It broke my heart knowing they were working so against their own interests. Add that to all the civil servants, teachers and others who were doing similar things and you learn the lesson that we Canadians are not quite so politically sophisticated as one would hope.
Brilliant, really, and touching as well. Only two mysteries left unresolved:
1. Why these unsophisticated people (compared to you) who broke your heart elected the NDP in the first place.
2. Why these same people never elected the NDP again.
If you felt a little less superior to all these people "working so against their own interests", you might have figured out the profound feeling of betrayal that they felt - having believed the lying promises, having trusted Bob Rae and his clique, only to see them cynically breaking their word about auto insurance, tearing up collective agreements to make workers pay for the recession, and then telling their own caucus they could vote like homophobes on same-sex beenfits if they felt like it.
You see, these people figured out something you've never grasped. They'll wait for someone who will return their trust before they entrust it again - even if it means electing the more honest kinds of bastards (Harris, McGuinty).
Today, with the departure of Hampton and others of that dark period, and the advent of someone who doesn't look and sound like a toady and a coward, there is actually (IMHO) some hope for the ONDP - but not if they keep listening to the advice of cheerleaders. They should listen to me. Stop funding Catholic schools and give the savings to the poor and minimum wage workers. Kill two birds with one stone.
Now don't you go stealing my platform!!