A nice concise description of the free market system. Aren't we supposed to believe it is A Good Thing?
Yes OJ... we ARE supposed to believe it is a good thing. Problem is, it rarely (if ever) is.
In recent memory we've had a flip flop of supposed "messiah" governments at every level. The new guys were gonna come in and "fix" everything... or at least that is what we were told. Problem is, they rarely "fix" anything, and more often than not, end up fucking things up even more.
Federally:
Mulroney was going to fix Trudeau's fuck ups, (not counting Clark or Turner...), then
Chretien was going to fix Mulroney's fuck ups (not counting Campbell), then
Martin was going to fix Chretien's fuck ups... then
Harper was going to fix Martin/ Chretien's fuck ups...
Provincially:
Petersen was going to fix Davis's fuck-ups, (not counting Miller...), then
Rae was going to fix Petersen's fuck-ups, then
Harris was going to fix Rae's fuck-ups, then
McGuinty was going to fix Harris's fuck-ups
Municipally:
Well, we've had a whole series of mishaps from the likes of Egleton, Rowlands, Hall, Lastman, Miller and now Ford...
Somewhere down the list of fringe candidates surely we must get to people who truly are running for noble ideals, high purposes and the common good. But instead of researching and finding and supporting such people to put them in office, we sneer at their naivete, demean their motives and ignore them for having no bandwagon.
When we pick, we let partisanship and groupthink blind us to their faults and make us oblivious or dismissive to the achievements of others. We demand they be instantly and always accessible and responsive to whatever latest hysteria we're pumping each other up with and then blame them for creating it. The last thing we look at are the pages and pages of real facts and figures that determine what might be a good plan for the City. And we never ever listen to someone because they did, unless they've wearing our label. Who but a fool would want such a job, unless they saw gold somewhere in the shitstorm?
Which is why I said the problem is systemic. Its time for an overhaul! What the answer is? We will never know, Why? Because the politicians WANT this system, as do the corporations that REALLY run things.
In that world an self-involved sociopathic clown like Rob really was the best choice, though not for the City or its citizens. You and I may not have supported or voted for him, but disdain for all politicians and passive acceptance of such abysmal performance is why you, I—and all of us—got him. And he's thriving personally.
Again, a product of our highly flawed system. We rarely vote "for" the "best" person.... more often we vote "against" the other(s). To that end, what good choices are there, when all we have is the least worst to choose from?
We could begin in a very small way by constantly reminding ourselves and everyone that government is a calling and a collaboration not a paying business, and that unless we are insane enough to think none at all is an option, it's gonna cost us. So let's look for good people to run it well, not vote for the guy who promises the cheapest job.
If you're the kinda guy who takes the lowest bid roofer by reflex, you won't understand the point, but I'm thinkin' ridgeman means you're wise enough to select and pay for a quality job to keep you snug, warm and dry.
We put Rob in the chair; he's our fault. Let's do better.
Interesting that you used a roofing analogy, because if my roofer does a bad job, I can fire him, get a refund, call him back to fix the shoddy workmanship etc... what recourse do we have in politics? Nothing aside from voting them out next time around... however long that happens to be.
I would GLADLY pay for a quality politician! I just haven't seen one in my entire adult life.
