Travesty of democracy

Another election in Alberta and another sweep by the PCs. They took two of the 4 ND seats, 7 of the Liberal's 16 and even got the one Wildrose Alliance seat (the crazy right winger from Cardston). I am dismayed, discouraged and disolutioned with the political process. How and why did it happen? There was so much optimism about the need for change and that it was the time. The Liberals were poised for a breakthrough. Dad mostly, but me too, had invested time in helping out our Rhodes Scholar Liberal candidate.

Is it that Albertans really are a bunch of mindless sheep? In spite of the fact that the conservatives have been the authors of everything that is bad in this province, we vote for them anyway? By slashing and burning in the 90's this government has created the infrastructure deficit, the education and health care crisis, the housing shortage with its homelessness and exacerbated the employment issue with uncontrolled economic growth. Still with the thinking that is applied to the issues,they are the teflon government - nothing sticks. Is there no cause and effect thinking here?

Or is it that winning elections is really just about power and money. We are to be sure caught in the "success to the successful" systems archetype. The more you have the more you get. They had millions to spend on the election and they did. The liberals were a million dollars in debt and they couldn't get their story out. We know who will get the donations now. We are caught in the vicious circle and we all feed into it.

Is it about personality? Do we prefer stupid politicians? Stelmach is not like Kline. Kline advertized his lack of education. Stelmach is just steady Eddy, dull boring and can hardly put a sentence together. He is at his best, sweet and good and kind.... and not too bright. Doesn't intimidate anyone with his style. Taft is also dull and boring but brilliant intellectually and it shows. He got cudos from all of the interest groups and political scientists for the well thought out and reasonable platform. The pcs on the other hand did the, "we are going to spend and fix everything, all at once" platform. Do we like politicians who don't threaten our own shakey confidence?

Is it just about smart strategy? Stelmach moved his party to the left and so gave the Liberals and ND nowhere to go. They stole their base. Are the pc's just successful at doing what John Kenneth Galbraith said about good leaders - nothing more than able to voice what is already wanted. There are no fundamental values - just calculated shifts to stay in power. Have they retained power for so long,not be they are good or effective at taking us where we should or could go because they are just so good at giving voice to our own poorly thought out wants?

Is it about us and our need for absolute certainty in an uncertain world? Are we comfortable in this province with a one party system because it eliminates dialogue and conflict and we are conflict aversive? Is it comforting in this world of increasing diversity to be part of a group - a team that all wears the same colour and thinks just the same? I can't help it. I want a new team. We there isn't one and won't be for a long time. We have what we have and we will have it for at least another 4 years. I should be used to it. Its been the same for the last 30!

Any one who wants more info on the election go here and check out Alberta votes. Check out the faces. I couldn't figure out how to add them.