Good read - How Neo-Conservatives subvert US and Cdn Politics - CBC

[Screaming Lord Byron]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/viewpoint/vp_westell/20031202.html

The U.S. political system permits relatively unknown figures – often state governors such as Bush and Bill Clinton – to vault into national prominence, even into the White House, with no previous experience in Washington. It was by this route that the new Republicans, often bankrolled by multimillionaire right-wingers, gained control of their party.

In Canada, the road to power lies through the House of Commons. The western conservatives dissatisfied with the leadership and policies of the PC party could not take control directly; they had to start their own party, the Reform party, now called the Canadian Alliance, and win seats in the Commons to establish credibility. In practice, they could not attract enough support to win power in Ottawa, but – almost as good – they could and did split the conservative vote to the point at which the PC party was mortally wounded. Now they're seeking to take over what remains, and to drop the symbolic "Progressive" from the name of the new party.

Division on the right has had another result. The Liberals have won three elections in a row, and the government is looking tired, tinged with corruption, due for change. Change in the form of a popular new leader may carry the election next year, but the time cannot be far removed when Canadian voters will choose the best available alternative – and that will be the new conservative party.

Those who say Canadians will never support a right-wing government should look at what has happened in the U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater, from Arizona, is now recognized as the forefather of the new Republican party, but when he ran for president in 1964 his policies were considered so far to the right as to be laughable. He was duly overwhelmed by Democrat Lyndon Johnson, who promised government programs to build a Great Society.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

1. Self-kick

[cryofan]

2. sounds bad--I was hoping to move to Ca if I need to someday for medical

....If necons/neoliberals get a chokehold on Ca, they will gut the universal healthcare

[TrogL]

3. I'm having trouble coming to grips

with just exactly what kind of journalist Anthony Westell is. I Googled and his bio indicates decades of top-level experience and his only other article that came up quick was left-leaning.

So is he sounding the trumpet or the death knell?

[Screaming Lord Byron]

4. I would take it as a warning. I'd assume he's trying to alert people

so that this does not happen. I don't see it happening, but he makes a very good case for constant vigilance.