Liberal

We shall look into this,
When it has been determined,
That there is something to look into.
-Martin Short, playing Pierre Trudeau


Politically, I am a pretty orange liberal. Sometimes I think I let myself get too mad at the NDP beacuse I take them too much at their word, but man do they piss me off almost as much as The Reform Party does (and under Harper they are still the Reform Party). There is a history.

Back in 1991 I was working in automobile insurance and The NDP was threatening to take my career away so I hated the NDP as the enemy. They were going to take food out of my children's mouthes as they say (you know, if I had any). When Rae backed off on this because it would have made an awful mess, and because it was not a core "promise" on which the voters elected him, I was obviously relieved.

Rae was the only NDP-er I ever saw in power. I don't follow politics in B.C. Rae used to mouth-off as leader of the opposition, but when it came to actually governing, he knew the difference and he did a pretty good job. Bob suffered from the Joe Clark-Jimmy Carter syndrome: he was too nice a guy, he told the truth and he was not a great politician. (Examples of "great politicians": Bill Clinton, Pierre Trudeau, Bill Davis, Adolf Hitler).

Layton played his cards well - The NDP is The Liberals' conscience. Like Fred Flintstone and other cartoon characters, they are the little angel while Harper is the little devil (I am evil Homer....I am evil Homer...).

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Linda McQuaig in The Toronto Star made a point that I had thought of myself years ago. This is something Americans don't "get". Not breaking promises and doing what you said you would do are not, just by themselve, indications that you are doing a good job in power. Two who kept their promises: Adolf Hitler, Mike Harris. If Paul Martin changes his mind (on one of the rare times he has mades it up in the first place), it is not automatically bad for that reason alone. If Dubya wants to play star wars in space let him and keep us out of it.

Martin does not totally deserve the Mr Dithers title - but he almost does.

Thomas