Albertans are gutless and like to be bullied. Oh, and more than a little gullible.
We’ve got a provincial election coming. This should mean we're smack in the midst of a vigorous campaign. Instead we’ve got the two largest opposition parties sniping at each other and the other two opposition parties struggling for relevance.
The conservatives have been in power since forever was just a pup, 1971. They’ve all but declared themselves as having a divine right to rule.
Every so often the party gets a new leader to perpetuate the illusion of change. The last fellow, Ralph Klein, was a drunk and a bully who lied to us and we lapped it up. He said we were getting our fair share of oil royalties. Turns out we weren’t. But if Ralph said it, then it must be so.
This is a man who went to a men’s shelter at 2 a.m. near Christmas time 2001 and picked a fight with a homeless guy. He usually went to work hung over. Even Dubya said of him, “Who is that asshole?”
Now we’ve got Stumbling Ed Stelmach. He’s a nice guy, a decent sort, and he’s got a chance to distance himself from Klein and can’t do it. It might work out for the best in that maybe voters will get disgusted with the benevolent dictatorship and vote in a healthy opposition.
I know better than to believe it’ll happen. I have hope for a new party in power, but my province is a one-party state. We actually buy the nonsense we’re fed by the ruling party that there is no one else capable of running the province. It’s because they have no experience, we are told. Ralph told us this, therefore it must be so. Well, how can they have experience when the conservatives have wielded the bludgeon of power for 37 years?
Plenty can happen between now and Election Day March 3. The only opinion poll that matters is the one in the ballot box.
The conservatives took over in 1971 after 36 years of Social Credit rule. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll get someone new running the joint next month.
I have hope. It and my vote are all I’ve got.
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4 comments:
It's interesting to hear about Canadian elections--we get virtually no news here about what goes on up north.
While I suspect you may have heard we're having some primaries down in the states.
Hope the elections go better than expected.
dfLeah - the Conservatives were really just the Social Credit Party with a new name, so we've pretty much had the same party running the province forever.
In spite of Ralph's bad points, he had charisma, while all poor, bland Ed Stelmach has is really good diction. I tend not to be able to hear what he is saying because I spend so much time listening to his very exacting pronunciation.
Oh, and as far as a ruling body goes - the Bag Lady thinks it isn't going to matter one damned bit who is in power - they are all corrupt and none of them will honour their campaign promises!
They say a change is as good as a rest. I don't see us resting anytime soon either Leah. Although, with this influx of people from other provinces there just might be a chance a slim one, but a chance never-the-less.
Was listening to the fellow from the Green party the other night - yes, some of those would be great changes, but, really, how the hell are you going to be able to afford to implement them?
Crabby, The US doesn't pay much attention to us and most of the time we're fine with it.
I've been following your primaries. The democratic race is fascinating and darned tough to call.
Up here we currently have a choice between middle-aged white guys.
dfBag Lady - Honest Ed's diction compels me too, but it's because he spoke Ukrainian first.
Yes, Reb, there may be some hope from the newcomers, but they're here to work and they've got jobs because of the conservatives. Just ask the PCs, they'll tell you. Ralph personally put all that oil in the ground.
In an ideal world the Greens would win and I'm sure they're running Fuzzy Bunny Universe just fine. Here our best hope is (or once was)the liberals knocking down the PCS.
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