The Red Tories have won

The complete Tory platform is out. (See here.)

Among the highlights, or lowlights, if you ask me:

- Conservatives would spend $171.6 billion in total in the next fiscal year -- $1 billion less than Harper said the Liberals would spend. This roughly equates to a reduction of approximately two-thirds of one percent in federal spending.

- Over five years, federal spending would climb to $198.8 billion -- about $7 billion less than the projected Liberal platform, according to Harper. This equates to a 3.5% difference in overall spending over the next half decade.

- Social programs would remain exactly as they are, no department would face any cuts, and all would see spending increases tied to inflation and increases in population, except for Indian Affairs (!) and National Defence.

It looks like the transformation is now complete from Reform party to Conformatory party. Laissez-faire, free-market economics are also dead in this country. No cuts to personal income tax. Incremental decreases in the GST. Full federal involvement in public babysitting programs. Interventionist social policy in other areas. An overgrown, lumbering, inefficient and bloated public sector to remain exactly the same in aggregate terms.

I could go on, but I won't.

This is discouraging for those who see saw the leadership of Stephen Harper as a vehicle for change. I include myself foursquare in that group.

Very disappointing.