Liberals, NDP should join in coalition, Hargrove says

[Bragi]

OTTAWA -- Taking his controversial strategic voting plan a big step further, Canadian Auto Workers president Buzz Hargrove said the Liberal Party should stop running candidates in NDP-friendly ridings while the NDP should pull out of Liberal strongholds.

I agree.

- B

[tuvor]

1. Hargrove seems to think people never change their minds.

I'm not surprised you agree with Hargrove. Looks like you two read from the same manual. From the story you cited, here's more Hargrove:

"In Windsor, why waste your resources in running a Liberal there? Why not support the NDP? And then in other ridings where the Liberals are strong, why waste resources? Why run a candidate? Why not just support the Liberal try to build a left coalition?" he asked in an interview. Some left-leaning commentators have begun urging a debate on the possible merger of Canada's political left. However, the outspoken union leader insists his proposal would not be a de facto merger.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060221.NDP21/TPStory/National

Mere weeks before the last election, Stephen Harper didn't have a hope in hell of forming our current government--according to those who "know better". I wish he had adopted your fatalistic attitude and just chucked it all. But he didn't, and look where he is now. So I say neither should the Liberals, nor the NDP.

[Bragi]

3. Wrong

You wrote:

Mere weeks before the last election, Stephen Harper didn't have a hope in hell of forming our current government

I see that this kind of statement is becoming part of the NDP "let's pretend we can win" strategy.

Fact is, "mere weeks before the last election" Harper was leading in the polls.

Personally, I was not among those who thought that victory was beyond Harper's reach. It was clear from the get-go that the Libs were in the lead, but that Harper was within 10 points, and quite competitive.

I don't think any astute observers of politics said when the election was called that Harper didn't have a chance.

Looks to me like Club NDP is just trying to re-write history here, I suppose to fuel their belief that the NDP is electorally competitive at the federal level.

Well, the reality is: the NDP never has been, and is not, electorally competitive nationally.

- B

[tuvor]

4. As long as you belive the past and present dictates the future

there's no point in discussing anything to which you choose to apply that line of..."reasoning."

[Bragi]

5. Gee, I dunno

I admit I've always been taken by the idea that the past and the present are things to factor in when consdiering the future course of events.

This idea is somewhat related to the notion that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.

Anyway, your idea, stated here several times, that the present and the past have no bearing on the future is, well, *interesting*.

- B

[tuvor]

6. "Present and past have no bearing on the future"? That's not what I said.

I said they don't dictate the future. I trust you understand the difference.

[MrPrax]

2. LOL

You never give up do you!!

The big question is...why is Buzz mentioning this now? Could have stumbled on this brilliant strategy anytime in the last--say 41 years--?

Does this have anything to do with a 'Dump Buzz' campaign at the CAW? I wonder...