Predictable Unpredictability: A Political Paradox

This is what clever political shenanigens look like:

Flaherty's announcement is a brilliant piece of political one-upmanship.

Mayor Rob Ford - already the subway hero in Scarborough - now takes on godlike proportions in the 'burb.  It assures his re-election.

And it caught the provincial Liberals flat-footed.

And here's the sort of thing that makes investors skittish, unwilling to commit to things like, say, investment in R&D:

If both sides understand each other, it makes for more predictable outcomes.  It is when they do not - when investors think policy will stay loose, say, just as it is tightening - that accidents happen.

Blame is boring - besides, every Party is equally guilty of putting partisan wins ahead of the best-interests of the people they were elected to represent.

That, in itself, is a systematic problem.  Pointing fingers clearly isn't getting us out of the burgeoning mess, nor is political one-upmanship.  If our politicians - and they are ours - maintain their focus on winning at all costs, we all lose.

Fortunately, there's some good news out there, too.  If the Ontario Liberals and the Ontario PCs can find it within themselves to work together and share a win that benefits all Ontarians, then anyone can do it.  After all, compromise has always been the solution to gridlock.

That's the example we should be encouraging our leaders to follow.

RELATED: It is also a matter of trust.  The Harper government doesn't enjoy much of that in the native community these days. 

UPDATED: So what if this feeds distrust between the federal government and the government of the largest province?  This is all about politics.

Ayn Rand would be proud.