Go vote! Or don’t! The FPP system will probably scuttle your intentions anyways. I hear spitting into the wind or pissing up a rope are fine substitutes for exercising the barest of minimums required for participatory democracy.
The getting out the vote campaigns are heroic and all that stuff, encouraging all those young whipper-snippers to exercise the merest formality in participating in a democratic like system. But really, young people…oh you sad sack millennials, you’re fucked. Generation X is now in the demographic that tends to vote often and is catered to by the political class – did you hear all the campaign promises about lowering tuition and making going to university/college easier – I didn’t either. Have a nice future pouring my coffee and lackadaisically ‘helping’ me at retail locations.
What I heard a lot of during this overly long election cycle (thank you Conservative gerrymandering squad) was economy, jobs, and then niqab. None of these topics have been ‘tailored’…ooo… I guess the word for it now is ‘curated’ for your easy consumption and understanding. Did you tune out and start that really important twitter conversation about the Blue Jays? You did? Good for you! We’ll see you in line, eagerly waiting to express your ‘individuality’ by purchasing the next mass produced shiny over-hyped bauble at the Apple store. Because what you buy defines you. (Not your actions, not your commitments to others, not your responsibilities – just your *stuff*, honest.)
Conspicuous consumption, they have an app for that…
The political leaders, during the election cycle, have talked, emoted and generally performed fairly well; all of them selling their shiny political promises and filled with rainbow farting unicorns and free bonbons for all. A series of turgid farts strained through a dirty burlap sack would have just about as much relevance and importance to the decision Canadians are making on the 19th of October.
What is really at stake here is the continued march of Neo-liberalism and the decimation of the social fabric of our society. Corporations are not people, nor should they have the right to sue our governments for protecting our people (and businesses) from predatory capitalism. The TPP is NAFTA all over again. Do you like having domestic industry? Unions? Society run for the benefit of the people living in said society? The TPP is the enema-bag filled with hydrochloric acid poised to flush all those nasty things I mentioned out of Canadian Society.
I could care less who gets into power as long as this latest shit-swirl in the ice cream of trans-national capitalism is strangled in the crib, because combating Neo-liberalism is the big picture now because if NL wins democracy doesn’t matter anymore. Is our country for Canadians or Corporations? Profit or People?
Now I voted NDP because my MP is one kickass woman (Linda Duncan) who regularly kicks ass and takes names in Parliament, she responds to mail and makes me think briefly that representative democracy might not be bag-of-rats I think it is (that feeling passes quickly).
The 10 week slow motion seppuku that was the NDP national campaign was about as inspiring as being hit repeatedly in the head with a dirty sweat-sock filled with cold spunk. I just need the names of the NDP campaign-brain trust who somehow thought that throwing all the ham at all the walls by going centrist was the best-est idea evar? The salty-tears of socialist jebus are leaking out of the dark hall-closet you mung-gargling-arseholes tossed him in for this election. Pandering to the centre and abandoning core democratic-socialist principles… who would of thunk that was a recipe for getting ass-whipped in the election…
Hello NDP your political base is calling wondering where the hell you are and why there are smexy middle of the road blonde hairs on your damn overcoat.
So anyhow, happy election day Canada. We’ll get the government we deserve today. I’ll see you, fair readers, tomorrow as I have a date with TIO and the good Captain Morgan.
bleatmop
Mystro
Dead Wild Roses 
10 comments
October 19, 2015 at 8:57 am
bob
So true. Since MSM is owned, or at least catered to, by the corporate interests, significant change is unlikely. Most people are just trying to get by and their daily escape from the rat race, television, just sets them up to be played. Down here the grass roots swell for Bernie is the best, and probably last, chance to counter the neolibs. It will be interesting to see how he is beaten down to leave us with a nice centrist corporate lackey.
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October 19, 2015 at 11:05 am
VR Kaine
“Since MSM is owned, or at least catered to, by the corporate interests, significant change is unlikely”
I think this past provincial election disproved that and have made the “correlation isn’t causation” argument, but regardless of who the media are owned by, I don’t believe that people are ultimately that gullible or stupid. Rather, I think it is a choice for them NOT to think, thereby absolving themselves of any accountability or ownership of a decision.
I admired the provincial election and the NDP outcome because the people spoke. Not the unions, not the corporations, and not the special interests in my opinion but “the people” – rational, individual adults recognizing the power they have at any time, and what it wields.
I don’t see that happening in the federal election, however. People will vote for “change” without really having a determination of what that change should look like, or they’ll vote for celebrity and nostalgia this time around, or perhaps they’ll vote for “the devil we know” and stick with Harper – who knows, but I don’t think there will be any actual thinking behind most of the votes – just more apathy that somehow this is all “doesn’t really matter” and it’s “someone else’s problem.” Doesn’t help, by the way, that the best the NDP or Liberals could do are the two clowns they have in there now.
All I can simply hope for is that whomever gets in, that the people hold them more accountable than they have in the past both with their ballot vote and dollar vote, and that the government supposed to be listening to them gets even more transparent.
That, I think, we all can agree on and Arb + TIO: Captain Morgan?! You definitely have my agreement there!!! I always sail with the Captain, but only when he’s spiced! Yet another thing we both have in common! :)
Although the feeling’s probably not mutual, I wish I could join ya! Hopefully the election turns out a little more favorable than you’re anticipating.
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October 19, 2015 at 12:42 pm
The Intransigent One
Definitely spiced.
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October 19, 2015 at 6:26 pm
bleatmop
The bright side of this is that both the Liberal and the NDP have committed to switching to a proportional representation. It’s up to us all to hold their feet to the fire over this promise when JT becomes Prime Minister. This is literally the only hope for us to bring back social values into our politics.
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October 19, 2015 at 6:27 pm
bleatmop
@TIO I prefer a nice dark non-spiced mixed with cola. I picked up a bottle of Bacardi 8 year aged rum and it was delectable. Hope you and Arb have a great night tonight!
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October 19, 2015 at 7:55 pm
VRKaine
Bleat – have you tried “The Cracken”?
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October 19, 2015 at 8:01 pm
VRKaine
@Bleat – Proportional rep would be great.
@Arb & TIO – I looked at the ballot today and guess who I saw on it? Linda Duncan! Are we neighbours? (uh oh!) :)
I was surprised at all the other candidates on the ballot – the Pirates? And the Rhinos are still around? And a Libertarian. Wow.
http://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/riding-profile-edmonton-strathcona
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October 19, 2015 at 11:39 pm
The Arbourist
@bleatmop
And the same to you and your family Bleatmop :)
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October 20, 2015 at 3:53 pm
bleatmop
VR- I’ve heard rumours of a Kraken but I’ve not had the opportunity to try it.
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October 20, 2015 at 4:02 pm
The Intransigent One
Strongly recommend the Kraken if you can find some.
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