Wide Right

Paul Wells has some interesting points on the PM's L-20 idea and why it's incredibly useless. Sure enough, Sheamus Murphy, a former Martin stoodge from Edmonton, writes back defending the big guy's idea. I'm only linking to this because it's incredibly funny how Sheamus misses the point. In one point, he comments on how "Politics keeps leaders from coming to conclusions at traditional meetings" and then goes on to discuss all the great things which will be accomplished by the L-20...Seemingly without regard for politics. Sheamus also serves up this nugget of wisdom:

I like your rationale: it's never worked before, so let's never tryit again. You should try that one with Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. orNelson Mandela.

I'd say the fact that it's never worked before is reason enough to not try the exact same thing again. Like, if someone told Martin Luther King "Listen, bringing together twenty black community leaders to discuss the issues of the day has never got us anywhere, maybe you should try something different like a bus boycott or a speech", then I'd hope MLK would listen to them.

Mind you, the fact that alienating half your party once you become leader, going into an election fresh off a scandal, running away from a winning record, bringing former separatists into cabinet, and asymmetrical federalism have all failed before and Paul's determined to give them a second go-round so I can see where Sheamus is coming from. And he may have a point. After all, avoiding policy talk during an election has never worked before but it's going to get Ralph Klein a massive majority tomorrow.