East - West Election Challenge 2006
I thought I would pick up where the CBC lead and invite readers to submit an e-mail or comment. Below is an e-mail that seems to be more of a chain letter. I don't know if Alan Robberstad exists but that is not relevant as I am interested in the fact that it captures the sentiment of the Conservative western voter.
I would like to invite an Ontario resident that plans to vote Liberal to submit similar points in support of that decision.
I hope to have many responses from Liberals and those Conservatives from the West can add to Alans list, make corrections,ect.
In the spirit of the grey cup, let the East VS West Election Challenge begin.
Hello.
My name is Alan Robberstad I am a Canadian. One voter out of millions of Canadian voters.
Paul Martin is no friend of mine. Liberal governments have not made my life any better. Liberal governments have made the future worse for my children.
Jean Chretien and the Liberal Party became Prime Minister many years ago. Guess who was the Liberal Finance Minister.....Paul Martin...LEST WE FORGET
Since 1993:
(1) My taxes have increased.
(2) My family's share of the national debt has increased.
(3) My personal expenses have increased.
(4) My waiting time to see a doctor has increased.
(5) My concerns for my family's safety have increased.
(6) My costs to educate my children have increased.
(7) Government interference in my life has increased.
(8) My personal debt has increased.
(9) My income has stayed more or less the same.
(10) My savings have decreased.
(11) The buying power of my dollar, in Canada, has decreased.
(12) The value of my dollar, in the U.S., has decreased.
(13) My trust of elected officials has decreased.
(14) My trust in the justice system has decreased.
(15 )My trust in the immigration system has decreased.
(16) My hope that a Liberal won't waste my tax dollars has decreased.
(17 )My dreams for a better future for my kids, in Canada, have disappeared.
That is my story since the Liberals came to power.
I am not voting for Paul Martin's Liberals. I am voting against Paul Martin and his Liberal Party in January.
I am voting for Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party.
Do I like the Conservatives? Not particularly......I don't really like Politics. I am not political by nature. I am not passionate about politics. I am a middle age guy (48). I live in a small house on a fairly quiet street in Edmonton. I have a wife, Kathy, and two children (ages 19 and 17). I have no pets. I am a middle class man. I don't usually say too much.
Until now.
Now I am going to say something!
In 35 of the past 37 years, Canada has been ruled by:
(1) Pierre Trudeau - a multi-millionaire lawyer from Quebec.
(2) Brian Mulroney - a multi-millionaire lawyer from Quebec.
(3) Jean Chretien - a multi-millionaire lawyer from Quebec.
(4) And now we are going to vote for Paul Martin???? - a multi-millionaire lawyer from Quebec???
The leader of the Conservative party, Stephen Harper, is:
(1) Not a lawyer.
(2) Not a multi-millionaire.
(3) Not from Quebec.
Stephen Harper says that the Conservative party will:
(1) Reduce my taxes.
(2) Pay off the national debt as fast as they can.
(3) Shrink the size and influence of the federal government.
That's good enough for me. I'm going to give the Conservative party a chance with my vote.
But wait! Paul Martinis now saying the same thing. My mother told me forty years ago: "Fool me once - shame on you. Fool me twice - shame on me!"
The Liberals have had 34 years to be financially responsible. Remember, Jean Chretien was Trudeau's Finance Minister. Remember also, Paul Martin was Jean Chretien's Finance Minister These people have been raising my taxes for thirty four years. They have been mis-spending my tax dollars for 34 years.
34 years!
And now Paul Martin says he'll stop taxing and spending. No way.
Thank you for reading my story so far!
Why am I telling my story to you?
Although I feel alone, I know that I am not alone. Your story may be similar to mine. And you may also feel alone. One small voter in the midst of millions of voters.
What can you and I do together to change things?
Here is my idea: Lets you and I join up together. Just you and I. Together. As a small team of two.
How can you and I fight a huge political machine?
You and I have two things that we can use:
(1) Our individual personal connections.
(2) The Internet.
The Internet is supposed to be this globalization tool, right? Let's put it to use.
I have 27 Canadians in my personal e-mail address book. I am sending this e-mail to each of them.
I'm asking you to do two things:
(1) Forward this e-mail to every Canadian in your own address book.
(2) Vote against Paul Martin and the Liberal Party in January of next year.
Vote for the Conservative candidate in your riding.
I have probably written this e-mail too late. As I said I am not politically adroit. I feel like Peter Finch, in the 1976 movie "Network", when he shouted: "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!"
Please, forward the e-mail RIGHT NOW!!
I hope the Internet is as fast as some people claim it is.
This may not work. This e-mail may "fizzle out" and go nowhere. But you and I will have tried, won't we have?
My best wishes to you. My best wishes to Canadians everywhere.
My thanks to David Stokes from Toronto He actually wrote this just (5) days before the last federal election. Fool me once - shame on you. Fool me twice - shame on me!"
Alan Robberstad Edmonton, Alberta.
posted by Derek Richards at 3:51:00 PM
4 Comments:
Unfortunately, he's quite wrong:
(1) My taxes have increased - LIE: cuts started in the late 1990s and have continued PLUS the personal non-taxable amount has increased, so EVERYONE is paying LESS taxes than in 1993.
(2) My family's share of the national debt has increased - LIE: how could this be so when, for the first time ever and in the only country in the world, THE DEBT IS BEING PAID DOWN!
(3) My personal expenses have increased - MISLEADING: so is everyone else's - it's called INFLATION and Canada’s has been generally the same as elsewhere.
(4) My waiting time to see a doctor has increased - MISLEADING: possibly true but it's the same across the country and not just a federal issue. Are you blaming Klein as well?
(5) My concerns for my family's safety have increased - MISLEADING: crime and violent crime is down across the country especially in Ontario despite the gun toll this summer in Toronto. As for those murders, over 90% of the victims were fellow gangsters. If he is more concerned, it is not based on facts.
(6) My costs to educate my children have increased.- MISLEADING: As it has everywhere. Martin’s got a plan to help you from the earliest ages until post-graduation. The Conservatives would like more private universities and many of them, like Jim Flaherty for example, would like to take money away from the public system to help fund private schools for the rich. Ahem... that’s not going to help.
(7) Government interference in my life has increased.MISLEADING: How so? And do you think Harper’s socially conservative agenda will bring more or less interference?
(8) My personal debt has increased.MISLEADING: this is a problem across the industrialized world and even worse in the US. How is this a Liberal problem?
(9) My income has stayed more or less the same.LIE: according to financial stats, not true.
(10) My savings have decreased. MISLEADING: this is a problem across the industrialized world and even worse in the US. How is this a Liberal problem? In fact, as a conservative, I would have thought your point of view would have been that you take responsibility for yourself. See your own point #7.
(11) The buying power of my dollar, in Canada, has decreased.MISLEADING: simply not factually true. It's called INFLATION. And despite this, many/most consumer goods take up less of your dollar than they did 10/15 years ago. For example, and this would surprise a whiner like you, gas prices have risen less than the inflation rate over that period despite the recent uptick.
(12) The value of my dollar, in the U.S., has decreased.LIE: C’mon. The dollar is up, higher than it has been in over a decade. This one just stinks the worst of partisanship.
(13) My trust of elected officials has decreased.MISLEADING: Same can be said in every single democratic country. So why is this a federal Liberal-based problem? Especially, when it was this government that called both the RCMP investigation and the Gomery inquiry into, what turned out to clearly be, the acts of a few who are now in the process of being punished?
(14) My trust in the justice system has decreased.With crime down? And your reason for this is?
(15 )My trust in the immigration system has decreased.Don’t like immigrants, is that what you are saying?
(16) My hope that a Liberal won't waste my tax dollars has decreased.Interesting comment though when you consider just how much more Harper plans to spend.
(17 )My dreams for a better future for my kids, in Canada, have disappeared.You live a typically dismal and pessimically conservative life.
That is my story since the Liberals came to power. - More like a fairtale story, actually.
For some news about how Canada and it’s economy is really doing since the Liberals took power, check this out.
TB
Cerberus
Thank-you for your response to an obvious fake e-mail, that the post points out clearly.
I'll work on a reponse, a nice one.
Looking forward to the debate (if I have time to get back here with work and weekend duties and all)And just to be clear to your readers, when I say "you" in my responses, I am referring to this Alan Robberstad character (who, by the way, was revealed in the 2004 campaign when this first circulated to be a real person).
Cheers.
TB
Cerberus
p.s. what happened to our earlier exchange? It seems to have disappeared from the page.
1) My taxes have increased - LIE: cuts started in the late 1990s and have continued PLUS the personal non-taxable amount has increased, so EVERYONE is paying LESS taxes than in 1993.
2) In 1997 I paid $8,893in taxes in 2004 I paid $12,465. Yes the more you make is equal to the Liberal take. Thank-you John Lennon.
(2) My family's share of the national debt has increased - LIE: how could this be so when, for the first time ever and in the only country in the world, THE DEBT IS BEING PAID DOWN!
3) Because my taxes have increased I am able to pay down debt like never before. Thank-Preston Manning and Brian Mulroney for the foresight.
(3) My personal expenses have increased - MISLEADING: so is everyone else's - it's called INFLATION and Canada’s has been generally the same as elsewhere.
4) Heating costs and other utilities, not to mention gas for the car has been a windfall for the Liberals. Why not reduce the GST?
(4) My waiting time to see a doctor has increased - MISLEADING: possibly true but it's the same across the country and not just a federal issue. Are you blaming Klein as well?
5) “Fix for a generation” Yet no solution YET on wait times. More private clinics paid for by public funds will shorten wait times. Go ahead, try to get into the emergency ward within 8 hrs vs how long you wait at your Doctors private clinic. Now imagine you have a brain tumor and need an MRI. GO PRIVATE!
(5) My concerns for my family's safety have increased - MISLEADING: crime and violent crime is down across the country especially in Ontario despite the gun toll this summer in Toronto. As for those murders, over 90% of the victims were fellow gangsters. If he is more concerned, it is not based on facts.
6) As long as criminals kill themselves is the new Liberal mantra. Home invasions and gun violence are a real problem in Canada’s larger cities and Liberals refuse to make changes to the criminal code and instead opt for the optics if a study into the causes. “Faint hope” please!
(6) My costs to educate my children have increased.- MISLEADING: As it has everywhere. Martin’s got a plan to help you from the earliest ages until post-graduation. The Conservatives would like more private universities and many of them, like Jim Flaherty for example, would like to take money away from the public system to help fund private schools for the rich. Ahem... that’s not going to help.
7) I paid my way through school, Just give me low cost loans and cash incentives to want to earn more through higher education.
(7) Government interference in my life has increased.MISLEADING: How so? And do you think Harper’s socially conservative agenda will bring more or less interference?
8) Just ask Mike Klander about government interference. See Cached web pages online. Harper left Reform because he felt it was being taken over by the religious right so how can you say it is his agenda any more than it is Paul Martin’s Agenda when 34 Liberals vote to preserve the definition of marriage.
(8) My personal debt has increased.MISLEADING: this is a problem across the industrialized world and even worse in the US. How is this a Liberal problem?
9) Really Al you whiner!
(9) My income has stayed more or less the same.LIE: according to financial stats, not true.
10) Do the math! How much more does a person take home if their income went from $60,000 to $68,000
(10) My savings have decreased. MISLEADING: this is a problem across the industrialized world and even worse in the US. How is this a Liberal problem? In fact, as a conservative, I would have thought your point of view would have been that you take responsibility for yourself. See your own point #7.
11) I agree
(11) The buying power of my dollar, in Canada, has decreased.MISLEADING: simply not factually true. It's called INFLATION. And despite this, many/most consumer goods take up less of your dollar than they did 10/15 years ago. For example, and this would surprise a whiner like you, gas prices have risen less than the inflation rate over that period despite the recent uptick.
12) Ya Al stop living in the 80’s man inflation is not a problem, Productivity is a big problem though.
(12) The value of my dollar, in the U.S., has decreased. LIE: C’mon. The dollar is up, higher than it has been in over a decade. This one just stinks the worst of partisanship.
13) Pick up a news paper Al.
(13) My trust of elected officials has decreased.MISLEADING: Same can be said in every single democratic country. So why is this a federal Liberal-based problem? Especially, when it was this government that called both the RCMP investigation and the Gomery inquiry into, what turned out to clearly be, the acts of a few who are now in the process of being punished?
14) During the Mulroney years Ministers resigned or were fired! Mulroney didn’t have to call an inquiry into his own dealings because he dealt with ministers promptly. The Liberals create a scandal by denying, deflecting and blaming others, until finally they get caught then call an inquiry to claim all is well. Mulroney had a minister resign for going to see a stripper on the public dime, to maintain the trust of the public. Even with the RCMP investigating top Liberals, hell no we won’t go. There is no problem. Yes there is. More Scandals to come out of BC with drugs and secret money from drugs going to federal Liberals. Should be BIG news.
(14) My trust in the justice system has decreased.With crime down? And your reason for this is?
15) With the wrong people going to jail and people like Karla Homolka walking around it is difficult to trust the justice system.
(15 )My trust in the immigration system has decreased.Don’t like immigrants, is that what you are saying?
16) I’m so sick of Liberals claiming racism every time a Conservative has an issue with immigration. Do you trust the immigration system and foreign affairs when passports and computers go missing and there are thousands more social insurance numbers than there are Canadians. Liberals view immigrants as a cash cow and votes, not human potential to help Canada grow. Conservatives, the most diverse of any caucus.
(16) My hope that a Liberal won't waste my tax dollars has decreased.Interesting comment though when you consider just how much more Harper plans to spend.
17) Spending isn’t waste, Giving money back to Canadians isn’t waste. Having farmers register guns to appease Toronto that didn’t protect Toronto is a waste. 3Billion dollars that could have been spent on city cops, anti-gang task force, wasted.
(17 )My dreams for a better future for my kids, in Canada, have disappeared.You live a typically dismal and pessimically conservative life.
18) When Canada has fallen in the UN human development index scale from first in 1995 to fifth in 2005 (if we are lucky) Wikipedia is the source , too lazy to link. I can understand the concern for the youth of Canada. How low will we go? Behind the US and Mexico?
That is my story since the Liberals came to power. - More like a fairtale story, actually. But it has made a great starting point to understanding the concerns of a western Conservative.
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