Rage Building

Contribution from a reader:

Curious to hear your reaction to all this election ridiculousness north and south of the border. Stupid democrats picking an old white guy running mate to counter American racism. Stupid republicans patronizingly picking a woman to try and steal votes, not because she has any significant policy credentials other than Alaskan oil and anti-abortion interests. What a doomed country.

Back home, redneck Harper salivating to call an election and cowardly convictionless liberals avoiding his phonecalls.

... Feeling angry that these are the political choices people have given themselves.

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Thanks for writing Mentat Mulq (nice ring to it?). Yeah I share your rage on a lot of this. I think it's exceedingly cynical that McCain picked this new Thatcher as his running mate. I know nothing about this woman really (pro-life but somehow will back the war I'm sure) but it just seems to be a way of grabbing some Clinton voters who obviously (if they fall for it) are unable to read or make decisions for themselves. They deserve what they get if they are sore losers. I hope that McCain gets hammered for this choice but I still think that he's going to be the next President of the United States.

By the way, are you noticing the insane degree to which this election is being covered? It feels like if you watch TV long enough or search the Internet enough you'll find info on how Barack Obama's tie selection is him reaching out to Coors Light drinkers (the new demographic that matters this year). It feels like every move means something and that there are plans within plans within plans. I'm just pretty blown away by the degree of analysis. It's like we have nothing better to do at the end of the world.

And as for the Canadian election, it's a case of deja vu. If it happens this fall, Harper will win a minority government and then in a couple of years (and another 100 soldiers killed in Afghanistan) claim that the House of Commons isn't working and will win another minority and so on until people wake up and go out and burn down Parliament.

My thought is just that we need to take control of as much as we can and stop thinking that these leaders are going do be our saviours.

Oh Jesus (and the humans that exploit you) what have you done to us? Your cross has taken all our power away and institutionalized it just when we need it the most.