Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Welcome back, voter cynicism!

Listening to CBC's The Current, a discussion about David Emerson, and increasingly, it just makes me sick.
 
A few points:
  • At least Boolinda served in her party's caucus for a while before switching, regardless of the perceived 'talent' of the person
  • Emerson's statements before and immediately after the election, regarding the ruin that Harper would bring to Canada...how can this man now sleep?
  • All the people who donated money to Emerson's campaign, $100k, to help elect a Liberal, have just been slapped in the face. And robbed.
  • All the Liberal campaign workers who gave their time, as volunteers, to help elect Emerson, have just been slapped in the face.
  • All the Conservative campaign workers who gave their time, as volunteers, to help elect their own candidate, have just been slapped in the face.
  • All the NDP-minded voters who cast their ballots strategically for Emerson, to prevent a Conservative majority, well...they got what they deserve.
This is an absolute affront to democracy. Emerson must step down and run again in a by-election. Of course, he won't, because he has pissed off his riding, and they will punish him. Better to act and ask forgiveness, than to ask permission....
 
Emerson's riding has not elected a Conservative since the 1950s. They say all will be forgiven if he solves the softwood lumber dispute, if he delivers a great Olympics. A very tall order indeed. Let him try and redeem himself that way, if he chooses, and if he succeeds, great. But I hope the electors of Vancouver Kingsway remember what Emerson has done, to them and to democracy and relegate him to the dustbin of history.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't understand why you think Belinda's case is different than David's? You say Belinda tried for several months (I believe 11 to be exact), well David tried for 2 years to make things work. No difference except David gave the Liberals more time to come around.

Also, speaking of robbed, explain this:

"The Liberal EDA in Vancouver-Kingsway is reportedly demanding their money back from Emerson. I am personally uneasy with the move, so I will let the EDA's case pass without comment.

However, something is odd. They want $96,755 that was transferred to run his campaign. But the Elections Canada site lists Vancouver-Kingsway as having about 78,000 electiors, which would place the spending limit at around $69,000.

That EDA has some explaining to do. Emerson would have had no direct knowledge of spending. Either the Liberal EDA and campaign were cheating, or they are making a false case, or, the most innocent of cases, they are asking Emerson to return the fundraising expenses that would otherwise be netted to revenue and not declared as a campaign expense."

Mike B said...

"David" tried for 2 years to make things work? No difference except "David" gave the Liberals more time to come around?? Huh? Come around? From where? To what? If you weren't an anonymous commenter, I'd recommend you for Paul Wells' "attacked Belinda/defended Emerson" award.

So what you're trying to say is that Emerson was really a Conservative all along, struggling in cabinet, trying in vain to express his conservative point of view, trying to save Canada from backwards Liberal policies, hoping they would change and not force him to leave caucus and move into the arms of Stephen Harper? The spin this argument requires to be believable...

I'm not trying to defend or justify Boolinda's floor crossing, but it was vastly different from Emerson's because at least she actually HAD a floor to cross. Emerson never sat in Opposition, he never tried to "make it work".

If anyone's going to be called a whore with good cause it's Emerson.