"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Wednesday 2 March 2016

BETWEEN FEAST AND FAMINE

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "MORE ON SUPER TUESDAY": 

Evelyn, I've been following what's been happening in the US, and what I've gathered is that there are a lot of people unhappy with government, and the people who've been running it. It's not surprising to me how well Trump or Sanders are doing. We might see the same thing here in the next 3 yrs. That won't surprise me  

Posted by Anonymous to  Our Town and Its Business at 2 March 2016 at 10:30

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I'd be surprised if the underlying rage is not already here. In the absence of alternative, a Donald Trump would have resonance .

I feel the anger. 

When I see Dalton McGuinty on a book  tour, retired on a fat pension, lecturing about strong leadership, I want to yell at the television. 

When two of his staff are charged with breach of trust for destroying records to cover HIS tracks, 
I am more than slightly perturbed. 

When a provincial budget imposes extra pharmacy fees to seniors to generate revenue to reduce the deficit generated  by $1.2 billion waste on cancelled construction contracts, I am nauseated. 

A separate class of public servants, created by the extent of their political clout is disgusting. 

Free post-secondary education tuition to students from low income families is a drop in the bucket compared to lack of job opportunities with or without graduation,mountains of debt or conversely, a lack of  basic skills to earn a living after twelve years in a classroom. 

Union contracts that look after senior employees ,at the expense of replacement workers , is anything but equal compensation for equal work. 

I'm not talking about male versus  female. 

I'm talking about contract versus permanent employment. Employees working side by side,doing the same job, some with security and magnificent benefits others with  nothing more than a basic  hourly rate of pay. 

Top level employees with salaries between a quarter and half a million dollars a year plus expense allowances almost as much and golf tournaments as a job responsibility plus, in general, feasting at the public trough. 

Vastly swollen administrations to deal with an ever- growing burden of useless, half-assed legislation that creates more problems than they solve and depend  entirely on private citizens  for prosecution. 

There is ample reason for rage to smoulder like  a volcano waiting to erupt. 

In the face of extreme hardship, lack of respect, blatant dishonesty, pandering politics, Canadians are not that much different to Americans or anyone else brought up to believe in a basic level of justice. 

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

"...a lot of people unhappy with government, and the people who've been running it."

We've already seen it here - last October when Harper got kicked to the curb.

Anonymous said...



I think we're very different from Americans when it comes to politics.

Their system is dependent on and driven by unlimited amounts of money. There used to be limits until a very few years ago when these were done away with, by legislation and the courts. Now wealthy individuals and companies can contribute millions, tens of millions, to individual office seekers and political parties. They suck the teat for all it's worth.

The House of Representatives faces elections every two years so that upon the conclusion of one exercise members immediately start gathering up money in preparation for the next and they are not hesitant in naming their price, be it cash or their vote. Senate elections can cost individuals many millions and presidential elections are now billion dollar affairs.

And when we look at the rabid rabble south of the border today one has to wonder- will the country survive?

We are not yet anywhere near to Americans and their politics, although at times it seems that we are moving closer. Our political reality is mere peanuts in comparison to theirs. Let's hope it remains that way for many years to come.

Anonymous said...

17:15 - And we got more of the same if not worse.

Anonymous said...


Trump is being sued for bilking people at his " university "

Anonymous said...

18:24 - Pffft! Not even close...

Anonymous said...

18:52- Trudeau will be eaten alive in the next election if we get a candidate like Trump. If Trump gets elected as President. Government and politics will change forever. Pffft....Now that I think about it, doesn't sound like a bad idea.

Anonymous said...

There are two competing books for some prize. One is about Martin, the other an ode to Harper by Ibbotson of the Globe.
Only the first one should be in contention.

Anonymous said...

We have not heard much about the destruction of those files. It is not as if it were a complicated case. And both of those individuals went right into good paying jobs despite the charges.

Anonymous said...

McGuinty came into Town last week, to be present for his portrait unveiling. The man has no shame.

Anonymous said...

I was astonished to hear Dalton was teaching at a university. Even American students could check him out on the internet and
might have some questions about his track record.

Anonymous said...

21:46
There is that nut bar who was involved with that dragon's den nonsense. He says he will run for either party..

Anonymous said...

@920
Curious as to your rationale behind Paul Martin
His claim to fame was he downloaded multi billions in expenses to the provinces and his family business paid almost zero Canadian taxes even though it made hundreds of millions as everything was domicile do offshore
What is that Harper did that evokes your dislike so much

Anonymous said...

@1758
Saying budgets balance themselves or rambling on about sending winter parkas. To the Syrians is not nut are speak?

Anonymous said...

@1744
Yes our system is much different
Here in Ontario we allow a thing called third party advertising during an election
Where a coalition of unions primarily teachers puts millions into attack ads against. The Tories
This means the Liberals can spend less on attack ads and more on other costs
Of course the payback is at union contract time
Exhibit a teachers
The typical voter in this province falls for this scam everytime