munsinger

Yes, getting 140+ seats and 44% of the vote (outside of Quebec) clearly indicates that Harper's attempts to broaden his base...have been an abject failure..... By all means, he should step down.... Give the koolaid another stir......

Not sure that Iggy and Bobby Rae would be able to cool their wheels....for that long....

Perhaps because this "dream team" only exists in the imagination of certain Liberals...and bears no real resemblance to reality.....

Harper has set out to broaden the Con base....and has been going about it, long before the election was called.. in an incremental and methodical manner. If you look closly at the polls, Harper has steadly increased his support among women, ethnic groups, new immigrants, and suburbanites....some of the exact areas where it used to be assumed.... that he had little chance for growth. The Ontario and BC results, this time around.... bear this out. The irony... is that now the Cons are (in terms of presence in most provinces) now the most broadly based political party. It is the Liberals that are now in danger of becoming a Reform-like rump (couple of big cities)- unless they seriously get back to a big-tent approach, with more competent leadership.... Dion is simply a dead man walking. The Liberals cannot afford to drift untill May, in order to offically perform the execution. Rae is probably the most "ready" candidate in terms of profile, experience, and speaking ability. Never could understand this Iggymania" stuff - the guy is a smarmy, ivory-tower like, concending, intellectual wonk with no real track record of service...in the country....and is close to being to the right of Harper, politically. Manley would have to mend some fences (re. Afganistan Report) and is right of centre, as well.... Above all, the Liberals have to simply drop this "natural ruling party" and "entitlement to rule" mentality that has them always looking for the "quick fix" back into power...and rebuild their grassroots..

Harper is a pragmatist.... He has been laying the groundwork for some time, well before the election call. Moving in the Ontario Harris gang while freezing out the (extreme Reform) zealots from positions of clout. Giving the extremists their vote in the house on abortion (which Harpo knew he would not lose) and never uttering a word about capital punishment... Heading off Duceppe at the pass with the "Quebeckers as a nation" resolution (with all party approval in the house). A largely symbolic gesture somewhat unexpected from a Alberta-based leader. The ultimate aim is to convince folks in Quebec to eventually "eliminate the middle man" (The Bloc) so they can obtain their largess directly - from their friendly government MP. Targeting immigrants and ethic groups (former Liberal strength) with tough on crime and family values approach. Same approach used in newer urban communities (burbs) in Ontario. Overall, spending a lot of time and money... in unfriendly or swing ridings in Que. and Ont. People have become somewhat used to him, as a leader, in power. This neutralizes to some extent, some the Liberal "fear factor" i.e. troops in streets, anti-abortion laws, first-borns eaten alive, etc.... Now, the warm cuddly tub of goo, with the sweaters campaign....has fallen somewhat flat, but then again, Dion in that same sweater, looks sort of like Mr. Rogers.....Dion is practically the only guy on the planet that makes Harper look like Joe Sixpack.

Dion may be a fine person, but he is facing a number of problems 1. The Green Shift Or....The Green Anchor....you simply have to be spending the time attacking the incumbent... not having to defend your own proposed policy. Calling a carbon tax (whoops, I mean shift) a bad policy when oil is $60.00 a barrel, then attempting to impliment it when the price of oil has almost doubled - defies common sense. Very few voters will buy the premise from ANY government, that a new tax (whoops) will be "reveune neutral". By its nature of increasing a number of energy costs and then returining the money later - it is very complicated and hard to explain (as well as expensive to impliment), particularly when Dion has to consider/provide an number of various "exemptions" for provinces and sectors. Contining to shift away from the centre of the political spectrum is a real bad idea for the Liberals, who are ending up elbowing the NDP and the Greens for votes.... 2. Image In the last session, watching Dion in the house was at times, downright painful. It is said that he is articulate and genuine in person or with small groups, but in the larger sphere, he comes off sounding fuzzy and awkward, when speaking English. In politics, you have to be able to explain concepts and polilcy in simple and concise language - a real struggle for Dion. The abject and frankly, gutless performance of the Liberals in opposition has been simply jam for butter for the Cons, in helping them characterize Dion as "spineless" "wimp" "weak", etc etc... Stuff like eating hot dogs with an knife and fork, does not help matters either....The ads dressing him in a hunting vest, and having him conquering the great outdoors....won't work, period. 3. Party 2/3 of the party was already unhappy, when Dion was selected leader. The 2 guys he beat (Iggy, Rae, are widely viewed as superior to Dion. The idea was to then de-emphasize the leader and run on the strength of the "Liberal Team" Nobody has seen these guys knocking themselves out to run with that particular ball. Out in the blogsphere, very little enthusiasm can be found, and on the ground local orgainzation has been lacking, particular in Quebec.

Of course.....if you wanted real action.....he could just turn over those prisoners.......to Iggy

How could they have a War Room? For a political (election) campaign? Simply a disgrace! At the very least, they could of callled it "Surrender Room," "Faceplant Room," "Kyoto's Tail" or at least something a little more appropriate......and less frightening to the general population! What a bunch of mean, heartless buillies..... I whine in their general direction.

Regarding the lowering of the debt.... It is quite ironic..... that GST revenues, the Free Trade Agreement, and a systematic pilfering of EU........made up a great deal of that reduction, whch led to Paul Martin being hailed as a financial genius...... And we all know the Liberal (official) position on the first two.....

Tha Harper guy is a bit of a bully.....but .....Dion needs more Dijon

The ads are one thing.....creating an image but Dion's performance.....is simply making that image..... a reality.

RE: To be a PM, do you have to be a bully? SEE: Chretien, Jean

The bottom line is not so much the numbers of the various polls.......but it's the overall trend, that should have the Liberals worried. Harper appearing less "scary" to voters Dion perceived as weak and indecisive, while continuing to give the Cons plenty of ammo to push that line Lack of coherent policy platform from the Liberals....focusing on failed policies/ flip-flopping Perception is reality, in politics....

It is a good thing that Iggy and Squiggy have street cred to spare...... I'm not making this up.

Does this mean Iggymania...........is dead?

Well, it certainly comes as a great relief to know......that instead of millions of dollars changing hands during a massive stock fluctuation.......in reality, only one person actually made any money.... Right.

Or for that matter...........Paul Martin.

Winston Churchill...... At the end of the South African War, Churchill is sitting in the House of Commons, listening to a Government Member drone on about all the various Dukes, Lords and equipment..including mules, sent to South Africa... Churchill: " I have a supplimentary queston. Could the Honorable Member confirm exactly how many asses have been sent to South Africa"

But some of the outfits are terrific! Hard to beat fishnet, sparkles and a single red glove (J. Weir) Sort of ......Michael Jackson meets Captain Highliner

I would like to take this opportunity to nominate..... Canadian Tire Guy He is a articulate, stand-up guy with the common touch and would bring a lot of tools to the table....

Well.... Mulroney was going to govern with high ethical standards Chretien was going to restore accountibility Martin was going to address the "democratic deficit" Harper was going to address the "culture of entitlement" etc. I got over my outrage..... about floor jumpers...sometime after Jack Horner crossed the floor to become a Trudeau Cabinet Minister

Hello all..... Re the dropouts: Frank McKenna..... Simply the Martin boys making an attempt to put in the "quick fix", before anyone else could gather the support needed for a run (and to provide a compelling reason for them still being around) Too bad Frank read those papers claiming he would inherit the Martin "machine"...and bailed Allan Rock....far, far too much baggage from previous cabinet posts John Manley........was fastracked above many senior minions by Papa Jean. Is still dull as dishwater Brian Tobin.......bailed out of both a federal and provincial party Re the "frontrunners:" Michael Ignatieff.......would be another bad case of the quick fix mentality (or Psudo Trudeau, if you like) The guy hasn't even taken his seat as a rookie MP yet! He needs to catch up some, after spending 20 years out of the county Scott Brison....Turncoat A, went from one of Martin's fiercest critics to the new version of Binder Boy Belinda Stronach......Turncoat B.....still a rookie, cannot handle an unscriped situation to save her life Bob Rae.......Prototype Liberal, eh. Look for a darkhorse from Quebec........