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Paul Martin -- king, lord and saviour of conservative Liberals -- released his party's pseudo-progressive platform today:
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"Liberal Leader Paul Martin tried to push the focus of an attack-filled election campaign back toward policy Thursday, unveiling a left-leaning platform that focuses on social program spending."
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This was, I believe, a fatal error in judgement.
Pundits will claim that Martin is shoring up his left flank while putting enough distance between himself and Stephen Harper to launch an offensive on social programs and social issues.
The generals, as they say, are always fighting the last war.
In a neck snapping few months, Paul Martin's strategy has gone from 'agent of change' to 'buy the vote', from 'demonize the opponent' to 'wrap yourself in the flag' -- and finally, turning full circle, to Trudeau-Chrétien liberalism.
Too little, too late.
The Martin platform stands in mirrored contrast to a decade of Liberal rule and a litany of broken promises.
Paul Martin remains the most conservative Liberal leader in modern history. No more than six months ago, that very quality was expected to carry him to an unprecedented majority government. Did he expect that we'd have forgotten?
Far from it's desired effect, the Liberal platform only higlights value of Martin's promises -- or lack thereof.
As wise and learned George W. Bush once said:
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"Fool me once, shame on... shame on you. Fool me -- you can't get fooled again."
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