US Neocons drooling over Canadian conservative election win

[Grimmlok]

*shudder* if this doesn't make anybody think twice, nothing will....makes my skin crawl.

U.S. conservatives hoping Harper's Tories win
Jan. 19, 2006. 12:20 AM


WASHINGTON (CP) — It's all about the chance for a new start.

At the White House, there's cautious optimism about Conservative gains in Canada's election campaign.

Republicans view Stephen Harper's rising fortunes as a relief and a balm after so much bickering between the two countries under Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin.

Social conservatives are thrilled.

Canada's election has provoked more notice than usual south of the border, where there's a keen expectation of change among some.

Major newspapers like the Washington Post and USA Today, as well Fox News, have followed the race. The New York Times recently noted that Harper ends every stump speech with "God bless Canada."

But it seems many U.S. conservatives aren't buying into the idea of Harper as a Republican lapdog, a theme promoted in Liberal campaign attack ads.

"We understand Canadians want to be Canadians and not in lockstep with the United States," said Paul Weyrich, head of the Free Congress Foundation, a right-wing political research group.

"But I don't think it helps when our neighbours are so often openly hostile."

Weyrich applauds Harper's suggestion that he'd revisit the decision not to participate in President George W. Bush's missile defence program and has hopes he'd consider helping rebuild Iraq.

"On issues of mutual interest like Iran, it would be nice to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Canadian prime minister rather than be worried about what he's going to say," said Weyrich.

U.S. officials, clearly irritated by the anti-American tone of Martin's campaign, don't want to talk much about the election for fear they'll become part of the story and jinx Harper's chances or his ability to govern.

The White House took a similar tack with Germany's Angela Merkel, who recently replaced Gerhard Schroeder and has already managed to improve relations while refusing to flinch from raising disagreements.

"We only mean a friendly hug and we end up crushing someone," said Chris Sands, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

And Republicans understand, said analyst David Biette, that Canadian Conservatives are a different breed.

"You line them up on the political spectrum and they're not in the same place," said Biette, who runs the Canada Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

"They're not going to be a toady for America, that's for sure. But at least there's more willingness to talk. It's not going to be `No' and just shut the door like it was before."

As well, expectations in the Bush administration have been moderated by the possibility of another minority government.

"They're savvy enough to know that if it's a minority, Harper's hands are tied," said a former U.S. diplomat. "They've dealt with coalition governments all over the world."

"But if Bush and Harper strike a great relationship, that can matter. That makes it easier to solve trade agreements and do new things."

In some ways, a majority government of either party would be preferable to a Conservative minority in the administration's view, said Roger Noriega, former assistant secretary of state responsible for Canada.

"There will be a question as to whether Canada can get its essential business done," he said.

"There's a sense that the minority government experience has been a very negative one where Martin was whipsawed by the separatists and folks on the further left. His responsible agenda has had to take a back seat to political survival."

Meanwhile, the anti-American tenor of Liberal advertising, viewed by some as "a desperate, irresponsible thing to do with a key partner," will probably leave some hard feelings," said Noriega.

For Robert Knight, who's with the evangelical group Concerned Women for America, the most interesting thing about the election campaign has been the Liberal party's reaction to the possibility of a Conservative win.

"They're getting positively hysterical. They remind me of some Democratic senators. They're using scare tactics and character assassination and the facts don't seem to interest them."

Knight is well aware that Harper says he wouldn't invoke Canada's notwithstanding clause to overturn same-sex marriages or push to overturn abortion rights. But there's no question he'd be a welcome respite from 13 years of Liberal rule.

"The Conservative party at least in some ways embodies the values that conservatives in the United States hold, like smaller government and an emphasis on traditional values," said Knight.

"There is a feeling that under a Harper government, the speeding train heading for a social wreck would at least be slowed, if not reversed."

Right-wing commentator Patrick Basham said the pleasure of a Harper win among American conservatives will be emotional.

"In reality, they probably are not going to see the kind of change they'd expect or like to see," said Basham, whose column about a Harper victory putting a smile on Bush's face ended up as fodder in Liberal television ads.

The administration will be ecstatic, he said, if Harper actually manages to follow through on promises to increase defence spending and revisit the missile defence decision.

But there's no reason for officials to be passing out cigars yet, he said.

"If the Conservatives govern as they have campaigned, then you're going to have a marginally more conservative, friendlier government.

And what if the Liberals manage to squeak back in?

"There would be a resignation to do business," said Noriega. ``I think we'd have normal relations, certainly nothing particularly warm."

1) Bullshit, Harper would toady to the Chimp on the first day. He *loves* what Bush is doing.

2) Harper would toady to the US on trade issues, big business is big business

3) Harper would roll back time, by subjecting minority rights issues to a majority vote, which is patently retarded.

In every way, Chimpy is licking his chops over this.

[Dracko]

QUOTE: "And Republicans understand, said analyst David Biette, that Canadian Conservatives are a different breed.

"You line them up on the political spectrum and they're not in the same place," said Biette, who runs the Canada Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

"They're not going to be a toady for America, that's for sure. But at least there's more willingness to talk. It's not going to be `No' and just shut the door like it was before."

"There's a sense that the minority government experience has been a very negative one where Martin was whipsawed by the separatists and folks on the further left. His responsible agenda has had to take a back seat to political survival."

Meanwhile, the anti-American tenor of Liberal advertising, viewed by some as "a desperate, irresponsible thing to do with a key partner," will probably leave some hard feelings," said Noriega.

For Robert Knight, who's with the evangelical group Concerned Women for America, the most interesting thing about the election campaign has been the Liberal party's reaction to the possibility of a Conservative win.

"They're getting positively hysterical. They remind me of some Democratic senators. They're using scare tactics and character assassination and the facts don't seem to interest them."

Knight is well aware that Harper says he wouldn't invoke Canada's notwithstanding clause to overturn same-sex marriages or push to overturn abortion rights. But there's no question he'd be a welcome respite from 13 years of Liberal rule.

"The Conservative party at least in some ways embodies the values that conservatives in the United States hold, like smaller government and an emphasis on traditional values," said Knight.

"There is a feeling that under a Harper government, the speeding train heading for a social wreck would at least be slowed, if not reversed."

Right-wing commentator Patrick Basham said the pleasure of a Harper win among American conservatives will be emotional.

"In reality, they probably are not going to see the kind of change they'd expect or like to see," said Basham, whose column about a Harper victory putting a smile on Bush's face ended up as fodder in Liberal television ads.

The administration will be ecstatic, he said, if Harper actually manages to follow through on promises to increase defence spending and revisit the missile defence decision.

But there's no reason for officials to be passing out cigars yet, he said.

"If the Conservatives govern as they have campaigned, then you're going to have a marginally more conservative, friendlier government."


Thanks for posting this...an enjoyable read.

[Grimmlok]

It's not going to be `No' and just shut the door like it was before."

Shutting the door on missile defense, shutting the door on intolerance and theocracy, and shutting the door on going to Iraq seems like great stuff to me.

Meanwhile, the anti-American tenor of Liberal advertising, viewed by some as "a desperate, irresponsible thing to do with a key partner," will probably leave some hard feelings," said Noriega.

Harper is pro-america, pro big-business, and very much for the social climate in the US right now. It's not scare tactics, its repeating what Harper himself has said. If the population is too stupid to remember it, sure it's easy to convince them its a 'scare' tactic.

But there's no question he'd be a welcome respite from 13 years of Liberal rule.

Of course not. Against gay rights, against abortion rights, against fiscal responsibility....

"There is a feeling that under a Harper government, the speeding train heading for a social wreck would at least be slowed, if not reversed."

Social wreck? That's how this guy views equal rights and the seperation of church and state. His whole opinion is completely suspect because he's a right-wing fundie who ABHORES giving gays rights, and letting women having power over their own bodies. He views any PROGRESSIVE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT as evil/dangerous/a threat.


So yeah, like I said: The neocons would *love* harper to get into power, because he just thinks the world of BushCo.

[Sojiita]

Good Lord! If the conservatives win then Harper will be the PM??? Canada will have the creepiest leader in the whole world!

[Grimmlok]

I know.. he's bigoted like Bush, but Harper comes with his own internal Rove and Rumsfeld.

Yuck.

And those eyes are dead eyes, like a doll's eyes... flat and cold.

[moomies]

Originally Posted by Grimmlok

And those eyes are dead eyes, like a doll's eyes... flat and cold.

Yeah, he kinda looks like he has no soul.

Martin looks a little more animated.

[GawsipRawksz]

also eats babies

[Grimmlok]

If he ate babies he would be a nicer person, cuz babies taste like happy.