[fastcarsfreedom]

Attacking the US electoral system as a "joke" shows nothing more than a typically inflated attitude of superiority, and perhaps more damningly, a glaring lack of knowledge of their electoral system--which results in Congressional renewal on a rolling 2 year interval. While you may dislike the practices invovled in their campaign process (I suspect) you've thrown the baby out with the bathwater and haven't bothered to pick up a textbook.

Now, getting back on point...the Green/Elizabeth May thing is incredibly frustrating for a number of reasons. Her inclusion doesn't bring clarity, but muddies the water further (I can barely tolerate the inclusion of the BQ which has a significant caucus) and she is, by nature of her backroom deal with Dion, a second Liberal candidate. In the absence of that deal I would still oppose her inclusion on the basis of relevance (lack of), but it would less nauseating (marginally). She and her scattering of supporters have decided she's important enough to be present--a classic case of the squeakly wheel getting oiled--how democratic.

On the Green Shift, I am delighted/amused at the left now advocating taxation based on something other than income. It's blind adherence to a utopian vision of the future by an elite academic who could not be further from the lives of ordinary Canadians--despite well placed video of him in the snow somewhere wearing a North Face jacket. Green Shift will make life a struggle for a vast part of the Canadian population, will drive businesses to close or relocate elsewhere and result in a massive transfer of wealth from Canadian wallets to the treasury.

For those who choose to rattle sabres over the government "letting" C02 emissions increase--perhaps have a look at the track record of the Liberal governments of 1993-2006.