OCTOBER 14, 2009

       By now we know I’m not a political follower. Let’s call me more of a political commenter. So please allow me to point out a few observations I made as two men battled to be our next premier.

       Not that the names have much relevance to my point, but Steve Ashton and Greg Selinger were the final two hoping to replace Gary Doer.

       In a typical political race between two parties, there’s mudslinging and accusations and things get pretty nasty. But what happens when the race is between two people in the same party vying for the top spot? Is the mudslinging just as muddy?

       And, are the differences between these two legitimate or do they really agree on things and are just trying to separate themselves from the other?

       I wouldn’t exactly call the leadership bid a nasty campaign. It saw each candidate stating his case and stance on certain political issues. But in doing that, however, you can’t help but point out your counterparts shortcomings. Does this secretly show trouble within the party itself?

       And really, why make the public campaigns when we have nothing to do with the vote? The party makes the decision. Do any of us really think a call to our NDP MP is going to make a difference?

       It’s sort of like an election bid in Canada where the leader promises things that he or she believes in but we can’t vote for that person unless we live in his or her riding. I might love the leader or party’s stance on something but if the candidate in my area disagrees with part of it, I automatically wouldn’t vote for that person because he or she is representing me and we don’t see eye to eye.

       I’ll admit that I don’t know much about these two men but I guess politicians are politicians and you can’t change that time-tested approach: squash the other cockroaches.

       Don’t you just miss the innocent and fun elections like when you ran for class president and it was all about wooing people with your promises instead of saying, “Do you know what so-and-so is NOT going to do for you?”

       I guess having an overpaid job where you can make false promises and do shady dealings that are OK isn’t child’s play after all.