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Negative politics is a perversion of democracy. It divides rather than unites, breaks down consensus rather than builds it and pits citizen against citizen, group against group. The very word "democracy" ceases to have meaning once politicians scoff at the majority and seek to win by pandering to the separate fears of a collection of often-antagonistic minorities.
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The entire election campaign of the Liberals was based on fear. Who was it that said Harper would have troops on the streets?
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One Canadian academic has peered into the crystal ball of a Harper majority. He calls Harper Canada's "Great Dismantler" and warns that "ultimately, all his policies are designed to dismantle the federal government as a force in Canadian economic and social policy."
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Sounds like a liberal that is promoting fear?
Programs that were cut were either grossly inefficient and need to be reworked, or were replaced with something else, such as the child tax credit.
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"In Harper's logic, having deficits or surpluses are a reason to cut taxes -- it doesn't matter since the only goal is to cut taxes."
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Would be nice if Anastakis backed up his ideas with some facts. He is surmising that Harper is an idiot and just does things for the hell of it. Does not say much about Anastakis.
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"Remember," Anastakis warns, "Harper is not in the business of building. He is in the business of dismantling."
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Like the Conservatives have been dismantling the Armed Forces the Liberals built up? Doh!
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Fourth, is Harper's plans to elect senators without first reforming the upper chamber. Anastakis says this will create parliamentary gridlock, a conscious assault on federal authority. The Senate has co-equal power with the House of Commons except it cannot originate money bills. The current appointed body lacks the legitimacy to frustrate the will of the House of Commons. But an elected Senate would feel emboldened, perhaps even obliged, to do so. Especially to protect provincial rights.
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I would agree that there needs to be reforms before moving to an elected Senate. In the mean time, why not just abolish it? Anastakis also indicates an elected senate would feel emboldened to protect provincial rights? And? If those rights belong to the province, why should they not be protected?
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"Now, more than ever, we don't need a dismantled state. We need a state that is powerful and proactive."
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We have had a broken and regional state for some time now. Neither the Conservatives or Liberals have addressed those problems. Harper has at least tried to mend some of those wounds with Quebec. However, if Canadian governments continue to ignore regional grievances, we will truly have a splintered and broken country.