Friday, September 12, 2008

Reason 47,882,900 voting is for chumps...

So after going to the wall and demanding that May be included in the debates as a matter of principle, along with a lot of others in blogsphere, how does the Green Party thank us?

Why by threatening legal action against a blogger for posting a less-than-flattering Youtube video of May, of course.

Isn't that nice.

Don't get me wrong. Leftdog and I are still at odds as to whether May should be in the debates, and I was pretty strong in my criticism of his position over at Red Tory's place. I stand by that criticism. In my opinion, he knee-jerked in a typical partisan fashion toeing the party line rather than examining it from principle. So eager was he to attack the Greens that, as you can see from the previous link, he mistook James Bow for James Bowie. Then, to further his partisan attack, he posted the video in question.

The video inquestion was created by Stephen Taylor, founder of the Blogging Tories and well known Conservative insider, clearly, in my opinion, as a Rovian style smear against May. The video clearly and purposefully misrepresents what May said in an effort to hurt her.

It seems clear that what Taylor and leftdog are purporting she said ("Canadians are stupid") is not, in fact, what she said - she seems to be agree with the assertion that politicians think canadians are stupid when it comes to carbon taxes. She says "they" not "I"...

So where does that leave us?

The Conservatives are scared stiff, it seems, of Elizabeth May. First they try to prevent her from taking part in the debate. When that doesn't seem to work, the resort to astro-turfing a video and audio clip that totally misrepresents what she said, again, to try to discredit her. Leftdog, in his zeal to spout the party position at the time, goes out of his way to become a "useful idiot" of this Conservative campaign.

And the Green's conveniently respond with poorly worded legal threats against an opponent. Even though I disagree with leftdog's tactics and his ultra-partisanship, use of lawsuits to quash criticism and dissent is absolutely unacceptable in a free society and in this I stand with and support leftdog against this Green Party nonsense.

And, in an irony of near biblical proportions, the Conservatives whinge about the Greens doing it as a further reason they should not be in the debates or taken seriously.

Yes, the Conservatives are upset that a political party is using lawsuits or threats for lawsuits to prevent people from hearing potentially embarrassing audio tape of their leader.

Irony is dead.

In one incident we have the display of arrogance, authoritarianism and childish churlishness from almost all of the political parties. These are the people and their supporters who wish to rule us for the next 4 to 5 years. These are the choices we have when deciding whom to entrust our decision making power for taxes and freedom.

That's the problem with choosing between these clowns - you'll get one of them.

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10 Comments:

At 3:56 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good for you.

I hope the Greens get nailed for this. They were very happy to whip up the bloggers over 'freedom of speech' and threw a lot of mud at Jack Layton over his position on the debate - and now they threaten a lawsuit over something posted by an individual! Something that was a direct quote of their leader??

In my opinion, Elizabeth May has A LOT to answer for.

 
At 4:31 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Of course.. the problem with not choosing one of these clowns is that you'll still get one of them -- and your actions make it less likely that it'll be the least clownish of the bunch.

 
At 4:33 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

caveat: Unless you choose rhino, of course. But I don't think they managed to get enough people to register as a party this year.

Help the cause of truth in advertising: http://www.rhinoparty.com/

 
At 4:41 PM, Blogger Mike said...

Pete,

Indeed she has a lot to answer for, especially the siccing of the lawyers on a partisan blogger.

But the Conservatives also have a lot to answer for too. Like why they seem to dislike democracy and why they are resorting to Republican dirty tricks rather than just presenting a platform and policy for people to take or leave?

Its all about the lust for power. Gawd help us all if htye get a majority.

Anon,

I could dig on the rhinos, but I'll side with Henry David Throeau on this - I refuse to belong to an organization I do not explicitly agree to belong to, and that includes being a subject of a government that I do not explicity agree to support or a system I don not explicitly agree to be part of.

They can pass all the laws they want, I simply will refuse to obey them if they go against my conscience and principles.

So it hardly matters what clowns get it, I'm going to ignore them anyway.

 
At 5:08 PM, Blogger Saskboy said...

Fortunately John B. has apologized, and Buckdog has (as graciously as possible) accepted. No lawyers were made richer, and things can get back to normal hopefully.

 
At 5:42 AM, Blogger Nastyboy said...

The Greens have learned a valuable lesson. You have to just let this viral shit go and run it's course. Throwing around legal threats and accusing Taylor of splicing her words is just amature hour. The thing took on a life of it's own when it shouldn't have.

 
At 4:03 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"The Conservatives are scared stiff, it seems, of Elizabeth May."

Do try to be serious.

OC

 
At 4:09 PM, Blogger Mike said...

Well OC, then I guess they are just being arbitrary bullies. Good to know.

 
At 8:44 AM, Blogger Sebastian Ernst Ronin said...

Mike re "Well OC, then I guess they are just being arbitrary bullies."

Naw, strikes me as just more self-imposed, knee-jerk victim shit. It seems to come with Green, i.e. Millennial, turf. The times are crucial, yet the soft underbelly seems to be the very demographic that needs to suck it up and assume responsibility for it.

 
At 10:39 AM, Blogger Mike said...

Well, I was being a bit tongue in cheek about the Cons being afraid of May, mainly because she will be someone who can present the Liberal side in decent English. So if they aren't afraid, why else would they team up with the dippers to try to exclude her?

Beyond that SR, I think all the parties have played the victim card, especially the conservatives - its 'the liberal media', its a liberal conspiracy' yadda yadda, whenever they mess up or facts contrary to their dogma appear.

 

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