Cracks starting to show in Harper's party.
The sailing hasn't been smooth for the good ship Harper. Not only has the economy taken a nose-dive that Harper didn't foresee and is being taken to task for it by former Bank of Canada governor David Dodge, but his party's rapid attempt to protect sitting MP's has even former Tory MP's crying foul. Add to this a scandal about the Harper Conservatives attempting to take over student unions so that clubs supporting rival ideologies get de-funded. The fact that these news items are starting to get out, despite Harper's coziness with the private media (bailouts are on the way boys, keep up the party's work) is a sign that the PMO is starting to lose control of the media. As anyone who's watched a micro-manger knows, there comes a point where the micro-manager just can't handle anymore. Things start to slip and this is what we're starting to see with the Harper Tories. The rapid meltdown of the economy has pushed Harper beyond his capabilities and there's only so much slagging your opposition will hide that. No amount of attacks will hide the dictatorial tendencies of Harper and his party. Not that you'd see Tories complain about that, since from what I've seen of Tories here in this province, they have no problem with totalitarian dictatorships as long as the dictator has the same ideological bent as they do.
It is disturbing that the Harper Conservatives are doing much of what they are. It shows their utter contempt for democracy and the free flow of opposing ideas that is required for democracy to work. This is not news of course, but it is important that this disdain for democracy that Harper and his supporters have be constantly put in front of the voter. It is only by doing this that the voter will realized that their voice not only be ignored by a Conservative government, but the possibility of that vote disappearing is starting to look like it could become reality. Given what is coming out about their actions and what can be logically deduced about how the Tories feel about the democratic process from this, what else is to come? Ballot stuffing? Disenfranchising voters? Only party members allowed to vote? It warrants thinking about.