There was a time...

I don't find it incredibly productive when people jump on Harper for acting too moderate because their advice is usually impractical and unworkable in the current climate.

I'm only saying that because I don't want to sound like I'm critiquing Harper when I don't have the polling data he sees regularly, when I don't have his group of advisors, and I most likely do not have his knowledge of the electorate.

Anyways: there was a time, not too long ago, when Stephen Harper first arrived in Ottawa as the newly elected leader of the CA. When John Manley introduced his high-spending and unsustainable budget, the one designed to create a legacy for his boss, Harper openly and aggressively attacked it for spending far too much. I remember watching CTV when Harper was being interviewed by a reporter and he was openly attacking the healthcare funding increases, he was openly attacking all the other spending increases, and I'm pretty sure I shouted out a "YEAH!!!" at the TV, cheering on such an open and blatant display of genuine small-government conservatism.

Last year, in the budget delivered before the election, Harper struck a much more moderate tone, suggesting that the budget was "unimpressive" and "thin gruel" (sp?) to run an election campaign on. That reaction was awkward - what exactly was he suggesting? That Ralph Goodale make the budget more impressive by throwing around more money? I don't know, but that reaction was a good one in comparison to his open praise for today's budget.

There's one question I'd love to ask Stephen Harper today. I'd want to know whether he considered founding the Reform Party to be a worthwhile exercise, in hindsight. And I'd want an honest and sincere answer with a clear "yes" or "no".

I'm not trying to judge the man - I don't think he's necessarily unprincipled and I'd probably be just as "practical" if I were in his shoes, but there was a time when Harper actually said what was on his mind. And it wasn't even that long ago...