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Showing results for tags 'democratic power'.
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Double, triple and multiple time obscured and redirected systems of public governance like in this country, like to boast being a standard of democracy and a prime example to follow. Look these squeaky clean elections, pundits, the intrigue a genuine carnival of democracy for a day or a few - and then, what? What changes, what has changed? If elections make democracies, then Putin and any number of dictators are staunch democrats. Kim can be a democrat too if only he would bother. But if it's not elections, then what? Let's see. In the original meaning, the word translates as "people power" or "people rule". If we, people actually and for real rule our affairs, then we should be getting the results we want and need, do we not? Imagine yourself ruling your place, appointing yourself budgets and resources year after year: and nothing changes. What would you call that, me-power? Elimination of child poverty, many, who knows how many already decades: minus Fixing permanent crisis in public health care, another wake up call from Covid: no Growing income gap: none (and in the meanwhile the entitlement factor, MP salary to the median in the country now at 5 and growing healthily, unlike stagnating for decades already, median income) What else? Affordability of tuition? Good luck. Housing crunch, any clues when and how it'll be relieved if? Unemployment is low, but what is happening with stable, well paying jobs with good benefits? We have a quasi-majority government well into its second mandate, an equivalent of near-absolute monarchy for all that matters, that's been talking non stop about climate action, but what has actually been achieved, the result, the number? What is the reduction now, and what will it be by the end of the second mandate? See what I mean? We wrote "democracy" on our facade but does it really translate to the same, "people power"? There are reasons why it does not, no longer or ever, cannot tell not an expert here. A democratic government in the true sense of the word is not a pretty and fancy facade. It is an instrument that helps people manage their public matters in the way that a) transparent b) clear and understandable and c) effective in achieving what they, people need, and not the instrument. That translates to only a short list of essential components: People are always, at all times in the full knowledge of what is happening in their public matters They can always, at all times evaluate how effective the management and their appointed managers are And they can always and at all times correct or replace ineffective management of their, public matters. And again: No; No; Resounding no. We cannot know, have no information nor means to evaluate and few if any working mechanisms to correct and / or replace. And so, where's the surprise that the system came to like itself and invented itself a great number of ways and tricks to take care of itself? Information you asked? No sorry, "ministerial prerogative" and you thought what, yours? MP salary is tied to rises in some carefully selected contracts, because they proclaimed themselves "employees of the Crown" while you, in your democratic naivite thought that they were your representatives and as such should have at least a remote idea how life is for a regular Canadian. Can you do that, at $185K annually plus benefits and allowances? For how long? I challenge you, let's try! No we don't have anybody but ourselves to trick here. Repeating a pretty word any number of times with any frequency won't make it any more real. The system has learned to live on its own, it likes it, and it doesn't really need you, the citizen other than for a ritual once in so many years. It was like that many times already and it's coming back to that, sure and fast. Looks like we haven't learned anything.
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The title of the topic had to be updated. This pandemic situation brought and continues to bring revelations and in my honest and personal view they can no longer be discounted as isolated and unrelated events. To me it looks very much as a pattern. Just when we thought that we heard it all (and I'll save everybody repeating) here it comes. Direct from Ontario Chief of vaccine task force Ret. Gen. Seriously, could it have been formulated more succinctly and informatively? The governments of the United States and the UK gave their citizens exact target dates of completion of the national vaccination. No, not the beginning of booking with unknown wait times that consumers of public health have grown used to. Israel is over half way to completion. And Ontario? Asked when the general population under 60 will be able to book their vaccinations, the answer was, and I quote: "A great question WE don't need to answer it right now. Early summer is when WE MIGHT be able to discuss THAT issue" (highlight M.). Here, an instant history. Should go in the books, and I sincerely hope that it will. How could it be said more clearly? WE decide what we need to answer and when, and who do you think you are here? Yes you have only one right here: to keep those taxes coming for our salaries and our pensions. Did you think it was some kind of democracy? Seriously? The general stated that it will take one month to vaccinate those between ages of 65 and 70, and the same for 60 to 65. Statistics tell us that each category counts less than one million of Ontario citizens. The US vaccinates 1.4 million DAILY. But the task still looks too fierce and must be for that reason that the task force intends to make full use of private help. Who will ensure fairness of distribution in this case? That scarce resource won't go to CEO and member of the board with the remote family? That it wouldn't be shipped overseas at 100x the price, courtesy of Canadian taxpayers? Don't worry. The same famous bureaucracy that proudly promises to do less in a month than others do in a day will make it happen. Just watch it. Honestly, I was concerned when we'll be getting here. But looks like we already arrived. And the only question I'd like to ask is, how we would have found out, if it weren't for this epidemics? Would we even care, to know?
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Some interesting results from the analysis of participants in the events leading to inauguration of J. Biden in this BBC story: Capitol riots: Five takeaways from the arrests. No, the core of the mob that stormed the Capitol were not extreme right wingers. No, it was not only (and mostly not) "redneck" counties. It was a much broader and diverse crowd, as stated in the article: "What we are dealing with here is not merely a mix of right-wing organisations, but a broader mass movement with violence at its core," wrote Dr Robert Pape, director of the Chicago Project on Security & Threats. And that is a clear symptom of a growing disenchantment and disengagement in the society with the formal democracy, a democracy from top down, by the enlightened and prosperous elites to the little people below. A democracy that lectures and preaches and never forgets itself, rather than engages, works, and achieves the results for everybody in the society. Almost daily, before developing a habit of instantly turning the thing off or switching the channel we could see expert heads nodding in a wonderful consensus to whatever new non-policy of the day was proposed. Lecturing. Preaching, yes we sailed all the high seas just do this and that you lowly people. And it shows in the results, doesn't it: in Covid impact the country is doing worse than Ukraine (GDP per capita around $3000) and some provinces, same as Sweden that from day one chose clear information based approach with no mandated policies. And please go and check the charts on SARS and MERS two decades earlier. But try asking a specific question, where is this coming from? And that published result here, what would it mean, for the policy? "Oh-this-is-still-so-new-to-us-and-so-much-we-dont-know". Wait, what about sailed all seas? Was it in the same story? See, there remains no avenues, no forums and no ways to discuss, openly honestly and meaningfully issues and questions of concern to the society, and to some groups in the society. Only the default, block, square brick answer, "travel from Wuhan, not a problem!" and "in it together!". Been there, sailed all seas. And after discussing we would have to take it to the reality, make a meaningful change, make it happen. Nope, not gonna happen. Need $1.5 trillion, and a decade(s)-long action plan. "Such a can of worms!". Now, what would it tell us about the prospects of our democracy here, for the next 160 years? Would it reveal to us anything worthy of our interest? And would we be interested to observe, think and act?
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Change Laws that Govern Federal Politicians
sillywalker posted a topic in Federal Politics in Canada
We the people of Canada DEMAND change in Government. We the people of Canada demand that the government that belongs to us and to whom we lend our democratic power to lead this country and to sit in opposition, change the laws that govern the behaviour of those politicians that take the oath of office. We are tired of the way that parties spend our hard-earned tax dollars on things that do not benefit this country. We are tired of the lies by all parties and we are tired of the personal agendas that you all bring into the house of commons instead of working toward the common goal of bettering this great nation. We are tired of the ethics violations, the misappropriation of money that does not belong to you and the way you spend on other countries while here in Canada our own go without. We are tired of the way Canadians are left out in the cold as soon as you take office and the opposition all of a sudden becomes sanctimonious in the way they say they want to save us. We are tired of the Pandering politicians on all sides. We are tired of the insider trading. We are tired of the wealthy being the ones that you listen to and not us average Canadians because in fact most of you have never worked a solid day in your life. We are Tired of the way that the people we elect as our Members of Parliament stop speaking for us the moment they are told to tow the party line. We are tired of the way the country gets ignored because as soon as you take power and the house sits you then worry about the next election rather than worrying about us the people. We demand change and we have some changes we want: 1. We the people demand, not ask, that recall be brought into law. 2. We the people demand that restricted parliamentary privilege be restricted to times that it is a benefit to the country not the politicians. 3. We demand that under conditions that regular Canadians would lose their jobs that the same apply to politicians in the same fast manor. 4. We demand that if fired there is an end of your pension no if ands or buts. 5. We demand that any financial penalties that politicians receive be proportional to the wages they earn so as to sting them as we the citizens get stung. 6.We the people demand that when a politician ends his term that he not use political influence to enrich himself or family, if they do they are to be prosecuted. 7. We demand that all monies earned by the writing of books or speaking engagements by any serving politician or politician that has served (because they were only in that position to serve the country) should be paid to charity. 8. We demand that any politician caught deliberately lying to the citizens of this country be removed from office immediately. 9. We demand that any politician working against the people of this country be removed from office and if deemed serious enough be charged in a court of law. These demands are put before you by citizens of all political parties, All genders and all races. We the citizens of Canada have had enough of governments dividing the peoples and spending recklessly so as to force our taxes to a level that makes it hard to support our families. Go to change.org to sign this petition called We the people of Canada DEMAND change in Government.-
- trudeau
- justin trudeau
- (and 25 more)