Colin Powell's departure

Yesterday, Colin Powell announced that he was resigning but would stay on until the president named his successor. Speculation centres on Condaleza Rice. My parents are deeply dismayed that Powell- the only moderate in Bush's cabinet- has left and they worry that the second Bush Administration wil become an ehco reinforced bubble. My own view is more nunaced. As much as I respected Powell, there are times he didn't grasp the urgency of the situation especially with maintaining cordial relations with the the allies/symapathetic countries

Case in point was his open reticence to go travelling to world capitals. He figured that he could coast with just some telephone calls and his carefully cultivated image as the down to earth moderate popular with the Europeans. Unfortunately, he badly erred in judgement when the administration decided to invade Iraq. Had Powell travelled to the Europen capitals, he would've had a better grasp of not only the apprehension by allied governments but also the virulent anti-Americanism that surged.

Had he been there in the year before the UN Security council meeting, he might've articulated the American position more forcefully on foreign soil. Many would've still disagreed with him but at least he presented his governments reasoning. More importantly, he would've advised the cabinet of just how rancid the anti-Americanism was becoming and propose a diplomatic charm offensive. It might not've worked but then again, Powell seemed passive in allowing the anti-American sentiment to reach a prestige it never deserved.

Condalezza Rice's appointment will only exacerbate the tensions; in fact many sympathetic countries/allies will simply bide their time for the next 2 years. Let Bush carry out his policies and lay the groundwork for the next administration.

Le surplus budgétaire fédéral: l'autre scandale

Aujourd'hui, on lit dans les journaux que le fédéral a un surplus dans son budget de 8 milliard$. Goodale, le ministre fédéral de finance, vandte de nouveau de sa gestion 'geniale' et super-intélligante

En réalité, le fédéral n'a aucune cause pour célébrer pusique ce surplus est de l'enrichissement injsutifé. C'est très facil pour le fédéral à légisféerer de lois qui diminuent les transferts d'argent aux provinces et aux contribuables. Comme toujours, avec ce surplus, le fédéral s'imposera au provinces en dictant ce qu'elles peuvent faire et ne pas faire ainsi qu'ingérer dans les compétences exclusives provinciales.

Mais ce que m'outre le plus c'est que le fédéral ne baissera jamais le taux d'imposition ni la TPS aux contribuaables. Goodale oublie que c'est nous autre et non pas sa gestion brillante qui permet ces surplus à gonfler.