B.C.'s Fractured Political Landscape

One thing the toxic Wrath of Kwan drama has shown us is that voters concerns were valid. The NDP can't run a peanut stand let alone a government. Yet the NDP is by no means the only fractured political party in BC. The whole political history of the Province is a mine field of sensationalism and extremism. The Social Credit party is gone and the Liberals are clearly on the brink of ruin just like Mulroney's Progressive Conservatives on the Federal map.

Voters in eastern Canada are much more stable than they are here in the west. Take New Brunswick and Nova Scotia for example. There voters sometimes vote how their parents voted. They don't seem to be as fickle as we are in the west nor do they seem to be as consumed with toxic drama. Perhaps they get enough of that from daytime television so they don't have the same need we do in BC to create our own drama.

The fast ferries scandal was no scandal. If the ferries worked, it would have created jobs and revenue for the province. Yet the Liberals intentionally milked that beyond what it was worth just to make voters think it was a big scandal. Gordon Wilson marrying one of his MLA's wasn't a big scandal - he married her. Yet that was enough of an opportunity for a used car salesman to take over the party he put on the map.

Bingogate wasn't a real scandal. Using Bingo to raise money for political contributions would reduce the panhandling politicians do in every mailing they send out. Even the hospital has a lottery. Fantasy Gardens wasn't a big scandal. You want someone in charge of your tax dollars who is good with money.

So what's the real deal? Why are we so fickle and why are we so addicted to the drama? I heard an Easter sermon once tittled "From Hosannas to Crucify Him." The minister talked about how Christ was welcomed to Jerusalem at the end of his mission with palm branches and cheers from the crowd. He was welcomed as a king. Yet as soon as he confronted the religious leaders at the time they had him arrested and in a very short time the cries of Hosanna changed to jeers of Crucify him.

That was a pretty extreme transformation in a very short time. It shows how fickle the mob is and how easily they are turned. Perhaps we would do well to adapt some of eastern Canada's stability here in the west. Let's use our brains and see through the sensationalism and the self serving drama.

Choosing a government should not be a survivor fashion show. Human nature does not want to be told the truth. They want to be lied to and flattered. That is why they keep electing used car salesmen. Why on earth are they then surprised when the liars they elect lie to them?

Gordon Campbell said one thing that was true. People don't like taxes. No one does. Yet we need taxes to pay for our services like roads, police, fire department, hospitals and schools. Yet wasting money by selling public assets to their friends like BC Rail or BC Hydro is simply bad business.

Everyone thinks Alberta is so great because it has less taxes. Indeed that is one of the things that attracts business to that province. Why on earth would we then elect an Albertan to raise federal taxes and introduce the Harper Sales Tax? That's why Reform revolted against Mulroney and now we see they have dropped the ball and have come full circle by becoming a carbon copy of what they set out to reform.

The people want a balance between fiscal responsibility and social justice. You can't have social programs without fiscal responsibility. Yet cruel heartless fiscal responsibility oppressing the elderly and challenged is just plain wrong. It's really that simply.

I cannot comprehend why we refuse to seek balance in life and in politics. It all boils down to not wanting to be told the truth and preferring to be lied to and flattered. Then somehow we are surprised when the liars we elect lie to us. It is a wild world indeed. Perhaps if we weren't so fickle and weren't so addicted to the drama we could use our brains long enough to make this world a better place. J'imagine.