Principles and Partisans (So...We're Banning Lightbulbs, Now?)

Gerry Nicholls wrote an interesting article in the National Post today titled "Selling out true conservatism". In it, he says that by moving towards the left, Harper has split the Conservative movement into two major factions (I happen to think there are something like four or five, with or without Harper, but let's just go with his assumption for now): Principled Conservatives and Partisan Tories.

I was talking with a friend about partisanship lately, and she brought up a good point. When you're relatively new to politics, you tend to identify with a party and stick to the party line until you learn the principles and ideals that your party is supposed to stand for and you can think for yourself. Supposedly. Having only been recently exposed to Canadian politics (I think I can safely say I've followed it closely for only about a year now), I wasn't sure if I found myself much less partisan today than I was in September.

But this week I realized I've learned some principles along the way. In what has been characterized widely in the blogosphere as a week of wailing and gnashing of teeth for small-c conservatives, I find myself joining the ritual of covering one's self with ashes. Bloggers expressing concern for Harper's move to the left include Adam Daifallah, Andrew Coyne, Stephen Taylor and Gerry Nicholls, and frankly, they're right to be concerned.

So... we're banning incandescent light bulbs now? How can a Conservative government find itself limiting consumer choice and tying up the invisible hand of free-market capitalism? As Stephen Taylor points out in this article, banning incandescent lights removes competition from fluorescent lights and stifles future innovation. We may be able to reduce energy usage now, but our actions will severely limit the creation of further products that will continue to do so. As Mr. Taylor also points out, there are some significant health risks that come from the use of fluorescent lights. And what about Easy Bake ovens?

Weren't we supposed to reduce the size and scope of government? Remove the stranglehold of reckless regulation? Andrew Coyne has already given up. And a lot of other principled Conservatives are beginning to get shuffly-feet when we try to defend some of the government's policies. I'm looking at some of the polling numbers right now, and even with a move to the centre in last month's budget, the public just isn't responding to Liberal lite. The public has, for a long time, respected Conservatives, because although many may disagree with what we have to say, at least we do what we say we will. Harper's strategy tells him to the left to take the vote of those Dion is leaving behind by his own move to the left, and to some extent, this is fine. But there's only so much principled conservatives can take - Harper's going to have to throw them something. Anything. Just not more regulation or largest budgets. Please. Our move to the centre seems to have gained little but the whittling away of teeth, and I'm telling you, we're losing our molars.

"Ah, but just wait until they get their majority..." - Andrew Coyne in "There are no more conservatives"

Samson on the Run Down the Doubleplus Good Road to Serfdom

England is beginning to terrify me. Recently, Blair's government decided that they would "monitor children at important stages in their life" to see if they are at risk of turning into criminals. Even more frightening is the extensive video monitoring. Not only does England have 4.2 million closed circuit TVs monitoring the public (10% of the entire world's population of CCTVs), they're now adding a new aspect to it: the TVs can now yell at you.

From Page A2 of the National Post Today:

"A sytem of 'talking' CCTV cameras which let operators shout at people who misbehave is being extended across England, ministers said, fuelling fears of a 'Big Brother' society.
Under the scheme, local council workers in local control centres monitor pictures from the cameras and can berate passers-by if they feel they are doing something wrong."

After a 'successful' pilot program, the program is being extended across the entire country. Richard Thomas, the British government's 'privacy watchdog' is right - England is "sleepwalking into a surveillance society". I'm surprised there hasn't been more explicit outrage over this sort of program, and I'm sure that there would be much more opposition to such a program in Canada. However, one must take into account the fear that the population of England must feel, with rising radical elements in their society and a sense of ubiquitous terror as the population waits until the next inevitable terrorist attack.

Regardless, societies destroy themselves from within with such Orwellian measures. Programs like this are small hops down the road to serfdom, and this is precisely the sort of thing Hayek would get an epileptic seizure over. England is collapsing in on itself in a desperate attempt to fight its own internal demons, and ready to blind itself in the process. Britain is a blinded Sampson with its hands on the temple pillars, yet is not aware that in the process of bringing the temple down, Britain too will perish.

Further, what is worse about this program is the socializing effect it will have on children. Though the above link is abridged, the National Post version of the article mentions that "schools in many areas were holding competitions for children to become the 'voice' of CCTV cameras. Children are growing up in a society where not only is video surveillance normal, but one where children are encouraged to actively participate in the monitoring! How long until they begin reciting that 'War is Peace', 'Freedom is Slavery', and 'Ignorance is Strength'?

On the other hand, and on a happier note, I just recieved great news. Chocolate rations for this week in England have been increased to 40 grams!

Joy Macphail knows her War Rooms

Hilarious moment on Mike Duffy Live this evening regarding the Conservatives new 18,000 sq. ft. campaign headquarters, which John Baird and Maxime Bernier launched today:

Mike Duffy: So Joy Macphail, the other parties have war room envy?
Joy Macphail: Well it...certainly is whose war room is bigger, and I know that is very important for men particularly, about the size of their war room.

I'm practically drooling over the look of this new campaign office, it looks awesome, and it certainly will strike fear into the heart of Liberal strategists. I'm still not convinced that there is going to be a spring election, but CTV news continues to promote this idea:

"It's not clear if and when the Tories will use the facility. The only sign outside the low-rise industrial complex does make it clear they haven't booked the place for long: "Whole 2nd floor. Approximately 18,000 square feet. Available January 2008.''