Friday, May 20, 2005
Canada vs Power
Look, you can’t begrudge someone in their quest for power. At most, you’re jealous that you’ve been unable to attain that power. You can fear they might abuse it, though, to be honest, the aphorism ‘Power Corrupts’ isn’t just for fortune cookies.
Do the corruptible seek out power?
Since when is being the PM of Canada the pinnacle of power anyway? What is Paul Martin clinging to, and why are people allowing him to do it? He doesn’t have a long list of things he’d like to accomplish. He has a long list of promises that he’s made no effort to fill. Why do people keep thinking that he’ll fulfill them?
I understand why people don’t like the Conservatives. They’re different, they want change. Canadians don’t want ‘change’, they just want things to work. The Conservatives need to run on a platform of reconciliation. They need to run as moderates who are going to do everything the Liberals promised, because the Liberals promised everything that Canadians want.
That’s why we vote for them, they at least pretend that our opinion matters.
You want to win an election in Canada?
Make extravagant promises.
You want my vote?
Follow through on them.
In Ontario, we’ve actually had a string of governments that have done what they said. Maybe that’s why we keep believing the Liberals, because we’re accustomed to Mike Harris and Bob Rae keeping their words. (We won’t get into the fact that in Bob Rae’s case, keeping his word was a bad idea, and Mike Harris did more backroom dealing than he’d care to admit.) Even Daulton McGuinty is really in over his head. It comes out as lies, but it’s incompetence combined with bad luck. If Ontario had been the province he thought it was, I think we’d be doing better.
So, until we get saddled with slimy politicians in Ontario, it looks like we’re going to give the feds the benefit of the doubt, and keep voting for the guy who promises us more.
And Paul Martin knows that.
And so he clings to power, so he can make more promises he has no intention of following through on. ¶ 3:32 PM
Do the corruptible seek out power?
Since when is being the PM of Canada the pinnacle of power anyway? What is Paul Martin clinging to, and why are people allowing him to do it? He doesn’t have a long list of things he’d like to accomplish. He has a long list of promises that he’s made no effort to fill. Why do people keep thinking that he’ll fulfill them?
I understand why people don’t like the Conservatives. They’re different, they want change. Canadians don’t want ‘change’, they just want things to work. The Conservatives need to run on a platform of reconciliation. They need to run as moderates who are going to do everything the Liberals promised, because the Liberals promised everything that Canadians want.
That’s why we vote for them, they at least pretend that our opinion matters.
You want to win an election in Canada?
Make extravagant promises.
You want my vote?
Follow through on them.
In Ontario, we’ve actually had a string of governments that have done what they said. Maybe that’s why we keep believing the Liberals, because we’re accustomed to Mike Harris and Bob Rae keeping their words. (We won’t get into the fact that in Bob Rae’s case, keeping his word was a bad idea, and Mike Harris did more backroom dealing than he’d care to admit.) Even Daulton McGuinty is really in over his head. It comes out as lies, but it’s incompetence combined with bad luck. If Ontario had been the province he thought it was, I think we’d be doing better.
So, until we get saddled with slimy politicians in Ontario, it looks like we’re going to give the feds the benefit of the doubt, and keep voting for the guy who promises us more.
And Paul Martin knows that.
And so he clings to power, so he can make more promises he has no intention of following through on. ¶ 3:32 PM
