Talking about Politics

I had an ... interesting discussion about politics at my brother's last night. It was my brother, his wife, his friend H, and H's wife. We were talking about life and food when H slammed a hand down on the table and said "I am going to talk politics now."

He then launched into a small tirade about Ignatieff. The reason he won't vote Ignatieff is because Iggy lived and worked in the US. He talked about how Iggy only came back to be PM. Basically, pretty much Harper's line word for word. thought for thought.

It irked me that he said he was against Iggy mainly because he had lived and worked in another country. I just spent the last 10 years living and working in another country. Using his logic I shouldn't be allowed to run for office. Seriously, if thaht is THE only reason you don't like someone and think someone shouldn't be allowed to run for office you need to re-evaluate your priorities.

I don't think a lot of Iggy as a leader myself. Not because he lived and worked in the US ... and liked it. I find he has no charisma and isn't that personable. He comes off as a dispassionate at times. When he should fight back he seems to hold back. Instead of castigating Harper for his BS he plods on. Not my idea of a great leader.

H was taken aback by that. He had been ready to label me a Liberal who blindly follows Iggy. What can I say, he doesn't know me very well. I am not much into following anyone or anything blindly.

So I asked him about Harper and why he likes him. Basically he feels Harper is the lesser of the evils. He can't get past his hatred of Iggy, dare I say blind hatred. He considers the NDP to be too far to the right. In some ways it reminded me of talking with my students.

My student tell me that they hate (insert Korean object of hatred de jour here). I would ask them why and they would give me a stock answer or say because they are bad. They just couldn't give a real reason why. The answer would basically be "because". That is what it felt like trying to find out why H hated Iggy.

I find that of all the candidates the one I should dislike the most is the most charismatic. Gilles Deuceppe leads the Bloc Quebecois, a party that wants to break up Canada. I watched the leadership election and some of the campaigning in the last election and Duceppe was actually the one who spoke out the MOST about what would be best for Canada. It was sad to see the bloody separatist being the one to confront Harper the most about things that would be in the interest of Canada. Of course they were also in Quebec's interest which is why he did it.

Ignatieff just isn't charismatic. Harper is an opportunist liar. Layton, well, of the non-separatist party leaders he is the most personable. Duceppe is the most charismatic but I don't like his cause. Luckily I am not basing my vote on the party leaders, I am basing it on the candidates in my riding. If not I would have a hard time picking who to vote for.