All politics is local (sic)
One of the catch phrases offered to excuse the efforts of our elected officials is “All politics is local” (sic). I’m like to add to that a rider: “and my neighbour is an idiot”. Seriously. Sadly. How else to get through the day, when at every turn we learn that the representative class does not do so.
Let’s look at a cross section. Doesn’t seem to matter what level. The local mayor is suddenly silent, unable to explain how he is or isn’t responsible for the growing piles of garbage in certain neighbourhoods. Normally, I wouldn’t think of pointing a figure at him over the question, but he did brag that he had it under control. Just sayin’.
At the provincial level, the minister of education (and we do change them often) has decided that he is going to end the expensive tradition of school board elections. He fails to mention what will fill the vacuum, but the only alternative that jumps to mind is appointment of the responsible class. Rather than getting rid of representative democracy, how about we change the minister again? Next time, appoint someone with “half a clue”.
At the federal level, we are now going to send soldiers off to the Ukraine, “to teach”. Several things here. Are we really apt to teach, or should we fall back on the Shawism, which asserts that “those who can do, those who can’t teach”? And did anyone notice that the Ukraine is involved in some convoluted argument with Russia, where people play rough? If the bear hasn’t noticed you, don’t wave and sing off-key soldiering songs.
