Monday, April 23, 2012

Gratitude Monday--Election Edition

This is only wild rose I want to see blooming in Alberta


Today is election day in Alberta. I am grateful I live in a country where I can vote without fear. 
That said, I do have fear this time. I am scared the Alberta Wildrose Party will take the helm of the province and send us reeling back in time a few decades.
Leader Danielle Smith is a smart woman who knows how to present herself and the party ideas. Some of them sound good on the superficial level. Give them some critical thought and we can see that white guys believe they speak for everyone and are listened to by everyone unlike those ethnic people, gays and lesbians do not need protection (and by inference do not deserve same) and that the jury is still out on climate change.
She will, however, balance the budget on the backs of the poor and the ill while patting us on the head and handing out $300 cheques.
But this is Gratitude Monday and I'm getting away from my point.
I am grateful that by tomorrow we'll probably have a viable Opposition in government for a change. And that means no matter who gets the nod from the voters there'll be others on the job to keep them reasonably honest.
I am grateful I live in a democracy, but I do wish more of us would use it.
.

9 comments:

Laurita said...

Election time is always a stressful time (at least from where I stand). I like to take comfort in the thought that no matter what happens, there are people out there who want to do the right thing.

Good gratitude.

messymimi said...

Agreeing with you on this, it is good to live where you can at least fire by not re-electing people who are doing a lousy job.

solarity said...

Yes, I'm grateful I can vote! My grandmothers both had children several years old before they could vote. (I just got a handwritten note from a local candidate saying she was sorry she had missed me because I'm a consistent voter. I will be voting two weeks from tomorrow.)

Mary Anne in Kentucky

Leah J. Utas said...

Laurita, yes. I just hope there are enough of them.

Messymimi, that's right. We don't do it enough in this province.

Mary Anne, I wish more people were like you. Good luck for your vote.

the Bag Lady said...

I, too, am grateful we live in a democracy where we are allowed to vote.
That said, I really don't think there is much difference between any of the political parties nowadays. It seems to me that most politicians are only there to line their own pockets. If they can simply hang onto their seats for a few years, they receive a lovely pension for the rest of their lives!

Crabby McSlacker said...

Fingers crossed on your elections!
And thanks for the gratitude reminder. I'm feeling less high minded and am particularly grateful for my cup of coffee this moring.

Frank Baron said...

Yeah, it's interesting days in Alberta. And count me among the grateful that we get a chance to elect our own weasels, rather than having weaseldom thrust upon us.

Red said...

By now you will be relieved that the WRP is the opposition. I think cooler heads got out to vote. On the other hand I'm concerned with the Tories record the last few years. Will they do any better?

Leah J. Utas said...

Frank, it shook out less interesting than I thought. *weaseldom* good one.

Red,it looked scary for a while there. I'm glad there's a decent-sized Opposition. It will be interesting.