On Coalition-Building

From the Toronto Star this morning:

Prime Minister Paul Martin is asking New Democrat voters to form a "coalition" at the ballot box next week to avert a Conservative government and save Canada's social programs.

Funny. I heard Jack Layton has been calling for the same thing:

There has to be a strong party in the next Parliament ready, willing and able to lead Parliament to a more reasonable, balanced approach. An approach that puts ordinary working people at the head of the line, not at the back of the line. The Liberals can’t do that, and they won’t do that. They’re going to be busy thinking about themselves for the next few years, not you.That’s why I’m appealing directly to Canadians who have voted Liberal in past elections. This time, in this election, I’m asking you to switch to the NDP.

You know, I have looked over the "Think Twice" website and Maude Barlow's MacLean's blog in recent days and I have to wonder. Amidst all the inglorious fearmongering over the dire consequences of what will (in all likelihood) be another minority government, amidst all the clamour about policies that will die or be killed, just what is their alternative?

This is an election, after all. And it should be about proposing choices. I have long since had enough of left-wing sanctimony, shrill negativity, bland acceptance of increasingly aimless leadership and empty rhetoric. Even knowing the outcome, I probably still would have voted Nader in Florida in 2000, based on the paucity of offerings by Gore. Even though I was forced to side with Kerry in the end based on real evidence of Bush's disastrous, unchecked policy-making, I started out with Dean early on, when he was actively opposing the Bush agenda and proposing solutions instead of the coddlers in the Senate who swing only with public opinion. Give me reform Democrats any day, who speak productively about their vision for the country as well, and who seek the votes to implement it.

It is almost as if too many of the "think twice" mindset don't understand that a plurality of votes FOR your ideas WINS. Don't think elections can move enough votes? Look no further than Harper in Quebec this time 'round. You want me to "think twice" - then go offer yourselves as candidates for the job, instead of asking me to vote for those who have continually disappointed me these past few years. Actively support and campaign on a platform Canadian voters can support. In a minority Parliament, every member and every vote could be crucial, and gets an actual say on the decisions that actually get made.

Until you do so, I will impute to you about as "credibility" as the Prime Ministerial candidate you impliedly endorse - none. At least Layton gets the magnitude of this opportunity in the closing days. Just imagine if more of these so-called "progressives" were with him from the beginning...