For days I've been meaning to comment on the Singleton Affair, but have been slightly distracted. Of course, Ed has been knocking it out of the park and this post in particular is a grand slam. And The Telegram did a solid editorial as well. So I'm not sure how much more I can add to that.
However, I did want to say this. I've said for ages my great frustration with the Williams government is the massive void that lies between its potential and its reality. When Williams came in it was going to be open government and no patronage. And one of the reasons why there would be no patronage was due to Williams not owing anyone any favours. There was probably enough of us naive and optimistic to believe that.
That's obviously pure foolishness. This government is as reluctant to share information, if not more so, as any of its predecessors. And the racket with both Singletons during the past month - one gets appointed to the bench, the government bumps off a perfectly qualified Board of Regents members so Debbie can get a seat - pretty much puts to bed any lingering wisp of a notion this government was above patronage appointments.
Because, you know, it's not like Newfoundland has ever had any massive problems with its judicial system or anything. Clearly the provincial court is a place where you want to be putting an unremarkable and inexperience (by judicial terms) lawyer. What possible harm could it cause?
Anyway, here's the point that I'm trying to make. In case it's not really obvious to you...the Williams government thinks Newfoundlanders are moron. Yes, you. Are you living in Newfoundland? Then he thinks you're a moron. All of you. They think you're a complete idiot.
Why? Because they keep pulling the same shit over and over again. None of it is particularly bright. Some of it is, in fact, deeply insulting to anybody with a reasonable amount of intelligence. And yet, they keep doing it. Why? Because they think you're an idiot.
And since their poll numbers are still high, taxi drivers and open line callers are bragging about "our Danny" and any kind of opposition is often tagged with the label of being "unpatriotic", well, whose to say they're really all that wrong?
Last Five
1. 38 years old - The Tragically Hip
2. Let us down easy - Ryan Adams and the Cardinals
3. Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen*
4. One man symphony - Andy Stochansky
5. Try to make it - Sloan
11 comments:
This government is as reluctant to share information, if not more so, as any of its predecessors.
Much more so.
Just look at the Power Up The Shredders Act of 2008.
What Danny Williams-Government is doing is bad enough.
The vast array of individuals and organizations who are letting Danny Williams-Government get away with it, and not saying a word, is even worse.
Across the entire Dominion, there aren't more than a couple of Premiers that you can respect, or trust.
Here in Ontario, Dalton is our fav for lying with a big bright smile and then explaining it with "The voters wouldn't have wanted me to keep my word, once they'd voted me in for what I said I'd do." (he really did say that, or close to it).
Danny is in good company when he believes his citizenry are willing sheep (also called morons and idiots behind caucus doors).
Regards,
etc.
Sadly, this has been true of all the Nfld govts I remember (ie peckford onwards). They think we are idiots and they treat us like idiots. And like idiots, we take it. So I guess we deserve it.
Labradorians have noticed that about Newfoundlanders for eons ;-}
On a more serious note, hope Boo is recovering nicely.
I guess maybe because to some degree it's true. Behind us urbane folk such as you and I. There is a rabble of West Country inbreds with no sense of taste, history or asthetics. Until some great shakes of a more urbane diaspora, Inter-provincial,Chinese, Ethiopian or otherwise outnumbers them we're going to have listen to them in the margins of the airwaves and the taxi cabs.
You know, I honestly can't tell if Robert is being serious or mocking me...;)
Swiftian yes, but I do believe NL has a similar problem akin to Scotland.
Swiftian yes, but I do believe NL has a similar problem akin to Scotland.
Monster-infested lakes? Thick fog? Thick accents?
I think monster-infested lakes would be a signifcant improvement for Newfoundland. It would make the 24th of May considerably more interesting.
Just do like the cannie Scots: invent a few monsters. Stage some grainy videos, set up a souvenir stand, you're in business.
Can't be any worse than pickle farms.
Hey!!!! Scottish politics is fab. Proportional representation. Need I say more? [okay, my current MP is a nitwit, but there are some good people here]. And the Scots don't let anyone tell them what they should think. Similar popular cultures, but very different political cultures.
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