I actually prefer to write about living OTG but, you know….sometimes it is just not blog-worthy. Politics, on the other hand…..
So, just a brief bit on ‘the new era of the same ol’, same ol’. Liberals, eh! Can’t live with ’em….can’t seem to ‘shake ’em….waddya gonna do? Marx said, “History repeats itself, first with tragedy and then with farce.”
And, we are. Farce writ large!
So did our neighbours, the Haitians, tho. Repeat themselves, I mean. They went for Duvalier l and then Baby Duvalier ll. How pathetic is that – even for a third world country totally corrupt and at the bottom of the list of functioning countries? And the Philippines did it, too. And Saudi Arabia. Certainly the US seems hell-bent on running Bush Family repeats even tho the original sit-com was never very funny and ran to poor reviews right from the start. Like Gilligan’s Island.
Anyway, any similarities between us, the USA and Haiti/Saudi Arabia/China/ The Phillipines and the long list of corrupt governments are purely coincidental (but not fictional) and no animals were hurt during the filming of these debacles. Please contact this blog for real estate deals and other bargains impossible to believe.
And, so now we are doing our own Beachcomber-type repeats with Trudeau Two. Like the Toonie is to the Loonie, the son is to the father. Can you spell ‘entitlement’? Can you spell ‘establishment’? You would think that in a nation of 32 million people the likelihood of a father-son leadership dynasty would be almost impossible. Mind you, in a country with 320 million, they managed to do that with Bush l and Bush ll with Bush lll trying valiantly to make it a trifecta.
What a farce!
In a democratic society (so-called) the odds of that happening are astronomical. And in any modern corporate-run country the odds of a lowly, barely employed high-school drama teacher making the so-very-premature leap to Prime Minister….? What are those odds in a true democracy? Unless, of course, the fix is in…….
Anyway….I am NOT as upset as this gross violation of real democracy would normally make me. Not this time. The previous bastard had to go and I would have voted for a trained chimp over Harper. And I think one won! But partly because we have not had a real democracy since Washington was elected. I am cynical. I don’t expect much. This is a new low for Canada but still within my mud-bottom-level political expectations. But also because NOT all monarchs/dictators/corporate puppets were 100% bad. Some of those corporate ‘appointees’ were reportedly somewhat benevolent. Some leaders who cheated to get power did try their best to do a good job.
I think.
Hard to say, really. We don’t really get the insider information, do we? Especially not now that the media is virtually 100% owned by the same corporate establishment that makes the appointments.
Well, there are some small voices for truth like the Tyee, No Strings Attached, The Common Sense Canadian and their ilk. Thank God for the rebels, eh? In fact, I was sent a news link yesterday that reported dozens of ‘shedder’ trucks parked outside the PMO’s office the day after the Harper defeat. Same for most of the Con MPs offices including a few under investigation. Everyone shedding paper like mad. So, it would seem that even the incoming party does not get to ‘see’ what went on when the losing party was in power. I guess we are all ‘in the dark’ most of the time.
‘Course, the RCMP were not seen stopping any of it. Not even on the minister under investigation. Quel Surprise! When I told a seasoned journalist friend of the news link, she replied, “Business as usual. They all do it. Every election. Destroy the evidence.”
It’s a great system, no?
Bottom line: my cynicism is warranted. If Trudeau brings in proportional representation, I will back off and apologize. I think the corporate establishment can still corrupt that system but at least it would be an effort in the right direction. Use the incidence (or lack of) real electoral reform as the indicator of hope. That topic is the canary in the vile, stinking coal mine we call democracy. Does it have a chance?
Our Off the Grid Home 
The answer might be amnesia. Canada is founded on many mythologies that are largely based on aspiration goods. Chief of those beliefs is the construct that the world ought to work according to one’s informed self interest. The world works for Bay Street, Wall Street and if some one does not have stomach for it then too bad.
LikeLike
Yeah…that is correct. So do you have any constuctive suggestions about change? (not facetious or sarcastic)
LikeLike
Fair, equitable and reasonable would end child poverty. Fair to Bay Street, Wall Street and the mean streets. There is enough for all.
LikeLike
So, that’s not really likely.
LikeLike
Aspirational.
LikeLike
And I thought I was a cynic!
I suppose you are right. Corporate, corporate corporate. But I like to think that ‘the people’ have some kind of say………(sorry)….naive of me……
They don’t have a say. NOT really. If the chefs in the kitchen offer up pablum, gruel, swill and garbage stew, do you call that choice? I don’t think so. And that is what is on offer. That is what the corporations support and finance. That is what the parties are – unpalatable, some of it disgusting, all of it nauseating. For the record, I prefer pablum but, honestly, after a few meals of the stuff, I willingly switch to swill. How is voting any different? That is what I did this time…I strategically voted for swill just to get rid of the cruel gruel.
LikeLike
“Necessary Illusions” is a good read about the smoke, mirrors and the spinning of the average citizen still believes in democracy.
LikeLike
Mee too David.
LikeLike
Just-in should reflect on that. He was the default choice NOT the real one…not for a lot of people, anyway. Sad how we bailed on the trying-so-hard Greens. Must be discouraging.
LikeLike
Proportional representation would have three green seats in BC and more BC Conservative seats.
LikeLike
I can live with that. Whatever is the best reflection of the will of the people is the best we can hope for. Even a few more Cons if that is what it is.
LikeLike
Well I think too that it’s likely that the L’s are going to be less inclined to jump on to implementing ‘preferential voting’ their stated reform preference.
LikeLike
Well, I think that Vancity is a pretty good example of a good corporate citizen. How did you feel about them then?
LikeLike
Yeah… the clock is fixed…
LikeLike
I am impressed David…thanks for fixing the clock…
LikeLike
I am impressed as well.
LikeLike
I worked for VanCity or two years – commercial banking. They are not too bad. A smidge more political than just-plain-good but still better than I expected. Doing the right thing is a VCity cultural ethic but that includes ‘politically correct’ thing and the two are sometimes contradictory. PC always wins. Interesting thing, too – the bottom line is still profit. Having said all that – I prefer them to most other ‘banks’.
LikeLike
Why. In God’s name, are members of Parliament allowed to shred ANYTHING after an election?
Every decision , every meeting was about taxpayer funded projects.
I’m sure even the shredding trucks are bought and paid for by taxpayers.
Criminal. and if it isnt….it should be.
LikeLike
I agree. 100%. In fact nothing should be shredded by law immediately upon the writ being dropped. Why in hell do we have a single RCMP stationed in what is the easiest crime city in Canada?
LikeLike
A fleet of shredding trucks were outside Chris Alexander’s office.
LikeLike
How many security folk would it take to assure us…huh? Then there is the issue of ‘customary licence’. The Supreme Court will be talking about it for the next 25 years.
LikeLike
They are not allowed to. I think that is what the commentary was reflecting.
It’s accomodation, chivalry if you wish. But f**k us all none the less.
LikeLike
Well, you may be right. Unenforceable, probably. Still ‘hard to watch ‘dirt’ being swept under the carpet.
LikeLike
I wish that you’d fix your clock to the centre of the universe, the wet west coast.
LikeLike
I would…..if I knew how…..I’ll give it a shot…
LikeLike
RNC, never mind the clock! Fix his calendar! Its easier to change yours. That’s what I did a year ago and it works fine. Almost.
LikeLike
*hahaha* what’s the rest of the puzzle..?
LikeLike
doesn’t look like David has it figured out yet.
LikeLike
What do you mean his calendar. What about his career…as a skeptic…naw, I can’t see him as a skeptic.
I did some things years ago and they worked for me too, almiost.
LikeLike
Looks like he’s not such a dope after all…
LikeLike
What is wrong with my calendar? Are you saying I am living in the past? Holding on to anachronistic ideals? Or are you just saying that I am old? OK…..maybe you are saying both. And I admit to both. But, sadly, can’t change either. I will say this: there is the slim possibility that I am living in the future. After the Zombie Apocalypse, OTG may just very well be the future.
LikeLike
And, I am still a dope! Don’t take that away from me. Dopey is better than demented and I think that’s the next stage. I am very logically and desperately clinging to dopey like a drowning man clings to a life ring. The boat has sailed and the life ring is better than nothing.
LikeLike
“In 2010, Harper provoked fury by cancelling the national census and then scrapping a series of long-term surveys, thus effectively concealing the facts about significant trends in Canadian society, including poverty, inequality, housing need and health.”
The Guardian
LikeLike