Saturday, October 30, 2010
What will be left, after the BC Liberals?
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BC Mary comment: Here's a gift from Jody Paterson ... true enough, she's mad as hell ... but she's got a Righteous Anger against the same things most of us are mad about ... and she says it so clearly and the thing is: she's big media for cryin' out loud! I say there's a new day dawning ... maybe.
What will be left after the Liberals?
Quoting Jody, where she leaves off fuming about Gordo's Golden Visions, and turns to Basi-Virk,
Quote:
... Dressed up variously as “transformation” and “greater community integration and independence,” the government is flailing around for savings by dismantling, starving and squeezing services that in some cases have been in place for decades. With no social policy to guide cuts and changes, it’s essentially snipping random holes in the safety net, with no predicting where things will fall out.
But even if you don’t give a hoot about social issues, there’s a lot more to worry about when it comes to the B.C. Liberals.
The Basi-Virk stuff, for instance.
First you’ve got the high-flying guy in government who thinks it’s OK to take a $50,000 bribe from a developer wanting property taken out of the Agricultural Land Reserve. Then you’ve got the very government that bred a guy like that telling us we should just accept their word that the bribe had no effect on the decision, and never mind that the land did indeed get removed from the reserve.
Then you’ve got the $6 million payoff to cover the legal fees of Dave Basi and Bobby Virk, a decision reached by government mere days before a number of high-profile witnesses were to testify about how much the government knew.
And then to insult us with the explanation that government covered the legal bills because it was clear Basi and Virk could never afford to pay that amount back. How kind. This from the same government that will relentlessly grind people on income assistance to pay back $20.
Before Basi-Virk, there was the HST. I’m not so much bothered by the tax itself, because the work I do keeps me up close and personal to the problems that have resulted from the relentless drive to lower taxes. But the lying definitely offends me.
Finance Minister Colin Hansen - a man of integrity, I once thought - almost had us believing that government hadn’t considered introducing the HST until after the 2009 election.
When the media put the lie to that statement after finding an email from the federal government to Hansen sent two months before the election, the finance minister just kept up the Sergeant Schultz defence of knowing nothing. It was as if sheer repetition alone could make us believe.
I’m sure it must be very difficult to be government these days. People howling at the door for services, less money to go around.
But how is any of that helped by starving services that prevent much bigger, costlier problems from developing? And why should I believe anything the government says on that front or any other now that I know that bribes, lying and the paying of hush money are part of the way it does business? [Emphasis added. - BC Mary]
It bothers me a lot that when the bill for failed social care finally comes due years from now, the B.C. Liberals of the moment will be gone and their pivotal role in the tragedy overlooked. It bothers me more to see our province in the hands of a government that feels so little respect for the people.
I don’t know what the answer is. But it sure isn’t about waiting until 2013.
Posted by Jody Paterson at 7:40 AM
The whole passionate column is HERE. http://closer-look.blogspot.com/
BC Mary comment again: I must ask: Wasn't that $6million a bribe, too? A plain, bald-faced, flat-out quid pro quo? The Campbell certainly didn't look too sad about heaping all the blame for the BC Rail Political Corruption onto Basi and Virk.
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Different+rules+criminals+than+welfare+fraudsters/3751916/story.html
Big Media has begun using Letters-to-the-Editor the same way it uses paid, union-certified work by "accredited" journalists (note the copyright). I'd like to think that Big Media provides these contributors with at least a token payment. This, for example, is a good commentary and could've been expanded:
Different rules for criminals than for welfare fraudsters?
By B. Rock
Vancouver Sun - October 30, 2010
It's fascinating that B.C. Attorney-General Mike de Jong sees fit to take 317 welfare recipients to court, hoping to get back about $3 million. That averages out at less than $10,000 for each court case, if the government is successful.
To force David Basi (who, with Bob Virk, pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from a lobbyist in exchange for confidential information) to pay his defence costs, the province can invoke the agreement it already has. How can de Jong think it's not worth seizing at least $352,000 of Basi's assets? He seems to forget this is taxpayers' money he's throwing away.
I guess I won't have to pay my B.C. income taxes any more. De Jong says $352,000 is minuscule, so the amount I owe each year must be infinitesimal.
B. Rock Maple Ridge
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
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BC Mary comment: Here's a gift from Jody Paterson ... true enough, she's mad as hell ... but she's got a Righteous Anger against the same things most of us are mad about ... and she says it so clearly and the thing is: she's big media for cryin' out loud! I say there's a new day dawning ... maybe.
What will be left after the Liberals?
Quoting Jody, where she leaves off fuming about Gordo's Golden Visions, and turns to Basi-Virk,
Quote:
... Dressed up variously as “transformation” and “greater community integration and independence,” the government is flailing around for savings by dismantling, starving and squeezing services that in some cases have been in place for decades. With no social policy to guide cuts and changes, it’s essentially snipping random holes in the safety net, with no predicting where things will fall out.
But even if you don’t give a hoot about social issues, there’s a lot more to worry about when it comes to the B.C. Liberals.
The Basi-Virk stuff, for instance.
First you’ve got the high-flying guy in government who thinks it’s OK to take a $50,000 bribe from a developer wanting property taken out of the Agricultural Land Reserve. Then you’ve got the very government that bred a guy like that telling us we should just accept their word that the bribe had no effect on the decision, and never mind that the land did indeed get removed from the reserve.
Then you’ve got the $6 million payoff to cover the legal fees of Dave Basi and Bobby Virk, a decision reached by government mere days before a number of high-profile witnesses were to testify about how much the government knew.
And then to insult us with the explanation that government covered the legal bills because it was clear Basi and Virk could never afford to pay that amount back. How kind. This from the same government that will relentlessly grind people on income assistance to pay back $20.
Before Basi-Virk, there was the HST. I’m not so much bothered by the tax itself, because the work I do keeps me up close and personal to the problems that have resulted from the relentless drive to lower taxes. But the lying definitely offends me.
Finance Minister Colin Hansen - a man of integrity, I once thought - almost had us believing that government hadn’t considered introducing the HST until after the 2009 election.
When the media put the lie to that statement after finding an email from the federal government to Hansen sent two months before the election, the finance minister just kept up the Sergeant Schultz defence of knowing nothing. It was as if sheer repetition alone could make us believe.
I’m sure it must be very difficult to be government these days. People howling at the door for services, less money to go around.
But how is any of that helped by starving services that prevent much bigger, costlier problems from developing? And why should I believe anything the government says on that front or any other now that I know that bribes, lying and the paying of hush money are part of the way it does business? [Emphasis added. - BC Mary]
It bothers me a lot that when the bill for failed social care finally comes due years from now, the B.C. Liberals of the moment will be gone and their pivotal role in the tragedy overlooked. It bothers me more to see our province in the hands of a government that feels so little respect for the people.
I don’t know what the answer is. But it sure isn’t about waiting until 2013.
Posted by Jody Paterson at 7:40 AM
The whole passionate column is HERE. http://closer-look.blogspot.com/
BC Mary comment again: I must ask: Wasn't that $6million a bribe, too? A plain, bald-faced, flat-out quid pro quo? The Campbell certainly didn't look too sad about heaping all the blame for the BC Rail Political Corruption onto Basi and Virk.
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Different+rules+criminals+than+welfare+fraudsters/3751916/story.html
Big Media has begun using Letters-to-the-Editor the same way it uses paid, union-certified work by "accredited" journalists (note the copyright). I'd like to think that Big Media provides these contributors with at least a token payment. This, for example, is a good commentary and could've been expanded:
Different rules for criminals than for welfare fraudsters?
By B. Rock
Vancouver Sun - October 30, 2010
It's fascinating that B.C. Attorney-General Mike de Jong sees fit to take 317 welfare recipients to court, hoping to get back about $3 million. That averages out at less than $10,000 for each court case, if the government is successful.
To force David Basi (who, with Bob Virk, pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from a lobbyist in exchange for confidential information) to pay his defence costs, the province can invoke the agreement it already has. How can de Jong think it's not worth seizing at least $352,000 of Basi's assets? He seems to forget this is taxpayers' money he's throwing away.
I guess I won't have to pay my B.C. income taxes any more. De Jong says $352,000 is minuscule, so the amount I owe each year must be infinitesimal.
B. Rock Maple Ridge
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Comments:
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A thought just occurred to me: Why was reporting of Basi's original sentencing not banned, but Basi's re-sentencing is banned?
Am I wrong in thinking that the media and others were allowed to report freely on Basi's sentencing?
It's not as if the jury is coming back; the trial is over.
So, why is the judge still continuing with a ban, for something ostensibly so simple?
The stench, I can smell it starting to rise again...
Am I wrong in thinking that the media and others were allowed to report freely on Basi's sentencing?
It's not as if the jury is coming back; the trial is over.
So, why is the judge still continuing with a ban, for something ostensibly so simple?
The stench, I can smell it starting to rise again...
# posted by 
: October 30, 2010 at 6:50 a.m.
: October 30, 2010 at 6:50 a.m.
Canadian Canary,
Good point, all right.
And it struck me as rather odd that it was the Defence (Bolton) asking for the publication ban on the current issue ...
and Defence doesn't usually get such prompt and willing agreement.
I think you're correct: that smell is rising again. I wonder if Basi is beginning to feel that he's awakened in hostile territory. Gone are his happy smiles and playful poses of the full-on BC Rail Political Corruption trial. Dave is now all "Poor me" and what the heck does that mean?
.
Good point, all right.
And it struck me as rather odd that it was the Defence (Bolton) asking for the publication ban on the current issue ...
and Defence doesn't usually get such prompt and willing agreement.
I think you're correct: that smell is rising again. I wonder if Basi is beginning to feel that he's awakened in hostile territory. Gone are his happy smiles and playful poses of the full-on BC Rail Political Corruption trial. Dave is now all "Poor me" and what the heck does that mean?
.
There is another option Dave - willingly disclose the contents of all those BC Rail related emails you printed off, then deleted so as to avoid any information reaching the public through the FOI process. The same process you stated as being "for purists."
Until I found that out, I was one of a number of people I'm sure, who found you to be less to blame for this debacle than the government itself - that is not the case now. Being ripped off for $6 Million by someone who likely knows exactly where the bodies are, but apparently chose to say nothing about it pisses me off. Any sympathy I had for you and Bobby can now be found in the dictionary. I'm sure you know where.
Until I found that out, I was one of a number of people I'm sure, who found you to be less to blame for this debacle than the government itself - that is not the case now. Being ripped off for $6 Million by someone who likely knows exactly where the bodies are, but apparently chose to say nothing about it pisses me off. Any sympathy I had for you and Bobby can now be found in the dictionary. I'm sure you know where.
# posted by : October 30, 2010 at 8:10 a.m.
: October 30, 2010 at 8:10 a.m.
The ordinary, everyday BC citizens knew Campbell's corrupt sale of the BCR, was nothing but a farce. We people see that BC is a morass of corruption. The corrupt sale was tried in a corrupt court, presided over by a corrupt judge. The RCMP have been worse than useless. Their crimes have been swept under the carpet. BC citizens don't want them as an icon of Canada. Doesn't matter where you look... Campbell, Hansen, De Jong and the BC Liberals, are in your face, corrupt.
# posted by : October 30, 2010 at 9:44 a.m.
: October 30, 2010 at 9:44 a.m.
word from someone who knows a fly on the wall:
"They say the defence requested it.
I also heard a news report that the violation may have been going to a cbc studio for an interview."
Makes you wonder if they got him AFTER the interview, or before he coudl give it?
CBC should have just sent someone to his house, huh?
"They say the defence requested it.
I also heard a news report that the violation may have been going to a cbc studio for an interview."
Makes you wonder if they got him AFTER the interview, or before he coudl give it?
CBC should have just sent someone to his house, huh?
Skookum1,
Silly me ... it never occurred to me that Dave Basi's handlers might be monitoring everything he says, as well as everything he does. Hence the "Poor me" face on him, in that photo.
Yes, I did see that Defence (Bolton) had requested the Publication Ban but I don't see the logic of that, either.
And yes, I'd be interested to know the answer to somebody else's question: who's paying the Defence lawyers NOW ...
Thanks for your tips. Hope you're settling in for the winter.
.
Post a Comment
Silly me ... it never occurred to me that Dave Basi's handlers might be monitoring everything he says, as well as everything he does. Hence the "Poor me" face on him, in that photo.
Yes, I did see that Defence (Bolton) had requested the Publication Ban but I don't see the logic of that, either.
And yes, I'd be interested to know the answer to somebody else's question: who's paying the Defence lawyers NOW ...
Thanks for your tips. Hope you're settling in for the winter.
.
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