The Politics Mega-Thread

[gryphon]

Ive decided to start this thread as a catch all thread for various pieces of political news, whether they be local, provincial, federal, US news, or from other countries.

Lets keep things civil and polite.

[DH666]

Oh no! The Tea Party is gaining steam!

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/09/...ex.html?hpt=T1

Why are we so different than the Americans? They seem to gravitate towards extreme conservatism.

[Natalka]

DH, I really don't think Canadians are so very different than Americans, just a bit more moderate. There are many Canadians who also want smaller government, with more personal freedoms, tax reductions, etc. - things similar to what the Tea Party is standing for. There will be some form of the Tea Party in Canada, as well - don't know if they will take that name, but there is already a movement - though they won't run as a political party; I'm sure it will take a much more moderate form than the American one.

[FallenPixels]

The vast majority of Tea Party members are what we would consider normal conservative voters, but their media concentrates on the actions and views of the more extreme and militant ones - makes for better news. Even within the PC caucus here, I can think of several members who would be right at home with the Tea Party

[saraL]

Oh no! The Tea Party is gaining steam!

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/09/...ex.html?hpt=T1

Why are we so different than the Americans? They seem to gravitate towards extreme conservatism.

before i say anything i should say that i'm a total american politics GEEK and i love it and them.
okay, i think there is such a horrible disintegration in news media that everyone has blamed on 'new media' [v-blogs, twitter journalists, the whole lot] but it actually the fault of journalists.

the whole 2008 elections was out of control. it was basically the whole 24 hour news cycle, every single day for two freaking years. certain news moguls and certain pundits picked up on the undercurrent of anger and brought it to attention with such false praise and they made it into something huge. over the top and more people bought into it and i don't think they can really step back and look at what they're doing.

i think someone just saw a way of making a huge amount of money and twisted some legitimate issues people had into some nasty, racist and out of control rage and told them it was okay. ["don't worry The People, we hear you. go on tv and everyone will tune in and hear you too"] i think it is going to take some drastic measures before people realize they have been played by the media and used as a ploy to up ratings.

in the mean time, i am scared someone is going to get hurt. every time there is breaking news i have to hold my breath for a second because i'm so sure they will say someone has assassinated obama.

[Andit]

in the mean time, i am scared someone is going to get hurt. every time there is breaking news i have to hold my breath for a second because i'm so sure they will say someone has assassinated obama.

At this point, I think he's fairly safe. If anyone wanted to assassinate him, it would have been in the first 6 months.

As for journalists, just look at the recent news frenzy over a wingnut wanting to burn the Qu'ran. If they'd kept their mouths shut (like they did in the good old days when ethics was still being taught at journalism school), he wouldn't have gotten more than a paragraph in an extremist paper.

Is anyone following the mayoral race in Toronto? I accidently came across a debate while flipping channels the other day. I'm now convinced that the lot of them are sharing a single brain cell. One idi, er, candidate said, "Oh, if there's no room for an elevator, we'll just put in a ramp." I'd love to see this bastion of intellgence push a wheelchair up a 45 degree slope.

[FallenPixels]

I didn't see it but I have met most of the candidates recently and am glad I don't have to vote for one of them.

We were actually discussing this at our meeting this morning and my boss was surprised that I didn't like the candidate he thought I would like

[Andit]

I didn't see it but I have met most of the candidates recently and am glad I don't have to vote for one of them.

We were actually discussing this at our meeting this morning and my boss was surprised that I didn't like the candidate he thought I would like

I've met 2 of the candidates (one used to represent my riding, guess who I'm *not* voting for). One was very gracious at an event I went to, the other not so much.

One of the candidates is, ahem, temperamental. A good friend of mine has had things thrown at her when she tried to explain why something was not a good idea.

[FallenPixels]

More than one is temperamental

[DaveP]

Temperamental Torontonians, whoda thunk?




Kidding.

[Andit]

More than one is temperamental

Ugh, don't remind me.

Temperamental Torontonians, whoda thunk?

Kidding.

Watch it, or I'll send the cat after ya.

[Mia001]

i think there sould be a law against those who chew gums and then trow them on sidewalks....and huge fine for them as they ruin other people shoes....
...am i off topic?

[saraL]

At this point, I think he's fairly safe. If anyone wanted to assassinate him, it would have been in the first 6 months.

oh totally, i agree. i never said it was a rational fear. to be fair, i also flipped out when the mayor of chicago decided not to run again because that meant obama's chief of staff, rahm emanuel, might leave the white house to run. my political obsession is not in the land of sanity.
[but seriously, i love him! i don't want him to go away!]

as for canadian politics, i am fairly over my head. i honesty know very little about it, although i have been purposefully trying to stay in touch and in tune with what is going on.

my neighbour is running for the green party in my riding and she is trying to convert me. she wants me to really be on her team and get involved. i have been considering it, just for the first hand experience. i wonder if they'd be upset that i'm a card carrying liberal at the same time?

[lekate]

i think there sould be a law against those who chew gums and then trow them on sidewalks....and huge fine for them as they ruin other people shoes....
...am i off topic?

Many municipalities have a bylaw against that. However, it's hard to prove and fine someone for it.

[Andit]

i think there sould be a law against those who chew gums and then trow them on sidewalks....and huge fine for them as they ruin other people shoes....
...am i off topic?

Not just gum. One politician here wants huge fines levied for those who toss cigarette butts onto the ground.

& post away. Even if it's not exactly on topic, when it comes to politics, we'll find a way to make it on topic.