Quote:
Originally Posted by GP_Matt
I don't think money in politics is the problem. I see apathy as a far bigger problem.
In 2011 the Conservatives spent about $21 million on the election campaign. That is a tiny amount of money for a country of 35 million people. If people actually cared, it would take 10% of Canadian adults contributing 8$ each to match the Conservative financing. The US isn't that different.
The reality is that as long as most people aren't willing to put in the bare minimum of effort nothing is going to change.
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First of all, not all revolutions are violent. Even in Iceland, you can take a look at what happened after the banking caused recession of a few years ago. Whereas the States gave money to the banks to stabilize the status quo, Iceland held the banks and bankers accountable. This might in the hindsight of history be seen as the first shots in what may become a bloodless revolution. That it wasn't sustained, and now has caused a grassroots movement against the government seems to back up Thor's claims of corruption and bias toward the wealthy.
In terms of apathy in politics, I think that the lack of participation is in a lot of ways an indication of a sick system rather than a lack of caring. In most Western democracies, our own included, the difference between candidates and parties is so slight that it doesn't really matter to anyone in the lower middle class, or working class, who is in power. A lack of participation is more closely related to no alternative that speaks to the issues of the less wealthy or affluent constituents.
There is also a bureaucratic system in place that makes it difficult to enter politics, let alone start a new national party. There is a reason why it is extremely rare to see a working class candidate at any level, beyond simply not having the monetary means to mount a campaign.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1stLand
Smart people get ahead.
Dumb people don't.
At least that's how canada works.
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I used to be what is called middle class, made a couple of bad calls, and now am finding out how difficult it is to crawl back there. I sometimes run into people that I know that turn out to be on CP, and if it turns out that I know you 1stland, you owe me a drink, buddy.