Comment 50698

By Kiely (registered) | Posted October 28, 2010 at 10:31:36

What we need is better candidates. Surely we can all agree on that?! - Ben

Sure, I think you'll get most people to agree that we need better candidates. Agreeing what is "better" will be the tough part. The majority of people thought Bob was "better" than Fred... I certainly don't agree with them.

I don't disagree with your assertion that democracy is broken. I just don't believe the election of Rob Ford is the best proof of that. But if you wanted to argue that the party system, voter turnouts below 50%, corporate lobbying and a lack of education about political systems and their importance has broken our democracy, or heck even declare that democracy has always been broken or a sham I might be inclined to agree with you.

I will accept your main point though. Our democracy is broken, it isn't working for the people… but when 60% of eligible voters can't even be bothered to take a walk down to their local school or church to exercise a fundamental right of the society we live in, let alone get all up in arms about its current state, then people bare as much blame as anyone else, (e.g., media, "elites", lobbyists, etc..).

... example of how emotion has fueled this man's rise to power. - Ben

I don't really think there is anything wrong with emotion fueling people's vote, especially if raw emotion, whether it be disgust, frustration, etc... gets more people out to vote. I do wish people would use a little more critical thinking about who to vote for though.

People do have to be careful not to let emotion cause them to cut off their nose to spite their face.

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