Harper Index: Activists need to frame coalition politics correctly to win the day.

[tuvor]

Compromises came too late from Harper Conservatives

Activists need to frame coalition politics correctly to win the day.

...

The speech shocked opposition politicians into acting together, and events are moving rapidly toward the formation of a Liberal-NDP coalition government. Important details remain to be filled in: How long can Harper hold on to power? Who will be the Prime Minister? What will the new government's agenda be? How will the Liberals and NDP compromise with one another? At this point, it seems all but inevitable the Harper government will fall without another election.

It is still not clear why Harper's Conservatives, who worked so hard to smooth their rough edges in the recent election campaign, went so far off track. Their attempts at damage control have proved inept and ineffective. The secret recording of an NDP caucus meeting reflected poorly on the Conservatives. They spied on a closed-door meeting, and then bragged about it.

Canadians should now expect broadcast commercials, letters to editors, bloggers, and talk show phoners pumping out the Conservative line to sway the public against the coalition. Over the weekend, former Mike Harris manager Guy Giorno issued a tough set of talking points for Conservatives to use.

Progressives need to be prepared to counter the Conservative message machine. To help them make their points, HarperIndex.ca offers its own set of talking points:

http://www.harperindex.ca/ViewArticle.cfm?Ref=00171

[Mother Jones]

1. Thanks - My Cons MP returned my call.....

He was laughing through the entire conversation, which offended me somewhat.

Here's how it went;

Me: How can you support a leader who, in a minority situation, tried to legislate as though he had a majority?
Him: We asked all the parties for input before putting forward this motion and only the Bloc responded to us.

(I called Liberal and NDP HQ who denied this)

Me: Do you support eliminating pay equity for women?
Him: Well, this was Chretien's idea (as if that's supposed to offend me)
Me: I don't care who's idea it was, do you support it?
Him: Well, alot of other provinces are doing it...McGuinty is doing it.
Me: If everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you follow?
Him: {uncomfortable laughing}

Me: How do you feel, being in a party with Reform and Alliance members?
Him: {uncomfortable laughing} well, their influence is very little
Me: Oh really? Some of the past and present cabinet members include Day, Kenney, Toews, Thomas, Anders, Hanger, Thompson, Sweet, Fitzpatrick....
Him: well, you know, Jason Kenney is really quite moderate.
Me: He's openly a bigot. He has spewed anti-gay hate, and there's nothing moderate about a bigot.
Him: I think we're done here.