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.

Day Six: Trudeau Takes Questions Today But...

Trudeau won't take questions every day during this campaign like Harper did last time.

And that's smart cause every time he opens his mouth on SNC, he only digs deeper this government's grave.

Day Five: Trudeau The Retail Politician.

You all know what I think about Trudeau and his PMO gang. To ask that question is to answer it. But what I want to know is what's Broadhurst's input in the LPC re-election strategy? What's his take on going with the retail politician strategy?

Broadhurst is a guy that I naturally fear politically because he hasn't endlessly bumbled his way through the Trudeau tenure like those of them in the PMO.

Let's start with the positive: Trudeau's basically a born natural at it. To watch the footage in Saint-Tite, or at Timmy's, is to behold the Justin magic at work. People are incredibly emotional, enthusiastic and basically positive -- in spite of what's been in the news since caucus (read Trudeau) gave JWR and JP the heave-ho.

Those people are with him and would probably walk over hot coals for this Prime Minister. They don't care what Trudeau's done, or not done, they like the guy and would be only too pleased to see the PM returned come October. Add to all this the fact that Trudeau has the guts to show up with his daughter in tow says something. He's confident, going into the campaign.

Now for the negative: worldliness and charm only takes you so far in an election. This ain't Trudeaumania 1968. Conservatives are within striking distance and the day is young as far as campaigns go. Trudeau has broken promises and been incredibly creative in his responses about SNC, Norman and the like. In short, outright lying has not been an absent factor in the election so far. 

So, to put it in a 2015 context, why did Trudeau and the Liberals come from third place to win government? That's the key right there as to whether the retail politics strategy will pay huge dividends this time.

It can only cut ice in one of two ways: either people basically fell in love with Trudeau and hurdled themselves precipitously to the polls in an avalanche to get him elected OR they had come to so dislike and despise Harper that they were pretty much prepared to put anyone else in the PM's chair. 

The final interesting element is that Trudeau now has a record that can best be described as some successes mitigated by other failures.

What it all boils down to in 2019 is whether most voters want Trudeau in or out. The race remains competitive with Liberals slightly ahead cause a lot of people still like Justin Trudeau. But how much of the Liberal vote will actually turn out next month? It's a safe bet to say that numbers won't be anywhere near what the party got in 2015.

If the vote rush remains positive, Liberals get another term in office. But if the angry, disillusioned and dissatisfied show up at the polls, it's all over with the CPC winning big. The latter is my sense of voting intentions as of now, but things could change.

In any event, you the voter have a decision to make -- and no matter how it plays out, democracy is always right. That's the best part about Canada.

  

Day Four: The TRUDEAU Game Plan: Playing Canadians For Fools.

Let's cut right to the chase: Trudeau thinks Canadians are gullible saps who are prepared to swallow any bullshit that comes out of his mouth.

Because that's the Trudeau plan, it automatically becomes by prime ministerial fiat the Liberal one.

You see, Justin Trudeau is so much more clever than the rest of us -- just flash those baby blues and broad smile and we're supposed to swallow any and all of his bullshit.

That's why the PM remains allergic to questions  -- not to mention deliberately muzzling parliamentary institutions and the national police force.

Trudeau can't come clean to the RCMP on SNC and Norman cause it would cost him his job. No one knows that better than Mr. Razzmatazz.

Trudeau thinks Canadians are nothing more than his useful idiots. We're supposed to swallow what he did to JWR and JP without question.

But I've got news for the PM: voters don't like it and won't merely sit by and take it. No, sir.

Canadians are going to get off their asses and vote. We'll collectively deliver to him a message he'll never forget on election day.

The Trudeau BS no longer cuts ice with most of us. So, we'll vote and kick this PM's ass to the curb. No one deserves it more than Justin Trudeau.

Just So We're Clear.

I won't be drawn into an extended pissing contest over at Warren's place, or anywhere else, by quasi-desperate Liberal surrogates.

Instead, I'll call 'em like I see 'em, just as I did four years ago.

Day Two: Housing Affordability.

Trudeau wins the day because he's at least seen as doing something nationally as regards housing affordability, especially in markets such as Vancouver and Toronto where many can only dream of one day buying their first home. Killing, or at least dampening the speculator's market is awfully good politics.

Meanwhile, pundits concentrate on a debate where Trudeau is AWOL, that probably almost no one watches.

Day One: Just How Much Are YOU Prepared To Swallow?

First, my obvious bias: you'll recall that last time the blog's title said it all. In 2019, I'm urging people to throw Trudeau out in the wake of his MPs kicking JWR and JP out of caucus. And that means voting CPC, something I never expected I would have to resort to for years to come.

So, here we go!

Trudeau's Liberals not so coincidentally got in the first punch as regards JWR's alleged partner's travel expenses. It was an obvious smear job ahead of the writ drop. Doubt it gets traction.

Next came the clumsy attempt at blaming PCO for federal witness restrictions re: RCMP and Ethics Commissioner investigations. The PMO claimed PCO was merely serving as guardian of cabinet confidence. Right. PMO also assured us they had nothing to do with it. Right, again. I know they think Canadians are gullible doofuses but Trudeau will quickly discover we're not.

The day closed with word that the RCMP once again interviewed JWR yesterday. As an aside, the RCMP will follow standard operating procedure and suspend its investigation until after the vote.

Scheer immediately went on the offensive saying Trudeau had lost the moral authority to govern. Too sanctimonious, for a start.

Meanwhile, Trudeau had almost nothing to say about SNC while at Rideau Hall. No surprise there. In his place, I'd shut up too...

Finally, what Day One tells us is it's still amateur hour around Scheer and that the Liberal War Room can't be credibly believed in a month of Sundays.

There you have it. What do you think?

The Mooch Is On Target.

People might want to dismiss what he said about Trump's alleged cognitive decline but hey, a picture says a thousand words. Sadly.

You don't have to like Trump but would anyone seriously wish this on him, or anyone else? I hope not cause what goes around, comes around. That karma boomerang can be really nasty, to use a Trump euphemism.

I'm no doctor but Trump doesn't look well and not just physically. The fire is gone and he appears to be struggling as time passes.

What it gets down to is whether this President can get through 2020 -- never mind win. I, like Scaramucci, don't think that's real anymore.

They'll attack the messenger and ignore the message. Sure, The Mooch has a pretty obvious axe to grind but so does Trump.

So, as a good Republican, he warns and maybe roots for a well-financed party challenger.

What's left unsaid is glaringly obvious: how would Republicans do with Pence at the top of the ticket? Here's a hint: think of lemmings enthusiastically running right off that cliff.

No one's probably figured that out better than Scaramucci.