THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE

So the latest Conservative election-ad-when-there-isn't-an-election earnestly states at the end "tell your MP to put the country ahead of politics".

HO HO HO HEE HEE HAW HAW

If the Harpercrits had put the country ahead of politics back in November when the nation needed them to deal with the economic crisis BEFORE it got bad this mess wouldn't be as bad.

I'm sorry but politics aside: compare how Martin's economic policies kept us from following the US into recession after 9/11; ensured there were economic buffers when SARS, Mad Cow, and Softwood lumber took billions out of our economy.

Now look at Harper, whose first acts were to cut the GST by 2% (a cut I don't even notice benefiting me if it really does) thereby removing 9 BILLION DOLLARS annually from any buffer the Govt had. Then he increased spending in nearly every department (but only for ridings that voted Conservative). I dare say even if the US wasn't in an economic mess right now this poorly thought out economic strategy would have had us heading there the moment oil dipped below $40/barrel - which is has.

So Mr. Harper, hopefully this isn't shallow rhetoric designed to placate your opposition long enough for you to get over this mess you made worse by abdicating your responsibilities for the last 8 weeks, but most of us doubt it.

You can put lipstick on a pitbull, but don't be surprised when it bites you. It is, after all still a pitbull!