Category: Politics

Feel Safer Now?

On By WinstonIn Discrimation, Politics, Society, ValuesLeave a comment

Here’s how the scenario unfolds.  The police follow a suspect in an active investigation.  They observe him go into the woods.  Fifty minutes later, he emerges, and drives away.  The officers enter the woods and observe an area where the pine needles and soil appear disturbed.  The following day, a forensic team returns and unearths four wooden crates containing fourteen hundred rounds of ammunition and a garbage bag containing fourteen tins of black powder.

Tony Spears, writing in the Ottawa Sun goes on to say that Claude Haridge has been charged with careless storage of ammunition and breach of undertaking.  That’s where I get confused.  A guy buries over a thousand rounds of ammunition and a pile of black powder in the woods and that’s the best they can come up with?  Either he’s a total nut job, or he’s up to no good.

Meanwhile, his defense lawyer is arguing there shouldn’t be any charges at all.  Seriously?  We’re just supposed to look the other way?  I’m not sure where Mr. Brown got his law degree, but that school should probably start offering a course in common sense.  I expect you’d have a hard time finding a fifth grader who wouldn’t see a problem with someone hiding bullets and powder in the bush.

Oh yeah, one more detail.  That open investigation that had them watching him in the first place?  It involved the firebombing of a bank in the city.  Now you maybe start to see my problem with this.  The police have apparently not charged Mr. Haridge in connection to the bank bombing.  On the other hand, they had some reason for following him as part of their investigation.

So here we have a suspect in an urban bombing who admits to burying large quantities of ammunition and black powder in the bush.  He’s facing a mickey-mouse careless storage charge.  If Mr Haridge were of “non-caucasian” ethnicity, or a practicing Muslim, I bet the charge sheet would have looked a bit different. It probably would have included words like, “terrorism”, “terrorist”, and of course “Al Qaeda in Ottawa”.

The good news…. Apparently local law enforcement has concluded that people with names like “Haridge” aren”t likely to be terrorists.  Really, he probably had some perfectly valid reason for stashing ammo and powder like that.  Probably just a fun geo-caching game with his buddies from “Definitely Not Al Qaeda In Ottawa”.  What else could it possibly be?  After all, he doesn’t look like an “islamicist”.  They’re the ones Prime Minsiter Harper said are the big threat.

Feel safer now?

Cheers, Winston

If “Not In My Backyard”, Then Whose?

On By WinstonIn Environment, Green Energy, Media, Politics, Society, TechnologyLeave a comment

Christina Blizzard, writing in the Ottawa Sun is slamming David Suzuki and Dalton McGuinty. One for being a “pompous ass”, and the other being praised by a pompous ass for wanting to build wind turbines where the wind blows.

Before I go any farther, I want to make it clear that this is not to bash Mx. Blizzard.  I subscribed to the Sun for many years.  I’ve always enjoyed Christina\s articles, and this is not an attack on her personally.  Only on the views expressed in the article in question.

Apparently, Dr. Suzuki endorsed McGuinty’s green energy initiatives and  stated bluntly that it would be “absolute insanity” for Provincial Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak to scrap them if voted in during our pending election.  She raises the point because of it’s status as a registered charity, The David Suzuki Foundation is not allowed to participate in partisan politics.  Fair enough.  On the other hand, Dr. Suzuki had apparently stepped down from the board, so is no longer bound by those rules.

Part of her ire stems from a plan put forward by Premier McGuinty’s Liberal party to place 260 massive wind turbines near the town of Zurich on Lake Huron.  According to Mx. Blizzard,  “Each turbine consumes 1.6 hectares of prime farmland – that’s some 405 hectares of farmland that could be use to grow crops.”  She then adds, “How green is that Dr. S?”

Just a couple of quick points.  If she’s so keen to preserve farmland, where has she been while the farms around Orleans have been sub-divided into the history books?  Oh and by the way:  Nice use of the diminutive “Dr. S” to undermine his standing with the readers.  She is an op-ed for a second string tabloid.  He is an internationally recognized leader on environmental issues who hosted a long running science program on national TV.  This probably has a lot to do with her later characterizing him as a “pompous ass” for telling homeowners to use energy efficient light-bulbs and caulk draft-causing leaks in a couple of “creepy” ads in partnership with the provincial government.  I suspect that when you can’t compare credentials, trash-talk is really all you’ve got left.

All of which serves as background for the point I want to make here.  In her unending quest for truth and objectivity, Christina Blizzard talked to the rural residents around Zurich, Ontario and discovered something remarkable.  They are “outraged” by the “monstrosities” springing up and feel they are a “blight on the landscape.”  I’m shocked, aren’t you?

Okay, maybe I’m being a little bit sarcastic there.  Realistically, I would have been more genuinely shocked if they had been happy about it and declared the turbines “paragons of aesthetics in harmony with their natural setting.”  That would have been news worthy.  The fact is, it’s another in a long line of “not in my back yard” issues.

Years ago, when I lived in  a different city, there was talk of building a Young Offenders Facility there.  Much of debate didn’t focus on the jobs such a facility would bring to a “one industry town” where the “one industry” had been declining for years.  Nope.  Most of what made the news were residents worrying what such a facility would do to property values and city councilors pandering to them.   Everyone agreed it was good, just not where they happened to live.

I don’t think you’ll find too many people who will argue in favor of coal burning generating plants over wind turbines in terms of sustainability.  Not unless they work for the coal industry, or they just want to be difficult.  As for the rural residents around Zurich, sorry, you just happen to live where the wind blows.  I’ve spent some time in the area myself, and I know how steady the winds are on the east shore of Lake Huron.  Nothing against the people there, but no matter where they wanted to put them, someone would complain.  It would be someone’s back yard.  This time, it’s in yours.

Sadly, coal, oil and other fossil fuels aren’t going to last much longer.  There are only so many waterways suited to hydro plants, and if the tragedy in Japan is any indicator, nuclear may not be the greatest either.  Barring any major breakthroughs, it seems probable that if you live in a naturally windy place, you could end up with a turbine or two… hundred.  By the same logic, if you live somewhere with a lot of sun, I see a high probability of solar panels in your future.

We need to develop these more sustainable energy technologies now, not when the last puff of smoke from coal drifts away on the wind off Lake Huron.  They have to go somewhere.

If “Not In My Backyard!”, then where?

Cheers, Winston

You Sorta Need Someone To Command & Control

On By WinstonIn Canadian Military, Politics, Society7 Comments

A report from a former Lieutenant General in the Canadian Armed Forces seems destined to be ignored…. again.  Apparently, there are as many military personnel in Ottawa’s National Defense HQ as there are on active duty in the navy or regular force army.  During the last six years, Command and Support has grown at four times the rate of actual deployable force.  That seems a tad disproportionate to me.

Andrew Leslie, the author of the report, wants to see that change.  Of course after years inside the Canadian military, he knows the odds against any of his recommendations being adopted.  In the last forty five years, not one plan to reform Canada’s Armed Forces has been fully implemented.  It seems like maybe it’s time for that to change.

When there are more people running the military than there are in it, it represents a really skewed set of priorities.  It’s hard to justify the amount of money we spend on our military knowing most of it stays right here in Ottawa.  The government talks about Force Projection, but the bulk of their personnel don’t seem to project much beyond DNDHQ.

My nephew served three tours in Afghanistan while upwards of twenty-thousand military staff did their best to bring peace and stability to Ottawa.  Recent stimulus spending has fueled a large part of this expansion.  Now that well is running dry, and the deployable forces seem to have been left off the gravy train.  Thirteen billion in awesome new jets is a grand gesture, but it’s meaningless if there’s no actual people to put them in the air.  The same is true of the army, and navy.  When the budget is being drained by a top heavy administration, there’s not much left for actual boots on the ground.

If you think of it from a business perspective, it’s not a good idea to have more staff at head office than you do actually doing whatever it is your company does.  That’s a recipe for disaster in the private sector.  In the Canadian Military, it’s business as usual.  The status quo has been institutionalized in the name of stability and a healthy dose of hidebound leadership.  Case in point, former Chief of Defense Staff Rick Hillier.

Hillier’s take on Leslie’s recommendations: “You try to implement that report as it stands and you destroy the Canadian Military.  You simply can’t take that many people out of Command & Control functions.”  Really?  How many bodies do you need in C&C per deployable person?  Apparently, the idea of a leaner more efficient military has yet to breach the fortifications around Ottawa.  While the deployable forces are tasked to do more and more with less and less, DNDHQ is doing a little bit more with a steadily growing mountain of resources.

Andrew Leslie’s own words seem like an appropriate wrap up.  “If we don’t do something along these lines, battalions will be disbanded, ships will be tied up and aircraft will continue to be grounded while headquarters continues to grow.”

Note to Defense Minister Peter McKay and current Chief of Defense Staff Walt Natynczyk: YOU SORTA NEED SOMEONE TO COMMAND & CONTROL!

Cheers, Winston

SMART Goals… Maybe There’s A Different Tool For Government

On By WinstonIn Global Issues, Humor, Politics, WarfareLeave a comment

Any of you who work in a corporate environment have probably at some point encountered the S.M.A.R.T. guidelines for decision making.  The acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound.  You can see why I think perhaps  the government uses something different.

Some of the most outstanding examples of this are the “Wars” the declare.  The “War on Poverty”, “War on Drugs”, and my personal favorite, the “War on Terror”.  I believe the decisions to engage in these “Wars” are based on what I like to refer to as the V.A.P.I.D. guidelines.  This stands for Vague, Abstract, Pointless, Imaginary, and Damaging.  I’ll use the “War on Terror” to illustrate my point.

For starters, declaring a “War” on “Terror” seems a tad ill defined.  Not only is it not Specific, it’s actually quite Vague. It’s going to be hard to Measure results because “Terror” isn’t a person, place or thing, it’s an Abstract concept.  Victory could be difficult to Achieve in a “War” against a concept and with “Terror” still going strong after ten years, it seems kind of Pointless.  It doesn’t seem very Realistic to try to eliminate “Terror” from the world, although that Imaginary place would probably be very nice to live in.  With no clear objectives, it makes it hard to create a definitive Ttimeline.  That same blurriness of purpose also distracts from actual issues which is incredibly Damaging.  If you work it through, you will see it’s also true for the other “Wars” I mentioned.

This inability to set appropriate goals is dangerous and unacceptable.  These are the people whom we have charged and entrusted to act on our behalf and in our best interest.  Clearly, they have not.  Clearly this needs to change.  Let’s take a look for a moment at what things might have looked like if they had instead used the S.M.A.R.T. guidelines.

Instead of a “War on Terror”, we might have had a mission statement that looked more like this.  “We will  track down and bring to trial those responsible for the attacks against the United States on Sept. 11th 2001.”  Now let’s break it down.  Is it Specific?  Yes, it clearly states what we want to do and who we want to do it to.  Is it Measurable?  Yes, by having a clear goal, we can see how close we are to reaching it.  Is it Achievable? Yes, tracking down a relatively small group of people is very doable.  Is it Realistic?  Yes, much more so than taking on “Terror”.  Is it Time-bound?  Ye,s when the last trial finishes, the job is complete.  See how much better that is?

So, next time you get get dragged to one of those corporate training sessions, bring along your MP/Congress Person/Senator/Representative.  Who knows, they might actually learn something.  If nothing else, your boss will realize how lucky they are to have you on staff instead of a politician.  That could be just what you need to hold onto your job.

Cheers, Winston

Canadians Not Terrorized Enough?

On By WinstonIn Global Issues, Politics, Society, Values1 Comment

I was just reading an article on Maclean’s  app about how indifferent most Canadians are to the threat of terrorism.  The implication being our need to take it more seriously.  The fact is, we shouldn’t.

Aside from a couple of highly publicized “threats”, Canada isn’t exactly a commonly declared terroist target.  It isn’t amping up the fear factor that the domestic plots appear to have been orchestrated by people with the technical and organizational skills of a sleep deprived chipmunk.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it couldn’t happen.  We don’t get any more of a free pass than anyone else.  I just don’t see it as really likely.  More to  the point, there’s not a thing I can do about it and frankly,  I’ve got better things to worry about.  Like a Prime Minister who feels that mumbling “Islamicist” is going to take my mind off the lack of employment in my immediate future.

Of course the average Canadian isn’t overly worried about terrorism.  We work in a job market where the idea of long term security is considered extinct.  Politicians boast about their job creation records without mentioning whether or not they pay a living wage, offer benefits, or have any career potential.  Young people graduate from secondary school unable to read, write or do even basic math.  This is supposed to be acceptable to us because technology is replacing these skills.  As someone who has experienced them in the workplace, I can assure you this isn’t the case.

There are so many real and immediate threats for the average Canadian to worry about that marginally possible terrorism doesn’t do it.  Even when our Beloved Leader trots out fun and unusual words like “Islamicist”.  It can’t be easy trying to scare people when  your bogeymen won’t cooperate.  I know a lot of people impacted by our economic and employment issues.  I don’t know anyone who’s been threatened by terrorists of any kind.

A foreign policy of military interventionism is hard to justify if the official bad guys aren’t really doing anything bad to you.  It’s even harder if the bad guys you’re trying to sell everyone on are not as bad or dangerous as others.  Muammar Gaddafi isn’t a nice guy nor has he been a benevolent ruler, but he’s no Kim Jong Il.  It’s just a lot easier and safer to bomb Libya.  Likewise, Afghanistan is far from stable and the Taliban were vile by any standard.  On the other hand, it is a rock solid, model of social justice compared to Somalia.  But again, invading Somailia hasn’t been so easy in the past.

North Korea is a nuclear state run by an absolute dictator who also happens to be an absolute nut.  Mr Harper feels this is less of an issue than the nebulous and ill defined “Islamicist”s.  Somailia has no functioning central government, and the only growth industry seems to be piracy.  They also have Al Shabab which is about as “Islamicist” as you get.  Not that it’s likely to be any quicker, more effective, or affordable than the fiasco which is Afghanistan.

So no, if the leader of the nation doesn’t want to address any actual terror threats, we the people aren’t likely to spare much energy for them either.  I mean really, what do they expect.  Do they truly believe that best way to Canada stay strong and vital is to drop bombs on Gaddafi supporters?  How is our pointless and over-extended invasion of Afghanistan creating jobs or improving the quality of life for ordinary Canadians?  Are they doing anything to encourage sustainable development in society or business?  Of course not.  They are useful mainly as distractions.  The contemporary version of the ancient Roman “bread and circuses”.

If Prime Minister Harper can keep us focused on events in Afghanistan, Libya or on “Islamicist” terrorists, we might not notice the real threat.  Contrary to popular (at least with Harper) belief, the greatest threat to our security is the erosion of our quality of life.  Declining education standards, a widening gap between wealthy and poor with a shrinking middle class, a job market defined by temporary/contract positions and health care cuts are just some of the things distracting Canadians from the “Islamicist” menace.  If our elected officials did their jobs and addressed these issues, maybe we could spare some concern for his “vaporware” terrorists.

That’s not likely to happen though.  Then again I’m not likely to lose any sleep worrying about the Prime Minister’s “Islamicist” bogeymen.  I get little enough sleep as it is worrying about my employment options.  Unless his paranoid delusions are going to land me a job, his sole relevance for me is relegated to providing me with fodder for this blog.  Not really what I look for in a leader, but about what I’ve come to expect from Mr. Harper.  I don’t have really high hopes for anyone who’s election campaign was based such classic staples as “in these troubled times, we need to stay the course”, and my personal favorite, “Vote for me because I’m not the other guy.”

No wonder Mr. Harper’s focusing on “Islamicist” terror.  With both the Liberals and new Democrats looking for leaders, there aren’t really any viable targets for personal attack ads.  That just leaves him with fear mongering.  If it weren’t for the teenie-tiny chance of a terrorist attack in Canada, the poor man wouldn’t have a sound bite available to toss out to the media.  Who knows, maybe then they’d ask about something that actually mattes.  Nah, probably not.

Cheers, Winston

Larry Powell Should Be “Man of the Year”

On By WinstonIn Personal Responsibility, Politics, Society, Values9 Comments

If the spot’s still open, here’s my candidate for the Time Magazine “Man of the Year”: Fresno County School Supervisor, Larry Powell.

In case you missed it, this person decided to let go of $800000 in salary over the next three and a half years. The reason for his decision? He didn’t need it and he wanted to protect his pet projects from budget cuts and help restore faith in government officials.

In an era of political corruption scandals and massive unemployment in his region, Mr. Powell was looking to make a difference. While others look to take more out of the system, he decided to put some back. Among the projects he wanted to protect, is one geared to getting B and C students into college by teaching them note-taking and strategy skills.

“How much do we need to keep accumulating?” That’s the question that drives the Powell’s decision. To achieve his plan, he worked out a deal to retire and then get hired back at a much lower wage. In fact, he will be earning just $31000 a year. That’s about $10000 less than the starting salary for a teacher in the district.

There are two things that set him apart in my book. One is the realization that just because you can command a massive salary it doesn’t mean you should. In a cash strapped region, he and his wife decided they had all they needed and had no reason to take more. It’s hard to imagine a more radical idea in today’s world.

Oh wait, there is ONE idea that’s more radical, and it’s the other big reason he should receive “Man of the Year”. Mr. Powell didn’t feel the need to tell anyone what he was doing. It wasn’t until four days after the board meeting, that word got out. When it seems everyone is fighting for the spotlight, he didn’t feel the need. There were no press conferences to tell everyone what a great thing he was doing. Instead of a publicity stunt that could have landed him on half the talk-shows in the country, the privacy of his action is the hallmark of it’s authenticity.

Larry Powell: Time Magazine’s Man of the Year! Probably not, but he should be. He would make a great role model for us all.

Cheers, Winston

Fundamentalist Yes, Christian; Not So Much

On By WinstonIn Personal, Politics, Religion, Society7 Comments

Welcome Brethren, Sisters, one and all. Are you confused by all the people claiming to do God’s will? Do you look at what they are doing and wonder if you misunderstood it all like they claim? Do you feel the call of the Fundamentalists? Well, worry no more. I am here to help!

Ladies and Gentlemen! Boys and Girls! Good citizens of the blogosphere! Welcome to Brother Win’s Traveling Miracle Tent And Christian Values Revival! Step inside and I will reveal to you: The TRUTH! That’s right folks. They claim it, I’ve got it. Have a seat right up front here, we’ve got plenty of room.

When a sitting US senator says that homosexuals and unwed mothers shouldn’t be allowed to teach, they talk about Christian Values. When people want to cut social programs, they talk about Christian Values. Others say non-Christians shouldn’t hold public office, or that the debt crisis is God’s punishment for (you guessed it) declining Christian Values. All these people talk about Faith and how God hates this group or that group, and they quote the Bible. That must mean they’re right, right? Wrong!

They are absolutely wrong, and I’ll tell you why. They are slow readers. That’s the whole of it. They’ve been reading that Book for years, but they’ve never got more than half way through it. They read the part where it says an adulteress should be stoned to death. They never got to the second half of the Bible. That’s where Jesus says, “Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone.” They read the bit about unclean acts, but they missed the chapters on forgiveness in the second half.

That’s right folks, everyone who talks about hate totally missed the New Testament. Well not totally, they just skipped ahead to Revelations. All of them read Revelations. Do you want to know why? The answer my friends is fear. That’s what the Old Testament has in common with Revelations, they are all about fear. Their message is, “Do what we say. Or else.”. That’s the perfect message for people who hate. It’s perfect for people who want power. People who like to tell others what to do, they love that message of fear. But it’s not what Jesus taught!

Jesus taught people not to fear. He taught people to hope. His message wasn’t one of fear, but of love. I can hear what the “Fundamentalists” are saying right now. “Jesus said He didn’t come to change the Law.” That’s absolutely true. He didn’t come to change it, He came to take our punishment for every sin we could ever commit. The Old Testament was a huge list of “Do”s” and “Don’t”s. The list in the New Testament list is a little shorter. “Believe in me and you shall be saved.” That’s it. One simple rule. Do this, and you’re in. Regardless.

There are a couple more of his teachings that I’ve always liked. When Texas Governor Rick Perry rented a football stadium for his blatantly political Day of Prayer he definitely hadn’t gotten to the second half of the Bible. If he had, he might have remembered this line. “Be not like the Pharisees and the Sadducees who pray loudly in the streets. Go instead into a dark room, lock the door and pray there. In context it means, stop trying to look righteous and start being righteous. That’s not something Gov. Perry or ANY of those like him want to hear. If people can’t see them being “righteous” there’s not much point for them. People aren’t going to go along with your hate-fueled personal agenda if they don’t see how “righteous” you are.

Then there’s my personal favorite. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one and other. Even as I have loved you, that you also love one and other.”. If you follow this one rule, the other ten are automatic.

The other day, a man named Jack Layton passed away. He wasn’t a mass murderer, or a brutal despot. Still, a person of “Faith” posted this when wishing his friend a happy birthday. “Jack Layton died… Great Birthday present.”. I guess they didn’t get more than halfway through either.

Now you know The TRUTH! Next time someone tells you that God Hates this, or God Hates that, feel free to tell them The TRUTH. “God so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten SON to die for our sins.” They won’t hear you, but don’t let that stop you. If we don’t speak up, people will only hear their voices.

Now rise up my Brothers and Sisters! Leave my humble tent and go out into the world. Take The TRUTH with you, for it Shall make you free.

Cheers, Winston

Jack Layton: A Man I Admired

On By WinstonIn Personal, PoliticsLeave a comment

Jack Layton passed away today after a lengthy struggle with cancer. He was the leader of the federal New Democratic Party. He was a politician who put principles first, and I respect that.

For those not familiar with Canadian politics, we are a two party country. Officially, there are a bunch of others, but not really. For my whole life, if you wanted to run the country, you joined either the Liberals, or the Conservatives. Mr. Layton devoted his political life to changing that.

His youth was one of privilege and comfort. The sort expected to produce a more conservative adult. Despite this, he became a proponent of social justice. After serving for a time in municipal government, Mr. Layton decided to move to the federal arena.

Did he move to one of the two major power parties? No, instead he joined a smaller federal party that was a better fit for him. The NDP (New Democratic Party) were the social conscience of the federal government. Everybody “knew” they were never going to be a big player, but Jack Layton saw something else. He saw the NDP as more than Canada’s guilty conscience. He saw it as a major power, and a vehicle for change.

He worked within the party to win over the core members. Eventually, he became party leader. There still wasn’t much of a party to lead, so he set his sights on like-minded people who for years had regarded the NDP as an also-ran joke. From there, he took his message to the Canadian people. The NDP weren’t a bunch of free-spending, socialists on the far-left fringes of the political landscape. Then he was diagnosed with cancer, and he fought this fight as he had so many others, with courage, dignity and humor.

Going into the last election, Jack Layton was leading a party with a clear vision and an achievable agenda. By that time, the roles had been reversed. A strong and vital man once joined a weak and ailing party because he believed in what it could be. In 2011, a strong and vital party entered an election led by a man struggling with a terrible disease. While other parties campaign messages were basically, “Vote for me because I’m not the other guy.”, the NDP spoke of a vision. Not a vision for the NDP, or for “the Nation”, but for the people of Canada, and the people responded.

The NDP didn’t win the election, but they won the day at every other level. From a perennial third place also-ran, they now form the official opposition. Instead of being viewed as a semi-radical fringe party, they are now seen by many as a serious contender to govern the nation.

Let me be clear about something. I’ve never voted for the NDP. Instead of voting for a party that shared my values, I voted against ones that didn’t. Anyone who reads this blog knows I feel strongly about social and political issues. I read the news, and I listen to those more educated, or experienced than myself. Then I talk to people about what I’ve learned, or I post to this blog.

There were issues that Mr. Layton felt strongly about, and I’m certain he talked the people around him, but he didn’t stop there. He engaged with the system and worked to change it from within. When there was no political party that would support his vision, he rebuilt one from the ground up. He didn’t just talk about what he believed, he lived it. He didn’t just dream of a brighter future where things are done differently, he worked to build that future.

That is what I respect the most, the determination to translate his dream into reality. Anyone can find faults in the world. It is a rare person who will devote themselves to fixing them. Mr. Layton fought cancer and a come-from-behind election campaign at the same time, and that’s all impressive enough. What made him a great man in my eyes is the dignity, grace and decency with which he did so. Thank you Jack for your vision, your work, and most of all for being a man I admire.

Jack Layton died today, but his unbreakable spirit and commitment to changing the status quo will live on.

Cheers, Winston

Potter Sees Rioters Everywhere… Literally

On By WinstonIn Global Issues, Politics, SocietyLeave a comment

In an article posted Friday, regular Maclean’s columnist Andrew Potter states that riots happen because riots are fun. According to the article, we are ALL potential rioters. Whether it’s Vancouver after the Stanley Cup, or Britain’s recent riots, it’s just fun.

Thank you for clearing that up for everyone Mr. Potter. Here the rest of the world was thinking there might be some problems that needed to be addressed. Silly us! Now that we know it’s such a good time, we can all relax and stop “over-analyzing” things. While the rest of the world was looking at cultural or societal issues, The Amazing Mr. Potter realized THE TRUTH.

To paraphrase the classic line: “We have met the rioters, and they are us.” Apparently, all of us desperately want to chuck a waste-bin through a window and take what we want. Smashing, trashing, looting, mugging and burning; these are the things we want. Not comfort, security, peace. According to Mr. Potter, we all want to riot. Just because.

Aside from being a rampant apologist and incredibly naive, I do have a couple of other issues with this. How exactly did he conclude that all of us would riot if we could? Did he develop this awesome ability to read all of our minds at once? Or, is he just making it up to support his premise. I’m going to go with option two

Contrary to Mr. Potter’s claims, when I look around at the people I know, I don’t see hordes of potential rioters. A couple of them might, but not a majority, and absolutely not all. Maybe his people have a different set of values than mine. Maybe they get together every couple of weeks, have some beers and lament that there aren’t any nearby riots to join. Just for giggles and shits. I don’t claim to know for certain, but his article makes it seem likely.

The bigger problem is that his argument avoids the real reason for riots. It’s called personal responsibility. Maybe he’s right and we all want to join this big party, but most of us choose not to. Not every fan in Vancouver chose to participate in that riot. Nor did everyone in London, or Manchester, Toronto. People don’t riot just for fun. They don’t riot to protest social injustice or corporate greed. I’m dead certain they don’t riot over a hockey game or a football match. They riot because they choose to.

When you make everyone a villain, then there are no more villains. Anyone who smashes shops, burns businesses, cars and homes, they are villains. The person who assaults, loots, rapes or murders under cover of a riot, is a villain. People who choose not to join them, are not, it’s that simple. To claim rioters just do it for “fun” trivializes not only their actions, but also their victims. In case Mr. Potter is too delusional to notice, the people who are killed, injured, or have their property destroyed probably aren’t having any fun at all.

Not all of us are rioters. Not everyone thinks chaos is fun. Even among those who might think that, most people have one thing that separates them from the rioters, and apparently from Mr. Potter. Most people know that hurting people for your own enjoyment is wrong. It’s not the mob, it’s the individuals who make it up.

Each person makes a choice. Some choose to riot. Some choose not to. Some choose to make excuses. I choose to not to.

Cheers, Winston

Quick Tips For Political Reform

On By WinstonIn Politics, SocietyLeave a comment

There is a growing sense of dissatisfaction with politics today. When politicians notice they start using words like, “reform” and “accountability”. Here in Canada, we actually had a Reform Party for a while before it got rolled into the Conservative Party. In the US, If a politician hears those words, he joins the Tea Party. At least until after the elections.

Speaking of elections, we recently had one. If you went by the tv and radio ads, the entire campaign can be summed up like this: “Vote for me because I’m not the other guy.”. Steven Harper’s Conservative’s won the election by having a more consistent message. It wasn’t about policy, but rather personality. “Michael Ignatieff (who left Harvard University to lead the Liberal Party) didn’t come back for you.” Really? I never would have figured that out on my own. The implication of course is that Mr. Harper gave up his life’s work, (probably something humble and humanitarian) and entered politics to make my life better. Steven Harper came to Ottawa for me! Or maybe not.

You see, I’m not convinced that Mr. Harper moved to Ottawa and became Prime Minister with my best interests in mind. I think he did it with Mr. Harper’s best interests in mind, maybe those of the Conservative Party. That’s the way of politics. But what if it wasn’t?

What if there were some way of encouraging our elected officials to put the needs of the voters first? What if the average person’s quality of life were more important than the party line? Impossible? Perhaps it is, but if anyone’s curious, think about this.

What if a politician’s pay were tied to the average income at their level of government? Federal pay would be the national average household income. Provincial / State averages would determine pay at their level, and Municipal wages would be averaged against similar sized communities nationwide. The idea is for politician’s to actually understand the people they represent.

But wait, there’s more. There are a few other conditions they need to agree to if they want to run for office. To start with, any pre-existing assets get frozen for the duration of their term. Yes, they get to live within their means like the rest of us. Speaking of living within their means, the average person doesn’t get to travel first class for business. Nor do they get to take their families, pets, hangers-on etc.

Without access to those pre-election bank accounts, they might find it a bit rough affording high-end private schools. Once their kids are enrolled in the same schools as all the others, they might see why other people are demanding education reforms. The list could go on, but you get the idea. The more they improve everyone’s standard of living, the more they improve their own.

I can hear some of you saying that we would lose a huge swath of potential candidates. You’re probably right. That’s kind of the idea here. Lawyers, corporate executives, and in the US, entertainment personalities, that’s who’s been running the show lately. If you like where we are at the moment, then ignore the whole idea. For the rest of you (including the 30+% who didn’t vote in the last election here) it’s something to think about.

So, you think you can make a difference and you still want run for office? Glad to hear it. To ensure you get a good sample of the “real world”, the minimum term of office would be five years. If you quit or get fired (yes, your constituents can recall you if you’re too incompetent), your assets remain frozen for the duration of your term. Think about that when you look at cuts to social programming because you could end up relying on it like so many others. On the other hand if you make it to the end of your term, what can you expect?

Here’s your chance to make some money. If you’re willing to work for it. There will be realtime tracking of your performance including attendance record, involvement on any committees, efforts on behalf of you constituents including success rates etc. All of these stats will be freely available to the public. By the way, if you’re thinking of using ads to tell your constituents what a great job you’re doing, be prepared to back it up with facts. Deliberately misleading the public is considered fraud and you will be fired for it with all that that entails. On a related note, graft or influence pedaling will result in corruption charges. A guilty verdict carries a ten year sentence and forfeiture of all assets. Now for the good news. If you work hard, serve your constituents and make every effort to genuinely improve the quality of life for the average person, it’s payday. You earnings for the term will be based on a combination of statistical (attendance, responsiveness, results, etc), with how your constituents feel you have impacted their lives. The better your composite score, the higher your performance bonus. You won’t become filthy rich, or receive a pension for life, but you will earn proportionally more than the average citizen who didn’t give five years of their life to the community.

I know this isn’t a perfect plan, but it is a “reform”. It would bring “accountability”. And isn’t that what the politicians, the media and the loud drunk at the bar all say they want? Just something to think about.

Cheers, Winston