- To Give Harper The Boot - The Moderate Majority Must Get Motivated, Animated, Consolidated

We've only got ourselves to blame. Instead of whining, voters must engage, Dan Lett, Winnipeg Free Press, 27/12/2010
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/weve-only-got-ourselves-to-blame-112493999.html

Harper and the Con's have a fierce (die-hard) support by a small polarized fraction (right-wing extremists) of the population but large enough (33%) and focused enough (epi-centred Alberta) to get them in power and maintain it because all the other parties are even more polarized.

And, you can betcha they will go out and vote in the next Federal election.

But with this 33% die-hard support, as long as the Harper policies do not consolidate the opposition then Harper can, and continues to, implement his right wing extremist program and policies that are strictly partizan with no concern for the good of Canada and Canadians.

The only restraint Harper has is precipitating a consolidation of the (66% Canadians) Moderate Majority - the 66% Canadians that do not buy into the political extremism of Harper and his Con's, that don't want him or subscribe to what he stands for.

The very low voter turn out in Vaughan (32.5% - Elections Canada) combined with this fierce Con support was the reason the Con's won the by-election (49.1% of the vote, Lib 46.6%). In other words, Vaughan very likely has many more Liberals but they now are represented by a Con. This could very easily happen Federally with a low voter turnout.

In a situation where a party has a small but fierce, die-hard support there are only two things that will put them in power, a low voter turnout and a polarized opposition.

Harper and the Con's know all this and strategize towards it.

By-elections are not the "harbingers of federal general election turnout" hopefully.

But if the moderate majority (66%) do not get animated, motivated, consolidated and get out and vote we will have another term of Harper and the Con's, perhaps even a majority. And, if you hear moans now just wait for that.

Lloyd MacILquham cicblog.com/comments.html