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Will Obama and Harper get along?

Admiral Beez

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As I posted on the thread about US military deserters, I can see both Obama and Harper liking each other almost immediately. We must remember that Democrats in the USA are very much like Conservatives in Canada. There is no equivalent to the Liberals or NDP in the USA, as they'd never win. Let's look at their similiarities between Harper and Obama:

1) Both young leaders:
Stephen Joseph Harper PC MP (born April 30, 1959)
Barack Hussein Obama born August 4, 1961)

2) Both well educated (Obama more so, but Harper's MA in econo is not bad, too many politicos are lawyers IMO)

3) Both are actively religious, while remaining neutral or non-committal on abortion. Both said marriage should be between a man and woman, but both have put the issue to bed.
Harper, Christian and Missionary Alliance
Obama, United Church of Christ (UCC)

4) Both have strong activist and aggressive foreign policy positions
Harper, supports Afghan mission extension, publicly supports Israel over Arabs
Obama, watch out Iran and foes of Israel, Obama's speeches to date show this guy's got to prove his mettle

5) Both prefer pragmatic environment policy
Harper, pulled Canada out of Kyoto, refused to sign on to latest talks unless big polluters signed up first
Obama, will not commit to signing onto Kyoto unless big pollutors China, India sign up first, but has spoken of seeking alternative sources of energy

Now, of course Obama is better than Harper in many ways, but my point is that these two guys will likely get along very nicely. If they do, it will be hard for the Canadian Left to accuse Harper of now toadying up to the Democrats. If you read the news in Canada the Left is already becoming worried that Obama isn't an American Jack Layton, and instead is looking at slowing down troop withdrawal from Iraq, challenging Iran and giving strong security guarantees to Israel, while supporting immigration reform to block illegals, and worst of all, he's playing up his religion!!!!! WTF the Left is asking, where is the socialist Obama of our dreams? If this keeps up we'll have the friendliest President/PM relationship since the two Irishmen, Reagan and Mulroney.
 
It's true the U.S. is a more conservative country than Canada, but if Harper were a US politician he would almost certainly be a Republican and take a harder line on abortion, gay rights, etc. and use more religious rhetoric. Obama would fit more in the Liberal Party.

Basically most of the Canadian spectrum - and population - would fit within the Democratic Party, from the social democratic-left (Kucinich) to the center-right (Kerry, Clinton). If Canadians could vote in US elections, the Democrat primaries would be more important here than the general election.

Re: their religions - Obama belongs to the United Church of Christ which is like the United Church here, a progressive religious grouping. Harper belongs to an evangelical church, which is much, much more conservative.
 
Obama isn't an American Jack Layton, and instead is looking at slowing down troop withdrawal from Iraq, challenging Iran and giving strong security guarantees to Israel, while supporting immigration reform to block illegals, and worst of all, he's playing up his religion!!!!! WTF the Left is asking, where is the socialist Obama of our dreams? If this keeps up we'll have the friendliest President/PM relationship since the two Irishmen, Reagan and Mulroney.


wouldn't the socialist left be voting for the socialist candidate and not obama anyways?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Moore_(politician)

in an ironic twist, he kinda looks like archie bunker....

448px-Brian_Moore_Untouched.jpg
 
wouldn't the socialist left be voting for the socialist candidate and not obama anyways?

Depends what you mean by the "socialist left." The American Communist Party has endorsed Democrats for years on the grounds that the workers have to defeat the reactionary Republicans before revolutionary change will come. And people who would fit on the left wing of the NDP here - like Dennis Kucinich - are generally supporting the Democrats. I don't see Ralph Nader getting many votes this year.
 
Depends what you mean by the "socialist left." The American Communist Party has endorsed Democrats for years on the grounds that the workers have to defeat the reactionary Republicans before revolutionary change will come. And people who would fit on the left wing of the NDP here - like Dennis Kucinich - are generally supporting the Democrats. I don't see Ralph Nader getting many votes this year.

Then there's Bernie Sanders...
 
I'm banking on having a new Prime Minister in office by the time a new President is elected.

Louroz
Dion's given Harper a free ride for 2 1/2 years, and now Dion's given Harper the summer off. By the time Parliament sits again the US election will be well underway, and Dion still will not force an election.
 
You need more than backbone to force a "winnable" election. If an election were held today Dion would not win a majority, and this is what the Liberal party expects. Anything less will be considered a loss.

Harper wakes up everyday looking for a good fight. Dion wakes up everyday and looks to see if his party hasn't screwed him again.
 
I don't think you can accurately gauge Obama's true thoughts on the issues while he is campaigning... especially against a sitting head of state (Harper). One is still interviewing for his job, the other already has it and can be relatively comfortable with his true positions.
 
"3) Both are actively religious, while remaining neutral or non-committal on abortion. Both said marriage should be between a man and woman, but both have put the issue to bed.
Harper, Christian and Missionary Alliance
Obama, United Church of Christ (UCC)"


The problem for Obama being that US has not put SSM to bed, Canada appears to have done this. SSM is going to be an issue for another whole generation down there and Obama's states rights stand on the subject makes him appear weak and catering to bigotry. Obama also recently stated he will support a ban on abortions past 22 weeks which went over a like a lead baloon with the base.

Harper has the benefit of not having to address these subjects to the degree a US candidate must.

The being said Obama would make a far better President than McCain. He just hasn't won my vote to get the job. I have the luxury of not being under the thumb of US Conservatives (Democrat and Republican) any longer and can bow out of voting.
 
Will Obama and Harper get along?

The title of this thread is telling... the word "will" assumes implicitly that Obama will win. To many of us small-L liberals all around the world the concept that Obama may lose the US election seems unthinkable. But the reality is that there's a good chance McCain will be the next US president. McCain and Obama are still roughly 50/50 in polls, and US voters are so easily spooked these days that I could see many potential Obama voters being easily swayed between now and November -- due to say, a terrorist attack or a major verbal "gaffe" on Obama's behalf -- into believing that the safe vote is to go Republican again. It seems difficult to imagine after 8 years of stunning incompetence, but such is US politics in these days, where votes are based on emotion and the closest thing to news that most people watch is American Idol.
 
Unless there was revolution while I was sleeping, the Queen remains our head of state. Harper is head of government, nothing more. The head of government holds the real power of course.

i thought god was our head of state? ;)
 

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