More on Coalition Talks - What is the Public Mood?

On facebook the pro coalition voices clearly have a lead, but not a single facebook group for or against has taken off with large numbers. We are talking in the thousands for groups and in almost all cases less than 5000 people.

In the online questions at places like CKNW, CTV, CFAX and more the results are decidely against the coalition. In most cases about 3/4s opposed. On CTV there have been over 14000 votes today and 3/4s are opposed. Their poll of a few days ago had 20841 on the question "Should the Liberals form a coalition with the NDP?" 68% opposed.

In the world of comments, clearly the political junkies on the centre left and left are swarming to comment, the right has not been nearly as quick off of the mark.

There are two clear themes emerging. On the left there is a strong sense of being delivered from hell on earth, that a coalition government would bring about some sort of a golden enlightenment. On the right the theme is very much we are being robbed after we won the election fair and square.

Politically I do not see an NDP/Lib coalition government doing much different than the current Harper government. The possibility is that they will bring in a budget with a large program of support for manufacturing in Ontario and Quebec which would leave us with a $30 to $50 billion dollar deficit.

A problem with this new coalition is that it will only have light representation from the west. Since the problems in the economy are more of an issue in the east, there will be an increased wealth transfer from the west to the east. There emerges a danger of the a Lib/NDP government causing more alienation.

The Harper government is the first and only government in Canadian history that is made of a majority of the caucus from the west. An NDP/Lib coalition moves power very much to Ontario and Quebec.