The Democrats could learn a thing or two from the Canadian Liberal Party about how to mix it up. Talk about taking the fight to the enemy, and using his words against him! If the Dems were doing half as much now about this type of framing as the Libs are up in the snowy north, they would be a cinch to take over the Senate in 2006.
The Conservatives lead by Stephen Harper are ahead of the governing Liberals in the race to the federal election on January 23. But Martin, the Liberal leader, has learned that not thinking about an elephant works in Canada just as much as it does in the US. In the debate amongst the leaders on Monday, Martin dropped two frames on the table.
Firstly, he said he would introduce legislation to remove the federal government’s power to use the Notwithstanding clause (which allows Parliament to trash individual rights contained in the Constitution’s Charter of Rights for a period of years), and invited Harper to join him in doing so.
Secondly, he referred to Harper’s speak to neocons in 1997 where he espoused a deep commitment to neocon ideas, which generally are not shared by Canadians.
Now, the Libs are running ads which repeat these two frames. Martin is hammering away at Harper, claiming that if the Tories are elected, they will introduce legislation to cut back the abortion rights and gay marriage rights allowed under the Charter, and use the Notwithstanding clause to deny those rights.
Harper’s defense needs to be carefully parsed (almost as much as Karl Rove’s lawyer’s statements have to) – Harper is on the defensive: he says he would not introduce such legislation but his party’s leader acknowledges that a Tory backbencher might introduce such legislation. Also, the shadow minister of justice of the Tories is on record speaking to conservative groups as promising that a Tory government will take steps to reduce or block such rights. Harper is wriggling on this framing: he cannot say be will remove the government’s Notwithstanding rights, because to do so will cause trouble with his right wing neocon support. So he now claims the government needs this right in case the Supreme Court does something stupid to remove rights …
Harper’s answer to his former neocon speeches? Again, masterly weasel words, worthy of any neocon Republican: he has “evolved” since he gave those speeches; his basic beliefs are the same but he has adapted to the “realities” in the world. As if this leopard can change its spots …
What have the Libs achieved with their framing? They have opened the door and let the elephant into the room. When voters think of Harper, they will think of a hidden agenda, and of Harper’s invitation to them to believe that he is a different kind of guy, an “evolved”, kinder, more compassionate kind of conservative ….
Sound familiar? It worked for Bush, eh?
