Trudeaumania: Part Deux?

It is approaching twenty minutes to midnight as I write this and if the news coverage and projections and preliminary mumbo jumbo is correct, Justin Trudeau is going to replace Steven Harper as Prime Minister of Canada. The craziest thing, thus far, is how it's a Liberal majority - in an election where fools like me were certain it would be a minority government outcome. In the best scenario I could envision: if there was no real change of government, at least the Conservatives would lose their majority, and all the parties would have to learn how to govern – not squabble and waste taxpayer monies – together.

The skeptical pessimist part of me just sees today's results as the pendulum of public favor swinging between two largely similar though ideologically distinct dominant political parties. And I am not convinced it isn't, but another part of me tempers my disbelief and wants to believe that Justin Trudeau will mark a new era in Canadian politics and therefore the country as a whole. Perhaps in ten years the country will be unrecognizable: the slowing economy revivified, the police state moderated or mutated into something more constructive, the puzzle of protecting one of the world's largest countries with what amounts to a tiny population solved, the political climate more respectful and positive, the tenuous possibility of Arctic sovereignty stabilized, the environment protected... and any other of dozens of serious issues put to rest or at least constructively engaged.

This is an election, mind, which has been strangely muted but rather intense, with very high stakes such that an American weekly news show covered it (though John Oliver is British and therefore would know at least two things about each commonwealth member, and perhaps even care about Canada on a personal level). It got heated in the final days, with perhaps one of the most boneheaded, bald attempts at recovery and public control yet to be seen in this election, a full page front cover advertisement... let me post a copy here below for you, in full color!

You know what they say about courting voters: aim for the wallet and the heart will follow... I don't actually know what they say about courting voters, but this to my eyes is an example of what they talk about. What I like is that apart from being kind of a tone-deaf and stupid and reactionary move, it's very shrewd to target the Liberals specifically, as if nobody in politics actually took the NDP seriously as a contender. I guess a real lesson is never to trust polls, I guess they just exist to measure the response of a sample size of the public so the data can be sold to political parties so they can invent good stories and manage their media appearance and tone instead of engaging a public by discussing governance concepts and ideas for bettering the country as opposed to making it a cheap place to live (if you want that, you go to America), and being honest about challenges instead of using them to spread fear and disgust.

Ah mais oui – the Sun line of newspapers. If you want to see what they're like, look them up online and see what they consider front page material. Celebrity gossip, fashion tips, crime stories, automotive news, hockey golf and football... all the stuff Gord MacRegular Canuck III would care about with a blend of partisan politically charged agenda-stories that are definitely surely not endorsing any specific party or being biased. But then, the ecosystem of the Canadian media is not the healthiest in the world and this isn't the time to discuss that.

There was a lot of strategic voting, I think, with motivated activist voting in order to not allow the Conservatives another majority or anything like it. Hence the NDP getting dumped... I feel for Mulcair, it must have been heartbreaking knowing the blow was coming and being completely unable to avert it. Not so Steve Harper (my sources tell me he is eyeing a job in hockey commentary or advising the CAPP), who is expected to step down as leader of the Conservatives, after being in power for a long time and being pretty successful in what he wanted to do, which any Canadian will tell you about if you ask them.

I'm sure Harper won't be heartbroken, but surely disappointed if not a bit sour about losing when none of his victories were particularly hard-fought (or, allegedly, fairly fought). Them's the breaks in Canada, though. You run a tight ship that goes where it wants, all the while rust grows, and one stormy day the thing implodes and sinks. But you get your insurance money and walk down the street feeling pure relief, once the sullenness has subsided, and thinking maybe to go into a different business after all...

One amusing anecdote is that on Twitter (a popular text-broadcasting social media app established in 2006 that is popular with media people and older millenials) the story seems to be STEPHEN HARPER with some mixed messages about who did what. But I guess 'Ridding Canada of Harper' for good or bad, became the theme of this election. That means no minorities and no coalitions, and the world will see what that means.

Isn't it crazy, though? I mean just look at that. Stephen Harper's shadow is so long, and mighty, that Justin Trudeau (soon to be sworn in as the Right Honourable Mr. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, etc) even in victory stands in it. As in: he's overshadowed by Harper as if he were a supernatural figure of some sort, a kind of human rights/environmental grim reaper.

Trudeau's victory speech was inspiring (it had Political Maverick Jack Layton overtones) and polite to other contenders, Mulcair's was resigned but determined, and Harper's omitted the fact that he was stepping down as leader, but NO REGRETS BITCHES. All the speeches have a fair bit of politicalese in both languages and if you want to hear what Duceppe or May said you'll have to look them up. In this writer's respectful opinion, they were never really in the race (except in their respective strongholds).

Let the whingeing commence! Let the qualified commentators do their thing. Let the vitriol spill over, as it will despite the calls for clemency and moderation by the leaders. I can't wait for the Trudeau Facts articles which will point out his deceased brother (killed by an avalanche) and all the Father/Son comparisons observers of Canadian politics will be forced to endure. How voter turnout numbers will look is going to most interesting for me, but I haven't seen figures at the time of this post and need to sleep. In conclusion:

2015: A Half Year in Review

Trump for President

Truly, Donald Trump throwing his hat in the race for Republican candidacy in 2015 is a gold-mine of a story that never stops giving. Even with the loss of Jon Stewart there is a sense that the laughs will continue for some time thanks to a self-made millionaire (or billionaire - reports vary) with a penchant for saying crazy shit and a real shot (?) at the Presidency of the USA. Everyone remembers 2012 as being a pretty slow circus but this one is going to keep bettering itself as Trump outdoes the rest of the candidates. Sure the soul crushing spectacle that is Bernie Sanders getting ignored in favor of H. Clinton and castigated as a madman for stating obvious truths ('we make regrettable wars', 'corporate welfare', 'let's be cool and stop fucking up', etc.) is a wild show in and of itself, but Trump saying crazy and regrettable things is about as good as it will get. Sanders is the Trump of the Democrat race and shows the wide gulf between parties and the shallow gulf between how the media views candidates.

The temptation is give Mr. Donald Trump at least one month of presidency in order to see what he'll do. After all, on the point of not being an establishment candidate, he's absolutely right. It's just that he can't not say that Mexicans are drug-addicted rapists, which is something other Republican candidates only half-say unless they're actively courting the latino vote. Never has transparency been savaged like this - making this commentator wonder what the hell the media is trying to say about Trump. Sure, he's the only candidate not in the hands of big business but what could that mean regarding media support? Oh... Trump is big business, but the kind of big business that's middling, and that is not liked by other more serious big business. It's going to be an interesting race to the bottom while Sanders is completely ignored and America once again fails to return to greatness, a possibility removed by various amendments and secret laws enacted since the time of Nixon.

The Departure of Jon Stewart, Esq. from The Daily Show

One of the more regrettable stories, and a really big one, but he will be replaced by a hip, younger guy. Jon Stewart, since the announcement of his departure (January or Feb if I recall at all correctly) and even before, had been making jokes about being old, being tired of the show, and generally making pretty clear hints about his departure. People made a bit of noise about it and let it go, but it is really the end of an era. I was heartbroken enough at Wyatt Cenac's departure (his Herman Cain muppet bit was one of my favorites), so I was ready to let go. Maybe the humorous news-review show format is over for me. I'm pretty tired of watching shows and giving a shit about anything, so I understand where Mr. Stewart's mind was at for probably the last two years if not longer. Still, he had a way of delivering, a way of calling people on their bullshit, and a way of antagonizing other news shows... if only he'd taken one last shot at Steve Doucey.

ISIS/ISIL/DAESH

In another great case of the West creating its own bogeyman, this problem has gotten to be so big, and murderous, and insane, and unjustifiable, that it makes the Assad Regime (which it was supplied with high-tech weapons from You Know Who and its allies to fight) look casual and nearly benign. There's a new story about ISIS every day, from their habits with children to their habits with nonbelievers, to their big plans for Kurds, or their distaste of the West. Every one of these stories could have been prevented if people didn't bother to meddle in business they had no right to involve themselves in, but where's the fun in letting people decide their own fate? It's much better to throw money and supplies into a maelstrom and then pretend like you didn't know it was going to end poorly. As an added bonus: everyone forgets about what's going on in Yemen, and...

Iranian Nuclear Deal

Maybe the biggest international relations story of the summer, and one of the most 'fraught with peril' victories of all time if you believe the naysayers. B. Netanyahu, disregarding the reports of his own highly-aware security/intelligence agency, has repeatedly warned the world about Nuclear Iran (he has clocked nearly 20 years at this activity) and is now so angry with the United States that he no longer wishes to have any relations with the White House. With his recent reelection under his belt, old Bibi's gonna have a hell of a time in office convincing the world to destabilize Iran, which is really difficult when your sanctions have created a self-sufficient state with plenty of business contacts outside of the Western sphere of influence... and with the recent deal one of the biggest contentions is over, making for an interesting game of 'create a new problem' while ISIS runs rampant nearby.

Will There Be A Part 2?