One thing seems abundantly obvious on the eve of this 2011 Federal Election. It is that the tactics and practices of "the architect" as he's been affectionately called by George W, Bush, have no place in Canadian politics.
As was observed in publication this weekend; Canadians are neither infantile nor incapable of clear-headed thought; especially when it comes to elections. In this instance (perhaps) we have been fortunate to be side-line observers of the bitter, divisive, bi-partisan, non-compromising political tactics which have hobbled the United-States of America, diminished both its influence and respect around the world, and brought it to the edge of financial collapse.
"The architect," Karl Rove may be credited with a series of successful political campaigns, including those of the former President George W. Bush, across the United States; but his name has also come-up in respect with some political scandals and controversies down in Washington. The aftermath of both successes and failures is plainly obvious to Canadians who, because of our proximity, are exposed every day to news, commentaries and observations from south of the border.
In this most recent of our 4th Federal Election campaign in six year the politics of cynicism borrowed from Mr. Rove's "playbook" appear to have worked sufficiently to wound the Liberal Party beyond short-term recovery. The turbulent 2011 election campaign has been dominated by vacuous talk about coalitions; bickering politicians; and "stable" government designed more to disengage voters than engage them in honest discussion about ideas and visions for our future and the policies to implement them.
But to the embarrassment of just about every pundit, commentator and observer a week ago; when a record shattering 2,056,001 allegedly "disengaged" voters cast ballots in advance polling; they re-energized the election and threw the carefully planned and scripted scenarios of the campaign "war rooms" right into the nearest garbage receptacles. Lest I digress; calling them War Rooms is a major part of the problem. Election campaigns are not "wars" : They are the highest calling of the democratic process.
It seems that tomorrow's voter turn-out and much anticipated election night results may signal an historic shift which, at the very least, is poised to affirm and solidify the supremacy of Parliament and the elected members of the House of Commons, its rules, traditions and the Constitution, over the imperial or presidential aspirations of our party leaders.
I think that what we're seeing now is Canadians thinking and reacting - ergo the orange crush.
ReplyDeleteThis is no less than a large protest vote spurred on by the younger voters who have had enough of all this malarky and are voting for what they consider the lesser of all evils because he professes to want to change the whole system of government which just doesn't work. They are much more savy than what we have been and they realize that until the whole foundation is changed, nothing will change. Layton's other campaigh promisses don't matter and most thinking people realize that until the system changes nothing else will change - so they are taking the chance that their protest vote (and that's what it is), will send a strong message and may help bring in drastic changes. Quebec has tried the Bloq for those exact reasons but have come to realize that this has to happen nationally so they are hoping to participate in starting a new trend which the youg people enthusisticly endorse.
Gil - I suspect you are quite right in your assessment of the changes we may be about to witness...and the results in the immediate aftermath as you have described. Ultimately if it engages the electorate, especially the savvy, educated, urbane younger generation; we may all end up Winners.
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