The most sincere form of flattery

While Harper's Cons have proven themselves to be nothing but cynical manipulators with little regard for rules or principles, the Libs seem to be taking steps to match the Cons manipulation for manipulation - today by offering to throw both Parliamentary procedure and their own apparent policy positions out the window to avoid perceived political damage:

The Conservatives thwarted a move to fast-track four of their law-and-order bills, arguing Wednesday a Liberal motion to speed up their passage didn't jibe with parliamentary procedure.

A day earlier, a cabinet minister said Prime Minister Stephen Harper is prepared to go to an election if the opposition stalls his law-and-order agenda.

The Liberals – who have faced repeated accusations they're soft on crime – said the Tories have shown they are only interested in making political hay and not genuinely committed to their law-and-order plan.

The Liberals' motion was designed to inoculate themselves against further criticism they are stalling anti-crime bills, and take away a potential tool at the prime minister's disposal for triggering an election...

Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe...ridiculed the Liberals for trying to take the bills off the table. His party would like a full debate and committee hearings on the bills, including one that raises the age of sexual consent to 16 from 14.

“It's the first time I've seen an opposition party ask to fast-track and pass laws that they said they were against just a few weeks ago,” Mr. Duceppe said. “When (Liberal Leader Stephane) Dion says he doesn't want an election, he really doesn't want it.”

NDP House Leader Libby Davies said parties have a responsibility to give each bill due process.

“We're elected as parliamentarians to seriously consider and weigh and debate legislation, and some of this legislation is very far reaching,” Ms. Davies said.

On the one hand, the move should somewhat defuse the Cons' claims that the Libs in particular are looking to obstruct the bills in question. And that may somewhat reduce the Cons motivation to go to the polls over their lock-'em-up agenda.

But then, the motion also looks like sheer political cynicism at its most destructive from the Libs. After all, it can only reflect a willingness to completely abdicate their role as an opposition - in some cases on issues which they themselves have already claimed to oppose - if it'll slightly reduce the government's ability to criticize them. Which can only make the Libs look ineffective as a true opposition to Harper, rather than a party simply practicing its machinations in anticipation of a return to power.

And that's just the impression based on today's action...but the effects will last into the future. Now, any time the Libs don't go along with the Cons' wishes, today's example can be thrown back at them along with a "why won't you cooperate like that again?". Which, combined with what's bound to be some rightful frustration from those who genuinely oppose draconian criminal laws, should rightfully make the Libs look far worse than they would have if they'd simply continued their previous stance of being willing to deal with the Cons' bills within established procedures.