Modeling Journey

Harper has read Dion, Duceppe and Layton correctly. Duceppe huffs and puffs but somehow cannot blow the House down. Layton prattles on endlessly, rattling his tinny sabre daily, but somehow never shows up for a fight when it is consequential.

And as for the Liberals, Harper made them blink over his Throne Speech, and has them on the run.

To quote Wikipedia:

"In 1956, Mao Zedong said of the United States:

“
In appearance it is very powerful but in reality it is nothing to be afraid of; it is a paper tiger. Outwardly a tiger, it is made of paper, unable to withstand the wind and the rain. I believe the United States is nothing but a paper tiger.
”

Now Stephen Harper can cheerfully go ahead with his agenda, waiting for a formal majority in 2009, and knowing that, because he faces 3 paper tigers, he can at any time rattle their chains, dare them to step outside for a bout of fisticuffs, or bring them on to the mat for a round of ridicule, if his troops need some laughter.

Dion should have followed his instincts, and voted against the Throne Speech if his amendments were not accepted.

Both Layton and Duceppe huff and puff when it is safe to do so, but when rubber hit the road (when they could have voted for the far more acceptable Liberal amendments to the Throne Speech and probably provoked an election call from Harper), they blinked, and shuffled off the stage with self-serving muttered asides.

Brave men when their bluff is not being called.

Three paper tigers, and one dangerous leopard in power, who has not changed his spots.