As a longtime yet decidely "former" Liberal supporter I was delighted to see interim leader Bob Rae take it to NDP leader Tom Mulcair. Good on him and good for the country.
For decades we've endured Dippers self-righteously castigating the Libs for constantly falling short of their vaunted principles. The NDP were, after all, the vestal virgins of all things good and true. Under Lewis and Broadbent that was believable, even something to be admired. But now the Dippers have shown how shallow and fleeting was their commitment to these values, how disingenuous their former sanctimonious denouncement of Liberals in how rapidly they jettisoned those bedrock principles in favour of their quest for power and their choice of Tom Mulcair. Yeah, that's right, the anti-union, pro-Israel Mulcair, the new face of the once proud New Democratic Party.
Can anyone fault Bob Rae for seizing on the NDP's inexcusable hypocrisy? Only a "power at any cost" Dipper could do that and doubtless they shall. It's their turn in their minds even if they have to become what they once fervently denounced to get there.
Maybe Rae sees through this. Maybe it's time to let the NDP abandon the left and centre-left in their rabid pursuit of power. Maybe the Libs can steal a march by taking the now abandoned centre left stronghold of the NDP. After all, somebody has to defend the Left if we're to stop Harper from irrevocably shifting Canada's political centre to the far right. The NDP has shown it's not up to the task.
3 comments:
Considering the Ontario Liberal budget looks very much like the Conservative Federal budget. I don't think any of the party leaders have credibility to criticize each other.
I dunno, criticism about the NDP turning right in pursuit of power would have more credibility coming from just about anyone other than Bob Rae, an NDPer who turned right in pursuit of power.
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