Tell Us How He Does It, Don

Don Martin is still on the pipe:

The challenge is not as daunting for Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff. He needs to shine as a recession-fighting alternative with constructive inputs beyond mere snarling at the Conservative government's squandering of a Liberal surplus racked up with ease during prosperous times. And Ignatieff must keep distancing himself from the coalition concept to better define himself and the party as a stand-alone government-in-waiting.

Very good Don, that sounds easy. There is just one problem, Harper cannot survive without a partner. If Iggy becomes that partner (because neither Layton or Duceppe are even remotely interested), it will be impossible for Iggy to portray himself as an alternative anything. Both Harper and Layton, for their own reasons will embrace Iggy's change of heart over the government as "proof" that a) the government is on the right path or b) that the Liberals are feckless and weak and are really just Conservatives with better teeth. Telling Iggy to dump the coalition is great advice -- for the Conservatives and NDP. For the Liberals, on the other hand, it is a recipe for more pain.

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