Behind the Party Line

Tonight on the news they were covering the highlights of the new Provincial budget.  Now I have never been a big Progressive Conservative fan, but was interested to see what the focus of the budget would be with a new Premier in office.  Normally I wouldn't expect much but I think regardless of my political position I think Alison Redford is an intelligent lady who "might" put a new spin on an old party.  

Anyway, that is kind of my point.  Regardless of my party preferences I can comment on what I like or dislike about a budget.  What annoys the hell out of me is that the minute the budget is over, the media defers to the opposition parties who have no meaningful comments other than ...they said black...so we are going to say white.  Because obviously your only function as the opposition is to criticize.  Just once I would like a party to say...well, I think "this" was good and we agree, or we don't like that for whatever reason. 

I would feel then like they are giving meaningful thought to the issues rather than I am just going to be the enemy.  So if you are Liberal for instance, is it not a good thing that AISH folks are going to get an extra $400 a month to live on?  It seems like a Liberal kind of thing to me?  Politics has become such a cynical and jaded world that people forget how to have meaningful discussions about things.  After all, I suspect many of the parties have overlapping priorities, albeit varying approaches to get there. So perhaps people should just step out from behind their party lines in the sand, be open to to the issues and topics and make up their own minds about what is important. Stop worrying about what political party the good idea came from.