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SPECIAL ELECTION 2008 EDITION Edition #111 — October 14, 2008 [NOTE: see below for links to my US Election 2008 and Barack Obama articles!] All I know about politics I learned from my parents My knowledge of the world comes not from textbooks but from experience. I love reading books and learning, but my interests don't include reading Harvard political texts. So when election time comes around, I rely upon my colorful life history, not the history of politics, as the basis for deciding where I should cast my vote. It's a tricky landscape out there. Even the most sinister politicians are out there forcing smiles and acting like every voter's best friend. Each candidate is making big promises because promises themselves cost nothing to make. And redeeming a promise is usually done by voting out the leader who broke his promises four years ago for the candidate whose promises suddenly ring so truthful. Bah Humbug! The way I know a politician is by watching how they act. I could pick out the creeps in high school, so it's not a big stretch to pick them out on the campaign trail. If I see something that reminds me of when I was being lied to, taken advantage of or bullied as a teenager, then I can pretty accurately judge that the candidate is not about "good will toward men" but narcissism and amassing power. It may not be completely accurate, but it's the only way I know to cut through all of these manufactured illusions. Family Values As for my knowledge of how government works, I confess that all I know about politics I learned from my parents. The most important thing I learned from them is that the person in charge is not always the most qualified for that position. Yet within family life, just as in politics, there is a heirarchial system in place and, despite its shortcomings, this is all that kids have to protect them - or destroy them. Be it supportive or life threatening, family life is still the best example we have of how government works. Within both families and government, the administration may lie, deny or get get loud and abusive to quell opposition. Protesters are punished to induce fear and discourage future outbursts. And when someone turns the tables and treats the leadership as it has treated its citizens, it pretends to be morally outraged or talk about having boundaries and a civil, fair society - "How can you talk to you mother that way?" or "How dare you talk to me like that!" Yeah, yeah - whatever. Conservatives and Liberals, Socialists and Protestors Most adult children will never have an open and honest debate with their own parents despite decades of familiarity. Parents, like governments, don't want to broadcast their weaknesses for fear of having their implied authority questioned. There is an emotional wall in place to protect the family hierarchy. Come too close and someone's going to cry, yell insults, or threaten to kick you out of the house. Or they'll try to distract you, just as politicians do in every election. Parents, like politicians, may destroy their kingdoms out of a sense of entitlement, or in the mistaken belief that a successful life is measured by one's conquests and status. And the greatest irony, in both family life and politics, is that everybody wants to live in a democracy until they're the one in charge. In any typical household, the person with the most power often abuses it. This is because fear motivates quicker than understanding ever will, and so it's easier to wave a fist than to explain your motives. If there is a strong, top down sense of social duty from the leadership, then family life will be blessed with fairness and children will probably be better equipped for a successful social life. And almost guaranteed, if one is the weakest, youngest, or most vulnerable in a household, chances are they'll be preyed upon and abused the most, whether from the top down, or from the middle ranks by a jealous rival sibling. In government, some elections benefit from threats to cull the needy. I believe that most parents try to do what's best for their children, just as many politicians at least try to live up to some promises they've made. But things can change once we have the power we want. And furthermore, there is little agreement as to the definition of what a "best" interest is or just how "free" our freedom should be. One thing for sure, it will be the beginning of a new dawn in civilization when we can all live without the fear of being beaten and bullied for expressing our views - or our outrage - within a democratic society. ROLAND'S SPECIAL EVENT ARTICLES - ELECTION 2008Below are some high-spirited articles I've written about the US Election spectacle featuring my insights on Barack Obama, Joe Biden, John McCain and Sarah Palin. The Canadian elections on Tuesday don't interest me very much since it's just another Right Wing Conservative farce in the making. Our Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, recently read aloud a plagiarized speech that former Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, gave to the electorate of his country. This shows us just how interchangeable and "cookie-cutter" the conservative ideology really is when the person talking doesn't even matter to the debate. Talk about New World Orderliness. When leaders with original ideas are replaced by people who say things that they did not think about or fact check, that's when you start to wonder...just where the hell are we going with this political parenthood crap? Canada doesn't have a Barack Obama, so I'll just vote for "whoever isn't Stephen Harper" and consider my five minutes of Western Corporate Democracy duly noted. The woman who deserves to win is a smart and sincere Green Party candidate, Elizabeth May. But if I vote for her, the Liberals will lose for sure and we'll have a few more years of Stephen "Cookie Cutter Man" Harper, unless Barack Obama straightens him out with a roundhouse kick to the temple. Oh, how I wish... Keep smiling. At least that's still free. Plus these articles I've written. But don't be afraid to donate something to my "I need more music gear" fund if you feel so compelled.
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