Signs of Desperation

In the dying days of the last government, Paul Martin flirted with controversial-but-popular moves like decriminalizing pot and gay marriage. Stephen Harper has decided to go for popularity through the mum-and-maple-syrup approach. He's proposing draconian legislation against street racers.

Why the sudden interest now?

Harper's desperate for press he can regard as "fair and balanced" (ie. that likes him for his resemblance to George W. Bush (or "*")). He's lately been so desperate in fact that he's paying lobbyists to do all of his talking for him. So he's seized on this as a means to look better.

After all, who can oppose this legislation, conceived by the late independant MP Chuck Cadman?

I can. There are at least four laws under which such a cretin can be prosecuted. The question is whether they're enforced properly. Courtesy of the CBC:

1) Criminal negligence causing death.

2) Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death.

3) Criminal negligence causing bodily harm.

4) Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm.

There seems to be no evidence that the sort of person who can't consider the consequences of street racing to others is the sort who can consider the legal consequences to himself. So what's the incentive?

"If you commit one of these offences you might go to jail" doesn't stop them. So what good is "If you commit this offence you might go to jail more"?

Chuck Cadman had his good points. He created unity within his community, for one. Harper so far is doing something similar: at the alleged figure of 40% support it seems that 60% of Canadians are unimpressed with him. And it's not likely to get much better.

'Specially if he can't do better than stealing ideas from his dead opponents.