There is a reason that the New Democrats will never form a federal government. They keep making the same mistake over and over again: Stupidity.
Years ago, I actually thought the NDP had a reasonable chance at not coming off as butt-stupid until Audrey McLaughlin’s shrieking interjection during a televised three-party debate: “But what about the people?” she howled. Both her opponents, at least somewhat dignified men in suits, stopped for only a moment, long enough to give her the scant microseconds such a weenie contribution deserved. So much for social justice. So much for a woman deporting herself as befits the leader of a major democracy. So much for the NDP . . . again.
I keep hoping. I really do. I would like my kids to have free access to university, as so many do in Europe (which is, by the way, kicking our ass in global trade). I would like us to reconfigure whatever aspects of our society we need to in order to keep the ocean at its current volume and every human being safe and fed. I would like very much for Canada to lead diplomatic endeavours with the Islamists, at least to the point where we can translate to the Americans what the problem seems to be.
More than anything, I would like to put the arrogant Liberals out of business, at least long enough to clean the scum out of that party. I have had enough of them, even as I mostly agree with Liberal policies.
So when Jack Layton came along, I paid attention. He looked the part. He seemed capable of engaging the business community. He certainly seemed capable of making the minority Liberal government perform very well — until he forced an election that nobody but Stephen Harper wanted. Had he let things alone, we might have got a lot done. And Martin might have had time to purge his party. But no, instead we got “Canada’s New Government.” Way to go, idiot.
And so I am not even slightly sorry that Stephan Dion has stolen the NDP platform and is making it his own. Despite a certain cynicism and weariness, I will likely vote Liberal in the next election. Given his platform and how completely everybody in the country wants to stop global warming, Dion will likely win. And the NDP will be where they deserve to be because they are still incomprehensibly stupid.
Speaking of stupid, how stupid do you have to be to purchase property in Vancouver? Twenty years from now, your floor will be self-washing but that’s the only advantage to living underwater. Anybody with half a brain will buy property in Saskatoon, the jewel of prarie intelligentsia, where the intellectuals and artists of Edmonton are migrating becuase they can’t afford rent here any more.
