Let’s double back to Karl Nerenberg’s take on the opposition parties’ messages in Canada’s federal election and point out how it relates to a classic decision-making hypothetical, the prisoner’s dilemma. In the case of the federal election, here’s how the dilemma plays out for anybody whose primary goal is to
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Accidental Deliberations: Lies and the lying liars who tell them
Ideally, this would be the end of the story when it comes to Stephen Harper’s callous and desperate attempt to claim the Terry Fox Foundation’s reputation for his own. But there’s reason for serious doubt that will happen – and indeed the Cons may end up treating the story as
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Trampling the message
So apparently the Harper Cons are panicking mid-campaign and throwing out years of preparation to bring in an Australian consultant to better pitch their messages of the importance of familiarity and the dangers of changing horses mid-stream. Stay tuned for their new ad in which Stephen Harper takes up bullfighting
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Louise Arbour’s interview with The House includes both her compelling criticisms of both the Cons’ terror bill, and the Libs’ failure to stand up against C-51. And the Canadian Press reports on Justin Trudeau’s continued fecklessness, as he won’t even take a
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On judicious outrage
Following up on this post, let’s take a look at the flip side of the possibility that political parties can help themselves out significantly by taking umbrage with competitors’ treatment of them – which is the success (or lack thereof) of exactly that strategy over the past decade. As I’ve
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Attack and response
Earlier this week, Andrew Coyne mused on Twitter about how parties seek to make hay out of attacks by their opponents, with particular emphasis on the Libs’ response to PC and Con attacks on their leaders in 1993 and 2004. But I’d think it’s worth noting some distinctions between then
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Juxtaposition II: Humanitarian Boogaloo
From one stunt… The news of McCain’s suspension drew gales of derision from the press. No one was willing to give him the slightest benefit of the doubt…that his motivations were anything less than craven… McCainworld had assumed that the suspension would be viewed as an authentic, characteristic act of
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On reasonable responses
Let’s offer a quick reminder to the Libs’ spin machine, and particularly to the people who should know better who are choosing to echo it. No party is under an obligation to reflexively attack or belittle everything another party proposes in its election platform. If a platform plank or general
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Robert Reich discusses the unfairness of requiring workers to take all the risk of precarious jobs while sharing few of the rewards: On demand and on call – in the “share” economy, the “gig” economy, or, more prosaically, the “irregular” economy – the result is
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On weak attempts
Following up on these earlier posts, here’s a quick look at the last of the messages Bob Hepburn thinks the NDP may face from the Cons in particular as the election campaign progresses. 2) Tax-and-spend image: NDP loyalists consider this issue as “trite,” but already Harper is hammering away at
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On messaging tests
Following up on yesterday’s post, I’ll make clear that nobody should hold any illusions that the NDP’s opponents will abandon their own efforts to pursue seats simply because the NDP holds a strong position for the moment. And on that front, Bob Hepburn floats a few trial balloons as to
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, summarizing these posts on the dangers of setting up past advocacy as a barrier to a place in public life. For further reading…– Again, Sean Fine’s report on the Cons’ general ideological screening for judges is here. – Glenn Kauth reports on Chief Justice Beverly McLachlin’s lack of concern
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Asked and answered
The problem with basing a party’s rhetoric on theories which can be directly and obviously disproven by events beyond their control is that events happen. With that in mind, over to you, people whinging about the candidates for Finance Minister under an NDP government: The NDP Leader also announced that
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Vanessa Houlder reports on the OECD’s call for countries to make far more of an effort to ensure tax compliance among their wealthiest individuals. – Scott Gilmore discovers the abusiveness of the payday loan industry by accident due to a lender’s confusion
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On unforeseen consequences
In retrospect, we should have figured that when the Cons made submission to enhanced interrogation a requirement for entry into their campaign events, they were setting themselves up for this kind of audience reaction: But rest assured, if nobody’s happy to see Harper arrive or speak, there are plenty of
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On control freaks
While we’re on the subject of Stephen Harper’s campaign to insult Canada, let’s note the significance of his choice of attacks on Tom Mulcair. As others have pointed out, the “career politician” complaint makes absolutely no sense as an attempt to contrast Mulcair against Harper – who has been in
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Shannon Gormley points out how the Cons’ actions to strip voting rights from Canadians abroad sticks out like a sore thumb compared to an international trend of recognizing that citizenship doesn’t end merely because a person crosses a border. And Peter Russell and
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Pop quiz
Michael Den Tandt and John Geddes are convinced that Tom Mulcair’s speech to the Economic Club of Canada yesterday represents both a massive sea change in Canadian politics, and a response to the NDP’s newfound lead in the polls. So let’s offer a pop quiz to see if that theory
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – LOLGOP discusses the important role unions play in ensuring widespread freedom and prosperity – and why they’re thus target number one for corporatists seeking to hoard more wealth at the top: When Scott Walker promises to bring his anti-union policies that have
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your Monday reading. – Frances Woolley reminds us of some of the hidden advantages of the rich, and suggests that they point toward the fairness of taxing wealth in addition to consumption: The greatest freedom money offers is the freedom to walk away. Your bank doesn’t offer
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