election reflection
Well it has been a week since the big result, so it is only fair that I make my reaction. For some reason when the results came in, all I could think of was a clip from an episode of Family Ties, where they are remembering I think Mallory’s birth. It is election night (Nixon?) and the Keatons are, despite the impending bundle of joy, very depressed, saying with resignation “four more years”. Then you see Alex P Keaton as a four year old in a three piece suit yelling jubilantly “four more years!!!” Does anyone else remember this?
Anyway, I couldn’t help but think that it was weird many of the people I know were reacting with disappointment, whilst others were reacting with joy and relief. I understand that internationally people are seeing that this was a referendum on Iraq or similar international issues. But really, this election, more than any in my voting life, was one that represents a betrayal of the political process.
Both campaigns, particularly towards the end, encouraged people to vote for the party which would give you as an individual the biggest financial benefit, or against the party which represented the biggest risk to your individual position. The idea of visioning for the future, consideration of the values and needs of the community as a whole has all but disappeared. By contrast with some of the images of the US campaign I have seen, there was no appeal to patriotism or ideas of what our nation could be.
I didn’t expect the coalition to lose power at this election, but the whole campaign deflated me. Three more years.
October 18th, 2004 at 1:07 am
Interesting post there dan, I liked what you said about how focussed on the individual the election advertising was, lower interest rates were the coalitions key selling point.
Or I hated cos its true, and the whole consumer society thing is shitting me at the moment.
It shits me that we live in such a screwed up world, and governments win elections not because they promise to do anything about that world, but because they promise to put more money in our pockets. Thats shit.
October 18th, 2004 at 2:06 am
I imagine that such a world has existed for as long as democracy has. People are usually more worried about their hip pocket than the people on the other side of the world, or whatever.
Not cynical, just realistic.
October 18th, 2004 at 10:03 am
I don’t think you could ever have a campaign without that sort of appeal, but this one seemed to just turn into a spending spree for both parties - it would have been nice to use those surplusses and economic stability to do a bit of worthwhile reform.
October 18th, 2004 at 10:48 am
I don’t think this election result is a “betrayal of the political process.”
I think it is more the political process doing exactly what it should, which is electing the party with the plan that most accurately reflects society’s values.
October 18th, 2004 at 12:51 pm
yeah alan its more of an election that shows up the biggest problem with democracy, most people don’t want a fair society they just want to get the best for them selves.
October 18th, 2004 at 3:27 pm
The funny thing that I hear from many friends regarding our democratic process is that we don’t often vote for who we want to lead the nation but to avoid the worst of the two big parties. To quote Nova 96.9 (Sydney radio station) ‘how come we get to chose between 12 Idol finalists but when it comes to running the country - there are only two choices?’
I agree with your statements Dan - how sad that it came down to a spending spree (like none I recall either). And what have they been doing with all that money while people die in the back of an ambulance because there are no emergency beds available???
October 18th, 2004 at 3:44 pm
I agree Alan, we have elected the party that most appealed to our societys dominant values-which is ourself. And I guess thats the bit that pisses me off right now.
October 18th, 2004 at 4:31 pm
Of course it was a disaster.What is the greater disaster,however, is that the critics of the process,the appeal to the greed of the electorate by political parties etc etc are the last to become members of those processes and institutions which shape such policies eg unions,political parties etc (yeah I know you attended the last peace rally!!).
While the mainstream denominational member is opting out of the political and industrial process the new religious right is steamrolling ahead.(Look at AOG,FFP,or the list of para church organisations supporting brother Franklin,or the way “family” now belongs to a political party)
As someone once said the greater evil is not done by bad people but by those who sit around and do nothing!
Alan
October 21st, 2004 at 12:47 am
At some point when I recover my energy, I’d like to write about our process in the U.S. I’m feeling an overwhelming fatigue with our upcoming election, on the local, state and federal levels. I have no idea which way things will turn out in any of the above, and in each case the stakes are higher than they’ve been in quite some time.
Strangely, at each level, the choices could not be more clear because of sharp differences in worldview. However, along with those clear choices has come a level of rancor that I have not seen before in my adult life. I can imagine that our 1968 elections might have been this divided, but that’s as close as I could come for comparison.
Dan, I regret if I rubbed a raw nerve on my site last week. Although Phil has always been very vocal about his views here, I did not recognize the degree to which you and he were invested in your election. All was meant in good sport, but as with the tango, it takes two to have a good joke.
October 21st, 2004 at 9:03 am
The disadvantages of communicating in writing. You didn’t rub a raw nerve, that was me just firing off a quick response.
I should have responded that if I did have a sense of humour about it, that would have been amusing.