Electioneering From The Arctic To The Rio Grande
September 12, 2008, Matthew Good It’s election season here in North America. The Americans are on deck, due up on November 4th. Here at home we’re at the plate, with Canadians going to the polls on October 14th.
In both elections, as far as I’m concerned, citizens will once again be faced with choosing the lesser of evils. Here at home I do not believe that any of the candidates represent what I would describe as a truly national leader. In the United States the stakes are higher, primarily with regards to the future of US foreign policy, which, whether you like it or not, affects the people of this nation more than most realize. Given that, if John McCain’s platform includes an extension of the Bush Doctrine, even if under some other guise, then Barack Obama seems the obvious choice. Unfortunately, the reality remains that if he is elected he will face the task of repairing the damage caused by the most damaging US foreign policy doctrine in the nation’s history, something that I believe will result in a one term presidency.
According to IPS, in a recent BBC poll conducted in 22 different countries on six continents, only one in four respondents claimed that they would rather see McCain in the White House than Obama. Of course, the world has little interest in the outcome of our upcoming federal election, and for good reason – the Prime Minister of this country is not the most powerful person in the world, nor has Canada led a destructive global charge over the last seven years that has seen an astonishing increase in arms proliferation, a global declination in human rights standards and the sanctity of international law (though we’ve contributed), and the adoption of a foreign policy doctrine that espouses the tenets of unilateral preemption. We have, of course, bent over for the Americans during that time, but that’s to be expected from a Tory Prime Minister that believes that by placating the Americans this nation will someone secure a stronger standing in the world’s elite ‘inner circle’.
Rather paradoxically, lost in all of this is the disastrous state of the US economy and its continued decline, the affects of which will also be felt here at home. When the US government is bailing out financial institutions left right and center, gifting them nothing short of ‘corporate welfare’, then one has to seriously examine those issues that are important to the common man, such as the state of healthcare, social welfare, and so forth.
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Tangentially related, it’s worth noting that in the Gibson interview Gov. Palin also asserted that the Russian “invasion” of Georgia was “unprovoked”, to which I might argue, that’s a true statement, except for it’s falsity because in fact Georgia attacked Russian positions in South Ossetia and provoked the Russian response Gov. Palin calling an “invasion”.
The disastrous state of the US economy? Didn’t you hear President Bush, last month? “First of all, I don’t see America having problems.”
You’re right, of course, that our options here at home are… not stellar, to put it extremely kindly. But I do think some are more destructive and dangerous than others.
(Typo… Oct. 14.)
Matt, I think you meant 4 to 1 (80%) supported Obama for President.
It is amazing that a Republican President is supporting socialist solutions. The Administration has made the effort to convince the public that these bailouts are temporary therefore not ‘corporate welfare’. Another lie. With the present debt situation, the US will need to adopt some very austere measures if the future of America is not bankruptcy. I heard an economist on NPR radio this morning say that the true amount of American debt is approximately $55 trillion not the 9.7 trillion the Government reports because of all the commitments this administration has made on top of medicare, medicaid and social security (yearly tax cut and prescription medicare program). That would mean every working American is responsible for approximately $150,000 of a $55 trillion national debt. The Bush team is headed into the history books as the worst administration ever.
If McCain and Palin win in the U.S. and they re-elect Harper here in Canada I’m going to go and live in the fucking woods like Jeremiah Johnson - I am stocking up on bacon, tobacco, and whiskey as we speak because I have a great deal of confidence in stupidity. Oh where is Doug Henning and his Yogic Flyers when you need him most!
[quote comment="64844"]Matt, I think you meant 4 to 1 (80%) supported Obama for President.[/quote]
Fixed.
Americans: “Oh look, here come the Canadians again. Did you bring guns this time?”
Canadians: “Guns? We thought you said ‘buns’, eh?”
-GLEN FOSTER
Canada really needs to step “bending over” for the United States!
We’re bigger and we’re on top…if this was prison, they’d be OUR BITCHES!
In the matter of the elections, I’ve already made this comment in another blog: No matter who we pick to run our respective nations, we’re both fucked!
Another correction: Canadian election is the 14th.
I agree that voting in Canada is a ‘lesser of [four] evils’ situation (five for Quebec). People will vote Liberal to stop the Conservatives and Conservatives to stop the Liberals, leaving everyone else in the dust to pick up what seats they can, with two parties that no one actually likes with the most seats. True democracy is lost in voting ‘against’ instead of ‘for.’
I don’t think we have much choice but to re-elect Stephen Harper and the tories.
God help us though if we get four more years of the same from south of the border!
Obama is the lesser of the two evils.
like you say Matt, it may result in a one term presidency. I just hope the democrats don’t spent the four years trying to get re-elected!
[quote comment="64871"]Another correction: Canadian election is the 14th.[/quote]
Thanks, corrected. Forgot the ‘1′.
Speaking of “at the plate” 7 games remain between God’s team and the defending champs - with the wild card on the line.
Won’t be here, but definitely looking forward to the outcome of both elections. Damn, for once I was kind of looking forward to voting.
[quote comment="64841"]Tangentially related, it’s worth noting that in the Gibson interview Gov. Palin also asserted that the Russian “invasion” of Georgia was “unprovoked”, to which I might argue, that’s a true statement, except for it’s falsity because in fact Georgia attacked Russian positions in South Ossetia and provoked the Russian response Gov. Palin calling an “invasion”.[/quote]
What makes my skin crawl most of all is that so many people actually believe it.
[quote comment="64869"]Canada really needs to step “bending over” for the United States!
We’re bigger and we’re on top…if this was prison, they’d be OUR BITCHES![/quote]
Quoting myself to make a correction: I meant “stop”…not “step”.
There are moments when I just like to take a minute and remember a time when Canada actually had a bit of a backbone and wasn’t just America’s lapdog ready and eager to do anything to please at whatever cost to us.
As far as this current election I don’t feel a strong pull for any candidate. As a Liberal I really want to have faith in Dion but I’m just not getting “leader” from him. I’m not sure he has the toughness to really fight what will no doubt be a very overpowering conservative party. He may have the ideas and the arguments but unless he has that really strong voice to rival that of the conservatives our Liberal ideas will fall by the wayside.
I want a candidate that I can be inspired by again. While most people make a face of horror when I say that I loved Chretien but it wasn’t only for his politics but mostly because he was a real leader and someone that made me so excited about the Liberal party and voting and being involved.
But I agree the local ridings and the local candidates and what they can do for our community is what should be at the top of the agenda. Our little town is fighting to save our beloved race track and while it’s been mostly a provincial matter it would be nice to see what help we can get at a federal level. It’s important to find a candidate that while they may represent a larger city that they don’t forget the smaller towns that get lumped into that riding.
So as far as the election it’s really looking like it might just be a toss up as to who do you detest less? And with Harper’s tag line of “We’re better off with Harper” he’s getting to the top of my detest list. I mean what marketing genius came up with that clever line and even more hilarious who looked at that and said “Run with it!”.