government had every right to respond.

Of course, with Canada's rapidly increasing dollar (unlike the US, Canada is an extreme net exporter, and a high dollar is a sign of rapid price inflation, and soaring interest, and has nothing to do with the commodities market, like in the US), rising unemployment, no change in homeownership, government thievery and scandals, increases in the bias of the tax scheme, the Kyoto Accord, increases across the board in public health services, and the very likelyness of the government attempting to once again influence the energy markets (the second coming of the National Energy Program - if you're not Canadian, you may not understand), it's nearly impossible for Martin to run on the issues.

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To make matters worse, the liberal candidate in my riding is one Sheila Orr...as arrogant, ugly and incompetant a pol as ever got elected.

What shall I do?

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Vote Libertarian, or Vote green. I'd rather the conservatives won because I voted for the best candidate, than the liberals win because I voted to keep the conservatives out.

Yes Bruce I are a Canajun eh? Bred and born here.

And you?

There is a difference between being polite and outspoken.

The NDP, in the person of Jack Lenin are hysterical, first they support the corrupt liberals, then they turn around and bad-mouth them.

Typical socialist hypocrisy.

They are alkso funny because they still actually believe they might form a government.

The Bloc are traitors and any self-respecting country would have taken them all out and shot them years ago.

Instead we pay them with tax dollars to foment breaking up of the country.

No, Orr is ugly from the outside in, selfish, self centred, arrogant without any justification. A coat of paint won't help.

Oh crap! Libertarian or green? Might as well not go to the polls.

Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what's right.
Isaac Asimov
US science fiction novelist & scholar (1920 - 1992)

Dan

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Nojive, you can't seriously be siding with Martin here

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No I am not 'siding' with Martin but, I am very serious when I say: "I'd rather be robbed than preached at."

The way I see it... our economic issues are inextribably (sp?) tied to the US and it won't make a hoot of difference whether the liberals or conservatives are in power.

'The chin that walks like a man' Brian Mulroney, sold us down the river with nafta and unless we're going to bail out of that we will forever be at the whim of the US with it's 'do as I say... not as I do' to ALL things not american.

So that leaves me to consider only, for lack of better, 'social issues' and that takes me right back to: 'I'd rather be robbed than preached at."

When Hillary runs with her protectionist "stop the Canadian subsidized imports" policy (which she will), you wont say anything when the Canadian Prime Minister speaks out against the 'blame Canada' rhetoric. This is no different.

I don't consider what the US doing here as preaching. Paul Martin made it clear he wants to run against the US way of doing things. The public should hear what this means, including the other side.

Canada isn't tied to the US economy because of NAFTA. We depend on the US because our insane taxation laws have stifled corporate growth for a decade, and we can't compete globally (tripple taxation on corporate profits... no wonder 6 out of Canada's 10 largest companies are crown corporations). For now our economy survives on what we sell to America. Hopefully we'll join the Free Trade of the Americas agreement, and can then broaden our scope to include South America. Otherwise, we might have to start selling our oil companies to China so we can pay for our 'social issues'.

Dan:

You miss my point. The 'Conservative' party is nothing but the Reform Party dressed up. It is Preacher Ernest Mannings wet dream come true.

And unless I've misread... you pretty much endorse my position that it doesn't matter much what we do this side of the line... if Hillary or George or whomever is the next president of the US... our gov't of 'the day' will simply say...' please sir can I have some more.' no matter what the hell the issue is because we, quite simply, do not have any clout.

And that all takes me right back to "I'd rather be robbed than preached at."

Oh, I assumed when you said that, you were referring to the US preaching, my bad.
I see your point, and I'm certainly no fan of the conservative party, especially with Stephen Harper (who happens to be my MP actually in Calgary S.W.) in command.

I still say vote for a good party. The only way anything is going to change is if we legitimize the parties that will actually change things for the better. It happens one vote at a time.

(Edited by Dan on 12-16-2005 23:39)

Dan:

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Oh, I assumed when you said that, you were referring to the US preaching

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Well yes it does but not just to us... so we shouldn't feel 'special' or anything. =)

brucew:

You know waaaay to much about Canadian politics. You must be an 'operative.'

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You know waaaay to much about Canadian politics. You must be an 'operative.'

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No, just curious about the neighbours.

Actually, my parents have owned a vacation home in the Rideau Lakes of Ontario since 1962. Growing up, I used to spend all summer there. Returning to school in September I had to pay attention to dropping "eh?" from my vocabulary.

These days I have a client in Halifax NS, friends and clients in Toronto, friends in Kingston ON, Ottawa, Quebec City and Montreal. It's in my best interest to at least appear informed.