Cold January morning bits and pieces
- Go Right, young man? Young Grit John seems to suggest Liberals should make a sharp right turn if they ever want to return to power. Forgive me for being so disagreeable at my advanced age, John, but I cling to the old adage that, if people have to choose between a Real Conservative and a Faux Conservative, they’ll always choose the Real one, ten times out of ten. Go Left!
- Vote subsidies: The Citizen has a highly cautious editorial about whether they should be eliminated. The Reformatories favour doing so, primarily because it would handicap their main rival, the Liberals. Grits argue, rightly, that eliminating big corporate and big union donations has made our politics a lot cleaner. Personally, I anticipate Harper will make ditching subsidies part of his election platform – that way, even if he gets back in with a minority, he can deliver a sanctioned death blow to his hated rivals. Just watch. It’s coming.
- Palin has blood on her hands? She bears some responsibility for debasing U.S. politics, of course: Congresswoman Giffords said as much to MSNBC, just a few months ago. But I very much hope that Palin’s name is on the G.O.P. ticket in 2012: there is no better way to reassure an Obama victory. She is the best thing that has happened to the Democratic Party since Richard Nixon.
- Team Grit Campaign Team: Jeff Kehoe is one of the most honest, principled and decent Liberals left in Ottawa. If he says that the Libs are ready for an election, you can take it to the bank. Reading what he says in the linked Hill Times Naumetz yarn, I believe it.
- The Divided Right: Being old, as noted, this all reminds me of the good old days of 1990-2003, when the Reform Party and the federal Conservative Party were scrapping, openly, about who was the real Conservative choice. Unless Randy Hillier or Tim Hudak is ready to run up the white flag anytime soon (an unlikely prospect), this nasty little family feud is going to continue for many, many months. How very sad.
- Retail politics win: Meanwhile, Ontario Libs (full disclosure: I do work for their caucus) continue to focus on improving people’s lives – in this case, the thousands of Ontario families living in apartment buildings. The LOC (Land Owner Conservatives), led by Timmy Hudak, will snicker about measures like this. Good.
- Rob Ford, “Tax Fighter”: He lied. What do we see in the gravy-train-stopper’s first budget? Elimination of TTC routes, and a big hike in fares: Torontonians will now pay more for less. This guy is a one-termer.
