Ouch, My Head

The financial system is literally burning to the ground in the United States. The American banks are only lucky that John McCain selflessly threw himself into the fray to solve the crisis. Oh, they are also lucky that American taxpayers are largely in favour of dumping a fucking-trillion-dollars into Wall Street to save the financial system. 

It’s a strange time to be a leftist. I wish there was some sort of more programatic or organized response than smugness. But there is hardly an overarching opposition ready to take advantage of the crisis, let alone a revolutionary movement willing to seize the moment. The best rhetoric seems to be all individualized – “Bail Me Out Too” written in black sharpie. Not that’s such a bad sentiment. Somehow I think that the Canadian banks will manage to keep tabs on my student loans through the entire ordeal. 

Also, I don’t put much stock on McCain-as-war-hero type mythology. I think he has done a lot of cowardly things up until now (excepting internment in Vietnam.) Still, it is sad to see what he has become as he reaches out for the brass ring. As it slips away he becomes even more desperate and willing to debase himself. On the other hand, I guess I understand his debate strategy. What does he have to gain by showing up? The Republicans stock and trade is flouting the rules – cheating and obscuring issues until they don’t have to face the music. It’s just sad that McCain can’t even pretend to be above it. 

In our own little colonial election, things are also looking grim. I’d love to see Jack Layton’s big breakthrough finally happen, but I doubt it. Harper is (as always) revealing himself to be a mean sonofabitch and nobody cares (except Margaret Atwood.) If he wins a majority at least we can not think about elections for the next four years and Harper can turn Canada into the conservative wonderland he dreams about every night. I like thinking long term and wondering who will take the reigns of his conservative dynasty once it is finally established. It is some small comfort that even Harper will not be Prime Minister forever. 

And in my own small corner of the world, things are finally going better. I was in Chicago and met some really fantastic people working on very interesting stuff. I can’t tell how well my work went over. I felt like I was presenting at the kids table, but apparently some others read the paper and didn’t hate it. Triumph!