Buffet on a Friday

Babble on.

Here's some more BBG-style linkety-goodness for you on a sunny Friday morning:

• This could well be the most ignorant post I've ever seen linked by InstaPundit. You want to criticize our government? Fine. But at least get your flippin' facts right. Austin Bay needs to give his head a shake.


• Congrats to Alan, but the guys at IMAO should try browsing through his archives sometime. This isn't a one-off. Then go visit Paul Jané. Then PolSpy. We have a lot of funny folks shivering in igloos up here.


• Greg's right: Layton is lying...oops, "campaigning." Nice catch Greg.


• Ben is on a roll. Of course, his worst days kick my best. Except the silly "What 17th Century French Beauty Mark Are You?" web-pseudo-survey-game days. Those generally bite.


• When Paul Wells starts talking about post-secondary education or research and development from a public policy standpoint, you should really listen up.


• Oh, and since we're talking Inkless, I don't think I'm one of the folks who needs to sit down with a fork and knife in front of a platter full of crow to satisfy Paul. I'm of the opinion Harper should pull the arm on the electoral slot machine because Martin is the antithesis of a leader, and shouldn't be left holding the reins of power any longer than absolutely necessary. But I hold no illusions about the likelihood success if an election is called now. Two-three odds, and pick-em, depending on which poll you read last.


• It's not linkety-goodness, but I'd like to include this thought here anyhow: folks have been bashing Layton for 'doing a deal with the devil', and bashing Harper for bashing the Layton-Martin deal and not letting 'parliament work'. What a load of bunk. Both Layton and Harper are doing what they were voted in to do: push the government's agenda as much as possible. Jack's doing it by making deals. There's a political upside and a political downside to that, as I'm sure he realizes. Harper is doing it by forcing an election as government policy moves left to accomodate Layton. He wasn't elected to play patty-cake while the NDP messes around with corporate taxes and the Liberals create a national daycare fiasco-in-the-making. If you want to blame anyone for bringing the government down, blame Martin. He's made a deal with a party that can't keep him in power. What a dope.

Now, time to get outside and bask in the sunshine. We cold-blooded Conservatives need to do that every once in a while, you know.

Babble off.

Update: Just because I think Harper should be bringing the government down, doesn't mean I like the approach he's taking in front of the cameras. James Bow makes a typically clear-minded suggestion as to how my party and its leader should have handled the Layton-Martin pact. His script for Mr. Harper:

"It is profoundly sad to see the once great Liberal party reduced to begging for support from the NDP. Paul Martin is grasping at straws to keep his tired, worn out government alive a few weeks longer hoping for...what? Canadians have had enough of him.

"That said, I congratulate Mr. Layton for his skill in extracting concessions from the Martin government. I don’t agree with the changes to the budget, but at least somebody on the other side of the house is trying to get things done.

"When we sit on the other side of the house, we look forward to working positively with all the other parties to bring integrity back to the Canadian parliament. A Conservative government will..." (talk up policy points)

Unlike James, I believe we need an election sooner rather than later. This approach would still have allowed it, however. It wouldn't have precluded the Tories from voting against the revised budget on policy grounds, or if that didn't bring the government down, from introducing a non-confidence motion on the Opposition Day they secured a couple of weeks ago.

Instead, the CPC has blown yet another opportunity to look like a government in waiting. How many new votes do the folks at the OLO think this temper tantrum won them?