There is some definite dissatisfaction with Harper's "race to the middle" being expressed in the press and on the internets. Now, I can understand the true believers are not amused by the recent cynical Liberal-like moves made by the dear leader. That is fair enough. If my leader was selling out my principals, I would be screaming too. However, please leave me out of you soul searching. Your leader's fecklessness has nothing to do with me or my people. Far from suffering from "Conservative Derangement Syndrome", NDP supporters are acting in their rational self interest as free actors in a political market.
NDP supporters want a national day care programme, concrete action on greenhouse gas emissions, and a balanced foreign policy when it comes to the Middle East. During the first year of Harper's reign, he has killed any chance of a national daycare programme, ignored greenhouse gas emissions and adopted a Republican foreign policy that could have come out of the American Enterprise Institute.
So, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out NDP supporters would be outraged and alienated by policy positions 180 degrees from where we want this country to go. Therefore, NDP supporters are likely going to want to get rid of Harper as soon as possible. It is a completely rational choice. Now how are they going to affect this rational decision? Given we have a winner take all system of voting in this country, it is reasonable to assume that some NDP supporters will move to the Liberals (even though they are as bad as the Tories, but at least that seems to bother some of them) in an effort to get rid of Harper. I wish this wasn't necessary, but given the totally disfunctional nature of our voting system, it is bound to happen. Again, it is not NDP supporters who are irrational, but the system certainly is.
Tories, I agree with you on one thing. Harper should come out and stand up for the principals you all want defended. All his "rush to middle" is doing is making my people more cynical about his motives and sincerity. It certainly isn't going to get me to change my mind about either Harper or the dead end that is modern Republican neo-conservatism.
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