What happens if the 2015 election is a referendum on Harper?

There are a lot of people out there that hate Stephen Harper and think he is the worst thing ever for Canada.   They are livid he is prime minister and think that if only everyone that did not vote for him 2011 would just unite he would be defeated.  These people are making the election about Stephen Harper and nothing else.   They want the 2015 election to be a defacto referendum on Harper and that is a huge mistake.

By making the election about Harper the question is very black and white but the choices on the ballot are not black and white - the black is clear but there is no clarity for white.   A referendum on Harper benefits the Conservatives and makes another majority likely.

Here are the questions I have for people pushing an anti-Harper agenda:

• Who do you think people will vote for instead of the Conservatives?
• How do you think this strategy will convince anyone else to vote against Harper?
• Will railing against Harper inspire people to come out and vote?
• Do you not think that after four elections people know what Harper is about?
• Who should win the election instead of Harper?
• Is is so important that Harper be defeated that people not vote for the people or party they believe in?

The more the focus is on yes or no on Harper the more the NDP and Liberals need to fight with each other.   The more those two parties fight with each other, the less time they spend on providing positive solutions to problems.

A strong focus on Harper as being something like the anti-Christ will lead to a lot of the luke warm right wingers come back on board with the Conservatives.  I am already hearing that from people I know that are in the right and had soured on Harper but the shrill attacks on him are making them rethink their position.  I suspect most of them will reluctantly vote Conservative again.  

Get rid of Harper is not a platform.   It is incumbent on the NDP and Liberals to show why they would be the best government.