Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Sometimes politics is just so...political

In a few hours I’m off to Pearson for a flight via Philadelphia to Dublin, where I’ll spend the rest of the week on a business trip learning about the finer points of inkjet printing. I get back Saturday, and then it’s back on the road to Anahiem on Sunday for another conference until the following Wednesday.

W
hile I’ll still be checking in on doings back in Canada while I’m gone, I have to say I don’t think I could have picked a better time to get out of the country for a bit. Is it just me or has this leadership race become very…political of late?

A few weeks back there was a kerfuffle over Bob Rae’s saying politics matters more than policy. He couldn’t be more wrong, and shame on him was the consensus. Well, what have we had since Super Weekend: no policy, all politics.


And I’m not innocent, I certainly tried to put as positive a light on the results for my candidate as possible. And it’s certainly understandable that we enter a new phase of the race, this jockeying for position, particularly among Rae, Kennedy and Dion, that things heat up a bit.


But this is getting really silly. Look at some of what we’ve seen. Kennedy is a drop-out that cheated on his taxes, Dion never talked about sustainable development until Sunday, Ignatieff is a debate-dodging chicken (and the devil, but we already knew that), Rae, Kennedy and Dion gave the finger the other candidates by not pulling out of a ROBTV debate that will be watched by 50 people, Dion missing a vote that was going to pass anyway with permission of the whip because of a previously scheduled event makes a mockery of his environmental commitment, everyone except our candidate is beholden to the old boys, and so on, and so on.


And then there’s the anonymous commenters pushing their own agendas with slander, distortion and lies. As I’ve commented previously, it’s like they see themselves as part of some righteous crusade; anything for the cause and all that. It would be a bit more credible if they were willing to stand behind their slanders.


Anyway, all this energy is being expended and is it going to change things in the leadership race? Not even a little bit. I recognize this sort of thing has its place in politics, I just don’t have the energy for it. If things had worked out a little differently a few years ago I could have gone to work in Ottawa, and many times since I’ve been glad that I didn’t. Politics is just so…political.


Is it December yet?

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8 comments:

bigcitylib said...

Maybe 50 people will watch ROBTV, but they will almost certainly all be delegates at the convention (or angry loners with nothing better to do than mutter at the tv). So such things do make a difference.

And you didn't think my chicken looked just like Iggy?

Anonymous said...

Two main culprits here it seems to me - "anybody but Iggy" and the "Canadian Republic". Both these sites are repulsive and pathetic.

The trashing of Ignatieff and Kennedy here is sick, sick, sick. I'm sure if people tried they could dig up real dirt about everyone but the dwell on it shows a real hatred problem much like anger management.

I wish it would stop, it's making me want to forget it all instead of being enthusiastic about the "renewal" of the Liberal Party.

Anonymous said...

"bigcitylib" should be added as one of the blogging assholes. The chicken picture - give me a break.

Tell Brison, Martha, Dryden that their $50,000 and campaign trail work wasn't worth anything and that they're not worth anything.

What happened to renewal, openess and fairness.

And, to think Mr. Loves his Dog and Mr. Can make a Joke were part of this discrimination makes me sick.

Good think most people won't be paying attention to ROBTV anyway - they might get the idea that we have no other contenders that count, that mean anything, that aren't included in spite of all their hard work and taking a chance.

Well, I now have a different opinion of these ego-inflated, mean-spirited dudes.

They make me sick.

bigcitylib said...

But the issue is, anon, that by this time it is clear that the other candidates don't count. They're just cluttering up the stage.

Probably the most important moment in the general election campaign will be when the Liberal leadership candidates stands up there with Layton, Harper, Duceppe, and May, and throws down in the debates. (I think Dion even said as much). The debates can move the polls five or ten points in a couple of nights. As things are, it is impossible to tell who among the Lib candidates can make the cut in this regard (and many people, based on past performance, doubt that Iggy can).

Anonymous said...

"bigcitylibs" - it's because YOU want it to be that Iggy can't. Have you ever watched Dion debate in Question Period, House of Commons - not a pretty picture.

So, cut the crap on the Iggy trashing campaign and anyone else on the trashing Kennedy campaign or whoever they are trashing.

Trashing isn't debate. It's just trashy trashing and nothing else.

I think it's called being a mouthy smart ass - you know, just like mouthy teenagers.

rob said...

Hey Jeff, it looks like your post has sure changed the tone of the debate in your comment section!

Sheesh. Take me with you.

Jacques Beau Vert said...

Well Jeff, I agree. I am not a Liberal (or anything else) but it is hurtful to the whole system of government to see a party in such turmoil.

In fact, I would go so far as to say that Liberals are (mostly, obviously, not across the entire board) doing a great disservice to Canada right now with all these politics and so little policy.

Wow, for sugar's sake, what a catastrophic idea it was to have this insanely long leadership race. Well, we have all learned from the mistake, at least.

PS, thought you might be interested in knowing that Michael Ignatieff fucks underage dogs without protection.

Anyway, have a great trip.

Penelope Persons said...

Dublin would not be my own first choice, but yeah, Im getting pretty tired of all the promotion and spin of absolutely nothing. And those are the better blogs. [Not, of course, including present company!]

When IS this ROBTV thing anyway? I wouldn't mind being one of the 50 people if it's not too late.