Here is an excellent piece by Josh Wingrove of the Globe and Mail outlining the history of Dr. Ted Morton and the reasons for his push to Unite the Right and bring the Wildrose Alliance back to the PC fold. It looks like Dr. Morton has lost a lot of his base from the 2006 Leadership contest to the Alliance.
For Dr. Morton not all is lost. He should be a favourite of the fundamentalist social conservatives in Alberta and be able to woo them back to his leadership. They have all been very silent since they lost the Wildrose Alliance leadership. They have a new champion in Dr. Morton as this Globe piece reminds us. His has strong and strident social conservative beliefs and those who share those values seem to be lost right now. Will Dr. Morton be their man? Remember when he wins the PC leadership he automatically becomes Premier. He can do a lot of damage or a lot of good - depending on your values and point of view - before he has to face the Alberta electorate.
Just another part of the political culture war that is unfolding on the far right these days. These values only become mainstream when moderates and progressives let them by staying passive about the politics of our time.
Morton is a mainstream guy compared to Danielle Smith and the party she represents.
ReplyDeleteI love how anyone who hold any kind of conservative position is branded a "fundamentalist". Do you even know what the theological roots of that word mean?
ReplyDeleteBeing involved with many such individuals and groups, let me assure you Morton isn't getting our votes. Morton betrayed common-sense conservatism when he voted for a raise behind closed doors, voted to censor Alberta editorials (and fund them) and then voted to go into deficit spending to pay for programs that we can no longer afford as is. And that doesn't even include the private property land grabs, the health care "cookiegate" fiasco and anyone remember what they did to the oil industry?
All Albertans are disappointed by such antics.
"Fundamentalists" in your universe may not be pragmatic or intelligent but perhaps you need to get out more and meet some of us.