What The CPC Wants There's been a lot of speculation on the Tory agenda over the last few months, with conclusions ranging from massive pro-business reforms to a fundamentalist Christian social crusade.

Both of these are incorrect. The answer is simple- all the Tories want is power.

While the tax cuts and anti-gay marriage hysteria are worrisome, they're just symptoms of the same political disease. The inner-cadre of Conservatives are so desperate to form government, they will hitch up to any cause- no matter how regressive or medieval- if it will garner them votes. We've all seen the same phenomenon at work in the Republican Party. I suspect the GOP masterminds aren't particularly religious, but rather view the religious right as a convenient means to a political end. As it turns out, it is easy to motivate these folks. Fundamentalist Christians are so desperately afraid of God, they'll do anything, even *gasp* vote, if it will get them into heaven.

And good luck with that.

Its basically the same mouthful of moutwash swishing to the other cheek here in Canada. The only problem is that there aren't as many fundamentalist Christians up north. That, coupled with an apparent lack of anything even remotely resembling 'skill' or 'strategy' or 'basic human appeal' on the part of the CPC leadership means the conservative drive for power in Canada is doomed to remain quixotic.

The CPC is not unique in this power drive. Since our democracy is polyarchic, various elite groups build coalitions, then shop potentially popular policies to the public to get elected. In other words, they're all after power, and will cobble together a 'vision' to ensure they get it. The Liberals are very good at this. The Conservatives are a train wreck.  ¶ 9:20 a.m.