Speaking about falling on your own sword...

Harper's Tories look to already have an idea of just how their government should fall if it has to in the forthcoming budget... The "sword" to fall on apparently is "income splitting" - giving double-income no-kids and kid couples (DINKs and DIKs) more of their tax money back.

The Tories need to pay particular attention to their accomplishments in this government. Things are not boding well thus far. Now a lot of that has to do with the fact that they've been hamstrung in the bonds of a minority government. But Harper no doubt is realizing that he's turning off hard core supporters with two items: Senate Reform (ala Fortier), and Income Trusts.

With a looming vote on same sex marriage that could possibly fail, small "c" conservatives don't have much to hold on to with this government. Malaise, defeatism, and the ire of de-motivation is just around the corner. All this "conservative talk" lately, with Harper's government openly musing about every this and that Tory dream policies certainly does the trick.