The Show Must Go On

You know, I thought Ontario politics had reached its nadir back in April with the passage of Dalton McGuinty's budget after a month of the NDP pretending to oppose it, and the media pretending that Horwath had wrung substantial concessions from the Liberals (instead of just giving them an excuse to raise taxes again).  

But to have to go through the whole thing again? Over the same budget? And to have to watch #onpoli lose its collective mind again over an election that will not happen? It's clear that there is no bottom.

And it's also clear that Dalton is going to threaten an election every time he doesn't get what he wants, and that the threat of an election is going to be very effective, because despite all the moaning about the current government, nobody really wants to get off their asses and work to change things.

Here's what Dalton expects you to believe, Mr. and Mrs. Ontario voter:

1) That Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario, can threaten an election because nobody is allowed to make amendments to his budget, while the Premier's brother, Liberal MP David McGuinty, stands in the House of Commons for 24 hours at a time trying to make amendments to the federal budget, because the federal budget simply can't pass without amendments (because it's a Conservative budget)

2) That Dalton McGuinty told the other parties that he wanted them to work together on the budget, and when the PC Party and the NDP voted together to make amendments to the budget (i.e. work together on the budget), Dalton threatened to call an election

3) That if Dalton McGuinty and the Liberals defeat their own budget by dissolving the government, voters will punish the other parties for causing an election.

Now, if you would prefer to not notice the above contradictions, there's very little that I can do for you. You're in very good company. But as long as you keep your head in the sand, things are only going to get worse.

Meanwhile, the PC Party of Ontario has been consistent in opposing this fraud from the beginning, and they are right to have done so. If you want to try being consistent for a change, I recommend you stand with them.