It's about CHARACTER, stupid!

One last post for the night... I couldn't resist.

A CBC story on whether or not gender is playing a role in the fallout over Belindagate had me wanting to, yet again, hurl a rock through my television screen. Susan Ormiston finished off her piece by asking if the angry fallout is just another example of unruly women "being put in their place." (ie: women shouldn't be in politics in the first place, so if they step out of line just once -- a la defecting -- their punishment should be banishment to the proverbial kitchen)

My own two cents to Susan and the CBC: people are pissed off because Belinda sold her party down the river 2 days before they needed her loyalty and support more than ever before - and for a Cabinet post, no less. Where's the honour there?

I'm a woman, and let me tell you, this debacle has NOTHING to do with gender and everything to do with character. I've been just as hard on Belinda over the past day as I was two years ago with Scott Brison.

And finally, as for Peter MacKay -- I hope to see him come out swinging tomorrow! Ottawa's most eligible bachelor is unlikely to be single for long!

Patsy's Belinda diatribe - day two

Thank you, so much, Anne McLellan/Judy Sgro/Sarmite Bulte for standing up for Belinda Stronach in her time of need. I mean, honestly, she was just following her conscience - right? Why won't the mean old Conservatives just leave her alone?? (dripping sarcasm intended)

Full disclosure right off the bat here - the "whore" comments I read on a lot of blogs last night about Belinda were unacceptable: typical sexist, knee-jerk reactions -- but let's not read too much into them. And please, for the love of God, would the Liberal Party please SPARE ME any more grandstanding by blaming the scary Conservatives for the reaction of some dumbass, retrograde, idiot male bloggers? (Some of the "whore" and "dipstick" comments came from PROVINCIAL MLA/MPPs, not federal ones.) Haven't y'all won enough points over this defection? This fearmongering is getting to be a tad much. (Problem is, nervous Ontario voters - god bless 'em - lap it up, so the Libs keep doing it.)

Let's be truly honest here - didn't Belinda sell something to the Liberal Party yesterday? I'll say she did! Not her body, mind you, but she did sell her budget vote to a take-no-prisoners, no-holds-barred, Machiavellian party. Keep in mind that the Liberal tactics just echo the end justifies the means. Isn't that what's truly scary? Let's remember that Stephen Harper wants to decentralize the federal government's power -- he wants to GIVE AWAY some of the PM's power, not horde it.

But, I digress. Let's not be fooled by the Liberals' fuzzy warm exterior - these people will STOP AT NOTHING to hold on to power. Do Ms. McLellan and her colleagues (who are well-educated, professional women) really NOT MIND that Belinda swept in with her billions and took a Cabinet seat away from someone that has likely put in YEARS as a backbencher?

What about Martha Hall Findlay, who was asked to step aside her Liberal candidacy in the Newmarket-Aurora riding so Belinda could take over - is this whole escapade fair to her? Take a look at her resume, for crying out loud - very impressive!

So Anne, Judy, Sarmite - I'm an educated, professional woman who is pro-choice and pro-gay marriage - I'm no SoCon - but I'm also not afraid of the big, bad Tories. I'm not afraid to think for myself AND be angry with a government that has regularly stolen money from the ever-faithful Canadian taxpayer. As intelligent women, I have to ask how you all can keep towing the party line and doing the bidding for a party that shows disrespect for the tax dollars of many hard-working Canadian women. What's the rationale there?

I'm asking the Liberal women to stop doing the bidding for a corrupt government, which, as we speak, is earning increasing brownie points by cashing in on your over-the-top, righteous anger.

As a voter, and as a woman, let me say that I take offence at the Liberal Party SELLING CABINET SEATS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. So please spare me the rhetoric and the feigned outrage - Belinda voted to take you all down last week and now you're all welcoming her with open arms? You call her selling out her party for a Cabinet post (she's not even qualified for!) GUTSY?

I encourage my fellow women to read Margaret Wente, Chantal Hébert, Christie Blatchford - see what they have to say on the issue. See what they have to say about the systemic corruption within the Liberal party. See what they have to say about a governing party that passed out envelopes stuffed with cash to their friends and associates - with YOUR money. I also ask my fellow women to think about how they are being blackmailed by the Liberals (the budget promises) WITH THEIR OWN MONEY. The Liberals aren't handing out money for cities, money for health care, money for childcare to be nice! They're handing out your hard-earned tax dollars to win your vote! Let's not fall for it!

OK -rant concluded. I need to go take my heart medication now because I can't take much more of this!

Traitor, thy name is Belinda!

Your beloved Patsy is still foaming at the mouth, 12 long hours after hearing of "The Honourable Belinda Stronach, M.P."'s defection from the Tories to the Liberals. I must conclude that loyalty is not something taught or valued at Magna Corp.

Belinda could have easily retained her "principles" (and her class) by choosing to serve out the remainder of her term as an Independent MP. Instead, she chose to sell her crucial vote to a corrupt, despotic government only a mother could love.

Does she really expect us to believe that her new Cabinet position is just a "welcome to the neighbourhood" gift from Martin and Co.? Wasn't it only yesterday that our beleaguered prime minister called for a return to dignity in the House of Commons? Easy for him to say when he knew that (most likely) his numbers were safe for Thursday's vote!

It's plain to see that I'm bitter this DELICIOUS political coup went to the Liberals. After all, they're going to get away with the sponsorship scandal -- isn't that prize enough?? Did they really have to steal our auto parts heiress? Let me be the first to call for a Desmarais in return! Perhaps Ms. Chretien-Demarais would like to be the new Opposition Critic for International Trade? Justin Trudeau as Opposition Critic for Health?

All I'm asking for is to see those smug Liberal bastards go down in scorching defeat just once before I die! Is that really too much to ask?