Canadian General Election & US Presidential Election

This is not a blog that talks about politics specifically, but I am a person who is interested in politics, so the news about the elections in the U.S. and Canada intrigue me a great deal.

In Canada, many felt furious that the Conservatives spent so much money to hold an election, but could not get over the hump by winning a majority government. I look at the situation a little differently – yes, the government has spent millions calling for an early election, but ultimately, the people chose how they wanted their government to be: they still wanted the Conservatives to rule the country, but not with a majority. That is the voice of the people, and, like it or not, it is something that all the party leaders need to live with.

Of all the party leaders, I really think Jack Layton of the NDP has screwed up the most in his strategy. When Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe teased certain political leaders that they were dreaming of becoming a prime minister when they had no chance, I believe Layton was the guy he was poking fun at. Mr. Layton, the NDP will never be the ruling party in Canada, and you will never be elected the prime minister! When you chose to attack only the Conservatives, you have ruined your chance (however little) of becoming the official opposition! The votes you could knock off from the Conservatives would never go to you, and you have to know that. Your chance was to attack Stephane Dion and his inability to stand firm on issues that the Liberals disagreed with the Conservatives, but you did not. For a strong debater like you, you have wasted the best opportunity you had to do something never done before…

In the US, I cannot but marvel at how gracious the speeches Senator McCain and Obama made when the results were out. When McCain took the loss completely on his own shoulders, and praised everyone who worked on his campaign, he showed class and dignity like the war veteran that I know he is. When president-elect Obama said to the people who did not vote for him that he is their president as well, and then he would listen especially carefully to those who disagree with him, that is democracy at work. People can hate on the US for all they want, and people can attack either the Republicans or the Democrats for the rest of time, but election after election, I see political leaders who accept victory and defeat graciously… that’s something that many politicians else where have yet to learn, and may never learn, to do.