As many of you know, I recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science back in the spring. During the past 6 years, I was fairly involved with the political scene locally and at times federally. I've seen wheelin' dealin' going on in politics, lots of "WTF JUST HAPPENED?!" and whatnot.
At one time, I was a big fan of the PC Party... while the party near its demise was no longer a very right of centre party it used to be, by its end it was just an alternative to the Liberals. Like many supporters, I just couldn't support the party when the merger with Harper's Alliance occured.
So what did I do? For six months I started to think what party I was aligned with most. I was confused.. I even signed up for "more information" from the NDP, but I never joined the party. I ended up getting coerced into joining the federal Liberals.
You see.. for most of my life when I was interested in politics, I hated the Liberals as most of their policies were anti-West, pro-Ontario/Quebec. I've seen alot of bullshit go on because of these policies, but I had to swallow my ego and just move on with life.
For 5 years, I had a membership with the Liberals. I even met Stéphane Dion only weeks after he announced his intention to run for the leadership of the Liberal Party. I had known at that time that he would be the next leader of the Liberals. While he was indeed nerdy, he was able to relate his 5-step plan for the environment for the farmer-based audience he was speaking to. The farmers were convinced, as the policies would increase interest on the prairies (ie production of ethanol). 6 months later he was crowned leader of the Liberals.. but he was a weak leader at best.
So look what happened.. the Liberals tanked in the polls because Stephen Harper and Mike Duffy were able to make Dion look bad, so he was pushed to resign as leader. Ignatieff was now the leader of the Liberals.
For four and a half years, all I ever heard was this man named Michael Ignatieff was poised to win the leadership of the Liberals. His supporters said how Iggy was the outsider messiah for the Liberals, who will return the Liberal to the majority style governments of the early 90s.
Well.. that will never happen. Just looking back at the four by-elections this week. The Liberals did aweful in each of the four ridings. Sure it's just a by-election, but still, it's bad on Ignatieff. What's the Liberal Party going to do? Their support is not going to go up, it is only going to go down. Ignatieff will never be Prime Minister of Canada. Plus it's too late to "form a coalition" as we now realize that the West hates the idea of a coalition, unless if the Conservatives back it ;)
So when the next election happens, whenever Harper or Iggy pushes it, Harper will still be leader, the Liberals may LOSE seats in Quebec, lose its only seat in Manitoba (which is inevitable) and the Liberal Party will be scratching their head wondering where they went wrong.
They will be looking for another leader to replace Iggy. By then, the NDP will be much more stable of a political party than the Liberals will be. The Liberals need to get a leader/team who can make HARPER look bad instead of Harper making THEM look bad. The party needs to refrain from becoming a revolving door of leaders going from having Chrétien stepping down as leader in 2003, Martin in 2006, Dion in 2008, and Iggy sometime within the next year or two.
I will not be renewing my membership with the federal Liberal Party at the end of the month. I have no need to as all I ever get is letters asking for donations, and letters from the provincial wing of the Liberal Party (sorry but I just don't support you, I'm involved with another party). The party does not deserve my money. Plus Ignatieff trying to force an election in September was poor politics. That plus the lack of actual leadership in the Liberal Party, and a lack of direction is why I will never be a member again, until the party can get its metaphorical head out of its metaphorical ass! Get a leader who IS competent, one who can relate to the Canadian population, who is someone who you would like to have a beer with. Until that happens, the NDP is more likely to become the official opposition in the near future.
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