Red Liberals Pay Attention

Your blue masters are an unhappy lot:

Liberals, who hit 25 per cent in public opinion last week, are not happy with Grit Leader Michael Ignatieff, but his leadership is surviving on life support because as things stand there is no viable candidate who could take his place, say Liberal sources.

Really? No one, or just no one acceptable to the blues? H/t to the Jurist.

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The Morning After

If yesterday's vote hadn't happened, I would have said that Chantal Hebert was blowing smoke. But, last night did happen. In that light, one must ask oneself which leader is praying for the Speaker to rule in favor of the opposition on the detainee papers? My guess is not Iggy. On the other hand, Harper is sharpening his teeth, getting ready to feast on more Liberal lamb. If you think I am being too harsh, take a look at this headline. When they start making jokes, comparing you to your failed, hopeless predecessor, you are in big, big, trouble.

Almost Instant Update: A question occurs. Am I being too hard on Iggy? He is the third leader in a row (the fourth if you count the late Chretien period) that has failed to keep his caucus together. Could it be that the Liberal Party is just ungovernable?

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Iggy

Definition: Noun. A very dull fellow. A loser. Usage: "That fellow over there just lost a vote on his own party's motion because he couldn't even deliver his own caucus. What an Iggy."

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Well Let's Not Even Try Then

Robopundit, with his finger on the pulse of Official Opposition thinking, pens this bizarre paragraph today:

Iacobucci's document review serves the useful purpose of putting on hold a test of wills between Parliament and the Prime Minister that could provoke an election the Opposition doesn't want now and would be foolish to ever fight on the abuse issue. But the ultimate result will be more foot-dragging if Iacobucci is kept too far from the truth to explain why ministers let generals play loose and fast with Afghan prisoners. (emphasis mine)

This logic is, not to put too fine a point on it, insane. It is the logic that will keep Harper in power forever. The thinking goes, "We can't defeat Harper on X, because he has a solid, if small block behind him, while we have a larger, but divided block with us. Best wait until we can find an issue over which everyone coalesces around us." The opposition parties and in particular the Liberals, have been waiting for that magic issue for four plus years. That is not how it works. As Warren Kinsella is fond of saying, campaigns matter. It seems to me that Canadians would see the worth of having an election over whether or not our government is comprised of war criminals. And even if that is not so, some hills are worth dying over. Holding a government to account over torture, is one of those hills.

Also, does anyone believe Harper would like to dissolve the Parliament and hold an election to avoid being held in contempt by Parliament? How would that look to the average voter two weeks after the end of prorogation? The opposition would have a field day with that. So, even from a crass political viewpoint, the opposition has little to lose by bringing forward its motion of privilege.

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Ouch

When your own newspaper starts to compare you to Bob Stanfield (and not favorably), you are in trouble as a politician.

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The Scales Are Lifting

His Royal Igginess is slowly coming to realize that just because he votes with the government, it doesn't mean he won't be blamed for all the ills befalling the nation. As he said himself yesterday:“

This Prime Minister cannot live without creating artificial crises,” he alleged. “From the 28th of January when I decided to vote this budget, I did so because I believe stimulus was in the national interest, right? I cannot understand why he wants to provoke difficulties where there are none. My only hypothesis is this economy’s falling like a stone and he’d like you to write about something else.”

Then, for good measure. “It’s ridiculous,” he said. “It’s a joke.”

Yes, it is Iggy and at your expense. This PM is a psychopath with whom you thought you could do business, rather than sully yourself with a coalition. So enjoy the "joke". Harper has an endless supply of them.

Update: Iggy shouldn't be complaining so much. Conservative pundits absolutely adore him.

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