Why does Jason insist on giving me such irresistible pieces to munch on. He really needs to stop thinking out loud, because this is just embarrassing. Well, actually, it's very funny. So, one second-thought... don't stop. The whinier you get, the more entertaining it is:
Today, in suing the Liberal Party of Canada, Stephen Harper has once again shown his authoritarian, dictatorial streak. I know some will think I'm overreacting. However, such people may not understand how the fundraising laws work. No matter how well meaning, no lawyer can volunteer time for the Liberal Party on this file, because it is illegal to volunteer professional services to a political party that exceed a $1,100 value per year. That's about 6 hours of work if you go with somebody "cheap". As a result, Mr. Harper is essentially using the monetary resources of the Conservative Party to force the Liberal Party to spend its money on lawyers, instead of politics.
Yes... yes he is doing that, isn't he? Just like Dion sued Duceppe. You know, if you make unsubstantiated claims about someone engaging in criminal activities, as Duceppe did to Dion, and now Liberal Party of Canada has done to Harper, guess what? You might actually get sued.
Cherniak calls it "authoritarian" and "dictatorial" to sue a political party for lying about you. That's undemocratic, apparently. Except, of course, it's not. Cherniak doesn't even seem to know what the word democracy bloody means. It isn't a license for parties to defame people. It's a method by which we choose our government. If the Liberal Party makes a fatal mistake, goes bankrupt, and becomes a worthless, withering, pathetic excuse for a political party, then: so be it. I for one, hope that happens.
Back to the point.
The Liberal Party has gone out of their way to smear Harper any way they can, from trying to link him to the Mulroney-Shreiber file, to suggesting he engaged in criminal bribery. And then they frickin' complain when Harper actually reacts in a serious way?
We all know politicians smear each other. It's part of the game. Harper's never threatened to sue people who accuse him of a "hidden agenda" or being a "neocon", or a "far-right Christian radical". Whatever, that's the same old political trash talk.
But there's somewhat of a difference between misrepresenting someone's ideals and beliefs, and misrepresenting their character, and their actions. And this is precisely what the Liberals have done by suggesting that Harper has been party to an act of criminal bribery. So they will get what they deserve.
...
Cherniak then goes on to whine about how the LPC doesn't have enough money:
Some will argue that all's fair in war and politics. If the Liberals don't have as much money as the Tories, that is their own fault. I can accept that when it comes to political campaigns, but not when you are talking about lawsuits. Political parties should not be expected to raise money to defend themselves against other political parties in court, for political arguments. If the Tories can do this to the Liberals, then they can do it to the Greens, the NDP or any other political party.
Translation: "I'm a whiny, partisan, Liberal. It's not fair the Conservative's have more money! They cut off our corporate money trough. And now they're going to sue us dry! Why should we have to defend ourselves against them in court with our political donations!? It's not fair!"
My response: Boo-yah!
But there's somewhat of a difference between misrepresenting someone's ideals and beliefs, and misrepresenting their character, and their actions.
That's pretty funny coming from a guy who just falsely accused someone of being an anti-semite.
Cherniak seems to forget that it was the Chretien Liberals that brought in the fundraising rules the Liberals of today like Cherniak are squealing about. The same system, by the way, in which Tories also have to raise money.
If the Liberals are worried about having to spend money defending their Party from a libel suit when they accuse people of a crime without first hand information, then perhaps they shouldn't be doing just that. Its not a real difficult concept to grasp. They overreached and now they are going to burn for it. They have no one to blame but themselves.
This authour and I also agree. This is just stating the obvious. The grits are having little luck raising money from their non existant grass roots. A court decision recently will make them pay back $500000 to their leadership candidates.
Hundreds of hours of billable hours very well may break the grit bank. They have asked for Parliament to pay , but the precedent is they would get money if they win at the end of the process.
All this because the grits can no longer steal from the public trough. Maybe they should bring some of the sponsorship money back from offshore.
My link didn't work. Here it is.
http://www.straight.com/article-137211/prime-ministers-libel-suit-could-cost-liberals-money-regardless-outcome?#
As I recall, Prime Minister Harper gave that hapless Dion more than a few opportunities to remove the offensive statements from the Liberal Party's web site.
He arrogantly refused and continued his slanderous allegations outside the protection of the House of Commons.
Dion should consider himself lucky he was dropped from the lawsuit.
One thing for sure Stephane Dion will never, ever be Prime Minister of Canada.
Churniak is again batting 0.100 for the home team but still thinking he is the new bonds man. Dion is playing russian roulette, hoping to hang on till something happens... hoping the LPC can pay off his debts... hoping that Batman takes a day off so he, Batboy can take the car outta the cave for a spin.
real conservative, you are right about him playing Russian roulette, however I would like to add that the chamber seems nearly full.........does that make it Russian anymore...?.......?......?.......in all fairness, we should dub it "Liberal roulette".
If Harper's intent is to bankrupt the Liberls, he is too late. Its been done already - by the Liberals.
I go to Jason's site from time to time, when I want a good laugh. And I really do laugh. Some Liberals frustrate me and make me angry. Not Jason. He's like a little Liberal groupie who swoons at whatever thrills him, from his beloved leader to getting his picture taken with a transvestite.
Then I fall on the floor laughing when his does his little bit of investigative work, and screws it right up. Yet, through it all he takes himself so seriously.
Keep it up Jason, you make my belly sore.
It is truly pathetic to see exactly what the Liberal party is. For years they have covered up their selfish, incompetant, petty, miserable underbelly through the generous use of the taxpayer trough. Without it, slowly but surely they ugliness of the breed is being brought into the light of day. We got an initial glimps during the Gomery inquiry where they couldn't hide; now, with Harper's lawsuit, we may get to see that much more. They complain they can't raise enough money or they can't raise as much as the Conservatives; if we had a decent press, there would be questions as to why. What is it about Liberals? They have no problem taking and spending taxpayers money for their hundreds of special interest programmes but when it comes to digging into their own pockets to support the party that pays them off when in power, they are too selfish, self-serving and petty to cut a cheque - A close look at the money the party did raise shows a small group cutting large cheques in comparison to a very large group of Conservatives cutting small personal cheques. This is the true underbelly of the Liberal breed and it is not a pretty sight.
Hey Libs! Hear that flushing sound?
The Liberal Party should look for the silver lining in this dark cloud.
My recommendation is that LPC heavyweights convince Dion that the legal costs to the Party are prohibitive. And that the only way out is for Dion to apologize in the House of Commons, as Harper wanted initially. And then Dion should resign, as he is irreperably damaged.
The caucus then elects a new leader from their ranks and a leadership race is set in motion, to start within six months (both, as required by the LPC constitution). But the Libs trigger a general election before the six months is up.
Seems to me like a clean, quick, legitimate way to get rid of Dion.
I'll ignore most of this tripe, but I have to make the point that my "offer" of legal services was more of a joke than anything. The Liberal Party already has lawyers.
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"That's pretty funny coming from a guy who just falsely accused someone of being an anti-semite."
By Robert McClelland on March 16, 2008 8:31 PM
good grief, robert... that's pretty rich.
you sure you really wanna go there?
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"I'll ignore most of this tripe, but I have to make the point that my "offer" of legal services was more of a joke than anything. The Liberal Party already has lawyers."
Jason - you might as well ignore the tripe. Your party ignores the Canadian people and common sense. Don't you have a scandal to manufature? Why waste time here?
I can just see future fund-raising disclosures for the LPC when they tell donors where their money is going...
Debt Reduction : 75%
Wages and Salaries for LP Brass : 15%
Party Platform and Election Preparedness : 5%
Libel Claim to the CPC : 5%
Who wouldn't want to donate to the LPC knowing your money was going to work for you in such awesome ways.
I wonder if the LPoC will ever get elected again they will keep Harper in longer then Chretien with his repeated emergency early elections. I can see them being replaced with the green party.
My guess is Chretien brought in the law to screw over Martin and the party is a side effect. Maybe the liberals will have to support policies that will engage the little guy in Canada. Like getting rid of affirmative action.
:)Jason:
"The Liberal Party already has lawyers."
You mean they have some lawyers left over? I thought they had all been appointed to the bench.
Go ahead Jason, ignore the "tripe", you can do little else as it is mostly accurate.
Do Liberals put their own money where their mouth is? NO!
Do Liberals prefer to put public money where their mouth is? YES!
Is this funding mess the fault of the Liberals? YES!
Therefore, with little public money, and the historical resistance of Liberals to fork over their own hard earned cash, the LPC is in financial trouble; Liberals seem to believe in their own brand of liberalism as long as others pay for it. Conservatives follow their beliefs and back them up with cash donations.
Pretty hard to face this "tripe" as it is Sooooooooo inconveniently true.
Gee I'd already thought that failed lawyers become politicians and good lawyers avoided politics? Then we have Churniak, where do you fit in?
Aah, leave poor little Churniak alone guys, I've always felt so sorry for the little deluded twit after visiting his comedy site a few times.
P.S. Would anyone actually hire this guy as a lawyer?
P.P.S. Why??