I'm still with Danielle Smith and the Wildrose Faction

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I hope everyone is having a good holiday in spite of the shock of the complete disintegration of the Wildrose Party.

Despite all the bad press and sour grapes I'm in support of the Wildrose Faction of the PC party.  All the spitting fury isn't going to change the fact that the Wildrose faction will be all that is left of the Wildrose Party after the next election.

Don't feel bad.  The Tea Party isn't an actual party either.  Despite being not being a real party the Tea Party as a movement has considerable influence over the Republican Party.  This is what I would suggest to the embittered party faithful of the Wildrose.

Until recently I was one of those party faithful.  I donated.  I blogged.  I volunteered.  But I didn't stop thinking (which is required for true faith).  The events of December were the result of a failed ultimatum.  Anyone who isn't blind with rage can see that.  The social conservative faction within Wildrose, its Achilles heel, called Danielle Smith's bluff and scuttled merger negotiations.  This resulted in the mass defection (did you suppose it was all planned this way?).  It wasn't a bluff, and in hindsight it wasn't a good threat either since it looks like the so-cons wanted to be rid of her sort anyway.  It's a mess, but liberation from so-cons is growing on me.

I've wondered how it would have gone if fiscal conservatives in Alberta had taken over the Alberta Party instead.  The Wildrose was a social conservative party from the outset so it was a natural home for fiscal conservatives and libertarians.  We all believe in smaller government and low taxes.  If we had gone the other way perhaps elements of the old Alberta Party would be pushing fiscal conservatives to adopt mandatory gay marriage or something equally silly.

Who can say what would have been.   We can only affect what will be ahead.  If my brother fiscally responsible Albertans insist that their future will resemble the failed plans of the past then they will have only the bitterness and resentment they feel today.

Derek Fildebrandt hopes that extremists won't take control of the shattered remnants of the Wildrose Party.  I would say that extremists will only take back control.  The Wildrose Party is a broken vessel.  It shall not be mended, but ground into dust.  Our political system is adversarial by nature.  The forces that stopped a clean merger have made their choice.  Stay with them for stubbornness sake and face the sad conclusion.

Or...

There is another way.  Become a movement.  Look at how much influence Preston Manning wields with his Manning Center?  The old carbon taxer even had a hand in the failed merger as he has apologized for his part.  I think Albertans and Canadians would be well served by another conservative organization that would be independent from and at times contrary to the Manning Center.  This would enable both of them to play "good cop, bad cop" and advance the discourse in a way that political parties simply can't.  The Heartland Institute is a great example for our movement.

A Wildrose Institute could lend support to the Wildrose Faction within the PC party.  There is no reason for the Wildrose Nine to stay at nine.  The PC Party, particularly as lead by Jim Prentice, is fertile ground to spread the vision of Wildrose as it was under Danielle Smith.  Declare Jim Prentice the tenth Wildroser.

In the new year, the Wildrose Faction should come out to play.  It isn't going to be easy.  I believe Jim Prentice to be an honourable man and a Harper Conservative.  You can trust him, but I wouldn't trust anyone else.  There is a chance you'll be given an important post only to be saddled with the blame and cast out as a scapegoat at the next election.

The only way to thread the needle will be to publicly vocalize yourself about anyone and anything that isn't right.  Be open and transparent about all of it.  I have a pretty good idea of what went down, but most people see it as a breach of trust.  Rebuild that trust and reasonable people will understand.  Of course you'll need to do so in a way that reflects well on the PC Party and poorly on the wrong-doers.  Allison Redford is open season.

Guess who else is open season?  -The So-cons you all left in the dust.  They hate you more than ever and the media seems to side with them.  I'm sure you don't like that.  Nobody would like that, so you had better not waste any time acting like you are still under their thumb.  Libertarians, LGBTQ, Atheists, Feminists, Muslims, all the people who never got any love and never felt welcome with the hill-billies might find resonance with Danielle Smith's story.

Reach out to them and bring them over.  There is no reason they should be against free markets.  If it makes the So-cons grind their teeth, all the better.  Let them counter with embarrassing stories.  I'm sure you have a few to tales to tell yourself.  Let it out.  The sting of the past month will have faded come election day, but if hatred still burns hot in their hearts most people will understand why you made those choices.

There is one other thing you need to do.  Before the next election in Alberta, there is the larger matter federal election.  The Wildrose Nine needs to throw themselves into battle against Justin Trudeau.  Defenders of Alberta, you Nine have nothing to lose and everything to gain.  I'm not sure exactly how you can help at this point but I'm sure you'll know.  What's certain is that landing one on Trudeau will make you a Hero.  Landing the fatal blow makes you the next Premier.

Best of luck to you and to us all!  2015 will be an exciting, memorable and happy New Year!

I'm With Danielle Smith

I didn't see that one coming.  The Danielle Smith Party merged with the Jim Prentice Party.  I've thought it over quite a bit now and I can say without a doubt that I'm a supporter of the Prentice/Smith Party.

The PC Party?  WildRose?  No I don't really like either of those parties anymore.  Allow me to explain.

The Problem

There's a problem with the conservative insurrection in Alberta.  It's past due.  We had our window and that window is now closed.  Not just because of recent developments.

I've found it increasingly awkward to be pro federal Conservative and anti Alberta PC.  PC, CPC, and WR all fish from the same pond.  I felt it door knocking in Canmore recently.  We should not be fighting anymore.

The Federal election is coming this year.  Like it or not Jim Prentice is a Harper Conservative.  The two brands are inextricably linked.   I know this only too well.  I volunteered for Jim Prentice when I lived in his Riding.  Deepak Obhrai endorsed Jim Prentice and I also volunteered for Deepak and served in his EDA.

There just isn't any room for a conservative civil war in the next year, even if its only in Alberta.  We just can't spare the oxygen.  Trudeau is the biggest threat we have faced yet.  Martin, Dion, Ignatieff were not easy opponents, no matter what people might say in hindsight.  All of them are eclipsed by Trudeau.  We know it's not rational but the Liberals aren't appealing to reason in the next election.  It's an incredibly dangerous time for our country.  We can't afford this squabble between friends anymore.

I'm not talking about making up with Allison Redford, but with your neighbors and co-workers who all support Stephen Harper.

WildRose

Oh Wildrose.  You had so much potential.  The hated Allison Redford conspired with the left and the media to fatally destroy the WildRose brand in the last general election.   They exploited Wildrose's greatest weakness, social conservatives, and used them to unfairly smear the party that truly deserved to win.

It would take 10 years to undo that kind of damage.  A tough and thankless slog that would be.  Enduring the skills of Jim Prentice for a decade with only the hope that the arrogance and entitlement of the post Klein years would blight Alberta once again.  No thanks.

I didn't want to face that.  In a way I wrapped all of Alberta politics in a package in my mind and marked it "Do not open until 2016".  Perhaps the situation would change by then?  Yikes did it ever change.

Surprisingly, I think it changed for the better.

I was signed up for WildRose by two cranky geologists.  These guys resembled the critics from the Muppets.  They were exacting in the their standards and merciless with their criticism.  Of course, they got my name wrong on this supporter list they were drawing up.  That took years to fix, but I had a lot of patience for the WildRose.  I believed in the movement.  We had a mission to get Alberta back on track.  But I only really started to believe when Danielle Smith was nominated for the Wildrose leadership.

I put up signs.  I made calls.  You know the tragic story.  We'll never recover what Allison Redford and her leftist takeover cost us Albertans.  What a colossal waste and squandering of precious booming times!

Then those times changed.

The by-elections showed that people did not blame the PC Party but Allison Redford personally.  I wasn't really paying much attention.  I did however wince at the WildRose campaign slogan.  "Send the PCs a message!"  What message will they send if they vote PC?  Danielle Smith got the message eventually and here we are.

Progressives

I detest progs and their sugar coated lies.  I despise their smug self congratulating entitlement.  Justin Trudeau is your typical prog but so is Allison Redford.  Redford could not have done what she did alone.  There are people inside the PC party as liberal and corrupt as Dalton McGuinty.  We are on their side now.

That has to be the worst part about this move to the PC Party.  Thomas Lukaszuk said Allison Redford "is Alberta."  Doug Horner lied to all our faces about the deficit.  Dave Hancock led the plan to remove Alberta's plate slogan to punish the Wildrose.  On and On.  There was that clown MLA badmouthing our Oil Sands and such.  All these goons are still there.  All those back office leeches and schemers?  Still there.

It's going to be war when Prentice leaves.  long may he rule.

Jim Prentice changes a lot of things.  He's alleviated all the sore points the PC's have created when the scum bags ran the party.  I think the former banker and federal Environment Minister may have the exact skill set that Alberta needs to succeed in these challenging times.  I want to help him succeed.

Loyalty

The minute that any of us becomes a liability or an embarrassment to the party we are shown the door.  It doesn't matter who it is or how much good was done before.  Every party is like this.  Everyone should treat their political party like this as well.  It's only fair and should work in reverse as well.  Don't stick with a party because you're stuck with them.  If something better comes along you've got to move.  Its democracy.  It keeps the parties on their toes.  It makes the parties beholden to you and not the other way around.

I'm not going over to the PCs for Prentice even though I think he's pretty good.  I would have already jumped.  I'm going to the PCs because that's where my leader, Danielle Smith, is going.  Shes a smart and brave woman.  A lot of people see this as a betrayal but I don't.  I'll go where she goes.  PC or Alberta Party even.

Danielle Smith is being a leader.  She made a bold move.  A move that I couldn't even anticipate.  I respect that.  Smith and the others aren't going to wait quietly in a box until the coast is clear to attack Jim Prentice.  We are going to do everything we can, for ourselves, for our parties and for our province and country to defeat Justin Trudeau.  -and we are all going to need each other should we fail.

Time to bring back the Airborne Regiment

Everyone is an arm chair general these days, and why not?  The generals of World War 1 proved that military strategy can and should be up for debate outside of the opinion of "experts."    Politicians and pundits opine weather our contribution against ISIS is too much, too little or just a token.  Everyone is sure the war will be long and it will require boots on the ground to finally end it.

I don't approach these questions from the point of ignorance, but that hasn't stopped some of the most ridiculous suggestions from the weakest minds.  The idea that hugs and care packages would cause ISIS to spontaneously erupt in civility is popular in some circles on the left.  The mockery and laughter outside those circles is even more popular.

The way to hasten the end of ISIS and inflict maximum casualties on the worst of them is to open a Fire Base.  A Fire Base or Fire Support Base is a small encampment deep in enemy territory.  It was used in the early days of the war in Afghanistan to great effect.  A strategically placed Fire Base could cut ISIS forces in two.  It would enhance the allied advantage of overwhelming firepower and draw out ISIS forces.

Nothing short of a nuclear blast could destroy this proposed Fire Base.  Nothing indicates that they have such a device but if they did one could argue that the loss of a little Fire Base is preferable to any other use of a nuclear weapon by ISIS.  The Islamic Statists could really do no worse than ignore the irritating Fire Base.  That would not be a hardship at all since they would still cede control of the immediate area instead of losing it.  Special forces could also launch expeditions from an unopposed Fire Base.    In either case the Fire Base would eventually be unopposed. 

Ideally I would place a Fire Base on a hill overlooking a major ISIS stronghold.  The hills south of Ar-Raqqah on the Euphrates River seem like a good candidate.  From there the Fire Base could dominate highways and canals, engage in psychological warfare, launch short range drones, and direct unlimited fire on despicable ISIS heads.
 

Of course Canada is not operating inside Syria for the time being.  This suits me just fine since under no circumstances would I trust Obama to lead a ground war of any kind in Iraq or elsewhere.  The guy can't build a bloody website in 3 years with unlimited money, there is no way I'd trust him with our troops.  This is part of the reason everyone thinks this war will last a very long time.  The allies political problems start with Obama and continue in all directions. 

We have some time then before we can expect to play a role in the actual defeat of ISIS rather than its containment.  I believe that re-commissioning the Airborne Regiment for the specific purpose of operating a Fire Base is a great idea. 

The original Airborne was unfairly disbanded by Jean Chretien amid the controversies of alleged torture in Somalia and some poorly timed hazing videos.  Chretien used the videos as the last straw with the public to make a huge cut to the military.

Now we find ourselves in need of the exact skills the Airborne was created for.  The Airborne Regiment would have been extremely useful in this conflict.  We have the opportunity not only to justify the re-commissioning of the Airborne Regiment but to rebuild and repurpose it from the ground up. 

Call it the 1st Canadian Mechanized Airborne Regiment.  Fit it with light weight artillery and compact reconnaissance drones.  Specialize in integrating with allied fire control and drop it all on a hill in the enemy's choke points.

Asymmetrical warfare is here for the foreseeable future.  Evil armies like ISIS might only vanish into mist if an old fashioned invasion took place to e3radicate them.  ISIS under a different flag in a different region but with the same people and the same evil ideology.  A unit that was specifically designed, not to seize territory, but to kill the enemy wherever they are is called for. 

That's my arm chair analysis.  I'd urge the various experts, generals and ministers to at least consider the ideas.  That expertise was acquired at great cost to taxpayers and yet isn't being put to use in a proactive way.  What we are doing right now doesn't seem to be working.  The rubble pile formerly known as Kobani, despite total air superiority and highly motivated local troops, is not the example I would hold up to be repeated in every town across the region.    

Tax Breaks for Families

I am so glad Stephen Harper is Prime Minister today.

Promises that were made in 2011 are coming true.  Sure they aren't exactly the same promises that were made but they have been adjusted and improved to reflect what critics have already said.

Of course the critics still don't like it.  Boo hoo.  Too flipping bad for you.  It's not an election promise anymore.  Its the government's tax policy.  It's going to be in my pocket, feeding, clothing, and caring for my little boy as I see fit.  These tax breaks are going to pave the way for little bothers and sisters for my little man.  The number of siblings he would have were always in doubt but I'm more confident we'll reach our goals now.

We want a large family.  Large by today's standards is 3 children total.  That's 1 to replace each of us and 0.5 added to the dwindling population.  Family is the fulfillment of our duty to our country and to mankind but most importantly it is the ultimate true expression of love and life.

The most important thing one can do in life is to raise children.  The daycare costs for 3 kids are prohibitively expensive.  We've been discussing at our kitchen table the idea of one of us becoming a full time Mom.  We would save in daycare costs but we could also take in a few kids from the neighborhood.  The income splitting program is suited to this idea exactly.  Who better to look after my kids than their Mom or Dad?    

The socialist parties don't see it that way.  They want me to wait in line and pay fixed rates that they decide that can change any time they decide.  They want me filling out forms and justifying my need for a space.  They want me to be exactly on time at a schedule they will prescribe.  They will fine me if I'm late.  They will give my child's space to someone who will bow and scrape harder than I would.  They will create shortages.   They will create unions of government nannies.  They will create strikes and tax hikes and fees while they use my own children as hostages.

FNU local #999

To hell with that.

My government has clearly shown that families are the number 1 priority.  They will be giving money directly to the next generation and the future of Canada.  These kids are the ones who will shoulder the burden for everyone's retirement.  Even if you chose to die childless, alone, unloved, and forgotten, you will still benefit from helping other families in the long run.

Why should people who choose a certain classic lifestyle be rewarded and not everyone else?  The answer is that producing new citizens is extremely hard and getting harder everywhere.  This is why the birth rate in the west is falling.  All the extra money for making babies is being appropriated by empty headed politicians for their own projects.

I empathize with people who aren't that enthused about this because it doesn't apply to them.  They want a tax break too!  Who doesn't want to keep more of their own money?  -besides limousine liberals.  Everyone wants a tax cut.  So Mr. Harper, give the people more of what they want.

Congratulations John Tory and Jim Prentice

John Tory

Finally the scandals and faux scandals in Toronto are done.  

I liked Rob Ford until he lied to people.  His crack use isn't actually a big deal to me except that its generally bad for your health and your career.  The lies I could not excuse.  

I was born in Toronto and grew up in its shadow so municipal politics over there was still interesting.  Rob Ford made it a riot.  That is what I really liked about him.  He was the caricature of everything the left hates all rolled into one package.

Imagine this guy was a big city mayor.

Right.  Rob Ford made the left's head explode in exactly the same way and it was fun to watch them roll in their hypocrisy.

I defended him when the left started picking on him, which they obviously were.  He did enough all by himself to make everyone's efforts a complete waste.

In the end he dropped out for health reasons but got a seat on the council anyway.  Good for him.  He'll make a far better critic than a leader.

Jim Prentice

Oh yeah.  There was an election around here.  I heard the PC's swept it.  Good for them.  I wasn't really paying attention.  PC's are still the government regardless with no end in sight.  They are fat and sassy and can start throwing their weight around like always.

Democracy in this province is sick.  The PC Party and the Alberta government bureaucracy are far too cozy for a healthy relationship.  It won't matter who is in charge.  Corruption doesn't go away because someone says so.  It's like black mold.  It has to be rooted out.  This is the one redeeming aspect of democracy and it is malfunctioning in Alberta.

The PCs have tightened it up after Redford but it can't stay that way forever.   I like Jim Prentice and I wish him all best.  We are all in it together and it helps no one when the government fails.  From what I've seen so far Prentice has made some good decisions.  The plate slogan reversal sticks out in my mind.  That was completely offside and completely in character for the PCs.

We are still Wild Rose Country and I am still decidedly for Danielle Smith and the Wild Rose Party.  We didn't pick up any seats this time.  Oh well.  The PC Party may rule for another 1000 years but I don't think that's a good thing for Alberta or even the PCs themselves.  So the electorate in those ridings doesn't think its our time there yet.  So be it.  We'll prove we can best represent them and all of Alberta next time.  Next time is when it matters.

Keep hacking away Danielle.  There is only one way to eat an elephant and that is one bite after another.

Could Opposition Policy on ISIS Draw Attacks on Canadians?

On March 11th 2004 Al Qaeda killed 191 people and injured 1800 others in Madrid Spain.  10 homemade bombs were detonated in passenger trains almost simultaneously.  The bombs exploded via cell phone trigger while 4 more were discovered unexploded.   

This was perpetrated just 3 days before the Spanish General Election.  Spain was a country divided at the time over joining the second Iraq war.  The terrorist attack was a key event in the election and toppled the ruling party for a socialist party who advocated withdrawing from the Iraq.

It was a master stroke for the Islamists.  Al Qaeda could never have removed the Spaniards from the Iraq war by force of arms.  Instead they managed to remove Spain with 10 bombs targeting civilians on their own soil and turned an election.  Diabolical evil.

10 years later we find ourselves in Canada approaching a situation similar to Spain's.  An election looms in the near future and the Harper Government is compelled to enter a war in Iraq.  Also similarly the parties are divided about the war.  The Harper Government supports direct, though minimal, military intervention against ISIS.  The opposition socialist parties if elected would withdraw that support. 

This is in contrast to other anti-ISIS coalition members.  European countries who are arguably both more socialist and "progressive" than Canada have voted unanimously in their democratic houses to fight ISIS.  Here the NDP and Liberals are focused on election politics and have tried to use the ISIS threat as a wedge issue.  On the question of sending a miniscule force to engage the most brutal and bloodthirsty army since the Nazi terror our House voted 157 - 134 in favor. 

As we know that same House of Parliament was attacked by ISIS last week.  The so-called "lone wolf" was ideologically identical to the terrorist army we are currently at war with.  The murderer would have surely gone to Iraq to fight with ISIS if not for his passport being withheld.  The terrorists Satanic sacrifice on our National War Memorial and the cold premeditated attack on our uniformed soldier earlier in the week are a clear message to Canadians from ISIS. 

There certainly seems to have been an uptick in terrorism towards Canada since the war on ISIS began.  The twin attacks last week were followed by a threat on our Embassy in Turkey for example.  We'll have to stay vigilant for more of the same. 

ISIS has named Canada several times in its threats as well as other countries.  The major difference between Canada and its allies is that our involvement in the war against ISIS pivots on the outcome of next year's election.  Canada is the only country made vulnerable by its opposition parties this way.

ISIS currently does not have the means to knock our CF-18s out of the sky.  The only way to remove our 6 CF-18s from the battle space is politically.  Through terrorism ISIS can turn Carl von Clauswits on his head.   For ISIS politics is a continuation of war by other means.

Rex Murphy on The ISIS Attacks on Canada

Honourable mention has to be given to the many Journalists from almost all of our local and national newspapers who covered the twin attacks on Canada.  Its nice to see professional authors reporting the actual events of the day with eloquence and emotion.  This week has made me and so many people incredibly sad but even more proud and determined.

First among them of course is Rex Murphy.  I wish there were more writers like Rex.  He stands like a giant of literature over this not so humble blog.  Thank you Rex for doing your unique and essential duty.

Rex Murphy: In the shadow of a young corporal’s death, Canada’s greatness shines through

In the wake of first Canadian casualty to ISIS, ugly politics ensues.

The only reason we are fighting ISIS today is because of Stephen Harper's "ego" according to Justin Trudeau.  This as Canada suffers its first casualty from an ISIS inspired terrorist.

Patrice Vincent was coldly targeted and killed for nothing more than wearing the uniform of  the Canadian Forces.  Details are starting to emerge that the man had been radicalized into a deadly Muslim extremist and was known to RCMP.  His passport had already been seized before he could fly to join ISIS, so instead he brought the war to Canada. 

Poppies overlook the murder scene

It's absolutely disgusting to see a terrorist tragedy used for political mudslinging.  That hasn't stopped opposition parties of course.  At a time when Canadians should be banding together against a serious threat the opposition is trying to blame the RCMP and Stephen Harper for the attack.  If only Trudeau could have given the terrorist a warm hug it might never have happened.

Instead Trudeau and his sidekick insist that lack of funding for CSIS and the RCMP is what led to the attack.  How ridiculous.  The RCMP clearly stated that they did not have a sufficient law to charge the terrorist with.  Given more money, what would the RCMP have done differently?  Nothing.  Given the correct law against radical Islamism the RCMP would have arrested the fundamentalist. Again.  In fact the terrorist was previously detained, but could not be kept locked up.

On top of that, once radicals are arrested and charged the left as one congeals together to make the would be murderers into heroes like Omar Khadr.  How can you blame the RCMP here?  The left are responsible for turning our streets into a battlefield.  This time they have inadvertently made the case for more anti-terrorist measures. 

The RCMP has had an immaculate and exemplary record of snatching up terrorists so far.  It's pretty obvious that police need a pretty solid case if they want to bring someone to trail.  Nobody could know when or how the killer would snap.  We are lucky there was only one casualty.  If the RCMP hadn't been doing such an excellent job already this terrorist could have killed many more people.

Meanwhile Trudeau uses every opportunity to disparage the armed forces and ridicule our contribution to ISIS annihilation.  There is a constant stream of insults towards the RCAF and our Prime Minister.  Whether its "our aging warplanes" or "whipping out" CF-18s like they are just a phallus and nothing more.  Or whether its the latest insult that the mission is nothing but the Prime Minister's "ego".  Justin Trudeau goes out of his way to beat up on Canadians and defend people who hate Canada.  The Liberal Party of Justin Trudeau is a disgrace to this country.

Opposition and media parties are playing shameful games while the reality is so tragic for the family of Patrice Vincent.  The departed should be given full military honours for giving his life in the service of his country.  Our troops face danger from ISIS simply by wearing the distinguished uniforms of our military.  We all stand behind our brave armed forces and we wish our pilots good hunting and a swift defeat to ISIS.

Patrice Vincent

Uncertain Outcomes of the Looming War Part 3: The Long War

Part 3: The Long War

The United States is telling us that this will be a long war from the start.  This isn't just managing expectations though its very wise to do so.

It takes time to get assets in place.  Those assets like fighter jets from a multitude of countries we already know are not enough.

No one knows when the war will end but it will end with victory against ISIS and possibly Assad.  It has started with bombing runs which are sure to intensify with time but analysts agree that bombs alone won't gain any territory.

We've had to watch the fall of Kobani in terrible slow motion.  Air strikes seem to only harass the enemy.  They don't accomplish the near term objective to contain ISIS.  Meanwhile the 2nd most powerful force in NATO sits on the border and watches enemy advance to their doorstep.  Turkey is enemy of ISIS and Assad but also to the defending Kurds.  They recently started bombing kurds within Turkey's borders.

So much for the argument about pulling your weight in NATO.  Some people are calling on Obama to be tough on Turkey.  They suggest that if Turkey doesn't step up the United States should recognize a sovereign Kurdistan.  Obama just hasn't got the stones for anything like that.  Nor could he offer Turkey the annexation of Syria.  So Turkey gets to sit back and watch their allied enemies fight each other.

Leon Panetta knows Obama really well.  The former director of the CIA, Mr. Panetta knows ISIS pretty well too.  He says that this war could last 30 years.  I do not doubt it at all.

The strategy so far seems to be to try everything except the one strategy we know will work:  A full scale invasion of Syria with infantry and armor that will push all the way to Baghdad.  Obama is simply incapable of giving this order.

Obama and the members of his administration don't know what they are doing.  That isn't just a random insult, though they well deserve every insult.  It is an actual observable fact.

Take for instance the administration's comments on Global Warming lately.  ISIS now controls a third of Kobani and the stated number one threat to US national Security is Global Warming?  This is notwithstanding that other horseman in the form of Ebola now spreading through the United States.   Ebola incidentally warrants sending "boots on the ground" to Africa in the eyes of the Obama Regime  while ISIS doesn't even rate that much.

Leon Panetta has it exactly right.  It will take 30 years or more to defeat ISIS if this kind of insanity persists in Washington.  They don't live on the same planet as the rest of us.  Imagine sitting down to a game of chess where the opponent can't see who's pieces are his own or the enemy's.  He can't see which squares are black or white.  He doesn't even seem to know how to win the game.  That person is essentially Obama.  Obama has zero chance of winning this war and therefore the allies also have the same chance.  luckily we only have a couple years left of him.

It's wrong to say that the air campaign has no effect on ISIS.  It does have an effect.  Every ISIS member killed, is a sex slave unsold, is an atrocity uncommitted, is one less Omar Khadr clone for the left to mewl and fawn over.  Though it comes at great cost to the taxpayer it is well worth it.

I hope to have Part 4 for you soon.  I'm going to change the focus from uncertainty to options.  I think the point about uncertainty has been driven home and there isn't much we can do about it.  I'm sure whatever Obama tries it will end up with the usual mess.  It's probably best not to even encourage an American led invasion on his watch.  There are other options however.

Uncertain Outcomes of the Looming War Part 2: Our Enemies

In part 1 of this series in the war against ISIS I wrote about the problems with some of our allies.  Barack Obama and the fantasy world of his mind he inhabits is the main one.  I left out others because they are less important are simply gone like Qaddafi and Mubarak.

Here's a short list of so-called allies that must have white knuckled fingers wrapped around the eject button of our little anti-ISIS friends list.

• Saudi Arabia
• UAE
• Yemen
• Qatar
• Iran
• Turkey 
• Jordan
• Kurdistan

Some are more likely to bail than others and under different circumstances.  The situation is incredibly chaotic.  We can only see a few steps into the future. None of those parallel steps of possibility include the end of the war on ISIS.  We just can't predict how the above players will react to the dangerous situations we haven't yet conceived.

Lets get a look at some of the blurred lines between friend and foe.

This comes from our progressive friends at Think Progress.  It was made back before it was fashionable to endorse another war in the Middle East (Obama's 2nd).  Some of those dotted red lines have become solid red since then.    Still, it does nicely illustrate the complex situation that we must now become involved in.  Look closely.  Some of those entities are in direct conflict with entities that are providing monetary and military aid to them.  Insane yes, but not too different from the continuing American support of Saudi Arabia.

So we can see that friends and foes are separated by degrees.  There won't be any Axis and Allies in this conflagration.  Even the Allies of World War 2 weren't so friendly after the war, but look at this mess.  How will we know who we are shooting at even if they start shooting at us?

Know your foe.  It's a wise military slogan that goes all the way back to Sun Tsu.  Let us know them.

ISIS

Vicious, blood thirsty, and perverted, ISIS is known by many names.  The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or the Islamic State in the Levant (ISIL) or just the Islamic State.

Their flag looks to me like some chicken scratch with a great big dropping in the middle.  I've included the translation of the Islamic State's flag.  These are not nationalists.  These are not reactionaries or even Marxist revolutionaries.  They certainly are not mad about global warming.  These are religious fanatics who really believe they are following the true will of God.  

Allah is on their flag.  Allah is in their minds and on their lips when they commit atrocity after atrocity.  Mass executions.  Beheading little girls.  Slavery.  All of it is done in the name of Allah and sanctioned by their Koran.   

The deal maker would be one Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi.  He is the Caliph of the Islamic State.  Caliph is like a religious king or emperor.  

Neandertal in white.

Isis is everyone's enemy.  Even Al Qaeda is fighting them.  Let no one say 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend.'  That is completely false especially here.  Several of our enemies are fighting each other but they are all Islamist.  They could cut a deal at any time.  The Caliph was the head of Al-Qaeda in Iraq at one time and might still be.  It's certain that he is on a mission to make Hitler look civilized by comparison.

Syria

We almost sent jet fighters to help ISIS against Assad.  It never happened because because Obama lost his nerve.  Consequently Assad's forces held on to about half of Syria.  Assad is only marginally better than Abu Bakr but at least he isn't expansionist or quite as genocidal.  

Once we deal with ISIS, which we currently have no idea how to accomplish, we'll have to finish Assad.  The Syrian dictator isn't as bad as ISIS but he is pretty bad.  Syria has committed several unspeakable atrocities with chemical weapons and against innocent children.  The same rule should apply to Assad as to ISIS.

Russia won't like it and that is just fine.  

Russia

Yes Russia is an enemy.  I regret that it should be that way.  Their perennially aggressive stance is puzzling and irritating.  We have so much more in common than say with China but we are constantly opposed.  It's almost a cultural instinct.  Its an Imperial instinct perhaps a reactive acknowledgement that they ended up with a disproportionately large land mass.  Who knows really?

What we know is that Russia has a will to project power far beyond its immense borders.  It is open to any tactic be it deceitful or immoral.  

Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a case in point.  Some have said Russia's invasion was a big mistake.  Was it?  Their economy is in tatters.  Their reputation is worse.  But what if you don't care about these things?  They are fleeting anyway.  Economies are up and down for one reason or another all the time anyway.  Reputation?  What's a Nobel prize worth these days? 

But if you have imperialist values, none of that matters.  Russia has reacquired a land mass the size of 27,000 square kilometers!  Who can do that in this age of United Nations and globalization?  Years from now there will be statues of Putin in Crimea and no one will give a damn about the economic and political troubles it temporarily bought for them.  

He played Obama like a fiddle and knew exactly what he was doing.   Imagine watching the grandeur of the Sochi games from ethnically Russian Crimea?  Now Mother Russian wants them back in her glorious embrace.   Do they care if Putin sends in troops without badges?  Sure, they went along with the big man's plan.  What was Obama going to do, start World War 3?  

Don't kid yourself.  Putin is no fool.  Russia can shoot civilians out of the sky.  They can murder men women and children innocently on their way somewhere and the best we can do is send jets to nearby countries.   Again, do you want World War 3? - Conscription? -War rations? -Mushroom clouds?   No?  Putin's got our number alright.

The answer is not to attack Russia and go to war.  The answer is to thwart one of their greater projects, namely to nullify the Black Sea Fleet.  Russia supports Assad because of the base at Tartus.  We have another reason to annihilate Assad now.  If and when that country is secured we simply ask the Russians to leave.  They will not be welcome there any longer.  Its no less than what Russia did to Ukraine.  The Black Sea Fleet would then be entirely cutoff from the Mediterranean if Turkey so chose to enclose it.  What are they going to do about it?  Start World War 3?

Maybe you're starting to understand why this whole thing makes me nervous?  

Iran

Russia has other irons in the fire than just Syria.  Iran is another of these dangerous allied enemies.  A state sponsor of terror.  The insane and evil Islamic State of Iran is also an enemy of the Islamic State. 

It won't take much for Iran to throw a wrench into everything.  It could threaten Israel.  It could detonate a nuclear bomb. It could close the straight of Hormuz.  Iran is a wild card under Russian influence that could do any number of things to complicate the mission further.  

But don't worry, Obama has it covered.  He'll outsmart them all.

Uncertain Outcomes of the Looming War Part 1: Our Allies

We are at war right now with the Islamic State.  Canada is in fact currently engaged with boots on the ground as Canadian special forces assist Kurds and Iraqis defend their homelands.  The Islamic Statists many threats against Canada directly and their crimes against humanity require an armed response.

That is the first thing that bothers me about this whole new conflict: its the fact that we have no choice in the matter.  We have to put off or abandon other things we wanted to do in order to deal with this.  Yet we must fight this evil now.  ISIS can't be allowed to get any larger.

So here we are again, 7 months after the end of the war in Afghanistan, going to war Islamic fundamentalists that are even worse than the last bunch.

I don't like it.  Something bothers me here.  I can not raise a single objection to war with ISIS.  Western democracies have been placed in check early in the game and now we have no option but to move against ISIS.    A whole new war wrapped with a neat bow.

Several of the deeply troubling things about the coming war can fit into these categories

1. Our Allies
2. Our Enemies
3. A "long war"
4. Unknown Outcomes

Each of these will explored in detail in different posts.

Our Allies

USA

The United States is seeking a broad coalition in the war while conducting most of the bombing against ISIS.  Just as it should since ISIS is a direct result of Barack Obama's foreign policy.  Some argue that the previous Gulf Wars precipitated this crisis but they have merely set the stage.

There is no need to go all the way back to the Barbary Wars.  It's sufficient to examine the current occupant of the White House since he will be the major influence on the current war.  Iraq's security was well in hand when Obama entered office.  His ideologically inspired promise to leave Iraq left a vacuum for ISIS.  Progressives essentially believed their own propaganda.  American intervention causes all of the trouble, therefore non-intervention solves all the trouble, or so they thought.

Obama began his version middle eastern meddling with his infamous apology tour.  He did nothing to help a rebellion in Iran.  Then he helped install the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt which was thankfully removed by another rebellion.  He also "led from behind" in Libya to create another vacuum for Islamists and lost an Ambassador and Embassy along the way.  He had some hard words for the Syrian Dictator, but meekly shrank from his "red lines" on Russian promises to hold back Assad's chemical weapons.  The lucky and unanticipated outcome in Syria was that only half of that country was left to the Islamic State.

The White House of Barack Obama is one that has little respect for the American public.  This is evident in the distraction campaign surrounding the death of Ambassador Stevens and the very public cover up that tried to pin it on some amateur movie.  Even now Obama is blaming his failures on bad intelligence while he routinely dodges intelligence briefings for rounds of golf.

Obama can't even find the wisdom to approve the Keystone pipeline.  Keystone will move oil from Alberta in the safest way possible to Texas over a country enmeshed with pipelines.  Obama can't see the obvious logic in approving this pipeline and we are supposed to follow this man into battle?

As much as I'd like to say no, I simply can't.  Genocide is occurring today.  How could we justify our non-intervention to the victims families with talk of some tit for tat for the approval of a pipeline?  That might be Obama's America but that is not who we are.  We can't allow ourselves to be less than who we are because of a feeble minded leftist named Barack Obama.  He caused this crisis but we'll help him end it.

Aside: The best way to snub Obama is to develop nuclear weapons of our own or at least repeal the treaty on non-proliferation.  It would send the message that we lack confidence in our close ally while at the same time strengthening Canada's sovereignty in a cost effective way.  Politically this would be a severe blow to Obama's anti-nuclear agenda since he himself would be the reason for a new nuclear power rising where there was once only a docile neighbor.  It remains politically impossible here for now, but as I'll show you we are on the brink of massive geopolitical upheaval.  The opportunity may present itself.

Europe

Remember when Stephen Harper went to NATO to ask for additional troops in Afghanistan?  Only the US provided more troops.  Now when there is trouble in Europe's backyard Ukraine, they demand we do more.  They haven't been shy about committing jets against ISIS anyway.  That is pretty commendable and actually a shrewd policy.  We should mirror their example in the case of ISIS.

Saudi Arabia

If there were an election held in Saudi Arabia today we would find that ISIS had secured that country too.  The House of Saud is our friend but perhaps frenemy is more correct.   At best they are the pet fascists of the United States.  At worst the Saudis are a useful interface for the extreme Wahabi cult to influence the west.  

Nevertheless we would not be better off by ignoring the ISIS threat to Saudi Arabia.  It doesn't matter that their money and ideology directly created ISIS in the first place.  If Iraq falls then Saudi Arabia would be next.  I have little faith in their military even though they are well equipped.  The Saudi military probably will melt away in the face of serious fighting.  That is the trend shown by Arab armies in modern conflicts.

The streets would run with blood from purges in Saudi Arabia while ISIS ranks would swell like never before.  Their evil army would be replenished with every good imaginable including very possibly nuclear weapons.  Worse than any of that would be the psychological impact of ISIS capturing Mecca.  Every Muslim on earth could not ignore ISIS at that point.  Would Muslims individually side with the infidels or with ISIS?  

We would have a real World War on our hands if ISIS isn't stopped now, never mind the terrorism. 

Mulroney's Apology

Pierre Trudeau is a slut.  This is a fact that cannot be disputed and nobody has claimed otherwise.  Not even the son has refuted it, but apparently SUN has.

Well almost.

“It is the view of Sun News that this segment was in poor taste and should not have been aired, We understand why many viewers found both the content and language of this segment to be offensive. We apologize to Mr. Trudeau, his family and to our viewers.”

It was in poor taste and offensive Quebecor admits but not untrue.

That is why I tune in to SUN NEWS.  I want to know the real world.  CBC and the rest will lie to my face in order to please people who live in a false and manufactured paradigm.

I don't usually like those people.  Progressives.  -Sugar coated liars each and every one.  Mulroney was Quebecor's famous prog who leaked the apology to Bob Fife.  One can only assume that he argued for it.  The apology from Sun News is very likely his apology.  It certainly isn't Ezra Levant's apology.  Ezra has made no apology and should not.

I respect people who hold the truth as sacred.  It is an objective sin to spread a lie.  Man uses his mind to harness objective reality to support and improve his/her life.  To mislead another is to steal that others ability to make sound decisions to better their life.  Put another way, lying is immoral.

Progressives think that words create truth.  To call Pierre Trudeau a slut is to create a slut out of Trudeau even if the facts show that a slut is what he was.  This is what leads them to label terrorist attacks as "workplace violence" or ignore them completely.   If they ignore then it didn't happen.

The Sophists, the originals, actually killed Socretes for impolitely removing the illusions from his peers.  They may yet do this to Ezra Levant but Ezra doesn't have a death wish.  Socretes was tired I think.  He may well have wanted to finally leave all the deluded and fearful people behind in a way that would haunt civilization for millennia.

Ezra Levant has a lot more to do.  I hope former PM Mulroney enjoys his new role as Apologizer to the Prince and hope he gets to practice it often.

Trudeau Passes Judgement On Sluts To Avoid Questions

Oops!  Justin Trudeau does not like sluts at all.  When Ezra Levant referred to Trudeau Sr. as a slut because of his well known promiscuity the media's darling prince had had enough.

The Liberal Party's Justin Committee has jumped into action on behalf of the greatly offended Liberal Heir.    The brain behind Trudeau, Gerald Butts, showed his outrage at the speed of committee five days after Ezra's show.

Actually he doesn't seem that offended.  He even seems more interested in using Ezra to tarnish small c conservatives.  As if they aren't trying to do that anyway.

Ah lefty politics; where offence is but a tactical ploy.  The fact is that Justin cannot handle tough questions.  This is a desperate excuse to sidestep.  He's been running from Sun News long before Ezra's Monologue on the 15th.  

I say take Butts up on his offer.  Bring him on the show.  Sun News is not the CPC and if the Liberal Party wants to spend its energy on Sun News, please oblige them.  Become the very center of their campaign.  It would be like the CPC focusing on the CBC instead of the Liberals.  Talk about stupidity.  Imagine Harper taking valuable campaign air time for shots at Mansbridge?

I don't think they understand what they are dealing with in Ezra Levant.  The man thrives on controversy.  He's not running for office.  He doesn't care if some spacey leftards and union bosses don't like him.  Its all upside for Ezra and Sun News.

Huffington Posts resident Trudeau booster quoted someone else from The Justin Committee who said Ezra's monologue was "a personal attack on the Trudeau family that was offensive and breached any reasonable measure of editorial integrity." The re-thinker of space and time himself said Ezra was “beyond the bounds of civil discourse.” This coming from Trudeau who once screamed "Oh! You piece of shit!" to an elected member of government while Parliament was in QP session. 

For all of this to be logically consistent "slut" would have to be orders of magnitude worse than a "piece of shit" in the minds of the Justin Committee.  Sluts are lower than shit.  That is what the Liberal Party is saying.

Well I do believe that being a hypocrite is right up there with mandatory abortion support for Liberals.  I wonder if sluts are welcome in the Liberal party?  Perhaps they should go elsewhere?

When I say sluts of course I'm including myself in that category.  Well former slut anyway.  Funny how nobody noticed that Ezra Levant used the term "Slut" in a gender neutral way.  He called Pierre Trudeau a slut.  You'd think Liberals and Slut-walkers would appreciate something like that.

I'm not so old that I don't remember how much of my life revolved around sluts for a time.  Does that not make me a slut?  Oh yeah, Ima playa yo.   Other than the onomatopoeia quality of the word slut, why should promiscuity be valued any differently for a man or a woman?  You can hold your own opinion of sluttiness of course, but people who enjoy or have enjoyed casual sex are not lower than a piece of shit.  

Trudeau's deep offence at the word slut should be offensive to all sluts.  Harper may keep Journolistas at arms length and we all understand why, but Trudeau's cowardly fleeing and evasions in the face of tough questions should offend all of us.

Monday in Canada

In just about a year from now there will be a fevered federal election campaign on.  The Media Party will breathlessly discover that Stephen Harper is an awful person who just needs one more majority win to finally poke the eye of every Canadian like he always planned.  Meanwhile they will use up their last excuses for poor wealthy famous Trudeau.  Its going to be a lot of fun.

There is no way I'm going to sit out the silly season.  Nothing is more enjoyable than sniping the bullshit that comes out of politicians and legacy media. That is the whole reason for this blog.  That is the reason I'm back.

Where did I go?

Well I've become a father.  My Boy is one!  He walks.  He throws things down the stairs, and feeds the dog from his high chair.  He calls me "Papa" though I never taught him to say that.  He just knows things somehow.  He is the BEST!

I've also been filling my time with Bitcoin and cryptocurrency in general.  For a libertarian computer nerd like myself Bitcoin is a dream come true.  Beyond the Austrian economics of a decentralized currency there is the technology of decentralization itself that is just utterly fascinating.  Bitcoin works.  The technological miracle of the blockchain is even now being adapted for other uses.  Developers are building decentralized exchanges, organizations, prediction markets, file storage, and so on.  We could have decentralized facebook and twitter.  We could have decentralized governments!  -decentralized justice!  Why stop at decentralized banking?

Centralized systems like banks, governments, media, academia or courts can be captured and directed into an agenda against their own users.  How many times have we seen this happen?  Its the normal way of things.  Its so normal people are afraid of a better way.

Our way is based on discreet units of value agreed upon by every node in the system equally.  -And we don't need anyone's permission to do it.  We are just going to do it.  We don't need or want government to do anything but watch. It will be marvelous.

Its a new day in Canada.  We can be proud of our PM, our party and our government.  All three are the best this country has ever known and we aren't even done yet.  There is a lot of excellent work to do.  We have a nation to save from a jug headed prince and a world that needs us to be strong.  Lets fire it up!

Jim Prentice had better consider being Opposition Leader as well

Jim Prentice is mulling over joining the battered Alberta PC Party.  He's going to have to leave a  nice gig with the Banksters, that is a Bank, to do it.

I have to wonder if he'll stick with it though.

Allison Redford won against all odds.  She succeeded to convince many Albertan's that a party who has been lodged in power for 40+ years (who's counting at this point) is not the very definition of the "Old Boys Club" of Parties.  She promised to spend, spend, spend, and wow did she deliver.  Fortunately/unfortunately she thew so much money in the trash she ended up throwing her self out with it.  Princess Allison made herself a story only the Bothers Grimm could write.

Jim Prentice though had a good career as a federal Tory.  I lived in his riding.  I handed out flyers for him.  I even met him once at a pancake breakfast.  I think I scared him actually.  I wore a red Vancouver 2010 shirt that day, just a shirt that was red, and he seemed taken aback.  I sure stood out among all the blues but I was making a small point to be honest.  The point was that Liberals don't own the colour red any more than they are going to own the Olympics.  He didn't get it.  Oh well.

Does Mr. Prentice get that the PC Party does not own Alberta?  Does he realize that while he might be premier for 12 months or less he might soon be Opposition Leader?  Would he stick around for that?  -for the people of Alberta presumably?  Or will he go back to his cushy job with the Bankers and work Bankers hours with Bankers salary?  Allison, a UN Lawyer, would love that kind of life.

Does Mr. Prentice realize that he would be hitching his cart to a Liberal Party?  Oh yes they are.  Stephen Carter, the magician who fooled so many Albertans is pulling for Justin Trudeau now.

I never had anything against the Alberta PC Party until the last election.  They lost their way.  They were simply unfit for government.  That isn't terrible.  Most people are unfit for government.  Myself included.  It's not the end of the world to be voted out.  That changed last time around.

Stephen Carter's dishonest campaign and Allison Redford's disgusting follow up as premier have insured that I will never vote Progressive for as long as I live.   Not even Stephen Harper himself could ever get me to vote PC.  The Progs must go and that is all.

The PC Party has simply been in power too long.  It cannot be fixed by rewarding it with power yet again. They promised to change and they were worse than ever.  The government of this province is sick and surly like a heroin addict that refuses rehab.  A long winter off of the intoxication of power is just what the doctor ordered for the PC Party.

Will Jim Prentice be there to give the medicine and care the PC Party needs to get over their corruption?  Or is he just visiting?

Conservatives are right about Trudeau

Trudeau got himself back in the spotlight yesterday.  Legacy media outlets pumped up the supposedly scandalous profanity while simultaneously asking why its a scandal at all and praising his use of commoner vulgarity. 

All of it is actually kind of funny if you've learned to parse Media Party's propaganda.  They know trouble when they see it and instinctively they were running cover for their dear Shiny Pony.  That is perfectly fine with me.  By pushing the profanity angle in the hope of a Ford Nation type public approval they also draw attention to what else Trudeau said.

How Trudeau thinks of himself is by far the more interesting aspect of his vulgar speech. 

"Not your name, your fortune, your intelligence, your beauty; none of that fucking matters."

While everyone obsesses about a vulgar, semi-taboo, ultra cliché, adverb that we've all resorted to at some point, take a look at the actual meaning of the sentence.  Trudeau is talking about himself in a boxing ring.  He's listing all of the things he thinks he's got going for him.

"Your name."  Trudeau's name is all of Trudeau.  No one thinks for a second that if his name was Bieber or Timberlake that he would have even been considered for Liberal Leader let alone Prime Minister.

"Your fortune."  Trudeau inherited a fortune.  He's never known hardship.  He's never worried about bills and taxes.  He's never cared where the next paycheck will come from.  This is what allows him to say things like "The Budget will balance itself."  Trudeau has never had to balance a budget.  They always just balanced themselves. 

"Your intelligence."  I'm not going to say Trudeau is a stupid person.  He may have some stupid ideas but the reason we are examining his words is to better understand boy Trudeau.  His intelligence is irrelevant even if it isn't that great.  The key here is that Trudeau thinks he is intelligent.  He thinks he's intelligent enough to subconsciously rank it third in his internal list of super qualities.  I would say that he thinks he's very intelligent.  Who in his circle will tell him otherwise?  Most of us have empirical evidence of our intelligence in our finances.  Trudeau has no such source of humility and is set to overreach. 

"Your beauty."  He's right.  He is good looking but Trudeau is also a vain man.  It's unbecoming for women to talk about their own beauty.  When a man does it, stomachs turn.   Trudeau is very much aware of his "beauty" and considers it one of his main strengths as a politician.

Then on Monday Marissa Simkew, a gorgeous Sun News journalist, asked Trudeau a hard question.  She wanted to know exactly who are the "middle class" that Trudeau talks about so much.  He didn't know.  He made some generalization about people who work for a living so Miss Simkew asked again saying "I'd like a number."  At this point Trudeau stared off into oncoming headlights and said "...like a number..." 

I imagine many of you reading this are thinking he said "...like a number..." as in "...like a number...what's a number?"  I saw it differently.  He was thinking phone numbers.  There was Trudeau yesterday on the very edge of cracking a joke about Miss Simkew wanting Trudeau's phone number.  Trudeau's entitled and arrogant foolishness took him right to the precipice of another disaster to which he only narrowly and dimly averted.  That is who we are dealing with.  By his own account he has confirmed everything we thought we knew about him.

This is why it pays to truly understand your enemy.  Understanding how a narcissistic trust fund boy like Trudeau thinks of himself is the key to his entire personality and decision process.  Lucky for us its actually pretty easy when it comes to Trudeau. 

How stark is the comparison with The Right Honourable Stephen Harper.  Every legacy media opinion pusher has a new Theory of Harper each week.  Harper is Richard Nixon.  Harper is Mike Duffy.  Harper is Rob Ford.  Harper is Vladimir Putin.  I'll give you one guess who Harper is today.  Right.  Harper is Kathleen Wynne.  I won't bother pointing you to it.  I read it in the same paper by the same author who yesterday said Harper was Dalton McGuinty. 

It hardly matters who they think Stephen Harper is today or tomorrow.  The point is they do not understand Stephen Harper.  They do not understand because they refuse to understand.  The Media Party is projecting rather than observing.  Understanding Stephen Harper means accepting the worst case scenario for the Media Party.  Stephen Harper is not only the best, most skilled, most competent and genuine Prime Minister in the history of Confederation but very likely the best we will have for many years to come.

This is why we win.  Some people will only see it once its lost.  I'm confident they will stay blind for a long time yet.

A Hopeful Vision for Alberta

Danielle Smith never fails to inspire me.  The mark of a good leader is that she truly brings out the best in people.  Danielle Smith has that quality in spades.

After listening to this speech in Calgary the other day I can't remember why I was so angry at that other leader.  The last few years of politics in Alberta now seem like a bad dream in stormy weather.  That PC weather is blowing itself out of here.  Wildrose will clean it all up with a sunny smile one day soon.




I met her in person at the Manning Center last year.  She really listened.  I'm not just saying that.  We only spoke about my riding but I could see how my input was important to her.  I'm just a regular person she didn't know anything about.  That's how I know deep down that I'm with the right party.  We have just the right person in Danielle Smith to lead Alberta.

Redford Gone.

Another double speaking Prog quits before voters can bring the axe down themselves.  What a shame.  Stelmach, McGuinty, and now finally Redford have all resigned in disgrace.  Good riddance.

Redford announced her failure "with profound optimism".  That really had me laughing.  When was the last time you felt profoundly optimistic?    Doesn't seem like something I'd want to feel.  -Like getting into an accident on your birthday ("Thank you everyone. I'm just so so so so so happy today!").  It's a far cry from the election 2 years ago.  Was she profoundly optimistic back then?  No, she was probably as jubilant as millions of Albertans are feeling tonight.

I suppose the PC's think all of Redford's broken promises are gone with her too.  All the lies from the last election campaign are erased.  Its a new party now... again.  This is not your father's PC party.  Its the party that stood with Redford as she lied to Albertans in every budget since she took power.  The new name for Deficit is Operating Expense didn't you know.  That makes it ok, because deficits are bad.

Typical prog lies.

Every progressive dirt bag out there, no matter what party or level of government, thinks that good government is simply the skill to sweet talk voters into punching themselves in the face.  That is what impresses progressive politicians.  Some of them will tell you that they are not even politicians at all.

Well we know their game.

Raise a glass Alberta and conservatives everywhere.  There is no reason not to give Wildrose a chance next time.  Danielle Smith will make an excellent Premier.

Some Interesting Maps of Ukraine

http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-one-economic-reason-russias-invasion-of-crimea-pulls-in-europe-2014-3

If you see it then you can bet Putin also saw it a long time ago.  I'm talking about a lucky convergence of major pipelines on top of potentially huge shale gas reserves.

Everyone sees this as an aggressive ballsy action by Putin but I think there is more to it.  I think Russia's grab of the Crimean peninsula is a losers move.  It is the petulant result of losing the strategic energy power game Russia has been playing for many years.

We've all heard about the bloody Black Sea Fleet.  It is the reason behind Syria and it is also the reason behind the invasion of the Crimea region as well.  If Russia can't lord control over Ukraine with their pipelines, they will simply take control of the region containing their Naval Base and its infrastructure.

Languages of Ukraine

So what can Ukraine do?   Annexation of Crimea is sufficient grounds to nationalize Russian assets in Ukraine starting with the pipelines and refineries.  Ironically this could help wrangle the skittish Europeans into a tougher stance on Russia's economy.  They still worry about the gas supply.

If the Germans are unwilling to pitch in against a belligerent thug in their back yard perhaps the Americans would consider moving Ramstien Air Base to Ukraine?  I'm sure they would be greatly appreciated there in military and economic terms.

Canada can assist in this by providing expertise in developing Ukraine's resources and possibly supplementing  Europe's oil and gas requirements.  Sanctions on Russia might work but Free Trade with Ukraine is a must.  Peace Keepers are also an option.

Your move Putin.

The General's Last Move

Nobody has been able to answer the single most important question about Andrew Leslie's exorbitant moving expenses.  What on earth costs $72,000 to move a few blocks?

Did he need to unearth a terracotta army and bury it at the new location?  So what was it then?

I'm sure every tax paying citizen recognizes that this is just too much to stand whatever the reason.  Faced with a move that would cost Seventy Two Grand most Canadians would find another way or take the loss. Entitled Ottawa elites however just send us the receipt.

Andrew Leslie is probably an honorable enough man.  He is also angling for the job of Minister of Defense.  A Defense Minister has to oversee troop movements a heck of a lot farther away than a couple of affluent blocks in the Nation's Capitol.  Why can't he tell us what went wrong with his move?  How did it end up being so expensive?  It was nearly double the 2nd highest all time moving expense claim (and even that ones gets me angry.  $42,000!  What the hell!).

And what are we to make of a man who calls the genuine concern of a taxpayer like myself a "partisan attack".

How dare we little racing rats question a man with such a gilded resume?  He would make a fine non-liberal Liberal Senator wouldn't he?  Generals and Senators can do no wrong you know.  He's faced down a fearsome enemy with real bullets (an enemy that remains in place after 13 years) and made six healthy figures doing it.  That really is amazing.  Who said you'll never strike it rich serving in the military?  Maybe Corporal Tremblay?

Oh?  Was that an attack?  Is there a lie in it somewhere?  Because the truth is a potent weapon.  Go ahead.  Knock us down with the truth about the move.  We can handle the truth.

It's the old entitlement showing its face again.  No please or thank you.  -Just pay in 90 days or pay more.  It's tax time again, and with Tax Freedom Day far off behind I'm not really interested in the wealthy former general's poor feelings.

Its up to Leslie to help us understand.  The public supports the Military and in no small part thanks to the efforts of the Harper Government.  We have open minds.  Tell us.  There have already been suggestions of kickbacks or at best incompetence.  Silence only reinforces the idea there is something wrong.  Leslie claims that everything was legit, so what's the problem with the details then eh?

Look I support the military more than anyone I know.  I do not worship them.  I do not revere them.  So excuse me if I share the secret.  Armed forces members and veterans are still just people.  There are good ones and bad ones.  There are real heroes, traitors and even some brutally evil bastards too.  Its hard to compare them to priests and teachers or doctors and scientists, many of whom aren't paid what they are worth, but we already know the truth about all of them.  We know that while some people are strong others are weak and fallible. It doesn't seem to matter what kind of hat they wore at some point.  It's wrong to say that a person in a uniform is beyond reproach simply because of that uniform.

It's not like the press is going to do any reproaching.  Here we see the hypocrisy of the media clearly.

Remember the hoopla disseminated when a Senator repaid to taxpayers some $90,000 of a private individual's money?  The damning part of the "scandal" being that Harper allegedly commanded that the right thing be done.  In reality the person who did the right thing was terminated for doing the right thing wrong along with the people who did the wrong thing in the first place.  Go back and read the many varied opinion pieces just dripping with venom and hatred at the time.  Now a Liberal candidate is found taking a similar amount from taxpayers.  Its an old fashioned liberal style cash grab and all we get is excuses from the same Band of Butt-lickers.

No wonder Leslie didn't make the cut.  It turns out he tried to get on the Conservative slate first.  Imagine how this would have been portrayed by the media if Leslie were a Conservative?  The Media party would freak.  I'm glad the system worked.  Leslie went where he belongs.: to the party that sees public office as a lottery that pays out on election day.  The Liberals can keep him, but I want my money back.

Conservatives should strongly oppose the Values Charter

Last week in relation to Peekist so-called "Values Charter" Andrew Coyne asked:

What, in particular, will be the reaction of the federal government? Will it defend the rights of local minorities, in the role originally envisaged for it, as it has pledged to do? Or will it do as federal governments have done since Laurier, faced with a determined local majority: shrug and abandon them to their fate?

The answer should be obvious.  Yes we will stand up for minorities.  That is who we are.  It's the right thing to do, never mind it being the law of the land.

The Quebec Values Charter

Lets recap what is going on in Quebec.  The minority PQ or "Pequiste" (we can anglify it as Peekist) are making a cynical play for majority power using the xenophobic prejudices nurtured inside their cultural solitude.  

With this charter they plan to expel all religious minorities from the public service that do not comply with their dress code.  Outward displays of religion will be banned, including head scarves, turbans and even subjectively large crosses.

A key point we can all agree on is a unified stance on the Niqab and Burqa.  These are dehumanizing, segregating and misogynistic garments that have no place in our society.  We would not allow hooded KKK goons to openly go about their business let alone work in a hospital or a government agency so garbed.  

Could you imagine a police woman in a burqa?

Could you respect or obey such an abomination?

No.  It's now illegal to wear a mask during a protest.  It should also be illegal for police and other public servants to be masked in such a way that their identifying faces are obscured when dealing with the public.

The hijab, on the other hand, is no different than the robes of a Nun or a Mennonite's bonnet.  It may be a tad pretentious to be sure, but the hijab is nothing but a style of scarf.  We should be no more inclined to public enforcement against the head scarf than against short skirts or yoga pants.

My own child was skillfully delivered by a nurse in a hijab.  I don't see what purpose it would serve anyone to have her removed.  The Quebec Charter of Values is as wrong as the PQ itself.

Religious Aparthied

This is not a case of Godwin's Law or Reductio ad Hitlerum.  I'm completely serious in comparing the Peekists to the Brown Shirts over the mundane pejorative sense.  This goes also beyond the trivial similarity between the PQ and NSDAP acronyms being joined to make the words Peekist and Nazi party's respectively.  

Ask yourself these 3 key questions that expose fascists:

1. Is the PQ Nationalist?  Yes.
2. Is the PQ Socialist?  Yes.
3. Is the PQ Racsist?  Yes.  

The entire purpose the Values Charter is the disenfranchisement of self identified religious minority's not limited only to Jews but Muslims, Christians, even Hindus and their Bindi adornments.   The Peekists are opening the door to apartheid or worse.  All the ingredients for a Krystallnacht event are present in 2014 Canada.  

Tell me it isn't possible and I'll tell you to read up on the tragedy of residential schools right here in our beloved country.  Minorities need to know they are protected from xenophobia by the highest offices and courts in the land.

Of course not all of Quebec culture is about xenophobia any more than its all about corruption.  Southern people will still tell you that the Confederate Flag is merely the flag of The South even though it was flown in a war for slavery.  In the eyes of everyone else, the flag emblazoned on the "General Lee" from the Dukes of Hazard, represents racism and slavery.  In a similar vein the Swastika once represented peace.  Sorry, not anymore.  This awful and evil Values Charter threatens to do the same to the symbols of Quebec.

Are proud Quebecers really so eager to lace their culture with the stench of intolerance like the Southern States?  It seems to me the unique culture of Quebec is threatened more by the racist Peekists than by any competing culture.

Strategy

The Quebec Values Charter reportedly enjoys overwhelming support.  I can't imagine its supporters include many Conservative voters.  A strong and sensible position against the niqab and burka should inoculate the Conservative party against any blow back from opposing the Values Charter.

In any case there isn't much to lose.  Conservative support in Quebec is notoriously soft.  Ironically this frees the government to do what is right irregardless of electoral consequences.  We might even gain some support in Quebec.  Minorities will look to the steady strength and sobriety of a Conservative government as the best defense from Peekist zealots.

And what of the hard won immigrant and minority Conservative vote in the rest of Canada?  What kind of loyalty can we expect from them if we timidly throw their friends,family and fellow ex-patriots to the wind?

The Harper Government has an obligation to oppose the Values Charter.  Blunt and direct statements to the effect should be continued.  The Government should deploy the Office of Religious Freedoms to study the Values Charter and voice its very strong support.  The irony that the Office was created to protect religious minorities in other countries won't be lost on anyone.  The Courts will also have a role to play and they should also have the vocal support of the government.  The people of Quebec should be under no illusion that if the Bureaucracy and Judiciary fail to protect minority's, new federal laws will be passed to ensure the freedom of every Canadian Citizen.