Vote?
The Canadian polling day is upon us. It has really been one of the ugliest campaigns ever and it can mostly be attributed to the fact that Stephen Harper is a fucking asshole. Everybody knows this, nobody is happy about the fact that he will win (except other assholes.)
I think what is happening is that Canada is entering its own version of the American culture war with Harper leading the brigade. He’s tried his best to use wedge issue politics he learned by studying the Republican playbook of Karl Rove. In some ways it has backfired on him, robbing him of his chance for a majority and revealing him for the petty, spiteful and hateful individual that he really is.
Harper would do well to look south and see the end result of this type of political division. It seems that McCain is the last old soldier of this type of politics, desperately sowing fear and mistrust in his pathetic attempt to become president. We are seeing it in the anger that is stirred up at McCain/Palin rallies. People are fucking pissed! And why? They can’t stand the thought of somebody different than them coming to power. They don’t want a leader who doesn’t pander to their most base fears and suspicions. I really think this could lead to real violence in the coming weeks. McCain supporters are yelling “kill him” and “sit down boy” when Obama’s name is invoked at these hate-mongering political rallies. Does McCain really want this legacy attached to his name? He will go down like Thurmond Strom, regarded as a sad relic of the past.
The only comfort for me is that Harper will get there too. The similarities between Harper and Diefenbaker are striking. Petty, vain personalities, deeply insecure, paranoid and spiteful. The type of Prime Minister for whom we might name a boat, but never erect a statue (except in downtown Calgary.)
Anyways, go out and vote. Try to vanquish the old culture warriors wherever they might be.
