Dion a drag on already floundering Liberals.

[Michael Bluth]

Link

Twelve months after Stéphane Dion's Liberal leadership victory, bewilderment about the result has turned into widespread consternation. In one year, the rookie Liberal leader has gone from prime minister in waiting to opposition leader in hiding.

These days, its brand name is all that is keeping the Liberal party afloat in the polls. In Quebec, where the Liberals thought they had hit rock bottom over the course of the sponsorship scandal, Dion is dragging them further down.

At this point, the Liberal party is in worse pre-election shape than at any time in its recent history; hence the decision to play dead in the Commons this fall rather than trigger a potentially suicidal campaign.

With commentary like this is the talk of the Liberals forcing an election early next year mere posturing?

Is Schreiber really that much of a gift to prevent a late winter eleciton from being potentially suicidal?

[sharkman]

When the Liberals speak of a quagmire, you know they speak from personal experience! Anything that keeps Dion as leader longer is good for the Tories and the country.

[sharkman]

Oops, I got an error message so I reposted only to find my first attempt was successful after all.

Edited November 24, 2007 by sharkman

[Moxie]

Oops, I got an error message so I reposted only to find my first attempt was successful after all.

Sure you did, talking to yourself is the first sign of old age Sharkman.

Dion is the Cons not so secret weapon, if he gets elected can you imagine what kind of image he'd display globally? He'd make Bush look like an Academic who speaks flawless English.

[Visionseeker]

Link

With commentary like this is the talk of the Liberals forcing an election early next year mere posturing?

Is Schreiber really that much of a gift to prevent a late winter eleciton from being potentially suicidal?

I don't think its mere posturing and believe that Schreiber is nothing more than a distraction.

I have said all along that, for a variety of reasons, the Liberals don't want an election until 2008. Some of these reasons speak to anticipated developments that would prove embarrassing to the Conservatives; others are more defensive in nature (i.e. avoiding a campaign against a goodies filled budget).

The Conservatives had an easy go with their first year. They accomplished most of the easy parts of 4 of 5 main campaign planks while their opposition was leaderless and everyone was in election fatigue. In their second year, the Conservatives have benefited from a number of situational gifts to make positive media lines, but those gifts have now faded and some of their more recent moves are raising questions about their governance. It was an exceptionally long honeymoon, but it seems to be coming to an end and I suspect a tougher road lies ahead.

In all the criticism leveled against Dion, we seem to lose track of the fact that, with all of the advantages of the leavers of power, the Conservatives have proven unable to capture the public’s confidence in a manner that would give them a majority.

When I look at the political situation the way I look at my investments, I come to this formula:

Duceppe - sell (no chance of growth in foreseeable future)

Layton - sell (long-term outlook is bleak)

Dion - buy (undervalued with good growth potential)

Harper - sell (underperforming, growth potential appears heavily constrained)

[sharkman]

Well your analysis sure sounds skewed. Speaking of a long honeymoon proves it, the leftist media in Canada has been hammering away hoping to drive Harper into the ground, but they have failed since his polling data shows a willingness to quickly swell into the 40's at the mention of any good news.

You speak of questions now being raised about recent Tory moves but fail to notice that every single decision made has been questioned. You can buy into Dion all you want, but with him at the helm, the Liberals remain leaderless.

And Schreiber is a crook trying to stay out of a German prison. Now that he was finally going to get the boot, what a coincidence that he comes up with "new" testimony which would keep him in Canada.

[sideshow]

My take is a little different. Id see it more as:

Duceppe - sell (no chance of growth in foreseeable future, tired and yesterdays news)

Layton - buy (undervalued with good growth potential, and is charismatic)

Dion - sell (long-term outlook is bleak, has the charisma of a rotten potato)

Harper - buy (with time will grow more statesmenlike if he can keep his radicalism in check)

I think the Conservatives have it bang on in a few areas (as did the liberals in a few), and this minority government situation is keeping their more out there ideas in check. I, for one, am quite happy with the way the government is moving along right now. There is less unilateralism, and more ideas from the different parties are getting injected into things.

[Wild Bill]

My take is a little different. Id see it more as:

Duceppe - sell (no chance of growth in foreseeable future, tired and yesterdays news)

Layton - buy (undervalued with good growth potential, and is charismatic)

Dion - sell (long-term outlook is bleak, has the charisma of a rotten potato)

Harper - buy (with time will grow more statesmenlike if he can keep his radicalism in check)

I think the Conservatives have it bang on in a few areas (as did the liberals in a few), and this minority government situation is keeping their more out there ideas in check. I, for one, am quite happy with the way the government is moving along right now. There is less unilateralism, and more ideas from the different parties are getting injected into things.

I'll still vote for Harper, but only by default. I really don't like his old Mulroney-style control freak party policies. Yet what are my other choices? An ivory tower professor leading a party of crooks, a dip and a Liberal Party suckup?

No real alternative but nothing to vote proudly for in Harper either...

[Keepitsimple]

I'll still vote for Harper, but only by default. I really don't like his old Mulroney-style control freak party policies. Yet what are my other choices? An ivory tower professor leading a party of crooks, a dip and a Liberal Party suckup?

No real alternative but nothing to vote proudly for in Harper either...

Don't worry Wild Bill. As much as Harper may be "controlling", I think you'll find him a little more relaxed if he gets a majority. He has to be controlling in a minority because any wrong step will face a two-edge sword - the media and the Liberals unabashed thirst to get back in power. The latest media bias was pretty obvious - an article by Don Martin of the National Post, which I posted earlier, described how the Liberals had allowed Michael Kapoustin to rot in a Bulgarian jail for years for a dubious crime. The Conservatives have worked quietly in trying to get him returned to Canada and have succeeded in getting a formal hearing in the EU forum. CBC, Globe & Mail, and the Star have not followed up on this good-news for Conservatives, bad news for Liberals story.....yet the Conservatives were hounded by the media for not making an effort to bring a double murderer back to Canada to avoid the death penalty - even though the Liberals had failed to do so since he was put on death row years ago.

[Keepitsimple]

I'll still vote for Harper, but only by default. I really don't like his old Mulroney-style control freak party policies. Yet what are my other choices? An ivory tower professor leading a party of crooks, a dip and a Liberal Party suckup?

No real alternative but nothing to vote proudly for in Harper either...

Don't worry Wild Bill. As much as Harper may be "controlling", I think you'll find him a little more relaxed if he gets a majority. He has to be controlling in a minority because any wrong step will face a two-edge sword - the media and the Liberals unabashed thirst to get back in power. The latest media bias was pretty obvious - an article by Don Martin of the National Post, which I posted earlier, described how the Liberals had allowed Michael Kapoustin to rot in a Bulgarian jail for years for a dubious crime. The Conservatives have worked quietly in trying to get him returned to Canada and have succeeded in getting a formal hearing in the EU forum. CBC, Globe & Mail, and the Star have not followed up on this good-news for Conservatives, bad news for Liberals story.....yet the Conservatives were hounded by the media for not making an effort to bring a double murderer back to Canada to avoid the death penalty - even though the Liberals had failed to do so since he was put on death row years ago.

[Michael Bluth]

Don't worry Wild Bill. As much as Harper may be "controlling", I think you'll find him a little more relaxed if he gets a majority. He has to be controlling in a minority because any wrong step will face a two-edge sword - the media and the Liberals unabashed thirst to get back in power.

He also can more effectively deal with the nutbar factor in a majority situation. If one of his MPs goes off. Boom out of the caucus automatically.

The Liberals would love if Dion would do that to the MP that is causing them the most headaches at the moment. Unfortunately for them it is Dion