With a majority government we are also "stuck". So its time to relax and see what transpires.
arthur From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ray Harrell Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2011 9:57 AM To: 'RE-DESIGNING WORK, INCOME DISTRIBUTION, EDUCATION' Subject: Re: [Futurework] some prelim thoughts on election One big difference is that you can call an election tomorrow if you get enough dissatisfaction. We are stuck for four years. REH From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Arthur Cordell Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2011 9:06 AM To: 'RE-DESIGNING WORK, INCOME DISTRIBUTION, EDUCATION' Subject: Re: [Futurework] some prelim thoughts on election Let's wait and see. The polarization that is taking place is uncharacteristic of Can politics. Seems like we are adopting Yankee attitudes before we see the dreaded Yankee politics. arthur From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Michael Gurstein Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2011 2:10 AM To: 'RE-DESIGNING WORK, INCOME DISTRIBUTION, EDUCATION' Subject: Re: [Futurework] some prelim thoughts on election Actually I think that up to this point average Canadians have gotten less screwed than, for example, average citizens of the US--partly medicare but also public education and a generally rather more benign if paternalistic public sphere and range of public goods... I think that the election of Mr. Harper to a majority government bodes extremely ill for the maintenance of that since he seems enamoured of the worst outcomes of US public policy (and ignores the best) and has indicated that he despises the best elements of Canadian society. Four years is a very long time and given what he did without a majority one can only dread what he will do with a majority including it is clear, doing absolutely everything in his power legally and even less legally (he will of course be in a position to change a lot of laws and a lot of judges) to put in place measures to ensure that he or his designates stay in power for an awful lot longer. My guess is that Mr. Harper sees the fact that Canadians are the second most contented people on earth (after the Danes) as a mark of political failure and moral weakness and will do everything in his power to ensure that we are soemwhere down at 32nd or so with the Yanks before he has completed his term of office. M -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Sandwichman Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 8:59 PM To: RE-DESIGNING WORK, INCOME DISTRIBUTION,EDUCATION Subject: Re: [Futurework] some prelim thoughts on election I disagree. Some folks will get screwed, yes. Maybe "average Canadians" will get screwed. But average Canadians get screwed all the time. I think what these election results have done is to establish a more clearly defined spectrum for debate and dialogue (polarization) and that might well lead to better outcomes than the fuzzy stalemate of a minority Conservative government with a fractured opposition. On Tue, May 3, 2011 at 8:00 PM, Michael Gurstein <[email protected]> wrote: That's great for the political class but Canada and average Canadians will get screwed! M -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Sandwichman Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 7:47 PM To: RE-DESIGNING WORK, INCOME DISTRIBUTION,EDUCATION Cc: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Futurework] some prelim thoughts on election It's a great outcome. Should be gratifying to nearly 3/4s of the electorate! 40% got a majority Conservative government, 30% got a strong NDP opposition and 4% got a Green party leader elected to parliament. I'd say it's not bad when 75% of the electorate get something positive from the outcome. On Tue, May 3, 2011 at 6:17 AM, Arthur Cordell <[email protected]> wrote: A paradoxical outcome. All the talk of getting together or call it what you will (coalition or whatever) went over OK. Until the NDP numbers showed amazing strength. As the numbers for the NDP grew and the Libs slid the talk of a possible NDP govt (with the Libs and NDP getting together, perhaps with the Bloc) seemed to drive right wing Libs to vote Conservative. And gave the Conservatives the majority that barely seemed possible at the beginning of the campaign, ie., before the NDP surge. A by product of the NDP strength was to eliminate, at least for now, the Bloc. As the commentators said over and over again: Elections bring unexpected results. As for the drop in the Libs. I leave that for others to discern. Some prelim morning after thoughts. Arthur _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [email protected] https://lists.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework -- Sandwichman _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [email protected] https://lists.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework -- Sandwichman
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