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The Tories and the Big Fib |
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Written by Al Hollingsworth
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Wednesday, 20 May 2009 |
Darrell Dexter is perplexed over the constant barrage of attack ads, from the camp of the desperate PCs, and the constant nattering of “where’s your plan.” Whether it is Rodney MacDonald, his candidates or spokespersons, it always comes down to three little words, “where’s your plan.”
Of course the New Democrats have a plan, so to do the other three parties in the race. It seems like the advisors to the premier and his party is stealing a page from history and inventing the Big Fib. We all know about the Big Lie. Repeat it often enough ….
This strategy was never more evident than in the debate (?) when at every turn, MacDonald utters those three little words to muddy the waters.
I understand Dexter’s angst but he should consider the source. These are desperate people, trying to cling to power and, let’s be perfectly honest here we should not expect an intelligent dialogue because, as the late Johnny Carson once suggested, some of these guys in the advisor’s bunker couldn’t ad lib a fart at a baked bean supper.
The Tories campaign of ’09 reflects everything I abhor in politics as they practice to age old game of bullshit baffles brains. The tactic might have worked in the 40s, 50s, and yes even into the 80s, when John Buchanan baffled an entire province for more than a decade. It won’t work today. For that we give thanks and a threefold amen.
That is why Dexter and the NPD lead the polls and appears to be in the ante-room of political success. It appears the voters like the message (interpret that as “plan”, Rodney), and the calm common sense approach of Darrell Dexter. Too bad former Ontario premier Mike Harris squandered, along with a great deal more, the term “Common Sense Revolution,” it would be an appropriate tag for their campaign.
Gone too is the constant rant, the appeals to the far left, instead their message is one of moderation and reason. No longer does one feel compelled to jump up and sing “Solidarity Forever,” after and NDP rally. How refreshing.
How do the Progressive (?) Conservatives answer this reasoned approach. They sit in their bunker on Hollis Street and concoct scary scenarios that have nothing to do with the campaign of today but everything to do with desperation. How sad. How misleading. Ah, but Stephen Harper would be proud.
When they do kennel the attack dogs, they trot out two former ministers, Brooke Taylor and Jamie Muir, to take issue with the platforms of their opponents. Notwithstanding their service to the province and their party, neither is reoffering and neither can be held accountable for their actions.
Speaking of accountability neither only those with their names on the ballot should be making pronouncements.
At election time, when the future is being presented, without accountability nothing else matters. The Taylors, Muirs , et al (people speaking for all parties) will be nowhere to be seen when the ballots have been counted.
Meanwhile I suspect the misleading of the voters will continue.
I remember the late George Hawkins being booed at a Liberal meeting for questioning the leader and the process. George stood up, looked at the audience and said; “Is there no sense of decency here?”
Five minutes earlier, he had met me in the hallway and accused me of being a “Nazi”, because I didn’t support his position. That was when I had suffered a major brain cramp and was a paid employee of the Leader of The Opposition. Happy to report I made a complete recovery. I even voted PC, as I recently confessed.
Meanwhile, over the years I discovered one underlying factor; decency in politics is an oxymoron. Something Darrell Dexter has come to discover.
(Al Hollingsworth is a retired journalist and broadcaster)
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