link Liberals have ‘internal issues’ to tackle: Ignatieff.
Something fun to write about in Canada for once. This story illustrates the kind of game playing that politics has evolved into on both sides of the border. Rather than genuinely deal with issues that may affect the people who voted them in, politicians plot at every opportunity to pounce on some event which would give them procedural advantage to take power.
According to dictionary.com, there are a number of descriptions for politics:
1. the science or art of political government
2. use of intrigue or strategy in obtaining any position of power or control…
In addition, there is to play politics which means: to deal with people in an opportunistic, manipulative, or devious way, as for job advancement. No normal person cares about politics per se. To most, it’s just a bunch of lawyers playing slappy slap among themselves. Occasionally they posture in mock indignation about some issue which if nothing else, is great theatre. Politics is most interesting when we observe how we’re being sold something we didn’t even know we needed. Global warming legislation and related taxes is a good example of this. If you think politicians are in it for altruistic reasons, have a look at who supports the next particular piece of legislation. Someone always benefits…and it’s seldom Joe or Josephine citizen.
How apt for what we’re seeing today in governments at all levels but particularly at the national levels. In our case, the aspirant Prime Minister Ignatieff finds himself not able to corral the gang in his own party to manipulate the ruling Conservative party into appearing out of touch with the electorate. Like the democrats in the U.S., the Liberals in Canada wanted to isolate and paint the opposition as socially out of step on issues surrounding health and abortion.
To his shock, members of Ignatieff’s own party did not support this tactic:
“…We look like fools,” one Liberal MP said after the vote. Another Liberal told a reporter it was “clown city” on their side of the House, a phrase the Conservatives gleefully repeated in the House Wednesday.”We told the Liberal leader that his motion was divisive, and we were right. He divided his caucus,” Windsor, Ont.-area Conservative MP Jeff Watson said. “While some stood against him, even more chose to sit out the Liberal leader’s motion. One Liberal MP even told the media it was clown city…”
Well there ya go, that’s what happens when your motives are disingenuous and your organization poor. Rahm Emanuel can certainly find employment here. The article hints strongly that members of the party would be disciplined for their non support. Therein lies the trouble with the process today as we’ve just seen in the United States. Representatives duly elected to represent a constituency are instead bullied and cajoled to support policies that are pushed by the leaders rather than reflect the wishes of the voters. Congratulations to the rogue Liberals who voted their conscience and constituencies’ wishes rather than be sheep to the smug leadership.
If this debacle for the Liberals had not happened, I’m sure we would be victimized by soaring rhetoric of how the sitting Conservatives are not reflecting “da Canadian values”. It’s truly amusing to see these guys frame policy issues in such ways that are plainly insulting to people. It’s as if people were too stupid to know the truth behind any debate unless it was spoon fed like some kind of pablum. On the other hand, maybe that’s a winning strategy. Cater to the stupid. Hmm.
After the recent embarrassment at the University of Ottawa, known to some “affectionately” as the Universty of Zero, where some unhinged individuals tried to tell people who they can or cannot listen to, it’s refreshing to see some politicians think for themselves. At least this time.