Senate Impeachment Witnesses?

There were no live witnesses when Clinton was put on trial. Lucky for him.

Meanwhile, Pelosi is undermining her case by delaying due process, refusing to send over the Impeachment Articles. A huge strategic mistake! Why? Quite simply, because the White House will continue to block testimony by Mulvaney, Bolton, Duffey, Blair, etc. But what about Giuliani? In short, Trump sticks to Executive Privilege, even with McConnell in charge. That's the sad reality, the real deal, where Democrats not only get no conviction but also no testimony at trial.

Sure, Murkowski, Collins and Romney would likely go for witnesses but probably not Sasse. Might as well already kiss them off.

Scheer Walks In Ignatieff's Footsteps.

I once joked that if I was Prime Minister with both my parents serving as Chief of Staff and Principal Secretary, that I would fire both of them in a New-York-Minute if my polling went astray.

That's what Michael did as Liberal leader and now it's Andrew's turn. Of course, I remain consistent and am enthusiastically in favour.

However, is it also symptomatic of a leadership problem that will be difficult, if not impossible to mend? Unfortunately, that was the case with Ignatieff and likely will also be with Scheer.

Cleaning house internally is always good but can be indicative of a leadership that is highly likely to be unrecoverable.

That's certainly what happened with Michael and may very well be the case with Scheer.

Conservatives gathering next April have some serious thinking to do. But none of that will be effective without resolute, drastic action on leadership. Believe me. Conservatives just don't have what it takes to ditch Scheer and embrace Ambrose. Liberals in general, and Trudeau in particular, are no doubt counting exactly on that.

The Voters Are Always Right.

First off, I've been dealt quite a dose of humility as regards my strategic abilities: I'm very pleased with my BQ and GP projections but boy, did the NDP ever under perform. Wasn't expecting that.

This election is without a doubt a strategic vote in Ontario where people did whatever it took to keep the CPC out.

Well sure, the CPC likely won the popular vote but that only counts in horse shoes.

So, forgive me if I don't offer the CPC or NDP any advice.

But in the end, as a democrat, just got to say that voters are always right. Simply grateful that Trudeau was held to a minority.

And the great thing about this election: well, the wheels of government begin to turn once again tomorrow and that's always worth celebrating in a democracy.

Kinsella ON Bernier.

Isn't it so delightful to see the self-appointed self-righteous, who are quite naturally, absolutely in God's image and teachings going after Warren Kinsella with all they can muster. And those people, quite incredibly, have the unmitigated gall to attack Kinsella with every charge, accurate or more often, otherwise.

Get the picture folks! All of this comes out of Maxime Bernier's own positions and comments -- not to mention who he quite deliberately chooses to surround himself with politically. How many people do you know who are repeatedly photographed with racists who then, to my knowledge, do zip to condemn those photos and express regret for having been naive enough to agree to be photographed with just about anyone, or anything, that happens to come through the PPC's door?

No, sir or madam, this is not about attacking politicians -- or their staffs -- or even their war rooms. All of that is fair game. We all have opinions on politicians and those who politically surround them so why would any of us not be allowed to publicly express them, so long as they are not hateful?

So ironic to see people quite willingly demonize others while at the same time giving absolutely no quarter to those who happen to do the exact same thing, via similar techniques, against their own leader...and the leaders themselves, from several parties, are no better. There are absolutely no angels in this race, only a pathetic unfortunate collection of liars, con-artists and sanctimonious prigs.

Then what about those who either by deliberate action, or unintended misinformation, go way off in left field with bogus charges such as:

that some people having allegedly attacked Wynne, when nothing of the kind ever happened. In Kinsella's case, he consistently challenged those around her as regards their political abilities, and yes, did not always have kind words for them as individuals, but he always treated Wynne with respect and repeatedly reminded readers that he long liked her personally. That's the reality.

Others, quite incredibly, denounce those who put out "negative" energy. But they are both selective and intentionally hypocritical as to who gets to be the intended target of their more or less credible political animus: no outcry against Justin Trudeau on Harper, Scheer, Ford, Kenney, Higgs and the list goes on and on...a far cry from when his father rebuked him for having mildly criticized Clark in his youth. Nothing to say about that. Ditto for Andrew Scheer and his minions who delight in personally tearing off a Trudeau strip with every breath taken. All of the above is absolutely peachy, as long as your guy is the one doing it. Thus, the politicians are entitled to an automatic pass but not Kinsella. No, no, he's the strategic devil incarnate who goes out of his way to do what no other Canadian, in or out of politics, has ever done...mind-numbing hypocrisy.

And what to say about the clearly mentally ill? As someone who suffers from it myself, my first reaction, of course, is one of compassion. Next is a hope that they will find peace and quickly get effective and often-times, life-saving treatment. Finally, to those people and all others I would say, take a real deep breath before posting personalized hate because a highly competent solicitor is inevitably, right around the corner.

Many people lately have amply demonstrated what it is to be truly Canadian. Others not. Just glad I instinctively knew which side to fall back on.

Day Eighteen: THIS IS THE ONLY ELECTION ISSUE!

What counts is what’s in an individual VOTER’s fond intérieur. If they feel exactly as I do and then go vote, the Liberals are toast. It’s not so much that Trudeau is a political phoney — it’s more that Trudeau knows precisely that he’s a phony but he’s absolutely determined to laugh at all of us by acting like he isn’t even remotely one.

Warren!?

Can the 2018 midterms be sustained with Warren as Democratic nominee? Talking highly theoretical here but remember that young people turned out in droves and flipped not only the House but also a slew of governorships.

If the 2018 trend holds, Warren could be the next Obama. That's not by any means the traditional voting paradigm -- far from it. In most elections, conservatives and older Americans carry the day for Republicans. But this ain't 2016, is it?

So, I'm cautiously optimistic about Warren. If real, progressive, significant change comes to the United States, it will arrive largely because of younger voters.

They hold much of the power and if they use it practically in unison, then the America of tomorrow will be demonstrably different than the country of today.

Day Nine: A Day That Leaves You Almost Speechless.

To his credit, this Prime Minister quickly offered an apology -- the exact nature of which is being intensely debated and criticized across the political spectrum.

But when all is said and done, one hopes that most people will accept it and allow Trudeau to seek redemption.

That's point one.

For mere mortals -- or if you prefer flawed human beings -- to deliberately get hot and heavy over this is at least hypocritical. You all know about people living in glass houses, etc.

I don't consider myself even remotely suitable to judge others as regards this type of behaviour. I would also apply that assessment to the rest of you. Our faiths teach us a number of common things, more particularly:

An allusion to an utterance of Jesus' in John 8:7, viz. “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”

Then, there's also this from the Holy Father:

“Who am I to Judge ?.”


Now on to point two: which is entirely separate from self-appointing oneself as moral arbiter of a given transgression. Political accountability is altogether a horse of a different colour. This is where Canadians, quite properly, can and should have their say.

Taken as acts by the highest political actor in the land, it's easy to see why Trudeau must make amends, namely, because his job is not only to represent all Canadians but also to serve as a reflection of same.

In strict political terms, this PM has failed us. One would think that a prolonged round of self-introspection would reveal the way forward. I can't imagine any Prime Minister wanting to continue as leader of his party under such circumstances. In his place, I would certainly resign.

But then again, it's not for us to force a resignation. Trudeau is accountable first and foremost to his own conscience, then to God, if he deems that appropriate and finally, to the Canadian people. If he stays on as leader, he has to expect a considerable negative reaction at the ballot box.

That's where selflessness ultimately comes in: does he really want to put his party in such a position and likely take them straight down into the abyss? Are members and supporters going to be made to pay a political price right along with him? Only Trudeau can work this through and decide.

Whatever course he chooses, it will ring in the history books. He would do well to keep that in mind during his deliberations.