Being cynical isn't cool
A lot of the criticism of the Conservatives over this past week has revolved around the idea that Harper has "lost his way". That he's instantly become part of the establishment. That he's lost his core values, on and on.
What nonsense.
This sort of thinking is most commonly found among leftists - or that is what I thought until this week. People don't magically change upon taking office, especially people like Stephen Harper.
There's 3 class of '93 Reformers who are part of the current cabinet: Monte Solberg, Chuck Strahl, and Stephen Harper.
Stephen Harper was first a Trudeau Liberal, then a Progressive Conservative, and then after not witnessing any meaningful (conservative) change, he helped in the founding of Reform.
Clearly, this is someone to whom principles and change matters.
It's okay to be cynical about the apparatus of big government in general: its misplaced priorities, its inefficiency and its unintended consequences, but being deeply cynical of those who run the apparatus of government is usually immature, especially in the current circumstances.
Unless you're deeply cynical and paranoid, it is clear that Stephen Harper still has an agenda for conservative change.
Those who emotionally and openly criticize his cabinet-making decisions (rather than have measured disagreements) only hinder his ability to implement actual changes to the structure of government in Canada.
Harper can and probably will make mistakes, in strategy and in public relations.
However, his core beliefs are still solid. He believes in the freedom of the market place. He believes in not having a broken military. He believes in actual, meaningful federalism. And he believes in smaller, more limited government.
In order for him to achieve any of his objectives, even in an incremental way, he needs public support - starting with his base.
It'd be tragic if his base deserts him over something as superficial as the Emerson story (a story that involves Harper simply wanting experience and depth in his cabinet).
What nonsense.
This sort of thinking is most commonly found among leftists - or that is what I thought until this week. People don't magically change upon taking office, especially people like Stephen Harper.
There's 3 class of '93 Reformers who are part of the current cabinet: Monte Solberg, Chuck Strahl, and Stephen Harper.
Stephen Harper was first a Trudeau Liberal, then a Progressive Conservative, and then after not witnessing any meaningful (conservative) change, he helped in the founding of Reform.
Clearly, this is someone to whom principles and change matters.
It's okay to be cynical about the apparatus of big government in general: its misplaced priorities, its inefficiency and its unintended consequences, but being deeply cynical of those who run the apparatus of government is usually immature, especially in the current circumstances.
Unless you're deeply cynical and paranoid, it is clear that Stephen Harper still has an agenda for conservative change.
Those who emotionally and openly criticize his cabinet-making decisions (rather than have measured disagreements) only hinder his ability to implement actual changes to the structure of government in Canada.
Harper can and probably will make mistakes, in strategy and in public relations.
However, his core beliefs are still solid. He believes in the freedom of the market place. He believes in not having a broken military. He believes in actual, meaningful federalism. And he believes in smaller, more limited government.
In order for him to achieve any of his objectives, even in an incremental way, he needs public support - starting with his base.
It'd be tragic if his base deserts him over something as superficial as the Emerson story (a story that involves Harper simply wanting experience and depth in his cabinet).
posted by Japnaam Singh at
5:25 PM
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