Layton should back Harper!.... Maybe

That's right, prop him up. That may seem like crazy talk especially from someone like me who has been calling for the end of the Harper government since its inception and who has to spit on the ground , excuse me, everytime he even says the word Harper. It's just that the only thing I can imagine being worse and more embarrassing on the world stage would be an Ignatieff government.

Do Ignatieff's supporters really expect the support of the NDP at anytime? Oh yeah we don't mind that you totally fucked us on the coalition. Now that the Liberals feel better about their position and their finances we should stand up with them and bring down Harper at the time of their choosing? Fuck that. Suddenly Liberals are anti-Harper? Nice of you centrist, poll watching assholes to get on board. Unfortunately you're like 70 votes too late.

Harper, whom under normal circumstances should be punted from office as fast as possible, really is fairly toothless right now. His attempts to woo Quebec voters were a terrific failure and all it did was to alienate his base who are pretty pissed at him. In fact it is his drop in Quebec along with a rise in the fortunes of Liberals in Quebec that has their party all horny for an election. Harper can still do some damage by appointing senators and judges but with the right-wing of the Liberal party firmly in control of their party I can't imagine their judges being much better. Paul Martin's Supreme Court choices have already pulled the court to the right. You can bet Ignatieff sure wouldn't appoint any Liberals (His political enemies) to the court.

Anyone with any political smarts whatsoever knows that Obama is on the verge of asking Canada to stay in Afghanistan for another decade or so. He may have secretly done so already. Harper would have one hell of a time saying no. I'll give you that. But you know who would definitely say yes to keeping troops in Afghanistan? Michael Ignatieff. He adores the war in Afghanistan and always has.

By the way there is not an ounce of the hypocritical in the NDP position should they decide to prop up Harper. The NDP was prepared to bring down Harper in order to be in a coalition where we would have some say in what the government were to do. In other words Jack could veto Ignatieff's silliest right-wing ideas and effectively protect the country from both Harper and Ignatieff. Iggy has already shown that he would rather vote with Harper than be Prime Minister of a country where Jack Layton would have some influence on him. Why should the NDP side with him? Especially when the Liberals put up as their man someone who just may be to the right of Harper.

Now having said what I said previously there is still some argument to be made for bringing down the government. No it's not the argument Liberals are making. Hey NDP how could you support Harper? Now that they have their finances in place and the party "braintrust" has rammed their man into the leadership we should support them. Like there is any difference between them and the Cons. The most compelling reason would be the possible end of one of the two right-wing leaders that bring our once great nation down. It is rumored that another minority for Harper and he would be on the outs with the party. It is also rumored that an election loss for Ignatieff would send him back to Harvard and out of our lives for good. Both of these developements could only be good for Canada. However there are some very bad things that could happen. Canadians could turn on the Liberals because of Ignatieff's obviously self serving election call and give Harper his majority. Harper with a majority is very dangerous. Or Canadians could finally decide they have had enough of Harper and give Ignatieff a majority. An equally scary proposition.

I think the best course of action would to be exactly what Layton seems to be doing, let Harper decide. He can come around and give the NDP some of what they are asking for, ( ATM fees seems to be one Harper wouldn't anger his base with too much) stay in power and be a hero to Canadians who want an election like they want a root canal. Or Harper could continue to refuse to budge, be held somewhat responsible for an unwanted election and risk losing his job. The NDP would come out looking pretty good either way and as usual with our principles intact.