tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257578024925559189.post4020503912536392770..comments2023-08-03T03:59:01.255-04:00Comments on Democratic Voting Canada: Harper’s hidden “starve the beast” agendaRon Wallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08120060083437508997noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257578024925559189.post-77925072257487628062013-11-16T14:33:47.984-05:002013-11-16T14:33:47.984-05:00Good analysis. Thanks for the input.
I think the...Good analysis. Thanks for the input. <br /><br />I think the neo-con tide which has plagued the world over the past 30 years, culminating in the 2008 global economic meltdown, has run its course. Now's the time to turn the tide. <br /><br />In my opinion, "starving the beast" is emblematic of all the failed free-market reforms that have caused such a mess: environmental degradation, towering levels of inequality and debt, economic instability and uncertainty, crumbling social and physical infrastructure, the end of rising living standards and children having it better than their parents. <br /><br />And for what? Because self-aggrandizing sociopaths can't get enough wealth and power? It's insane! Ron Wallerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08120060083437508997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257578024925559189.post-22995538465204563912013-11-16T14:27:04.195-05:002013-11-16T14:27:04.195-05:00You're welcome. I think us in the social media...You're welcome. I think us in the social media should try to make "starving the beast" a 2015 campaign issue. It'd be nice to see it on T shirts and bumper stickers. The best way to fight the con men is head on!Ron Wallerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08120060083437508997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257578024925559189.post-14805968144943663212013-11-15T22:15:13.435-05:002013-11-15T22:15:13.435-05:00You have correctly identified the key enabling obj...You have correctly identified the key enabling objective of Harper’s real “hidden agenda”. It was never unrecognized by anyone who understood the man and the cult that trained him, and could remain undistracted by the red-herring of extreme social conservatism that his strategists marketed to the public.<br /><br />In the US, the market libertarian cult emerged from the closet long ago. Norquist and other operatives have proudly and successfully promoted the “Starve the Beast” project for years and they haven’t hesitated to use the term when bragging about their successes. In that country an audience of deluded freedom-fighters and liberty-loving rugged individualists was ready-made for exploitation by the cult leaders.<br /><br />Many of Harper’s supporters are in favour of the “Starve the Beast” proposition. They take for granted the benefits that they may or may not be aware are derived through government programmes. If a policy provides a benefit that others may require but which they don’t feel they need, then it’s “socialism”. Harper tells them that they are rugged individualists and that “socialists” are weak and should be treated with contempt. There is little hope of getting through to these people.<br /><br />Since most Canadians don’t seem to be familiar with the term “Starve the Beast”, your assessment may be correct. There may be an opportunity, through repetitive references to the term, to hammer the public into understanding the hypocrisy and lies at the root of the proposition. At the very least there would be some benefit in causing Harper to respond. At the same time, I have to remember that he’s the same guy who got away with referring to expression of concern over human rights as a “front for protectionism”.<br />John B.noreply@blogger.com