I am a mercenary politically;
This idea of blind faith towards the actions of a party simply because you have their logo on a card laminated within your wallet is utterly silly to me.
I think Harper is doing the best job out of those who could potentially have the job, and I think that Tim Hudak may get me to vote Liberal in Ontario for the first time.
It’s all about policy to me,
I already know I am a bad Canadian because I approach every party’s platform with the approach of “what is best for my family” rather then “what is best for Canada”.
Talks of a merger between the NDP/Liberals is one subject I wasn’t going to comment on, simply because I am sure thousands of people who voted Martin in 2004 are making the same sorts of comments I would.
Unless all of a sudden the NDP moved hard center and dumped half their policy and caucus I would find it hard to see a situation where I would support them within the context of an election.
Layton has done perhaps the best job of any of the opposition leaders in their role as opposition to be vocal and against legislation tabled by the Government.
As the leader of the 3rd Opposition Party he has served his role well.
However, as a Minister of Finance or Foreign Affairs in the context of a merged Liberal/NDP party…
Scary stuff.
The NDP with power is something that we cannot afford as a nation, I look at Greece and the mess they are in because of a social safety net so expensive it collapsed their nation and I envision what could happen to Canada if we opted to move forward with even 20% of the NDP’s platform.
However I read an interesting article on CBC’s website which simply left me stunned
“He said Apps told him the NDP would have to comply with three conditions: renouncing socialism and embracing a mixed-market economy; accepting Michael Ignatieff as leader; and having senior party "saints" such as former federal NDP leader Ed Broadbent and past Saskatchewan NDP leader Roy Romanow promote the merger.”
Source
Maybe I am missing something here,
Perhaps the Liberal Party of Canada has some sort of dirt on the senior folks at the NDP but after reading that my first thought was:
“Are the Liberals delusional?”
Let’s have a look at the support of both parties over the last four elections:
NDP Support:
2000: 13 Seats, 8.51% Popular Vote
2004: 19 Seats, 11% Popular Vote
2006: 29 Seats, 17.48% Popular Vote
2008: 37 Seats, 18.18% Popular Vote
Liberal Support:
2000: 172 Seats, 41% Popular Vote
2004: 135 Seats, 36.73% Popular Vote
2006: 103 Seats, 30.23% Popular Vote
2008: 77 Seats, 26.26% Popular Vote
Do you see that pattern?
The Liberals had about 32% more support then the NDP in 2000,
Now it’s an 8.08% difference between both parties as of 2008.
Some polls show the NDP just outside the Margin of Error of the Liberals in terms of national support.
Maybe I am naïve here, but shouldn’t the NDP be dictating the terms of this agreement to the Liberals?
Because I hate to say it, the Liberals need the NDP a lot more then the NDP needs the Liberals.
Don’t get me wrong, the idea that the terms of a merger are basically along the lines of the NDP having to give up everything that makes it the NDP has some appeal to me, whenever you eliminate a left of center party you reduce the likelihood of left of center policy.
I just don’t see the reasoning behind this for the New Democrats.
An NDP/Green merger makes more logical sense.
That combine force based on the “second choice” polling could potentially leapfrog the Liberals.
Based on the Globe and Mail Article breaking down the Numbers the NDP/Liberal Party could potentially lead to a Conservative Majority.
Source
Which is all fine and good, but I really would like someone from the NDP to discuss this in the same manner in which “insiders” of the Liberal Party have been.
There is no love loss between me and the NDP, and the idea of them dissolving themselves into Liberals is interesting,
But where is the pros for the New Democrats?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
NDP Green don't work. Green are not socialists that want to protect Unions.
ReplyDeleteThe Separatists are the only ideological party that share anti-free trade closed society ideology.
NDP/Green may not work;
ReplyDeleteBut NDP/Green is certainly closer to ideologically then NDP/Liberal.
The Liberals in the past secured a good portion of their financing from "big business", aligning with the party that is anti-big business is simply dumbfounding to me.
Why don't you like Tim's policies?
ReplyDeleteIf you are thinking of your family, I think you might want to listen to Hudak again.
ReplyDeleteI voted for Hudak in the Progressive Conservative leadership race, and I even donated to his campaign.
ReplyDeleteSo I am one of the folks he has lost along the way.
The reality is that I hate politicians who act like politicians.
Being against the HST if fine,
But wasting every opportunity and open microphone going on about an HST that:
A) You don't have the political means to stop
B) You have not bothered with the civil means to attempt to stop it (See BC)
C) You have no intention of eliminating when you enter office
Well that just makes you Jean Chrétien in 1993 and 1997.
You are publicly against something most people are against, yet you have no intention or mechanism to stop it.
He may as well run on a campaign of being Pro-Puppy or Anti-Long Lines at Timmy's Drive Thru.
The PC's have the lead in Ontario because they have won "Outrage" support from former Liberal voters,
The problem is that outrage fades, and you need to give those voters a reason to stay on your side.
Ontario lost something like 45% of its revenue from Corporate Tax collection in the last fiscal year, so the reality was that we needed to up taxes or cut services.
McGuinty opted to up taxes.
Hudak opted to be against upping taxes, yet did not propose any means of cutting spending
A Pie in the Sky position, Opposition Leading for the Sake of Opposition Leading.
He has become Micheal Ignatieff, Against Anything the Public is Against, For Anything the Public is For.
I voted for him expecting a younger version of Mike Harris, What I am seeing is the John Tory-esk "Let Appeal to Toronto Intellectuals" approach.
When the platform hits the presses I may very well support the Progressive Conservatives, but based on what I have seen out of Hudak since he was made leader I am greatly unimpressed.
L,
ReplyDeleteAnd what would Hudak have done differently?
Its easy to be against something when you are in Opposition. Jack Layton has made a career of it.
While I am no fan of paying an additional 8% on my gas, the reality is that Ontario took a massive hit on revenue.
So you raise taxes, or cut spending.
There is no middle ground.
I have seen Hudak be against raising taxes, yet I have not seen him come out for large enough spending cuts.
Which means he has taken a pie in the sky Layton/Ignatieff Opposition Position.
All of the Pros, None of The Cons, With no functional means of implementation.
Leaders get elected on Fairy Tale positions all the time, just look at the Liberals in 1993.
However, I don't have to like it.