Tuesday, March 29, 2011

WHAT'S ALL THIS BITCHING

about how unhappy Canadians supposedly are that we are going to have a federal election soon? In the first place, I just can't believe that we are all such a bunch of whiners that an opportunity to exercise what precious little democracy we have is considered an insurmountable burden. What is the problem? Is it the arduous walk (or drive) to the polling station? Don't sweat it. We need the exercise. Is it the cost? Well, the 2006 election cost $270 million dollars, according to the CBC. Divide that up amongst the 34 million of us and it's less than 8 bucks a citizen. If you factor in that not all citizens are voters or taxpayers, it comes to somewhat more than that, I would suppose. Who knows, it might even be enough for an inexpensive dinner and a drink. Well, boo-hoo-hoo. In other countries people get shot by the police for just asking for democracy, let alone practicing it. But we need more cheeseburgers, eh? Maybe the supposed problem with having an election is listening to the coverage of it in the mass media. But I think the very people most likely to find this a reason not to have an election are the very people most able to simply tune out what they don't want to hear. They will go back to sleep soon enough. But I have my doubts that people in this country are so reluctant to have a chance to vote. I suspect the mass media have some patronizing image of "Joe Sixpack" in their heads they like to peddle: "you don't like elections, do you Joe Sixpack? There's a good Joe Sixpack. You just want a beer and a movie and a tax cut, don't you, Joe Sixpack? There's a good fellow..."

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