Sunday, January 03, 2010

Dear Paul Wells

Speaking as someone who's highly interested in pointing out any actual "ominous rumblings" within the Libs: give me a &@%^#($& break.

If Stephen Harper hasn't already demanded that remotely prominent Con-supporting blogs receive PMO approval for each post, this sort of attempt to turn even the slightest bit of critical self-assessment into a portent of impending doom is exactly the kind of media attention which might accomplish just that. Which will of course be followed by declarations that it's a sign of weakness if any other party continues to have public discussions which range beyond the regurgitation of official talking points.

So is it anybody's goal to ensure that the online political universe becomes as content-free as the muzzled candidates and spokesflacks who have done so much to turn Canadians off of politics already? If not, then let's not blow single blog posts out of proportion.

Update: Welcome National Newswatch readers.

Update II: In reponse to Wells' tweet, I'm not blaming him for the Libs' fates in 2010 so much as for the decline of democratic discourse generally.

No, not really. But the point of the post is the incentives created for all parties in how they address online supporters, not so much the precise winners or losers in this round of events.

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