Revolutionary Moderation

Go West. No, wait, don't.



While I opined that Ralph Klein was making threats about withdrawing from the Canada Health Act as a political maneuver to get more cash out of the fed, new evidence suggests that what Klein really meant was "if Albertans don't go apeshit at the suggestion, were getting out of the Canada Health Act". And the new evidence comes in the form of one ideologue: the new chief-of-staff to the Premier is Steve West.



Steve West! The man who passed everything he could into private industry hands - liquor stores, electricity, large swaths of the prison system, highway maintenance, licencing and registration services, and land, land, land.



Steve West! The man who doesn't like spending government money on prisoners (and tried to deny them multi-ply toilet paper), unless it comes to punishment - then it's pricey black and white televisions, rather than the cheaper colour versions, for all. (Apparently, being tough on crime means making sure criminals in provincial institutions can't tell the difference between the home and away teams --- damn all those third uniforms.)



I've never accused Klein of being an ideologue, but he does have a tendency to keep some around. I always thought that was for show - an appeal to the base, without actually pandering to it. My mistake - this is a warning that the entire operation of the provincial government is at risk of going to auction. Vigilance is called for, now.