A Victory That Sowed Defeat

The other point that should be added is that the Conservatives failed to win a majority for the same reasons. The tactics used by merger proponents were just as divisive as those used by the Martin people in many parts of the country. This has alienated party workers and created an aura of distrust.

I wonder how much of the strength of both the Conservatives and the Liberals is because so many former supporters changed sides because of this? I think it could be considerable.

I realise habits die hard
BUT please stop calling them conservatives
The are not!
the conservatives where bad enough,this coalitionof fanatics and nutbars aretobe watched
more-to-follow

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"There is no reason good can't triumph over evil, if only angels will get organized along the lines of the mafia."
Kurt Vonnegut

Diogenes:

What DO we call the now-governing party? I'm confused, too. I
remember when the Reform/etc's latest name change turned out
the acronym "C.P.C." and the Communist Party of Canada
launched a court challenge because the Communists didn't want
the public to think that their party might be associated with Reform/
etc. The Communists lost the case.

So the newly invented C.P.C. stands for the Conservative Party of
Canada ... or "Conservatives" for short ... No?

C.P.C. still stands for Communist Party of Canada, too. Go figure.

You might not like it BC MARY that they are in power, but that is how the system works for those who support it. Calling them name , will not change the fact that they are half way home.

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Good government is not a party government

Once the establishment accepts a terminology or a theory than everyone has to fall into line. The establishment have bought the Manning thesis of ideological politics and society has accepted their leadership. Not even Stephen Harper would deny that the definition of conservatism has been radically altered. Conservative now means "radical" right wing. We have no choice but to accept it, at least for now.

The question is what will those of us opposed to black and white ideological politics do? The media are now working to create an exclusively left wing major party from the Liberals and NDP.

This creates a much more antagonistic type of politics that is "fun" for the media but creates destructive forms of government as those at the top of the wealth/income ranking fights against the bottom half for control over the middle. Political class and regional warfare was rejected by Robert Stanfield in the 1970s but the establishment bought in to the idea because they saw felt that they could easily win any class warfare and there us little doubt that they are winning.

Whether they will continue to be successful is another question. Since the establishment controls the communications media they can redefine any term that they wish in their own interests. The internet is failing miserably in bringing together opposing voices because the like-minded congregate together and attack those who might oppose their perspective.

The result of polarized politics is the black and white nature of being either "with us or against us." There is no in between and those of us who are often "in between" are denied an effective voice.

Reall Innis, how would you go about fixing that ?

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Good government is not a party government

Mr. Coady, if I had a suggestion you would be the last person I would share it with.

You sound like you might be a lawyer or married to one and come on give me a try. Tell me how "you" would fix the system?

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Good government is not a party government