Phendrana Drifts

Many bloggers along with the mainstream media are discussing the Conservative Party of Canada's move to withdraw public funding to political parties - here is a sample from the blogs I regularly read:

daveberta: two comments on jim flaherty's "economic update."
Enlightened Savage: Harper to Opposition: Go Fund Yourselves! and Dion Had Better Blink
under the hood: It feels wrong, but I almost want to move to America…
Stephen Taylor: Flaherty to end campaign welfare
CalgaryGrit: If you want to play chess, let's play! and In a slightly ironic twist...
Alberta: Get Rich or Die Trying: I don't even know where to begin

At first when I learned about the ploy I was not surprised, but I did think people were blowing it out of proportion - I didn't think it was likely for the government to fall or even for it to go forward - I thought the Conservatives would be content with the Liberals simply taking the heat and burning the political capital to put it back. Then I learned it would be a part of Flaherty's economic update, making it a confidence motion. And while I still don't think the Governor General has as much flexibility as some, it does raise some very interesting possibilities - although I still think either the Liberals will cave, the Conservatives will cave or an inevitable election will occur - even if my rusty constitutional law is way off and Ms. Jean has the power to ask Dr. Dion or Mr. Layton to form a government, that government can only last as long as M. Duceppe can stomach it. As leader of the official opposition, Mr. Harper will have all the tools at his disposal to kill the new government within a month, and on an issue of his choosing while framing the election all about the selfish Liberals playing politics over a couple of million dollars for the Liberals while Canadians are struggling to make ends meet. All the same, some observations:

1. The Tories were exceedingly successful in making the public funding of parties the message - and framing the opposition of the update only about this issue. The economic update is likely the most important business in front of the House before the spring budget - unless a bailout or other economic measure comes up - and the reasons for opposing it are likely wide and varied. Our response to the Collapse of Global Capitalism (that's what I call it until the mainsteam media think of something better) is perhaps the most important issue that has faced our government since deciding not to go to Iraq - that is an issue much bigger than $30 million of public funding to parties. Yet, the only thing mainstream media can seem to talk about is how the Liberals are opposing the update because they will die if they don't get your tax dollars. Brilliant.

2. The Liberals still look weak - why aren't they saying we don't want your money? I mean, I know they need it and what not, but money can be raised, fundraising schemes can be implemented, loans can be taken out, and yes, bankruptcy can be considered. But there is a certain air of Oliver Twist in the spin on their commentary. Show people you are ready to govern by saying Canadians will lose their jobs and pensions if this economic update stands as the federal government reaction to the Collapse of Global Capitalism. Tell the public that public funding of parties is a part of a much larger issue of democratic reform, but since democratic reform isn't the top priorities of either the Liberals or Canadians, you aren't really thinking about it right now. Also, read and re-read CalgaryGrit's post on fundraising in response - go out and ask for money. Keep asking for money. Don't just ask for the max from well-off donors, go out and ask for $10 from everyone who might donate.

3. While I think the economic impacts of yesterday's update are infinitely more important than the political, money makes elections possible, and the rules governing how parties and their campaigns are funded are an important part of studying a democracy. I don't necessarily think it is a mistake to withdraw public funding of political parties, but I think it is important to realize that when we introduced public funding it was done at the same time as capping donations from individuals, unions and corporations. By not simply rolling back the clock to 2000, we're changing the democratic system wrapped in an economic debate. And that is a little unfair.

4. I'm really not shocked - the Conservatives are going for the throat of the Liberals. That was really the point of the last election, and it is the entire point of doing this. And it will take a strategist better than I to get the Liberals out of this very serious strategic bind.

Labels: federal politics

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