The not so new normal
We live an existence of change and uncertainty. We should celebrate.
Categories: Business, Common Wisdom?, Media, Politics, Project Management, Technology Tags: clarify-ca, history, its-not-the-destination-its-the-journey, t, wisdommedia-com
Tepid Liberal leadership debate won’t change anyone’s mind — about anything
Tepid Liberal leadership debate won’t change anyone’s mind — about anything.
Categories: Politics Tags: anyones-mind, clarify-ca
Definition?
I wonder if it is fair to say one is depressed when, in considering the future one’s brightest thoughts are a massive heart attack or a fatal accident?
Categories: Common Wisdom? Tags: carey-miller-communications-toronto, carey-miller-liberal-party, clarify-ca, explaining-its-not-the-destination-its-the-journey, interim-leader-def, its-not-the-destination-its-the-journey, its-not-the-destination-its-the-journey-meaning, the-meaning-of-its-not-the-destination-its-the-journey, www-clarify-ca
Political Communications Strategy: The Chimpanzee Gambit
In the last week, I received at least 13 press releases from the Liberal Party. Of these, 4 were noting a milestone, like the anniversary of the Air India tragedy. The remainder were shots at the government for any number of real or perceived issues. The recurring image I get when looking at this list is a group of chimpanzees flinging their feces against a wall.
This week, the subject of the releases included:
- Green Infrastructure Fund a Scam
- Conservative Abuses of Power Plague Parliament
- Conservatives Embarrass Canada on Global Stage
- NDP Must Stop Protecting Dean Del Mastro
Perhaps I listen to too many political shows and read too many political blogs. Daily, I read and hear zealots trying to make mountains out of molehills by flinging issues against a wall and hoping something sticks. Using the multiple communication channels now available, party chimps throw out slanted content to the traditional media and try to augment it in the social media bubble. Tweets go out to teams of retweeters, hoping for mentions on television and in the newspapers.
The political environment in Canada is often described as toxic. Not surprising when the environment is full of shit.
Silence is Not Golden
"You could not write that as a book. Nobody would believe it." I have said those words myself about circumstances which seem cliched or outlandish but are true. At this time of the year, with friends and their children on the March of the Living, I fully understand the conundrum.
Why I am Working on James Morton’s Campaign
Since May 2nd, I have listened to many explaining how horrible the cpc government is and how vital it is to the country that the Liberal Party come back. I believe they are sincere. My feelings are a little different. To me, the Liberal party of this century has taken navel gazing to such a high art form that its most advanced political members can do accurate freehand renderings of their intestinal tracts. Frankly, the loss of the Liberal Party of 2001 – 2011 would not be terribly significant.
So, I am asked, why do I expend time, effort and lucre for a party which, at this time, I would not mourn? I do so for two reasons:
1. The party has a foundation in history.
2. It's competitors are hidebound creatures of ideology whose long term success would be unfortunate for Canada.
At the Biennial Convention in January, we have the opportunity to make changes to the party and how it works. Frankly, I am not optimistic. Like so many elections, the candidates who are yelling for change are so tied up in internal Party politics that a dictionary definition of the word "change" should show their posteriors, walking away. Still, there are exceptions. In the race for VP (English) one is James Morton.
I have known James for some years. Not the closest of friends, I have had the opportunity to see James in action over decades, rather than months. I have seen a rational person with a defined set of beliefs who will work harder that one could ever expect. As a lawyer, he practices in both Toronto and Nunavut. Between his practices he is a senior volunteer for the Liberal party, he writes, lectures, is often heard and seen in media, he blogs and tweets and, somewhere during all this he has published almost twenty books.
James is a passionate Liberal. He truly believes that the party can have something to contribute to the Canadian political landscape. I have known James long enough to give him the benefit of the doubt. To that end, I have been happy to work with him, to help refine ideas which can help the Liberals regain some of their historical gravitas. James ideas and initiatives, while aimed at the Liberal Party, are those that apply to any large organization with many semi-autonomous local sub-organizations.
Of James' competitors, I am sure they are nice people. One is very new to the party. I am sure he is a good man but this is not the time to be learning the location of the washrooms. The other grew up in the party, rising from position to position as a youth. I am sure he thinks it is his turn. I think we should wait to bring the entitled types back until we want to sink the party again.
Its time to bring in people who have worked hard, are passionate but whose resume is not defined by their Ottawa work history.
Categories: Common Wisdom?, James Morton Campaign, Politics Tags: carey-miller-clarif, carey-miller-toronto, clarify, clarify-ca, clarifyca, finding-clarity, harrietha-leadership-campaign, its-not-the-destination-its-the-journey, its-not-the-destination-its-the-journey-chinese-prove, james-am-working-on, james-morton-liberal, james-morton-palestine, liberal-party-of-canada-record-on-israel, mortons-musings, why-i-am-working, why-is-james-not-working, ww-findingclarity-ca
