Thoughts on Michael Ignatieff ?
Offline Bah. I really liked Dion.
I can understand him deciding that the job wasn't for him, though, and deciding to bow-out.
Now that Ignatieff is more or less a for-sure for the leadership of the Liberals / Coalition Government, what are the thoughts regarding our new guy? He's an intellectual like Dion (which I love), having a doctorate in History, but hsi stance on foreign engagement I consider... well, sketchy, at best. He did support the 2003 invasion of Iraq - though, thankfully, admitted that his support was ill-placed and his judgement wrong (he can take ownership of mistakes. Somewhat redeeming quality) - and he acknowledges that a 'lesser evil' approach to foreign entanglements (assassination of leaders, unlawful detainment, etc) may be appropriate in some circumstances (though he fully supports the ban on torture), which makes me cringe a little.
He's opposed to the weaponization of space and missile defense, which is terrific. He's a member of the Roman Orthodox Christian Chruch, which fucking sucks balls (though he's been identified as 'not a church guy'. Closet atheist, mayhaps?)
He should get along fine with the O-Bomb, but has not written on issues like climate change, which makes me wonder if he either doesn't care about the environment or simply doesn't care enough about the environment.
...I think I just want my Dion back. 
Anyone else know much about this fellow? Things they like / dislike?
(Thom, 'anyone else' actually means 'you'. 
)
"Natasha has just come up to the window from the courtyard and opened it wider so that the air may enter more freely into my room. I can see the bright green strip of grass beneath the wall, and the clear blue sky above the wall, and sunlight everywhere. Life is beautiful. Let the future generations cleanse it of all evil, oppression and violence, and enjoy it to the full."
- Leon Trotsky, Last Will & Testament
February 27, 1940
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I know a bit about Ignatieff, but I can't say I'm too happy about his leadership. Yes, he's an academic, a writter and he's been a tv personality. He's also lived outside of Canada (for 20 some years), is a member of an orthodox church and I have no idea what his exact political leanings are. Looking at his bibliography (which is not inextensive), however, I get the idea that he is somewhat right-centre and has been a bit of a... bigot in some respects (see Ukraine). It's difficult to understand what else he might have meant when he wrote, 'My difficulty in taking Ukraine seriously goes deeper than just my cosmopolitan suspicion of nationalists everywhere. Somewhere inside I'm also what Ukrainians would call a great Russian and there is just a trace of old Russian disdain for these little Russians.' That particular quote is taken from his book, Blood and Belonging: Journeys Into the New Nationalism. I also have a disdain for nationalism, his remarks stink of something I have worse than disdain for.
BigUniverse wrote,
"Well the things that happen less often are more likely to be the result of the supper natural. A thing like loosing my keys in the morning is not likely supper natural, but finding a thousand dollars or meeting a celebrity might be."
Oh, ICK!
...I can't believe I'm about to say this, but:
I hope Jack keeps him in line.
- Leon Trotsky, Last Will & Testament
February 27, 1940
I know! Never thought I'd think of Layton as some kind of... moderate. I'm really interested now in reading Ignatieff's books and articles, though. If he's going to be Liberal leader and possibly Prime Minister, I'm going to have to make sure that I can give him my tenuous support. I'm really going to miss Dion.
BigUniverse wrote,
"Well the things that happen less often are more likely to be the result of the supper natural. A thing like loosing my keys in the morning is not likely supper natural, but finding a thousand dollars or meeting a celebrity might be."
OK enough on Canadian politics and whoever gets to move into the giant igloo on the North Pole or wherever it is your prime minister lives.
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BigUniverse wrote,
"Well the things that happen less often are more likely to be the result of the supper natural. A thing like loosing my keys in the morning is not likely supper natural, but finding a thousand dollars or meeting a celebrity might be."