Just from a sheer lack of energy, I'm becoming calmer. My rants have become repetitive, and therefore, boring. Don't get me wrong - I haven't changed my mind. But I'm moving into my mode of analyzing from afar.
After reading scads of angry, grandiose, self-righteous, name-calling, smug comments on news articles, facebook pages and blogs - from all sides, by the way - I've been considering my own perspective. (I've also been considering the sad state of spelling and grammar in our lovely nation, but that's another story.)
Which raises a question.
If one of the parties in the coalition was a party I had voted for in the last election (there's a revealing statement!) - would I be as angry and upset as I am now?
In other words - am I mad at the principle of the thing, or am I mad that I'm not getting my way?
Here's what I've come up with so far. I'm probably a bit of an idealist, so if you're not, you will likely find this amusing.
- I believe that the spirit of our electoral system is to give power based on whom people "did" vote for, not for whom they "didn't". So the whole "60% didn't vote for Harper" thing doesn't really matter to me.
- I believe the first-past-the-post system is flawed, yes. But it's the system we have. I don't agree with changing results because one didn't like the system that got us there.
- I believe that numbers are mostly meaningless, because they can be twisted and used to say anything that anyone wants them to say. Madly, each party seems to believe that they had a majority of the popular vote - or at least a majority of people who meant to vote for them.
- I believe that my one vote should count for what it is - no more, no less. If we had an election with different results, I might not be happy about it, but I would respect it.
- And...truth be told...I don't think I trust any of them. No news there.
So, when I strip away the emotion of it all, here's the opinion which remains.
I know that this is not an illegal coup. I know the constitution allows for it. But there are two things I cannot get past:
- I cannot get past making a formal alliance with the Bloc.
- I cannot get past having a prime minister who has already resigned the leadership of his party, soon to be replaced with someone on whom we never even had a chance to vote.
At this point, my understanding is that there are only three options, and the Governor-General holds our fate in her hands. (No pressure there. Suddenly I find my own job much easier!)
- She can prorogue the government. (Notice that I've increased my word power this week!)
- She can give the coalition a chance to govern.
- She can call an election.
I vote for an election. If two or three parties are willing to run as a coalition, and they are voted in as a coalition, then so be it. But whatever the results - I would beg (rather cynically, I must confess) that all parties accept the results, have a cookie and a nap, and get back to work.
See? That's the power of breathing deeply.
