2 Wildrose MLAs to cross to PCs

[Bunk]

Bell on the "Reunification Agreement"

Wow

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2014/12/1...-conservatives

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Minnie

Silly "fantasy" but there's this small part of me that would like to see Prentice allow every WRP MLA to cross but tell Danielle no thanks, if you want to go for a walk, the door is over there.

What about turncoat Rob Anderson? He was once a PC party member then crossed to the WRP

[Ozy_Flame]

Greg Clark must be loving this - his party is about to become more relevant if this happens.

[LanceUppercut]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Greg Clark must be loving this - his party is about to become more relevant if this happens.

From finishing a close 2nd in one riding to a distant 2nd in one riding?

[KevanGuy]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Bell on the "Reunification Agreement"

Wow

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2014/12/1...-conservatives

[Kjesse]

So having read that article, WR is really going to do it, and Rick Bell wrote something that I found informative. Shocking on both counts.

This whole thing is just awful for democracy.

[Minnie]

Originally Posted by Dion

What about turncoat Rob Anderson? He was once a PC party member then crossed to the WRP

I don't even care.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Minnie

I don't even care.

But you care if Smith crosses and gets a seat

[Dion]

Political analyst Duane Bratt makes some interesting comments

Duane Bratt, a political analyst at Mount Royal University in Calgary, said he found the rumours of a merger “really bizarre.”

“They took down two premiers,” he said of the Wildrose. “They’ve been the most powerful opposition we’ve ever seen in this province. Many of the policies that Prentice brought in, he simply adopted what Wildrose has been saying. But given the fiscal downturn in this province, I would think that would help the Wildrose party, because they’re strongest on fiscal issues. I think this would have given them a lifeline after a really disastrous fall.”

Bratt said in one way, a merger would be a sad day for democracy.

“You can say what you want about Wildrose, they have been a very effective opposition party,” he said.

http://calgaryherald.com/news/politi...ng-merger-talk

[Bunk]

The PCs (now really just The Cs) are seriously The Borg

[Minnie]

Originally Posted by Rick Bell

Prentice, says the messaging, “has shown himself to be a man of integrity and an exceptionally competent leader at a time of great economic uncertainty.”

Oh lordy. As IF they even think that.

There's this tiny fledgling conspiracy theory part of me that I'm trying to tamp down, that makes me wonder if some huge scandal regarding the WRP is going to break at some point, by which time they're hoping they're under the "protection" of the PCs which will somehow cushion the reaction from the public. Particularly since they've been so vocal the past few months about how horrible the PCs are/were, how awful Redford was (a given) and all that fingerpointing has suddenly swung back at them. A stretch, I'm sure, but I've always kind of wondered if something like that might happen, eventually.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by LanceUppercut

From finishing a close 2nd in one riding to a distant 2nd in one riding?

I think you're going to see a hell of a protest vote in Clark's next riding if tihs merger goes through.

Ergo, Clark is in for a bigger role in Alberta politics. Just my opinion.

[Minnie]

Originally Posted by Dion

But you care if Smith crosses and gets a seat

Yeah, d'uh, LOL. I dislike her, immensely. I'd like to see her out of politics, period.

Like I said, it's all just silly fantasy stuff.

[Bunk]

An opposition has to come together. Has to. Disaffected Red Tories, liberals, Alberta Party - dare I say even NDP.

Put differences (and more importantly egos) aside and create a big tent centrist party.

[corporatejay]

Yeah this a big step in the wrong direction

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Minnie

Oh lordy. As IF they even think that.

There's this tiny fledgling conspiracy theory part of me that I'm trying to tamp down, that makes me wonder if some huge scandal regarding the WRP is going to break at some point, by which time they're hoping they're under the "protection" of the PCs which will somehow cushion the reaction from the public. Particularly since they've been so vocal the past few months about how horrible the PCs are/were, how awful Redford was (a given) and all that fingerpointing has suddenly swung back at them. A stretch, I'm sure, but I've always kind of wondered if something like that might happen, eventually.

It's more like the WRP party/Titanic is sinking and nobody wants to be the Captain that has to go down with his ship

Seriously, I think the party has fractured since the by elections and there is no unity or direction within the party. The in fighting has come to a head with more members threatening to cross the floor. Thus the plan to unite with the PC's and save face.

[V]

Well, a lot of it has to do with these people not wanting to be without a job after the next election. They're terrified of what life outside of politics might look like.

[Kjesse]

This is going to become far more contentious for the turncoats in WRP and their co-conspirators in the PC party than either side anticipates.

A governing party, of 43 years, having been spooked at one point of losing power to the opposition, taking advantage of what should be temporary disarray to dismantle that opposition to ensure it can't rise again to threaten them ever again, thereby prolonging their one party dynasty.

And the PCs do this, not with the support of the many hundreds of thousands of Albertans who have cast votes for that now struggling party, who hoped for an actual alternative government or at least and finally an effective opposition, or even the support of the executives those "grassroots" members elected, but by playing to the individual wishes of Anderson, Saskiw, Smith and their supporting caucus members trying to prolong their own individual political careers, because they can't take the heat they are now under and too cowardly to stand on the democratic principles they were elected to fulfil.

A governing party dismantling the official opposition in a parliamentary democracy via effectively playing on individual MLA desires en masse is the most disgusting thing I have ever seen in modern politics. It shows votes do not count!

This should be illegal. After all the stunts the PCs have pulled over the last few years, this one best represents the contempt they hold for the people of Alberta. Power is the goal, democracy be damned. I'm disgusted by them and their WR co-conspirators.

[octothorp]

Pretty sure the Wildrose Party is adhering to these famous words attributed to Libertarian hero Thomas Jefferson: "the price of liberty is eternal vigilance... unless someone really great gets elected leader, at which point it would be kinda pointless to maintain an opposition to them, right? I mean, accountability is really only necessary as long as people are electing imperfect politicians."

[Aarongavey]

I can't wait to see the staunch wild rose supporters on this board defend the great and noble PC party again.