Monday, January 10, 2011

One Young Liberal Sees the Writing on The Wall

John Lennard, a McGill law student and Young Liberal activist writing a piece in the National Post giving the Waffle seems to see the writing on the wall.
While watching coverage of the United States congressional race last fall, a friend asked if the Republicans' momentum would affect progressives north of the border.
"Two words", I answered: "Rob Ford."
And the rest, as they say, is history -- or will be for Canadian Liberals, unless we pay attention to what these elections (as well as Dalton McGuinty and Michael Ignatieff's dismal poll numbers) are telling us.
Quite simply, in 2011, voters aren't buying the goods so-called "progressives" are selling.
As a federal Liberal (and a young one, to boot), I take this lesson to heart. Putting a new coat of paint on old policy planks won't cut it. It's time for Liberals to get back to the basics.
We've plugged plenty of "feel-good" spending projects over the years. Subsidies for this, strategic investments in that. But all of these programs have costs, and they're getting heavier by the day. Burdening my generation with debt is no way to build a just society.
I agree with most everything  except  this part. I disagree. Those are not the Prime Minister's priorities.  The economy, jobs and keeping us safe are his priorities.
Planes, prisons, fake lakes and billboards. That sums up Prime Minister Stephen Harper's priorities.
I agree fully agree with him on this. He wants to get rid of the $2 voter tax.
And while we're at it, let's end that irritating $2 per vote subsidy for political parties. If the Liberal party wants me to fork over some dough, it should have the grit to ask me personally.
Amen,but if he remembers, the PM and Minister Flaherty tried to get rid of this tax shortly after the election in 2008 in their fiscal update but it almost caused a constitutional crisis with the troika of the stooges that included his party and his leader's signature on the coalition document that included the Bloc.
If he wants to see those solutions that he advocates he's better off supporting PM Harper and the Conservatives where he's more likely to see them come to pass especially the elimination of the  $2 voter tax if voters give them a majority next election.
 
He doubts whether the Waffle will follow his advise.
The only question is whether he has the courage to do it. 
 To me this young man seems bright and perceptive and sees what is most likely coming down the pipe. I looks to me like he's trying to save his leader and his party  before the ship goes down. I don't think his leader is going to listen to him though either.
 Kudo's to this young Liberal for presenting some common sense.  It's almost as rare as hen's teeth anymore.