What's Your Political Party?

When it comes to politics, I can be very clear in my opinions. That doesn't mean that I'm not open to discussion or debate though, but I don't think I make that clear enough sometimes. Let's face it - I am not a political expert and I may disagree often without necessarily knowing all the facts. I'd love to know the facts. 

My opinions are formed through things I have learned 

• through historical experience (let's face it - I'm old enough to have known a lot of different type governments in my life),
• from what I've learned from other people who have different knowledge and ideas,
• from reading the opinions of others for whom I have tremendous respect. 

I've never understood the kind of people who voted for a particular party, regardless of who the leader or candidate was, just because they'd always voted for that party, and maybe even because for a couple of generations their family had always voted for that party.That's so American though! As Canadians, let's be smarter.

My daughter once asked me how someone knew who to choose in an election. My advice to her is advice that works for everyone I think. I asked her to think about the kind of person she was and what she expected of her country, then to listen to each of the various people's platforms and vote for the party who was promising to provide that kind of country or those values.

Some people vote for a party because of a single issue, but I think it's important to understand each of the issues. 

Some people are afraid of change, especially in times of turmoil. Is it a coincidence though, that we seem to be having a "time of turmoil" in one area or another before the last few elections? 

If you're waiting for the "perfect" time to change a government, economic or security wise, let me suggest there never will be a perfect time. The right time is when you really want change.

As the author John E. Lewis once said “If not us, then who? If not now, then when?”

I know it's easy to attack the person currently holding the office and maybe you don't think that's fair. Wouldn't you agree though, that it keeps the governing party from getting too comfortable? If they KNOW that they're going to be watched, measured and judged, don't you think they might start coming through on some of their election promises? If you screw up in YOUR job, wouldn't you expect to be let go eventually? Sure, the company might worry that it's going to take a new person some time to get up to speed, but if they end up being better at the job, isn't it worthwhile then?

Listen, I'm not suggesting who you should vote for. I'm going to continue examining my values and beliefs, and expressing my opinions, and everyone else needs to do the same thing.  Between now and October 19^th, each of us needs to do three things:

1. Figure out,
• What kind of people are we and what do we expect of our country?
• Which party's platform better matches our values?
2. Make sure:
• We're not voting on a single issue.
• We're not voting based on fear of any kind.
3. Go out and vote. Because every vote matters.

This work by Suzette Seveny is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Canada License.

Ethics Lost

I've been thinking a lot about the ethics and morality that exist in our world today, or not.

We've been through Bill Clinton having oral sex in the White House, the Jean Chretien's Liberal Adscam, Stephen Harper's Conservativea circumventing the election rules, Martha Stewart's inside trading, the head of Canada Post forced to retire because of outrageous expense reports, Brian Mulroney making deals with criminal people while in office, Worldcom's accounting fiasco and the resulting aftermath, and so on and so on.

And now the Toronto Catholic School Board trustees, living high off the hog while they operate the school board on a deficit. Expenses such as car allowances, cell phones they're allowed to keep, Dominican Republic vacations, extravagant dinners, and gold plated benefits. Even lingerie was expenses - now how does that relate to education?

Recently, Ryerson University wanted to expel a student who put together a study group on Facebook to solve an engineering problem they were supposed to work on individually. The school called it cheating. HELLO!?!?

Why are we surprised when we catch our children cheating or even wandering into grey areas? They see the news, they know what's happening. It's become the business style du jour. Grab what you can before they kick you out - if they catch you!

Call me naive, but I expect more from our government than having them act like pigs at the trough. I expect more from major corporations than having them think up more creative ways to screw us. And I really expect more from a group that puts a religious name on themselves. They're greedy, selfish, pigs, marauding as pious Christians, which makes me sick.

I'm more sympathetic in situations where someone steals (call it what it is) because they are in financial need, but these are people who are already rich - looking to get richer. The people who end up paying are the poor and the working class.

How long are we going to take it? The only way to approach this situation is to start charging people AND SENDING THEM TO JAIL!! At least our children will then realize that it's wrong. We need to draw a line in the sand and say enough is enough. Let's throw out the corrupt politicians, and charge them for their misdeeds, or at least for breach of public trust. The laws were created for all of us, but authorities seem to leave the rich alone while they harass the rest of us.

Have we become such a complacent society that we will just keep taking this? The one thing I really hate about getting older and wiser is that I don't like what I'm learning - what I'm seeing and hearing. I'm becoming disillusioned.

Am I the only one that feels this way?