Making matters worse

Apparently the Cons' idea of eliminating cronyism is to give its national council a veto over candidates who have run and lost twice before:

The federal Conservatives have moved to restrict two-time losers from seeking further nominations as party candidates.

Tories who have run unsuccessfully in the past two elections will have to seek special dispensation from the Conservative national council before running again as the party's nominee in their riding...

The Conservatives have long boasted about their democratic nomination system. So it was with chagrin that some previous candidates who have made two failed electoral bids reacted to the news that they will have to get the council's permission to take a third kick at the can.

About 35 former Conservative candidates across the country are in that position. Two who spoke to The Globe and Mail this week on condition of anonymity -- both feared that public complaints may sink any chance they have of obtaining permission to try again -- say they believe the standard nomination process is the most democratic way of deciding who will run.

But the party says it is trying to prevent cronyism as it increases its odds of taking more seats.

Of course, this only ensures that any candidates who want to run again need to be cronies of both the national council and the riding association, rather than just the latter - exacerbating exactly the problem the policy claims to try to address. As if we needed another reason to fear what the Cons will try to sell as a "Clear Air Act"...