Harpama

"They really, at a basic level, have quite a bit in common," Harper spokesman Kory Teneycke told The Canadian Press, pointing out that both come from "outside the political establishment."

Obama is a young, charismatic, energetic and genuine young leader who has captured the imagination of his country and the world by embodying the virtues of reason, intellect and bipartisanship.

Harper is a fat, dorky, boring political opportunist who has failed to win a majority government despite non-existent opposition, stood in the way of international climate change initiatives, denied economic problems as late as last November, and displayed a hyper-partisan streak so pathological it nearly sank his own government.

Yeah, Kory, they're virtually twins.

End Of The Line?

A new report suggests that American automaker GM is considering a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing as its deadline to submit a restructuring and viability plan draws near. GM has already received nearly 10 billion dollars in bailout money.

GM has already announced plans to cut 10,000 salaried workers worldwide, or 14 per cent of its staff, impose pay cuts for most remaining white-collar U.S. workers and has offered buyouts to its 62,000 U.S. workers represented by the UAW.

GM's CEO Rick Wagoner, perhaps sensing that times are tough, recently took a voluntary pay reduction to $1. This brave move has forced him to survive on the remnants of his 2007 compensation of 15.7 million dollars, a 64% increase which he earned for steering his company into a record 39 billion dollar net loss that same year. One wonders how such a profoundly ill industry has managed to survive even this long.

Bonus: Here's The Onion's take.

Norm Coleman and the Art of Douchebaggery

One can only marvel at the shameless hypocrisy of Norm Coleman. Back in November, when he thought he was leading the Minnesota senate race by 475 votes, Coleman urged his Democratic opponent Al Franken to concede.

"It's up to him whether such a step is worth the tax dollars it will take to conduct," Coleman said, telling reporters he would "step back" if he were in Franken's position.

Sadly for Coleman, an automatic recount confirmed Franken as the narrow winner, after which he developed a curious case of amnesia for his own advice. Today Coleman's legal challenge to Franken's win entered it's 10th day. He has paid his lawyers nearly $190,000 so far. He may try to subpoena all 11,000 rejected ballots for judges to review. And why is he doing all of this?

[Coleman] told a conservative radio audience that “God wants me to serve".

O-kaaaaay. Yet for all his desperate stonewalling, he may be falling even further behind. All of which begs the question: Why does God hate Norm Coleman?

Obama Hates America

In a move bound to enrage Pennsylvania bitters and Joe Sam the plumber tax cheat war correspondent douchebag, President Obama has backed away from "Buy American" provisions in his economic stimulus bill. Perhaps realizing that a widespread trade war over such a measure would likely damage the American economy and prolong the global economic downturn, Obama today took a step away from protectionist policies.

Mr. Obama said any parts of the bill that could spark retaliation from U.S. allies should be removed. [...] “I think it would be a mistake ... at a time when worldwide trade is declining for us to start sending a message that somehow we're just looking after ourselves and not concerned with world trade,” Mr. Obama said on the Fox television network.

Somewhere, Lou Dobbs is weeping softly.

And They're Back

After a remarkably short and relatively conciliatory Throne Speech, Deficit Steve laid down a prelude to tomorrow's budget announcement. The same ship of fools who in October were forecasting 5 years of surpluses (because who could possibly have predicted a looming recession?) are now confirming a big deficit. Although the Conservatives have been doing their very best to leak their entire budget before budget day, the devil will be in the details, and the details will be out tomorrow.

Iggy and Duceppe have indicated that they will wait until they see the fine print of the budget before deciding on whether or not it merits their support. If the tone of today's Throne Speech is any indicator, the budget will likely contain enough elements to placate Ignatieff. Personally, I think this is a smart move. The Conservatives will never offer a more conciliatory budget, the Liberals need time to heal and regrow the party, and if a deficit is inevitable, let Harper wear it himself.

And in a curious nod to his own political irrelevance, Jack Layton has already announced that he and the NDP will be voting against a budget they have not yet seen. Bravo.

After the downright "regal" inauguration of Obama, it was a little disheartening to see our parliament resume with Deficit Steve and his cadre of grossly incompetent ministers. But hey, at least they're working again.

Their Guy, Our Guy

'Nuff said.

Praying For Obama To Fail

Amidst all of the celebrations surrounding Barack Obama's inauguration, there are a few yahoos offering a dissenting opinion. Enter Joseph Farah. When he's not busy grooming his 80's porn star moustache, Farah oversees the intellectual sinkhole called WorldNetDaily.

When the rule of men conflicts with the commands of God, the Bible leaves no doubt about where we should stand. That's why I do not hesitate today in calling on godly Americans to pray that Barack Hussein Obama fail in his efforts to change our country from one anchored on self-governance and constitutional republicanism to one based on the raw and unlimited power of the central state.

Think he's done being an asshole? Think again.

I want Obama to fail because his agenda is 100 percent at odds with God's. Pretending it is not simply makes a mockery of God's straightforward Commandments.

The WorldNetDaily: It's what you read when your age exceeds your IQ.