Waxing and Waning
I don't know how things are in Canada (except, you know, cool and free and stuff), but over here in the lower 49 (and, presumably, Alaska), people are bizarre about politics.
For example, I was reading a study lately where a bunch of Bush supporters had been asked about how they stood on a number of issues. The majority were more or less in favor of a bunch of things that the Republicans, especially the Bush Republicans, were against. When this was pointed out to them, they made some lame rationalizations about how Bush just "seemed like a good man" or how we shouldn't "change horses in mid stream."
In other words, many voters are so disconnected from how the political process works that they will vote for somebody who wants to do a bunch of things they think are wrong because he seems like a pretty good feller. No, not in other words, those are exactly the right words.
I also note that many of my friends who were all about politics in the days leading up to the election have lost interest since Bush was re-elected.
This is a major problem. They aren't really aware of any of the crazy ass shit going on in the guvn'ment right now because they are either totally disheartened or because they really don't care all that much provided they can still buy their Baffle MealTMN from Burger Trench without having to mortage their house.
Over here in the US, they just passed this bancruptcy bill that essentially makes it easier for the credit card companies to gouge people who, for example, got cancer and went so deep into debt that they couldn't afford to regularly pay their bills. Better still, if you are a soldier and get your arms shot off, and then go into debt due to medical costs, the credit card companies will still be able to demand that you pay every last cent you owe them.
Meanwhile, if a corporation does the exact same thing, they just fold and all the people who suffered just have to suck it up.
Yeah, let's all ignore what the guvn'ments are doing. Doesn't effect us. Plus, Bush is a nice feller.
For example, I was reading a study lately where a bunch of Bush supporters had been asked about how they stood on a number of issues. The majority were more or less in favor of a bunch of things that the Republicans, especially the Bush Republicans, were against. When this was pointed out to them, they made some lame rationalizations about how Bush just "seemed like a good man" or how we shouldn't "change horses in mid stream."
In other words, many voters are so disconnected from how the political process works that they will vote for somebody who wants to do a bunch of things they think are wrong because he seems like a pretty good feller. No, not in other words, those are exactly the right words.
I also note that many of my friends who were all about politics in the days leading up to the election have lost interest since Bush was re-elected.
This is a major problem. They aren't really aware of any of the crazy ass shit going on in the guvn'ment right now because they are either totally disheartened or because they really don't care all that much provided they can still buy their Baffle MealTMN from Burger Trench without having to mortage their house.
Over here in the US, they just passed this bancruptcy bill that essentially makes it easier for the credit card companies to gouge people who, for example, got cancer and went so deep into debt that they couldn't afford to regularly pay their bills. Better still, if you are a soldier and get your arms shot off, and then go into debt due to medical costs, the credit card companies will still be able to demand that you pay every last cent you owe them.
Meanwhile, if a corporation does the exact same thing, they just fold and all the people who suffered just have to suck it up.
Yeah, let's all ignore what the guvn'ments are doing. Doesn't effect us. Plus, Bush is a nice feller.
posted by J. Michaels at 2:44 PM
4 Comments:
I've been a bit puzzled by this as well in some of my online discussions. As food for thought I've brought up a few of your opinion pieces. It surprised me how negatively my points were received until I found out from some other posts that a few of these people were so agoraphobic/xenophobic that they rarely leave the house.
Things are a bit better in Canada, when people on the news are asked about public issues most of the time they have something informed to say about it(not always).
Yep, losing heart and losing interest. And just when we need more and more who will stand up to all the "nice fellers" in DC, too. As for those who are disconnected from the process, those nice fellers just know the right things to say...now 'scuse me, I have to pay my Visa bill, before they raise my apr again...
That's because Bush was re-elected when he ran as a conservative, but once elected he shot to the Left faster than you could say Socialist. He is even farther left now than John Kerry or Hillary Clinton are on some issues. He is taking the position of an international globalist. Bush is displaying all the symptoms of a guilty white liberal, and that makes him dangerous to Americans. There is little difference between Republicans and Democrats today - they are both parties full of socialists at the top.
Well, politics are pretty screwed up here in Canada too. Since I've become the age of majority and been able to vote, government goings-on have included our Premier getting busted for drinking and driving, another getting investigated for influence-peddling and connections with Asian gambling lords, an Opposition party leader getting busted in a secret sexual liaison with his House Whip, legislature raids leading to evidence of everything from marijuana grow-ops to improper sale of crown companies, to a Premier actually stealing money from bingo charities (I didn't make that up). Years earlier there was a national scandal wherein an East German prostitute and Soviet spy was granted citizenship by a prominent member of the party in power and who slept with a number of cabinet ministers in John Diefenbaker's government. Munsinger was found living in Munich, despite the government insisting she had died of leukemia, and freely admitted her numerous affairs with government officials to the Canadian media. Pretty smarmy stuff, and yet Canadians are very good-natured and forgiving of our government. It's like our famed politeness, only on a national level.
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