Don't Go Overboard

The Libs, as you have probably heard, are poised to flip-flop on their support of certain anti-terror provisions that were introduced after 9/11. I know, I know: not exactly front-page news. Both sides of the House change their minds on various issues, sometimes for good reasons, and sometimes for not.

I think the grits are in the "not" catagory here. But that's not the point of this post.

Today, the PM dragged out the "soft-on-terror" meme. And I think doing so is a mistake.

First of all, it's not necessary. Calling the Libs on ratting on their previous support - expressed as recently as last December, if media reports are to be believed - is entirely fair ball. So is pointing out that this particular flip-flop is muddle-headed at best. I don't even object to Harper saying, as he has, that this is driven by a certain element of the Lib caucus that doesn't reflect opinion in the country. So there are other means for going after "Team" Dion on this issue.

Second, it detracts from the principled argument that can be made for these provisions. In other words, you're arguing a negative instead of a positive. Sometimes, "negative" works - but it doesn't move your own agenda as much as it pulls down the other guy. This is a policy issue that we should be trying to push "up".

Third, it really is going too far. The Libs can be, and in my opinion are, quite wrong. That doesn't mean that they're hangin' with Osama.

Is it fair ball to say that the effect of the grit flip-flop is to unnecessarily weaken our anti-terror arsenal? Of course it is. Dion and his crew should not be let off the hook on this one. Quite simply, in my own opinion of course, they are wrong to turn their backs on the policy that they introduced.

But the PM is sailing into more troubled waters when he drags out the whole "soft-on" thing.

More later.