Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Layton Embraces Bigotry

To which bigots does Jack Layton want to appeal?

The bigots in his party? I'd always believed the NDP to be the utter antithesis of a political organization that would be appealing or welcoming to bigots. I know that I've never met a member of the NDP that I would consider a bigot. Perhaps the party membership has changed since Layton formed his unholy alliance with Harper.

Those in other parties? Conservative bigots are never going to vote for the NDP anyway and Liberal bigots are well served within their own ranks.

I can only conclude that Layton thinks this action will play well within his own party.

Even though I will not vote NDP as long as they keep playing sub rosa footsie with Harper I hope I'm wrong that this plays well to his base. I would really be uncomfortable in a country where all three main political parties felt obliged to welcome and play to bigots. And I'm already pretty uncomfortable in Harper's Canada.

I also have to wonder whether we'll ever find out if there's a quid pro quo lurking somewhere among the rats behind the baseboards. Does an NDP member get to chair some obscure, inconsequential committee looking into something no one cares about? Does Olivia get to lunch with Laureen every Thursday? Does Jack get to share Steve's make-up stylist?

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