Revolutionary Moderation

The big winner of the first full day



I'm likely opening myself up to criticism that I'm being a partisan here, but for the first time since he was elected leader, I liked Jack Layton today. I can't remember the last time I heard a New Democrat campaign include balanced budgets as a central plank. Don't get me wrong - Tommy Douglas was a firm believer in balancing the books, and NDP provincial governments have proven no worse (though sometimes not better) at staunching the flow of red ink than Tories, Liberals, SoCreds, PQ, ... am I missing any? ... who have formed governments before them and since. But they generally haven't sold the point over the last few elections, and I think that's why there's distance between the NDP and the large part of the electorate now. It's nice to see the party catch up to the voters on this.



It was platform-unveiling day for the NDP, and besides balanced budgets, they've outlined a platform full of interesting ideas. I'm not sure I love all the ideas, and I'll want to spend a little more time hearing the party flesh out "green economy" and "creative tax relief" before I can become unequivocal.



But I can be certain of one thing - these are ideas. They aren't appeals to fear or greed or hatred, they aren't the demonization of one opposing leader or another. These ideas can travel around the country, be introduced by Layton, and leave Canadians to judge yea or nay on the merits.



Give me a month of that. Give me all the leaders doing that, and what you'd have there is some old-timey 18th century democracy. Except without the fear-mongering. I'd be down with that.



Do I seem to be belabouring this point? I figure it's important.