As pleased as I was to see the strong showing of the Democrats in last week's midterm elections, I don't thing it's necessarily a harbinger of things to come in Canada or indicative of any kind of North American shift in political attitudes.
First of all, and I know this isn't news, but we're different countries. But the issues are different too. While I do think the utility of the security/scare card is waning, that's not what got Harper his minority government. He ran on change, and benefited from a scandal-plagued incumbent. Much like the Dems in the midterms, actually. So, in that scenario the Democrats followed our Conservatives' example. When your opponents are self-destructing, shut-up and get the hell out of the way.
The trick with that is they need to be self-destructing for it to work.
Which brings me to a BCer exclusive. I've obtained a copy of the Democratic victory strategy that Howard Dean is going to share with Liberals at our convention in a few weeks. This is how they re-took the House and Senate after years in the woods.
Here it is:
Step One: Collect underpants
Step Two: ?
Step Three: Profit!
No, wait, that's the underwear gnomes from South Park. Here's the Dean plan:
Step One: Your opponents start a really unpopular war that you support at first and then back away from
Step Two: Your opponents get involved in shady illegal dealings with lobbyists
Step Three: Your opponents cover-up a sex scandal involving one of their members and under-aged boys
Step Four: For fear of jinxing things don't say or do anything at all
Step Five: Victory!
I look forward to hearing how we can apply this victory strategy to Canada. Frankly, I think we'd be better-off with the underpants idea.
Monday, November 13, 2006
U.S. midterm results mean change coming to Canada pause not!
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2 comments:
You are too harsh. Dean has never pulled a punch. The "steps" you talk about are all those which he had no say in, before his time.
Even once elected DNC chair, he was initially viewed by the uber-Democrats as an outsider who wouldn't be able to get the job done.
Dean proved them wrong. More importantly, he has focussed on getting progressives involved in local government. Plant the seeds and let them grow. After all, Nixon was a local government asshole before a president.
Imagine a world where Stockwell Day was never able to rise to prominence.
I like Dean's stick it to the manness, but I believe that the real reason for the recent Democratic victory is not any great Democratic strategy, but rather Republican scandal and the war in Iraq.
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