Dion says no election over budget

So they passed the first Conservative budget by accident because they didn't know the vote was taking place, and have passed the second one because they're too pansy to take a stand on anything. I wonder how the third one will pass.

Pansies?

Why? They did exactly what the voters told them to do. We told Harper he cannot govern without support.

Unless you think that under no circumstance should any opposition party support a minority budget ever then you do the Liberals a diservice.

They told Harper "put forth a budget that won't harm Canada and is something we can live with".

Harper put forth a bland unimaginative budget that hedged its bets and so it passed because Harper gave in to Liberal wishes.

Exactly how a minority gov't should work.

Pansies because this is one of the first opportunities they've had to vote down the Government in the traditional way, a way which would not give Harper's perversions of confidence the power of precident. Harper's running the show like Jack from Lord of the Flies, dashing old rules and making up news ones as he goes. This is a major opportunity not only to put an end to Harper's bad policies, but to do it by the old rules. And they passed because they won't get reelected.

He isn't running the show all that much. He was forced to compromise on Afghanistan and field a budget that he needed Liberal support on.

If all we ever get during minority govt's is automatic attempts to bring down the gov't then we could very well end up with yearly elections and virtually no actual governing.

So if the Liberals were to vote against and force an election. Does your flawed crystal ball show anything other than a Conservative minority. Or do you think that by some infinite miracle the NDP would win a general election?

Or is it that the "bad policies" you purport are actually good policies.

The problem really comes down the "the official opposition" period. No matter which party occupies this role.

opposing simply to oppose even when it isn't in the countries best interest needs to change. If something is "good" for the country vote for it, if it isn't, then vote against it.

Should be simple, but that is what is the #1 breeder of political apathy in this country. Why? because it is ALWAYS the same old thing, gov says this, opposition is outraged and says the opposite.

blah blah blah. I think it would be refreshing and highly motivational to have an opposition party say..you know what, it isn't perfect but we think it is good for the country and we will support it....THE END.

I can see why the grits were not in a hurry. The liberal position on Afghanistan is far too weak and requires a tune up. Yes, it is important to put a fire under Karzi's ass but we should NOT be going around to other nations with hat in hand begging for 1000 troops either. That was sad and should never be repeated your either in or out. This is not a moral support exercise. If anything this has been a boon for our armed forces on the ground for they are getting real equipment like heavy lift and armor that has been in demand for decades. I could do without the loss of life but at least it is not a total wash. We are being saddled with leo II's that have spare parts as easy to find as hens teeth but that is a result of a cold war surplus finally winding down. It is high time the top brass in Canada come to grips with the idea that we need a tank made at home much like Israel and that the tank is a timeless platform that will always be in some demand. We may not need a huge amount of them but the Mobile gun system idea of a tank on the cheap is a dead end idea.

That being said the Tories leaving razor thin surpluses in a time where the economy is set to turn south in a hurry is not great forethought. We need to stock up the cellars more then what we have. It's like driving a car without the spare tire, you are asking for an accident.

All the Liberal bluster is just a transpararent face-saving ploy, and another example of simply playing politics.

It was so obvious, Mercer recorded that Dion caved before the budget was even read.