Monday, July 05, 2004

CONSERVATIVE RESURGENCE

Calgary Grit looks at the election results and says, "I think a lot of people in the Conservative camp are losing focus here" and that "this wasn't the terrible loss for the Tories everyone is making it out to be." Now, I know both the Grit and I are liberals, and further, I live in Ontario (gasp) but as the Grit says, six months ago the Conservatives would have been ecstatic if someone told them what the election result would be.

Further, the way I see it, is that the Conservatives are now where they had wanted to be at the end of the 2000 election: a united right under a strong leader, a solid breakthrough in Ontario, and a Liberal minority. Basically, the Stockwell Day debacle, along with the wily and brilliant politicking of Jean Chretien, set the Conservatives back one election cycle, but now they're back on track.

I can't say I feel thrilled with the Conservatives increased fortunes but in the long run I think the result may be better for our Parliament. In the meantime, I might quietly suggest that Conservatives look at where they were four years ago when evaluating the electoral outcome.

Update: the next afternoon- These thoughts also seem to be the growing consensus amongst intelligent conservatives.

Posted by Matthew @ 12:38 p.m.