🚀 go-pugleaf

"Viviane" <vivianepb_@hotmail.com> wrote in message 
news:1137977757.316472.5540@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> Darren Gudmundson wrote:


>> "Oh woe is me, what's the point of getting out bed?"

> No, not really. What I'm saying is that my daily life has very little
> to do with who's "governing" whatever there is to govern.

The governing that they do covers a heck of a lot of ones life.  From 
national security to transfer payments and taxation, all have grave impacts 
on ones daily life.  Ignoring the issues and government, does not make them 
go away or improve ones lot.


>> If you expect all of them to do a poor job, then your expectations are 
>> based
>> on expectations that cannot possibly be met.  While they are not perfect,
>> most politicians do try to do a good job.

> Of course, most politicians try to do a good job, but no matter who you
> vote for, their hands are tied because they're not the ones with the
> true power. And this has nothing to do with their (in)competence.

No, they do have the power.  When Trudeau invoked the War Measures Act, the 
system responded.  When Mulroney signed the Free Trade Agreement and imposed 
the GST, the system responded.  When Martin hacked the guts out of the EI 
program, the system responded., etc, etc, etc.


>> There is no such thing as the wrong riding.  Political parties that 
>> acheive,
>> I beleive it's 5% of the vote, receive $1.25 in funding.  Thus, when you
>> vote, even if the party that is most representative of your ideals does 
>> not
>> win, you are advancing their ability to do so in the future.
>
> Good point.
>
>> Make no mistake about it, the politicians are the ones with the real 
>> power.
>
> Really? Politicians come and go, officers and officials of Parliament
> don't. These people, along with the various lobbies in the private
> sector are the ones who really decide how things work.

Political appointees come and go with the Party that brung'em.  The average 
civil servant wishes only to implement the policies of the government of the 
day.  The special interests are only able to get their way because people 
are too busy and/or too cynical to express their wishes.  This is 
unfortunate, because the politicians do respond.  Sometimes it may take a 
lot to put the fear of god into them, but they eventually get it, or get 
out.  Either way, the matter is ultimately decided at the ballot box.