On Saturday 17 July, the next Federal election was scheduled for Saturday 21 August. So today’s day 13 of the 36 day campaign period. And already I’m sick of it. It’s so predictable. And boring. The party leaders have no long-term vision, and no coordinated policy platform. They espouse only pap. And on the overriding issue of global warming and climate change they’re absent: the Government proposes a citizen’s talkfest [1], and the Opposition zilch because its leader’s a climate change denier [2]. How I yearn for politicians who are different. And innovative. Who inspire rather than aspire. I was about to write ‘like Barack Obama’. But the merest reflection reveals he’s a massive disappointment. A better candidate than President is Mr Obama. To find an inspirational elected political leader, maybe one must hark back to Abraham Lincoln. I’ve written [3] that Perhaps the most famous words Lincoln said in his life came at the end of his Gettysburg Address – regarding ‘government: of the people, by the people, for the people’ [4]. If only that was true today. Lincoln’s second most famous quote could be ‘You can fool some of the people some of the time…’ [5]. When it comes to politics, I’m foolable. For I don’t care. Even so, I doubt my ability to stay sane during the next 23 days until my fellow Australians and I vote. Unless I switch it all off. Literally. Which is what I’ve resolved to do. It’s the sanest decision I’ve made lately. Ho hum.
2 comments:
I share your disgust and boredom with politics, it seems vision and new ideas just don't happen anymore.
I hold my nose and vote but it seems I am voting for the lesser of two or three evils.
I too was so excited by Obama, but sadly he inherited a bloody great mess two unwinnable wars, the worst economic times since the depression of the 30s and a right wing popukkace just waiting for him to fail.
OOPS, that will teach me to read before I post, that should have said populace, but it may become a new word to describe the US populace...
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