I don't know why I dislike Toryism so much... but it is, when I think about it, the only political principle which has remained constant in my life. I have friends who have voted blue and individually they can appear to be and may actually be decent people. It's when they get together that they go bad. Taking away. Giving to their like through tax cuts or preferrments. Sure Grits go some way to the same behavior but only some way and they don't make it a party platform.
So it is with some pleasure that I watch the Ontario version revert to the natural state: nasty, simplistic, incapable of running a community. They have not so much deviated from the program in their downward spiral as assumed by plainly stating the program the voters would follow. Expect a landslide against them. Not necessarily as healthy as a good strong opposition but after screwing up water, meat, schools, roads, cities, taxation, spending and constitutional rights - isn't a kick in the arse required.
Contrast PEI where the last bastion of the comfortable Tory - not sitting on an ocean of oil decorated with cowboys - can be found. One can't help think that the impending tiny blue landslide there is in some large part due to the failure of the Liberals again to ennunciate a policy. Having spent a semi-sub-official evening last winter learning that the lack of a policy was, in fact, party policy, I am not surprised. Most troubling is the prospect again of a weak or absent opposition, the strength of which is the strength of any democracy.
Later: That being said, the pace of the Liberal candidate in my old riding, Jean Tingley, is amazing as is her dedication to her blog. I hope she has enough comrades after the 29th to raise the red banner high.
Comments
Wayne - September 23, 2003 10:08 AM
Leadership is so important, and in PEI's case, it was lacking in the Liberal Party. He flew in from Ottawa, counting on his name to carry the day, and sought help from Paul Martin for good measure. Fact is, he is not connecting with the average Islander, and Binns has...bottom line, Binns is a nice guy who has has given the impression he is doing his best with Islanders at heart and has kept his hands clean and does his job in a calm, measured way that the average Islander likes. This is the impression that has been projected and accepted by the electorate, rightly or wrongly. I do agree with you that we need a 2 party system in Canada, and I bet even Binns is hoping the Liberals get 2 seats this time, but he is making that senario difficult to achieve. I have friends who always vote Red..(I have a few times myself and probably will do so again)...and I know that they are decent folk who just need to wake up and smell the coffee, so to speak.
Alan - September 23, 2003 11:32 AM
[Please cycle to my first paragraph, Wayne's final sentence, my first paragraph, Wayne's final sentence and repeat endlessly to gain an entry understanding of understand Atlantic Canadian politics...]
Alan - September 23, 2003 12:37 PM
But look! The Grits are making in roads according to a poll annaounced today in the Charlottetown <i>Guardian</i>. A boy can dream after all!
Wayne - September 23, 2003 1:42 PM
Careful how you read that poll, Alan...and remember what they say about statistics...
Alan - September 23, 2003 2:08 PM
Oh, yes - there is not likelihood of a red tide but 6 to 10 in opposition would be good. Wouldn't it be interesting, though, if the province looked something like the Old Ottawa flag - you get the idea.
Wayne - September 23, 2003 2:35 PM
FYI
The immediate above Wayne is not THEEE Wayne.
Alan - September 23, 2003 2:42 PM
Not, it was me. Corrected.
Craig - September 23, 2003 6:09 PM
You may be absolutely sure that there will be a core of the 'jean team' that will be there for the long run.
....and until Wayne wavered and allowed his final sentence to intrude I agree with his observations of the the perceptions of Islanders (and a few PFA's too)