vote – Stop! Restart!

Democracy Part 3

Elections are where people are tricked into believing that every one of them is equal because each and every one of them has an equal vote.

Go to Democracy Part 1
Go to Democracy Part 2

Party Time

Let’s go back a few decades or so to a time when people travelled across the oceans in luxurious steamships known as liners. During that period, these liners were divided into 3 classes. There was First Class in the upper cabins, Second Class in the lower cabins, and lastly, there was the Third Class, often referred to as Steerage. Usually, the Steerage passengers were emigrants heading for a new future. Living conditions in Steerage were somewhat appalling with its small rooms with double-tiered bunk beds and common ablutions.

Today, there are only but a few such ocean-going liners, mainly because it’s a lot less expensive to fly – plus, nowadays, it only takes a few hours to cross an ocean by plane. Incidentally, none of these modern liners has a Steerage section.

Passengers wanting a sea-going experience now turn to luxury cruise ships with their beam-to-beam smorgasbords and all varieties of non-stop entertainment.

So what does this have to do with democracy?

Sometimes, we are so close to a problem we fail to see it, or as the saying goes – sometimes it’s hard to see the forest for the trees. It’s even harder to see the tree when your nose is pressed up against the bark. There is only one way to overcome a problem like this and that is to look at a parallel problem. So, to that end, we’re are going to use a parable – a story of pure fantasy – just to help you get a glimpse of what is staring you in your face.

Imagine one of those great steamships of yesteryear leaving Southampton, a port on the south coast of Great Britain, and heading out towards the Atlantic.

Soon after it is underway, the passengers learn that the destination is not what they expected. The First Class passengers wanted to experience the hustle and bustle of New York City, while the Second Class passengers wanted to head to the warmth and sun in and around Miami, and the Third Class passengers, well, they had all set their sights on Halifax and the opportunities that awaited them in Canada.

To address the eruption of protests, the ship’s captain decided the only fair thing to do was to have a vote. Fair enough, but that was when things began to unravel. The frenzy leading up to this vote found members from each class trying every method possible – including coercion, payoffs, bribery, promises, etc., to persuade people from other classes to vote in their favour.

Once the counting of the votes was done, none of the three classes had a clear majority. In hindsight, with three classes, a majority was perhaps somewhat unrealistic.

However, never underestimate the devious mind.

The leaders of the two classes that each gained the least votes collaborated to upend the results. They argued that their collective votes represented the majority of the passengers, thus overthrowing the class that had got the most votes. Of course, this turn of events came after the fact, and so many pointed out that this was contrary to the spirit and intent of the original purpose of the exercise. The class with the most votes cried foul and went on the defensive. The passengers in the other two classes were left wondering what would happen next since they were also at odds with each other.

The only thing that every passenger was in full agreement with was – nobody was happy with the final outcome.

So instead of acting like grownups, all the passengers decided to squabble and fight. In the meantime, the ship just floated aimlessly while the navigators waited patiently for a destination so they could chart a course.

That’s when someone from Steerage had a brilliant idea. This passenger met with the stokers. Now, the stokers are the team of workers who keep the fires going that creates the steam that ultimately drives the ship’s engines. The stokers could relate to the Steerage passengers’ plight and collectively stopped working until the captain of the liner agreed to head the ship to Halifax in Nova Scotia, Canada.

OK – so this was an amusing little tale that obviously never really happened!?

But it’s not so amusing when you stop and realise this is exactly how today’s elections, held in democratic countries, are run. At least, the passenger and cruise ship companies adapted to the times and did away with the class system aboard their vessels. However, governments have doggedly hung on to their ignominious, antiquated and self-crippling forms of government, ones that ultimately demoralise the people it serves. These governments have become lumbering systems that ultimately divide the population due to their conflicting purpose – or in many cases – a lack of purpose.

It’s hard to imagine why we still adhere to the notion that democracy in its present form is such a wonderful system! Or as Winston Churchill said. “Democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others that have been tried.”

Our elections are nothing more than a farcical exercise where parties, each supposedly representing a different class of citizen, all of whom are collectively tricked into believing that every one of them is equal because each and every one of them has an equal vote.

Perhaps, governments could take a page out of the Cruise Ship Handbook and do away with the class system altogether. Wouldn’t be nice if a country was united. A country where everyone can happily sail – all in the same direction – just like the passengers on a modern-day cruise ship.

How would you vote?

Democracy Part 4 – The Campaign (coming soon)

Democracy Part 2

It could be considered entertaining if this was a reality show. Unfortunately, it is reality and our very future depends upon the results.

Go to Democracy Part 1

The Trilemma

Ah, to be Canadian!
But I’m sure the same thing happens in other countries.

Canada has a variety of political parties. At election time they rally the troops, and with wild and unbridled enthusiasm and desperate optimism, they all start spouting what they will do WHEN (not IF) but WHEN they are elected. Here’s the reality – only one party gets elected!

While the three main contenders sling mud at each other, they attempt to ignore the rantings of the wannabe parties.

Sadly, these minority parties never seem to get their fair share of votes because voters tend to think of it as a waste if that party has no chance of getting ever elected. It has all the makings of being a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The closer we come to elections day, the more ludicrous it becomes. Party leaders praise the polls that put them ahead, while the runners-up decry the very same results. Parties don’t tend to have much to offer and soon run out of things to flaunt. That’s when the tide of decency starts to ebb and the only tactic left in a party’s arsenal is to then to start indiscriminately bashing the opponents. Sadly, there is no depth in the murky sea of decency to which a party will not sink in its attempt to discredit its opponents. The idea behind this tactic is to come out looking like the least worst option come election day.

What a circus!

It could be considered entertaining if this was a so-called reality show, but unfortunately, it is real – and our very future depends upon the results.

Here’s the trilemma I once faced!

Shortly after moving to a new area, there was a General Election.

The then-current Prime Minister and leader of the party that advocated some sort of long-term plan, was someone who tried to put a positive spin on every venture that he and his party had successfully failed to accomplish during their term in office.

The Leader of the Party that won’t be happy until everyone is equally poor, came across as being very sincere and competent. He seemed very likeable.

The local Member of Parliament had been around for many years, and from what I could determine, did a very excellent job of representing his constituents, but he belonged to the party that advocated equality for all, just as long as they fell into that ‘middle class’ demographic. To paraphrase a line from ‘Animal Farm‘ by George Orwell – In Canada everyone is equal, but the middle class are more equal than others.

BUT here was my problem – I only had ONE vote!

How could I possibly cast ONE vote for someone who I thought was and would continue to do a fine job, AND for someone who I thought would make a fine leader, AND also, for a party that had some sort of grasp of the custodial responsibilities of running a viable government?

I have long forgotten the outcome of that election simply because I just thought my vote was pointless.

How would you vote? Let me know in the comments below.

Democracy Part 3 – Party Time

Democracy Part 1

At the entrance there was a smiley faced man who had a brightly coloured paper thing pinned to his jacked and he was greeting everyone with a handshake.

The Vote

One day I went for a long walk with my mother. I was probably 5 or 6 years of age at the time. On the way, my mum explained that she was going to vote. I’m sure she went into some detail, but the only thing I remember was, she didn’t like somebody and this was a way to get rid of them.

Eventually, we arrived at a school – it wasn’t my school. There were lots of people coming and going. My mum told me that one day I would go to this school, but on that day it was being used as a polling station. I didn’t know what that meant or what was wrong with my old school.

At the entrance to the building, there was a smiley faced man who had a brightly coloured paper thing pinned to his jacked and he was greeting everyone with a handshake. I thought it odd that he seemed to know so many people. He looked very happy – too happy for my liking.

My mum just walked right past him dragging me along. I don’t recall what happened next but I was happy when we left and headed home. I do remember asking my mum if the man at the door was the one she didn’t like and she said no – that was another man.

Even at that early age, none of what my mum had told me or what I witnessed, made any sense.

It still doesn’t.

Democracy Part 2 – The Trilemma