"Crock-of-the-Matter": The bigotry of intellectually dishonest expectations.

You certainly can't find this surprising:

Harper government record - in only 2 yrs!

I plan to post this “Harper government record” at least once a week over the next few months.

Good thinking, Sandy. I, too, have found that the typical Blogging Tory attention span can be measured in days so better safe than sorry. But let's talk about that list of accomplishments, shall we? I'm happy to see that you're going to be rigourously discerning:

To the best of my knowledge, this written record does NOT include political statements, spin or promises. It also does NOT include legislation that is not yet law, proposed policies that involve provincial and territorial jurisdictions (such as child care spaces) or links to the CPC website. Rather, all links are either from federal government department sites, community sites or Canadian news organizations.

OK, then ... just the facts, ma'am, is that it? And on that note, to work:

Crack down on street racing;(link)

Um ... whee. I'm sorry, Sandy, but passing relatively popular legislation is your idea of a noteworthy accomplishment? Low expectations, indeed, my dear. Onward:

Prime Minister Harper honours Vimy Ridge and its legacy; and (Link)

I'm sorry ... I didn't think anything could get more vacuous than that previous entry but Sandy sure showed me, didn't she? And so, for the sake of brevity, let's ignore the other utterly meaningless entries in that list and pick on something significant, shall we? Such as, oh, this one:

Introduced a balanced, achievable plan to reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions 20% by 2020 and cut air pollution in half by 2015; (Link)

Um ... say what? There's a plan? An honest-to-God plan? With perhaps targets and goals and benchmarks and protocols and everything? Oh, man, I have to see this. Uh oh ...

The speech underlines that the government intends to reduce greenhouse gases 20 per cent by 2020 over 2006 levels through its latest environmental plan. That commitment that has been deemed doubtful by groups as diverse as the C.D. Howe Institute and the Pembina Institute.

I'm sorry ... come again. The Harper Party of Canada "intends" to reduce greenhouse gases through its "plan" which even the right-leaning CD Howe Institute doesn't take seriously? And I thought this list was for actual "accomplishments" only, Sandy, dear. Tossing in a vague "plan" that makes promises for something over a decade down the road does seem to be stretching that definition, wouldn't you say? Ah, but the fun is only beginning. Let's read on:

“Signed Patient Wait Time Guarantee agreements with all provinces and territories; (Link)

Yeaahhhhh, about those "guaranteed wait times," Sandy, honey, we've kind of gone down that road before, remember? And as far as this is concerned:

Mandates stricter rules for lobbyists and implements a five-year ban on lobbying by Ministers, their aides and senior public servants;

... well, yeah.

(I am also amused that Sandy claims an actual implementation on the five-year lobbying ban, despite the fact that that Globe article states quite clearly:

However, the Conservative government is still facing internal opposition to its requirement that retired senior bureaucrats and ministerial aides not become lobbyists for five years after they leave public service.

It would seem that that ban isn't quite the done deal Sandy suggests.)

I'm sure the smarter among you can see the pattern forming here. Maybe I'll post this again in a week just to make sure I get the dumber ones, too.

OH, THE FUN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE. It occurs to me (being the evil prick that I am) that it would be entertaining to have a point-by-point rebuttal of Sandy Crock's list, which is why I took a minute to create the brand, spanking new blog "The Harper Record".

It'll take a day or two for me to get cracking on it since I'm kind of swamped at the moment, but if anyone wants to play along and pick some item from Sandy's list and rip it a new orifice or two, feel free to drop it to me in e-mail in blog-ready form, and we can get rolling.

It's going to be fun for the whole family, wouldn't you say?