There's a very strange phenomenon occurring in relation to the consultation on constitutional development by 2012, and it can easily be seen by any disinterested observer.
The government and pro-establishment side are seriously thinking about how to move forward, under the given constitutional framework, towards universal suffrage in 2017. They are talking about the nuts and bolts of democratisation and social commitment.
Yet, on the pro-democracy camp's side, we never hear anything about democratic progress, social responsibility or alternative proposals. Their overall strategy is to gang up and put a halt to any progress, to force a showdown with the central government with a view to extracting concessions.
All their discussions and planned actions are calculated tactical manoeuvres of gain and loss, with each side trying to up the ante.
These two separate paths simply cannot, and will not, converge. There will be only confrontation, not dialogue, and no compromise.
The most probable result of the current consultation is going to be another veto by the dissident lawmakers, another deadlock, and the same old election methods for the 2012 chief executive and Legislative Council elections. Both sides will then try their utmost to blame the other, but every stakeholder will be a loser.
The subsequent squabbling will not last long though, as the media will soon get tired of it, and the politicians will be busy preparing for the 2011 district council elections, and the two elections in 2012. On the face of it, life will go on as usual, and the pledge from the central government for universal suffrage for the chief executive election in 2017, and for all of Legco in 2020, will still be valid.