The Schlieffen Plan

TheSneeds
LoraxVille


So, I'm listening to Rafe Mair and Paul Willcocks go to town yesterday morning and I'm digging it, not because I like all their conclusions but rather because they seem to be serving up the real thing - information that I don't already know, including stuff like Rafe's bizarre examples of Elephant's on the Campaign Trail in 1975 or some such crazy thing.

Now calm down l.g. et al., I know Rafe's got an agenda, but to his credit he's up front about it and in my book that's all you can really ask from someone who is ideologically at odds with you.

In fact, if el Gordo came right out and told us that, 'Ya, I really do believe that the Trusts can save you from yourselves' I'd have a whole lot more respect for him.

But (as usual) I digress.

Because what I really liked about this morning's conversation was the fact that Mair and Willcocks got me to thinking.

And this is what I came up with.....

What if the James Gang is actually right about their moderation strategy on the labour/economic front?

As much as I hate to admit it that might just make the nut on a couple or four points and get the NDP up to Rafe's magic 39 percent.

Now, that would take hella mollification of the public sector union folks, many of whom have a huge and legitimate beef with the SS Gordo's busting initiatives, but I think they might be willing to keep their shoulders to the wheel for a wink and a nudge, something that is kinda/sorta supported by Bear 604's report from last weekend's CUPE convention.

All of which would be great, because if the JGang pushed labour moderation hard and long enough it just might generate a two, or maybe even three, week diversion that would suck up bigtime 3M's* from the BigRedWarRoomMachine.

And even better, now that the Jamesians, at least according to Willcocks, have neutralized the Greens, things would be wide open if they were to go for broke and unveil a "dual pincer" Schlieffen Plan.

But if they choose this route they've got to go whole hog because the Left Wing must be very strong (ie. the Plan failed in WWI because the German left side was weak) and because the Pincers themselves could be viewed as polarizing, out-of-control, super-scary monsters by many a timid number cruncher. To whit:

Pincer #1 - The Environment
Pincer #2 - Privatization

But, and here's the 'Eureka' moment, the Pincers are also issues that way-gone lefties like me and never-surrender fiscalies like Rafe could both really get behind.

Which means that they could also be used to squeeze both ends against that disappearing middle that Mr. Campbell and his Paymasters have worked so hard to contract.

So, how do you like them apples...... or is that Salmon, or Railways, or Hecate Straight, or Health Records, or BC Hydro, or BC Parks, or BC Ferries, or, well, BC in its entirety?

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*The 3M's of PropMachine/WarRooms are: Money, Manpower and Mediabuys. Make 'em pay Jamesians...


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