Interesting to see leading Libloggers openly speculating on a future federal NDP government (and a majority one at that).
Of course they’re not being completely un-cynical about the idea. Liberals are shy enough about the truth when it concerns their own party; one can’t expect them to be forthright about any other.
Indeed, some of the finer points of the argument need to be reconsidered. For one, the Liberal Party is never going to wither and blow away. There will always be a party for people who are interested in politics, but averse to taking positions on issues. The ironic part is that Liberals are the ones who are writing their party’s obit.
Second, as much as Liberals strain to make the point, the NDP in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and BC are not the Liberal Party by another name. Just try to make that argument to Gary Doer. Heck, make it to Jon Gerard.
But back to the big picture, what’s rather remarkable is the fact that Liblogers are speculating on a future federal NDP government.
It’s not as though New Democrat bloggers are reciprocating by talking about what a Dion government might do / not do. And that marks a rather crucial change.
That’s how much the game has changed since Dion started helping Harper make irreparable changes to our military posture in the world, to our immigration system, to our environment and to the fiscal capacity of the federal government.
Even the most partisan of Liberals now recognize that the unmistakable counter-point to Harper is Jack Layton’s NDP.
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7 comments:
Uh boy.
Speculation on the part of Jason Cherniak does not mean there is consensus.
He is merely responding to a blogpost one year ago written by the Idealistic Pragmatist.
What you are blogging is similar to complex arithmetic. Not only is 2+2=5 in the Blogging Horse books, but 2+2=9. That because Jason is postulating, you are suggesting that he is telling Dion to shut up shop and de-register the party.
Tell me what you are smoking, I need to have some.
Well if some Liberals are pondering what an NDP government might be, is it not time that the NDP did the same?
A year ago, no Liberal would have dared utter "NDP government".
It is a fundamental (and therefore notable) shift in strategy to go from "there will never be an NDP government" to "there may be an NDP government, but, er, no one would be happy if there were."
It's tantamount to transitioning from "the Titanic is unsinkable" to "there's more than enough life boats for everyone!"
Uh Boy.
Bob Rae 1990 to be repeated again with Jack Layton as PM?
Bob Rae 1990 to be repeated again with Jack Layton as PM?
Now let's just think about that for a second, shall we? What problem does Today's Bob Rae pose for Jack Layton that he doesn't pose for Stephane Dion while he sits in his caucus?
To coin a phrase: uh boy.
Besides, anyone who knows anything about Layton recognizes that he's far more of a Doer New Democrat than a Bob Rae "integrity-be-damned" New Democrat.
The difference is important and as this discussion of the merits of an NDP federal government continues you will find New Democrats pleased to explain it.
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