Why I Hate Politics

... At Least Today's Brand of Politics...

FEDERAL POLITICS:

Up until about the 1990's, politics at all levels consisted of partisan political parties (or left-right alignments at city levels) where there was a clear platform and philosophy. When voting, we knew what the party stood for and what it's vision was for the next 5 years. The leaders were by and large, charismatic and had strong leadership qualities, able to articulate the vision of their party. Personal attacks and gutter level fights were the exception, and usually were attributed to the individual personality who went off track.

Now - we see politicians whose only allegiance is to themselves, and parties who will do absolutely anything to stay in power. Philosophies and political positions have become blurred. Are you a red tory or a blue liberal or a conservative ndper? The news and polls of the day dictate the vision. Politics of division has become an art and the marketing of fear-based politics is everywhere. Scary Harper. Incompentent Ignatieff. Scheming Layton

Attack ads, long popular in the divisive USA. have become a Canadian institution.

Here is a recent story and ideo on this: scary attack ads

Public apathy has grown, "politicians are all the same" and we've come to see the goings on in Ottawa as some kind of foreign country where poltical pundits talk a strange language while supposedly critiquing the politicians in power. In reality, they are all of the same stock, like some sort of lost tribe with its own culture of politi-speak.

How many really see Ottawa as a reflection of average Canada?

A sad, sad, sad state of affairs.

The only salvation for Canadians would be to vote out the incumbents, no matter what po0litical stripe, in their ridings. We need fresh blood, not career politicians.

Maybe then we'll get the leadership and vision Canada so desperately needs.