For all the "participation" that the vaunted glory of "democracy" is supposed to give us, we really don't have much of any power at all.
You can start with the general institutionalization of the political system. Things are so entrenched that nobody can make a real dent on it in the first place. Anyone who tries anything remotely radical will promptly find themselves facing a vote of non-confidence and an election... or simply removed from power, depending on the position they held.
Politics hates change, and it's self-insulating against that. Party politics forces you to tow the line or get out of the boat. Free votes are rarely on anything of real significance - they happen for publicity purposes, really. When is the last time a free vote actually instated any real change in anything?
Speaking of getting out of the boat... politics doesn't even give you the choice of Sink or Swim. Either you're on a Party boat, or you drown.
Yes, Andre Arthur was elected as a non-incumbent Independent. These things happen from time to time. Last time that happened was 1984 with Tony Roman. Sorry if I'm cynical, but if it takes 22 years to get elected as a genuine independent, I don't think I'm out of line in saying "You're with a party or you have no chance."
Once you're in, you can't be radical at all. Don't rock the boat, or it's political suicide. You have to pander to as wide a voting base as possible in order to keep your job, and this means having the most mushy, watered down, inoffensive policies possible.
You're going to step on someone's toes, but if you do it very gently, you're at less risk next election. The best policy of all is to blow lots of hot air, and posture wildly, while actually doing nothing. Rattle on and on about abortion, and then take no action. Your talk gets you the conservative votes, your lack of action keeps your liberal ones.
Politics is a machine, and the politicians are simply interchangeable parts - cogs and gears that make it go, but easily replaceable with functionally identical parts.
The proof is in the scandal. More accurately, the constant string of scandals, corruption, exposes and other shenanigans that are par for the course up on the Hill. No matter how bad things get, no matter how many people are sacked, no matter how many reprimands issued, no matter how many by-elections there are... nothing changes.
Same shit, different day, different names. There's still scandal, corruption, lobby abuse, backroom dealing, empty campaign promises and an overwhelming lack of real change or action going on.
Politics is ruled by the old. The old and wealthy. Only the young have the enthusiasm and naivete to think that things can be changed for the better, the grand delusion that they can fix things from within. Only they truly believe that the little people, the blue collar shlubs living from paycheque to paycheque, have any real political power. I can't do shit in Ottawa - I have no money. I can't even do squat in Victoria for the same reason.
But last election, we had the ultimate proof that we, the voters, mean jack shit all in this system.
This proof is called David Emerson. Less than 24 hours after being elected as a Liberal, he crosses the floor and joins the direct opposition. On top of that, the Ethics Commission found his innocent of any wrongdoing in this act.
So really... you're telling me that I can cast my all important vote to support the party I believe best represents my interests... and that the person my vote elects can then join the enemy and support everything I'm opposed to...
And this is perfectly legal and ETHICAL... Yet somehow, my vote matters?
Yes. I'm cynical. I haven't seen a damn thing come out of the political system since my birth to give me one whit of reason to not be cynical.
You are more than welcome to try - I encourage debate and discourse, and you can see that I have a lot to say on politics for someone oblivious to politics.
No, I won't be able to debate specific people or bills or votes - I don't pay any mind to those things. But I can discuss politics in general, the failings of democracy and other related issues and would be happy to.
no subject
Date: 2008-01-21 03:40 am (UTC)You can start with the general institutionalization of the political system. Things are so entrenched that nobody can make a real dent on it in the first place. Anyone who tries anything remotely radical will promptly find themselves facing a vote of non-confidence and an election... or simply removed from power, depending on the position they held.
Politics hates change, and it's self-insulating against that. Party politics forces you to tow the line or get out of the boat. Free votes are rarely on anything of real significance - they happen for publicity purposes, really. When is the last time a free vote actually instated any real change in anything?
Speaking of getting out of the boat... politics doesn't even give you the choice of Sink or Swim. Either you're on a Party boat, or you drown.
Yes, Andre Arthur was elected as a non-incumbent Independent. These things happen from time to time. Last time that happened was 1984 with Tony Roman. Sorry if I'm cynical, but if it takes 22 years to get elected as a genuine independent, I don't think I'm out of line in saying "You're with a party or you have no chance."
Once you're in, you can't be radical at all. Don't rock the boat, or it's political suicide. You have to pander to as wide a voting base as possible in order to keep your job, and this means having the most mushy, watered down, inoffensive policies possible.
You're going to step on someone's toes, but if you do it very gently, you're at less risk next election. The best policy of all is to blow lots of hot air, and posture wildly, while actually doing nothing. Rattle on and on about abortion, and then take no action. Your talk gets you the conservative votes, your lack of action keeps your liberal ones.
Politics is a machine, and the politicians are simply interchangeable parts - cogs and gears that make it go, but easily replaceable with functionally identical parts.
The proof is in the scandal. More accurately, the constant string of scandals, corruption, exposes and other shenanigans that are par for the course up on the Hill. No matter how bad things get, no matter how many people are sacked, no matter how many reprimands issued, no matter how many by-elections there are... nothing changes.
Same shit, different day, different names. There's still scandal, corruption, lobby abuse, backroom dealing, empty campaign promises and an overwhelming lack of real change or action going on.
Politics is ruled by the old. The old and wealthy. Only the young have the enthusiasm and naivete to think that things can be changed for the better, the grand delusion that they can fix things from within. Only they truly believe that the little people, the blue collar shlubs living from paycheque to paycheque, have any real political power. I can't do shit in Ottawa - I have no money. I can't even do squat in Victoria for the same reason.
But last election, we had the ultimate proof that we, the voters, mean jack shit all in this system.
This proof is called David Emerson. Less than 24 hours after being elected as a Liberal, he crosses the floor and joins the direct opposition. On top of that, the Ethics Commission found his innocent of any wrongdoing in this act.
So really... you're telling me that I can cast my all important vote to support the party I believe best represents my interests... and that the person my vote elects can then join the enemy and support everything I'm opposed to...
And this is perfectly legal and ETHICAL... Yet somehow, my vote matters?
Yes. I'm cynical. I haven't seen a damn thing come out of the political system since my birth to give me one whit of reason to not be cynical.
You are more than welcome to try - I encourage debate and discourse, and you can see that I have a lot to say on politics for someone oblivious to politics.
No, I won't be able to debate specific people or bills or votes - I don't pay any mind to those things. But I can discuss politics in general, the failings of democracy and other related issues and would be happy to.