tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72238442009-06-08T08:28:18.948-04:00WhateverDennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.comBlogger951125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-80938715244648540552008-08-05T11:24:00.000-04:002008-08-05T11:24:22.802-04:00

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-35482982028643181312008-07-28T11:43:00.000-04:002008-07-28T11:43:24.968-04:00

While Stephane Dion continues on his green shift tour....Perhaps the most telling part of the article:"Is it possible that Stéphane Dion doesn't realize what is going on in his party," one Liberal strategist wondered. The article also tries to suggest that Iggy and Bobo aren't responsible for some of this ongoing infighting. Give me a break.

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-18327092778686827422008-07-26T17:44:00.000-04:002008-07-26T17:44:39.787-04:00

US now winning Iraq war. When was the last time that concept was entertained by the mainstream media?A lot of people wanted to throw Iraq under the bus a few years ago. Good thing that the people who matter most never gave up. Maybe next time they'll get more support for a good cause. You never know.I have also been of the opinion that general impressions of the war will change again as the facts

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-86553726816976934782008-07-25T08:19:00.000-04:002008-07-25T08:19:53.939-04:00

So, Page 37 of Dion's carbon tax plan specifically cites a tariff on goods from countries without a carbon tax plan. But his agriculture critic says that Liberals still have to decide whether or not such a tariff is part of the plan.What in the world is going on here? If Page 37 is now up for debate in caucus, what else are they going to edit from the plan, and when?Is this a plan? Or is it a

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-50279662813161860612008-07-21T12:06:00.000-04:002008-07-21T12:06:46.895-04:00

From the Canadian Press:The leader of one of Canada's largest Islamic groups says Prime Minister Stephen Harper is indifferent to Omar Khadr's plight because he's "brown-skinned" and a Muslim.Canadian Islamic Congress president Mohamed Elmasry says Harper is "callously" unconcerned about Khadr. Khadr's lawyers and others want Ottawa to repatriate Khadr from Guantanamo Bay.

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-70350653741600352812008-07-16T17:24:00.000-04:002008-07-16T17:24:45.772-04:00

Before the surge, people would compare Afghanistan with Iraq in order to disparage both operations. Now, about a year or so later, Iraq is being used as a model of hope and encouragement for both operations. Honestly, who'd a thunk? Am I now allowed a feeling of some vindication, especially given my frustration with the surrender lobby over the course of the last number of years?

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-80254722818802247842008-07-16T10:03:00.001-04:002008-07-16T10:07:21.904-04:00

So, let me see if I've got this right. It's the Liberal riding association that published a joke contemplating the killing of the prime minister and his wife, but that same riding association says it's the Conservatives who are engaging in a smear campaign? What? (h/t)(I'll also note that the local newspaper I linked to basically decided to repeat the Liberal accusation, thus putting the

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-12470411518219446692008-07-15T12:16:00.001-04:002008-07-15T13:48:44.566-04:00

A couple of items have caught my attention today.First, I have to congratulate both Margaret Wente and the Globe and Mail for engaging in some actual journalism. It seems to have been a lost art lately. Not only does the story shed some light on what was supposed to be prevailing wisdom on injection sites, it also tells us that so-called scientific research can be politically motivated. Gee, ya

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-33229811809150537452008-07-12T13:55:00.005-04:002008-07-12T14:07:51.516-04:00

Michael Barone writes a fascinating piece that draws parallels between the Berlin airlift of 1948 and the Iraq surge of 2007.I'm probably not alone in believing that holders of high office often seem beholden to their expert advisers. Yet, as both historical events appear to demonstrate, the big guy sometimes needs to have the moral courage to say no to some smarter people around him.In fact, I

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-31878713198166592212008-07-02T17:00:00.000-04:002008-07-02T17:00:27.460-04:00

I just thought of something. If going green is as economically advantageous as people like Stephane Dion keep telling us, then why is it so hard to get countries like China and India onboard?

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-13621305016114689932008-06-30T12:11:00.002-04:002008-06-30T17:08:00.480-04:00

I have to say, I'm not exactly sure what Obama is trying to pull by having campaign-friendly military people attack McCain's military credentials.Either the Obama people think it might help neutralize some of his opponent's strengths, or this is a political boner that will almost certainly backfire. I tend to think the latter.For one thing, sometimes you have to accept an opponent's strength and

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-54921569706242709192008-06-30T11:30:00.000-04:002008-06-30T11:30:58.652-04:00

Well, when you have ardently liberal journalists attacking Obama for one of his increasing number of flip-flops, that can't be a good thing.I have criticized Mark Shields in the past for some of that ardent liberalism. However, I'll now give him praise for criticizing a politician who he almost certainly prefers to be president. That's well done.I'm not sure how the Obama juggernaut can be

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-1705070669479831932008-06-26T11:18:00.000-04:002008-06-26T11:18:13.663-04:00

How can we have a debate involving politicians when it's too important to be left to politicians? But that's what the Toronto Sun wants us to believe. Yeah, I'm still scratching my head, too.

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-30591077147773418632008-06-26T10:32:00.000-04:002008-06-26T10:32:36.699-04:00

A lot of people are trying to determine who the winners and losers will be if Dion's tax shift plan ever gets implemented. However, I think they're missing the bigger picture.In other words, when a plan so fundamentally tries to alter the tax system and the economy, the question you should be asking is this: Will we all win or all lose in the end?Personally — and I'm by no means an economic

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-8625590347840384532008-06-24T17:59:00.002-04:002008-06-24T18:39:20.228-04:00

Something occurred to me while I was reading some comments about Dion's carbon tax plan. That is, however necessary some people believe the carbon tax to be — and there are doubts about its effectiveness — it's quite another challenge to get voters to sign off on it, especially during an election campaign.If you notice what the BC Liberals did in that province, they introduced their carbon "shift

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-6641014988087917612008-06-24T13:37:00.001-04:002008-06-24T13:37:28.521-04:00

I am currently reading Conrad Black's biography of Richard Nixon. Having researched and written the book certainly makes Black an expert on the topic, which is why I found his article in today's National Post to be a very good read (This broken page is the only one I could find on the National Post's Web site).In the article, Black defends Nixon against another biography — this one written by a

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-5255080192713231702008-06-24T10:56:00.000-04:002008-06-24T10:56:21.055-04:00

Stephane Dion wants to slap a $1 billion dollar tax on Ontario electricity.I'm sure it'll be at talking point uttered by Conservatives over and over again during the next election. Probably by Jack Layton, too.Some polls suggest that Canadians are open to a carbon tax. Will they be open to paying the price with their electricity bills? And that's only a start.Now, for the Liberals to respond to

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-41340190772593572972008-06-23T14:25:00.002-04:002008-06-23T14:42:06.187-04:00

I was listening to the radio on my way to a doctor's appointment this morning. I flipped the dial to Toronto's CFRB 1010. To my surprise, the host was applauding Prime Minister Stephen Harper for using the term "screw" in describing what Stephane Dion's carbon tax plan will do to us. The host said he wished he saw more raw emotion from our politicians, including Stephen Harper. And, if Harper

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-50560084888501841562008-06-22T21:54:00.000-04:002008-06-22T21:54:12.042-04:00

More of what Stephane Dion has to say about debating in politics:And let me tell you one thing ... I will always debate in a respectful way, in a meaningful way, because it's what Canadians deserve.Oh really. So, is accusing the prime minister of being an accomplice to a criminal act an example of debating in a respectful and meaningful way, Mr. Dion?I wish that sometimes someone would call him

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-21217667004282443472008-06-22T21:28:00.001-04:002008-06-22T21:34:51.121-04:00

I've already noted that I think Dion and Liberals should be the last to complain about juvenile tactics from anyone else. However, that still doesn't excuse the Conservatives from the accusation. And perhaps a perfect example can be found on the home page of their carbon plan attack site.There's an oil blot beside Dion's face. If you mouse over it, a video starts rolling in which Dion simply says

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-42307046924784702412008-06-22T19:24:00.000-04:002008-06-22T19:24:12.817-04:00

Tougher jail sentences for criminals don't work, especially for violent offenders. How many times have we heard that one, right? Especially here in Canada.Well, George Will writes a piece that contradicts the standard response we tend to get from so-called experts regarding crime and punishment.You mean, it might be possible that putting violent criminals behind bars actually works? Wow.Frankly,

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-62797660819655361132008-06-22T13:22:00.000-04:002008-06-22T13:22:57.728-04:00

If Stephane Dion really wanted to debate his carbon tax plan with the prime minister, why didn't he release it when Parliament was still in session? I thought that's what we paid these guys to do. Or did Dion simply want to use his time in the House of Commons to launch accusations of scandal against the prime minister on a daily basis?

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-38040184240168526042008-06-21T19:21:00.006-04:002008-06-21T20:02:07.632-04:00

Somewhat reminiscent of Dion's "this is unfair" line now made famous by the Conservative attack ads.A couple of things:a) I'm not sure how far you get in politics by asking your opponent to debate like an "adult". Let's face it, politicians rarely do so, and for a reason. It's called the lowest common denominator.b) Which brings my to my second point. Since when have Liberals ever refrained from

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-10682217266216031162008-06-20T11:03:00.005-04:002008-06-20T11:14:24.112-04:00

There are many dynamics involved with Stephane Dion's decision to unveil his carbon tax plan yesterday. One that I haven't seen anyone discuss yet is the impact this will have on party fundraising.While the plan will almost certainly keep the Conservative money machine motivated and rolling, I also suspect that Liberals donors might start opening their wallets in support of Dion's most recent

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223844.post-48665029970434765162008-06-19T21:49:00.006-04:002008-06-19T22:12:39.983-04:00

You know, while some are going ga-ga over Stephane Dion's latest promise to fix the world, I couldn't help but be impressed with the prime minister's unheralded press conference today in cottage country.I actually haven't heard him speak in a while. But the guy I saw on camera today looks nothing like the guy that the media keeps suggesting is on the defensive and who apparently resorts to the

Dennis (Second Thots)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05866015790089875825noreply@blogger.com0