Liberal election rhetoric has become as predictable as the changing of the seasons, and just as sure as winter becomes spring and the swallows return to Capistrano, the election saber rattling is invariably followed by an embarrassing, emasculating climb-down.
And wax on, wax off, the cycle begins anew…
OTTAWA — Liberal leader Stéphane Dion is hinting a fall election centred around his party's Green Shift plan is on the political horizon.I hope that this time is different, and that we’ll have an election this fall. We’d better have an election this fall. But please Stephane, and all the other Liberal poo-bahs, please keep your musings to yourselves. No ponderings. No speculations. No ratcheting-up expectations. Anonymous or otherwise. We’ve been down this road before. We don’t need you quoting odds on fall elections.
Following the first of a series of election-style speeches across Eastern Ontario, Mr. Dion said the odds are increasing that he will pull the plug on the Conservative minority government.
We will continue to work inside and outside Parliament to address the concerns of Canadians, and we will force an election when the time is right. That’s all you need to say. Green shift good, environment, megatons of jobs, it’s a health issue too. Pivot to the message. Maybe toss in a little Conservative ad scam in Quebec bad.
But keep talking policy, and about the green shift. About what we’d do in government, after an election. Keep laying the groundwork for an election. Have the logistics in place. Evaluate the strategic situation and pick the right spot.
But this constant yo-yo of ratcheting-up election speculation and then dashing them…I’ve lost count how many times now…its nauseating, counterproductive and unnecessary. If you do keep going down this road, you need to follow through this time. It could be you fully intend to…and you could have fully intended to the other five times too.
Point is things could change, and since you gain nothing with rhetoric at this point that will only garner laughs AND box you into a corner, just keep your eyes on the prize, talk policy, and keep the heat on the Conservatives.
And keep your musings private. Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers
10 comments:
Stephane mentioned that there would probably be a fall election at the BC policy convention that was held in Richmond back at the end of May.
The Liberals I have talked to have been publically making statements for almost two months that there will be a fall election.
Maybe it's just that the media is finally publishing the statements?
An Ontarian in Vancouver
I certainly hope the 3 by-elections are good news, first....Hate to have one of them go Tory and then have to fight an election.
Whooee! If Harper prorogues Parliament, as is widely predicted, can Dion force a fall election? It would seem that a prorogued schedule wouldn't have the HoC sitting until November. A winter election? Nah!
JB
I don't think I agree this time. Remember that Dion is talking to the grassroots who have to run the local campaigns. If he has decided on the fall, then they need to know to be ready. I think the problem was more the crying wolf in the spring than being honest now.
Harper is going to hold a meeting about Native Issues in the fall with the premiers. How much you want to be that he schedules it in October?
Dion has made the pollsters job easier by telegraphing a question media spin doctors can analyze to the death.
Why do politicians set their time to the sundial?
CP headline: "Canadians hungry for a federal election this fall, says Liberal leader"
But wait
3? by elections coming in September.
Before parliament reconvenes....
If Dion pulls off a miraculous huge victory in all 3 then I agree with the liberals that parliament will probably be prorogued.
But to me that is a pretty big if....
More likely the Canadian electorate will "calm down and be satiated" on a very close call for Dion in Guelph.
And we will have more rhetoric about how evil the conservative are and how the liberals are going to take the first oppertunity to save us from teh evil conservatives....
But later when Canadians are more interested in having an election (read: voting liberal in an election)
I am not even that sure on the proroguing of parliament will be used as a tactic... I have heard the liberals bleat that drum twice since Harper actually did it way back when. The 3rd time smear is the charm maybe?
All he needs to say to the grassroots is there could be an election any time, we'll go when the time is right, so be ready. We should be ready. We should know it could be anytime. He doesn't need to put us on notice.
The media like to write election speculation stories, it's easy, it's the old horse race vs. policy thing. Don't play into it. Pivot back to our issues.
That's what he's been saying for a year now. It resulted in no substantially different headlines.
I think you need to either fish or cut bait.
Either the Liberals go with the "keep everything out of the public eye" sentiment that prevents them from building an effective netroots, and play their cards close to the chest;
...or let it all hang out, let people say what they believe, and damn the trolls and sycophants.
But for the love of all that is good, pick one or the other. Right now, it seems that the only guy who's being forced to stick to the talking points is poor Cherniak.
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