Michael Ignatieff is already Prime Minister
I can see a few violent reactions to the above statement but hear me out. Ignatieff did exactly what he had to do yesterday.
Firstly, he dumped the coalition which he was so reluctant to enjoy. Even if the Liberals did want to take power, trusting the NDP to co-operate with the Liberals for 18 months is like trusting those Vinny Lecavalier trade rumors: you’ll only get disappointed in the end.
Michael Ignatieff did not undergo some kind of mind altering transformation yesterday. However, the NDP went from wanting him to be their Prime Minister to calling him a Harper clone within minutes. Canadians didn’t want dogma. Unfortunately for the politicians who got left at the altar by the evil known as “rational logic”, dogma was all they could muster.
At the end of the day, Harper is a right wing ideologue. So is deficit Jim. They did their best to put forward a left-wing budget. I wouldn’t call it a sterling effort but A for effort in my books.
The real test for the Harper government will be to see if the money flows and the economy improves as a result. Ignatieff is banking on the Harper government inflating the numbers. He is also banking that the news will only get worse as the sugarcoating as the truth is revealed.
So Stephen Harper is on a leash. Duceppe can never support Harper. Unless Layton has a lobotomy, he will blame the Liberals for the recession and the voters will ignore him.
And once the economy inflicts the maximum political damage on Harper, the Liberals win big…really big.
The one pulling the strings in this scenario is Michael Ignatieff, which means he has the power over Harper, which makes him the Prime Minister.
But hey, at least Harper gets to shake Obama’s hand next month. Enjoy it Steve, the clock is ticking.
Firstly, he dumped the coalition which he was so reluctant to enjoy. Even if the Liberals did want to take power, trusting the NDP to co-operate with the Liberals for 18 months is like trusting those Vinny Lecavalier trade rumors: you’ll only get disappointed in the end.
Michael Ignatieff did not undergo some kind of mind altering transformation yesterday. However, the NDP went from wanting him to be their Prime Minister to calling him a Harper clone within minutes. Canadians didn’t want dogma. Unfortunately for the politicians who got left at the altar by the evil known as “rational logic”, dogma was all they could muster.
At the end of the day, Harper is a right wing ideologue. So is deficit Jim. They did their best to put forward a left-wing budget. I wouldn’t call it a sterling effort but A for effort in my books.
The real test for the Harper government will be to see if the money flows and the economy improves as a result. Ignatieff is banking on the Harper government inflating the numbers. He is also banking that the news will only get worse as the sugarcoating as the truth is revealed.
So Stephen Harper is on a leash. Duceppe can never support Harper. Unless Layton has a lobotomy, he will blame the Liberals for the recession and the voters will ignore him.
And once the economy inflicts the maximum political damage on Harper, the Liberals win big…really big.
The one pulling the strings in this scenario is Michael Ignatieff, which means he has the power over Harper, which makes him the Prime Minister.
But hey, at least Harper gets to shake Obama’s hand next month. Enjoy it Steve, the clock is ticking.
par / by Anthony à / at 10:48 a.m.
20 Commentaires:
The real test for the Harper government will be to see if the money flows and the economy improves as a result. Ignatieff is banking on the Harper government inflating the numbers. He is also banking that the news will only get worse as the sugarcoating as the truth is revealed.
...
And once the economy inflicts the maximum political damage on Harper, the Liberals win big…really big.
The one pulling the strings in this scenario is Michael Ignatieff...
No, "pulling the strings" would involve actually doing something, rather than hoping for the economy and Harper to do Ignatieff's work for him.
This is simply more of the same bare hope that outside events will work to the Libs' advantage even while they make themselves look ridiculous by propping up a government despite claiming they don't think it's fit to govern. And it figures be roughly as successful under Ignatieff as it was under Dion.
Welcome to the Liberal reality distortion field. You can check in any time you like but you can never leave.
Let's see - Liberal MPs (including Ignatieff) sign a coalition document pledging to vote down the Conservatives.
Liberal MPs break that pledge and shred the document with their signatures.
But it's the NDP that can't be trusted?
everybody is blaming Harper for this.
If it gets worse, and there is no indiciation it is getting better, than Harper loses...
everything is a gamble. But ignatieff decides when the next election is. He decides when the Canadian people punish harper
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And in the mean time, he's let untold thousands of unemployed people (aka "most vulnerable") fend for themselves when he had the chance to make a substantive, rather than a procedural amendment to the budget.
But hey, why should Michael Ignatieff lose any sleep over their troubles?
77 Liberal MPs
143 Conservative MPs
86 NDP/Bloc MPs
Yesiree, Michael Ignatieff is Prime Minister!
I guess Stephane Dion was Prime Minister too!
"Even if the Liberals did want to take power, trusting the NDP to co-operate with the Liberals for 18 months is like trusting those Vinny Lecavalier trade rumors: you’ll only get disappointed in the end."
'We betrayed them because they were untrustworthy.' Is that like we had to destroy the village in order to save it?
Stephen
Most canadians wanted this budget to pass.
the only ones left fending for themselves is the NDP
Peter
the one holding the leash is in charge
No Cliff
What Layton wanted was to change firefighters instead of fighting the fire
"But ignatieff decides when the next election is"
Just like Dion.
Antonio, do you really beleive the "leash" and "probation" crap or are you paid everytime you repeat it.
As noted in a previous comment:
Liberals have 77 MPs
Conservatives have 143 MPs
NDP/Bloc have 86 MPs
Ignatieff needs both the NDP and Bloc to support a vote of non-confidence to force an election. If that is your definition of having a "leash" or forcing "probation", I guess you are right in using that "over the top" term.
Let's be realistic. When the Liberals vote for non-confidence, it will only be supported by the Bloc and NDP if they feel that it is also in their best interests. In reality, probably NEVER.
I look forward to the day that Ignatieff puts a motion of non-confidence and either the NDP or the Bloc abstains and says "We need an election like Canadians want a hole in their head".
yes peter
I hope to see the day where Jack Layton comes out and says that another one of his multiple personalities has kicked in.
And that duceppe comes out and says yea that Harper plan that isnt working for Quebecers is something I like...
I cant wait for it, cuz if that happens, the Liberals will be in a better position than they are right now...
What Layton wanted was to change firefighters instead of fighting the fire
While Ignatieff is fine with giving the arsonists the job, provided they're closely monitored.
Most canadians wanted this budget to pass.
the only ones left fending for themselves is the NDP
Spoken like a true Liberal: so the talk about "most vulnerable" was just that, talk.
the one holding the leash is in charge
Actually, Ignatieff's hawk metaphor provides the clearer picture of the political reality.
Ignatieff is the hawk, belled and hooded, perched on Stephen Harper's gloved hand.
See who's in charge?
Holy Kool-Aid. First off, hardly any dippers believed Ignatieff would hold with the coalition. Read some blogs. We haven't trusted Iggy since he started hand-wringing on the wrongness of torture. His ignoring the coalition idea is hardly a surprise to dippers. Secondly, the "amendment" that Iggy is so proud of doesn't actually amount to anything. What happens if big spending items continue to flounder on Flaherty's desk for a year? If Iggy starts to turn up the heat, Harper will just close the parliamentary session again, since Harper is still the PM. Ooooh. Nice leash. Too bad it's made of wet paper.
"Read some blogs"
Actually, try going outside every so often, the disconnect online is absolutely staggering.
Iggy caved, Dion part two, Harper got what he wanted, on and on and on. The simple fact of the matter, for the vast majority of Canadians, they are relieved and Ignatieff looks like the only adult in the room. All these other characters are perceived as culpable in getting us into this political mess, Ignatieff the new dynamic, that finally achieved a resolution. I've never seen the borg, sorry Conservative supporters and their media, so upset about anything, and yet we're to believe Harper won. Is it possible for people to be more detached from reality? Harper did lose, that's why his supporters are pissed. The NDP did lose, that's why it took a nanosecond for them to unleash radio ads ATTACKING the Liberals.
The Liberals have work to do, but Ignatieff has passed his first test, with flying colors, very much looks a PM in waiting, very much seen as a serious figure that is every bit Harper's equal.
On with the outrage, but I am entirely confident, it isn't shared by voters as a whole, and that's really all that matters, when you're trying to plot a path to governance.
Just as aside, watching Layton, and then Mulclair with shots about Iggy paying taxes in Canada, now these radio ads, I'm now quite ecstatic that we didn't go anywhere near these guys, because it would have turned into a nightmare for the Liberals in the end.
Antonio
Someone linked to this cartoon on my blog, and I think it representative of how the Liberals are in real trouble and how Harper really won. Please.
I still think that once main street gets to know Ignatieff that they arent going to like him, and arent going to be impressed with his tenuous connection with the country. I predict Harper still wins the next election. I can't wait to see the attack ads.
Harper did lose, that's why his supporters are pissed.
In contrast to the Libs, who have received nothing but positive reviews?
The Bloc has tanked in the polls, which might have Gilles reconsidering his desire to topple the Tories. He was all gung-ho of course with the prospect of being able to wield some influence with a Lib/NDP coalition...but Iggy has divorced himself from that idea.
Harper has worked with the BQ in the past...and might just do so again if Duceppe is willing. I can't see Bloc members wanting to vote non-confidence in the government if it means they'll be out of a job after the ensuing election.
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