Liberals dressed as Conservatives
It is becoming more and more apparent as this race limps along that some of the candidates are really Liberals dressed as Conservatives. In some cases its obvious; for others - its more suttle.
Dave Hancock by no means hides his pinkish tint. He supports virtually everything on the Liberal social agenda...same sex marriage, full abortion "rights", criminal "rehabilitation" - the whole bit. His economic platform can be summed up in 2 words..."spend more". Hancock is a Liberal and everyone knows he is. Jack Layton may as well run.
But how about Jim Dinning? I would not have asked this question in the not so recent past as I really thought Jim was a solid blue Tory as evidenced by his years as the finance minister who got the books balanced and helped lay the foundation for the ongoing Alberta boom.
However, the more I hear this guy talk, the more I read his platform, the more he reminds me of someone I am still trying to forget about...that being the Honorable Paul Martin. They were both finance ministers waiting in the wings for the top job while aimless governments floundered. Both had a reputation as tough business men who shrewedly balanced the books while during their stints as finance ministers. Both talked quite conservatively both on social issues (remember Paul Martins vote against same sex marriage in the late 90's). Both espoused a need to reform democracy.
Now we know that Paul Martin stood for in the end...which was nothing other than the champion of the tolerant Liberal Canada that all Canadians must accept and love on pain of being labeled a racist conservative extremeist akin to the Nazis; and I don't think Jim would ever quite sink to that level...but I'm getting worried. Here is why.
First off, Jim's platform tastes like white flour...meaning it doesn't have a taste at all. Its so vague, I can't tell if he's running for the Conservatives, NDP, Liberals...or frankly for secretary of the UN. The last platform I saw similar to his was...you guessed it....Mr. Dithers himself. You know, the "I will solve all problems, and our country will be great, and we can all hold hands in a circle and sing old John Lennon songs together." There are so few specifics other than the elustrious "more funding" promise, that one is left wondering whether the man has a plan at all.
Second (and it relates to the first), are the "more funding" promises I keep hearing from him and read in his platform. The latest being at the Fort Mac debate last night. He wants to double funding for the arts to 40 mil (Hancock loathe to be outdone then promised 60 mil). Funding for the arts? Funding for the arts for the sake of funding the arts? Get me a pail quick! Thankfully, Ted Morton piped up and stated the key line of the debate and I quote:
"You remember what I said about Liberals who dress like Conservatives" - gotta love that. He then went on to give all Conservatives in the room a warm fuzzy feeling with a promise to give tax incentives for making private donations to the arts and other charities, but that public funding for the arts was seen by him as social engineering. Again, I pause to express a warm fuzzy feeling.
Back to Dinning. Third, his participation in the Trans Alta 20G donation to the Martin leadership campaign and then $0 donation to the Harper leadership campaign. This move seriously gives me a pit in my stomach.
Dinning has some work to do on me. He used to impress me and I used to feel that he deserved consideration for my vote; however, I am starting to see and sense things about this guy that are making me take a hard look at Morton, Oberg, Stelmach and maybe even Norris. I will only vote for a Conservative after all. I wouldnt doubt it if hundreds of other Alberta Conservatives dont feel the same way as I do.
Dave Hancock by no means hides his pinkish tint. He supports virtually everything on the Liberal social agenda...same sex marriage, full abortion "rights", criminal "rehabilitation" - the whole bit. His economic platform can be summed up in 2 words..."spend more". Hancock is a Liberal and everyone knows he is. Jack Layton may as well run.
But how about Jim Dinning? I would not have asked this question in the not so recent past as I really thought Jim was a solid blue Tory as evidenced by his years as the finance minister who got the books balanced and helped lay the foundation for the ongoing Alberta boom.
However, the more I hear this guy talk, the more I read his platform, the more he reminds me of someone I am still trying to forget about...that being the Honorable Paul Martin. They were both finance ministers waiting in the wings for the top job while aimless governments floundered. Both had a reputation as tough business men who shrewedly balanced the books while during their stints as finance ministers. Both talked quite conservatively both on social issues (remember Paul Martins vote against same sex marriage in the late 90's). Both espoused a need to reform democracy.
Now we know that Paul Martin stood for in the end...which was nothing other than the champion of the tolerant Liberal Canada that all Canadians must accept and love on pain of being labeled a racist conservative extremeist akin to the Nazis; and I don't think Jim would ever quite sink to that level...but I'm getting worried. Here is why.
First off, Jim's platform tastes like white flour...meaning it doesn't have a taste at all. Its so vague, I can't tell if he's running for the Conservatives, NDP, Liberals...or frankly for secretary of the UN. The last platform I saw similar to his was...you guessed it....Mr. Dithers himself. You know, the "I will solve all problems, and our country will be great, and we can all hold hands in a circle and sing old John Lennon songs together." There are so few specifics other than the elustrious "more funding" promise, that one is left wondering whether the man has a plan at all.
Second (and it relates to the first), are the "more funding" promises I keep hearing from him and read in his platform. The latest being at the Fort Mac debate last night. He wants to double funding for the arts to 40 mil (Hancock loathe to be outdone then promised 60 mil). Funding for the arts? Funding for the arts for the sake of funding the arts? Get me a pail quick! Thankfully, Ted Morton piped up and stated the key line of the debate and I quote:
"You remember what I said about Liberals who dress like Conservatives" - gotta love that. He then went on to give all Conservatives in the room a warm fuzzy feeling with a promise to give tax incentives for making private donations to the arts and other charities, but that public funding for the arts was seen by him as social engineering. Again, I pause to express a warm fuzzy feeling.
Back to Dinning. Third, his participation in the Trans Alta 20G donation to the Martin leadership campaign and then $0 donation to the Harper leadership campaign. This move seriously gives me a pit in my stomach.
Dinning has some work to do on me. He used to impress me and I used to feel that he deserved consideration for my vote; however, I am starting to see and sense things about this guy that are making me take a hard look at Morton, Oberg, Stelmach and maybe even Norris. I will only vote for a Conservative after all. I wouldnt doubt it if hundreds of other Alberta Conservatives dont feel the same way as I do.
posted by proudconservative at 10:29 AM
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