It reminds us of the 1957 Grey Cup game in Toronto. ‘Bibbles’ Bawel had intercepted the ball for the Hamilton Tiger Cats and was heading down the sidelines for another touchdown. At least he was until a Toronto lawyer stuck out his foot and Bibbles went flying out of bounds.
Well folks that is exactly the same thing as third-party advertising in an election campaign. And yet there are people who think that third-party advertising in an election campaign helps democracy. In a pig’s eye!
When the laughable ‘Working Families’ was crucifying poor Timmy Hudak, leader of the PC Party in the last Ontario election, was that democracy?
Working Families was an affront to every decent thinking citizen in Ontario. It was blatant support for the Wynne Liberals and set Hudak up for his final gaff in threatening the jobs of Ontario civil servants. A lot of Liberals thought the ads were humorous but this liberal was appalled.
Besides, Working Families was a serious waste of those teachers’ union dues. The point of the commercials was going over the heads of many of the voters the ads were trying to reach. And we are not sure how those unions feel about their substantial investment in the Wynne Liberals today.
And despite those who support the silly suggestion that we no longer need paid up members of political parties, the teachers should have been encouraged to join the provincial Liberal Party and work within it to affect change. They would have far more clout from that position today than they have as sidelines quarterbacks.
We should certainly not be deluded by those who suggest that third-party interference costs us nothing. And if you think that there is no cost, you should be more aware of the damage that can be done. The best current example is the way that Donald Trump is mangling democracy in the United States of America and the damage he is doing to the GOP.
This is not to suggest that there are not legitimate issues that politicians prefer not to discuss. Watch any political affairs show and watch politicians weasel. Yet even in their weaseling, we are getting an answer. Why should a third-party be less evasive?
And nobody expects a third-party to be unbiased. The news media today are biased enough to serve most interests. And hopefully nobody believes that our news media are not biased.
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Copyright 2016 © Peter Lowry
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