By Taylor Breckles (The Cascade) – Email
Print Edition: March 19, 2014
We want change! Wait, why are you changing that?
This seems to be a trend in politics — demanding better from the government while rejecting any potential change.
Take ObamaCare for example. I know it’s not a problem in our country, but we’re neighbours. We’re trade partners. We’re dependent upon the US for decent Netflix. Our fates have been tied together.
However, there is one significant difference between our two countries, other than maple syrup, plaid, and poutine. That is health care. Canada is known for its wonderful health care system, and the US has come to want one for itself. What does President Obama do to try to help his people with this desire? He creates ObamaCare. How does this suggestion go over? With massive mixed feelings.
A Fox News headline effectively portrayed many Americans’ disdain for the idea: “ObamaCare: The impossible enforcement of an unworkable law.” The headline alone doesn’t inspire much hope for the plan. The article goes on to outline how ObamaCare was an utter failure because “if you claim hardship, it looks like the Obama administration is planning to take your word for it.” Basically according to this quote, ObamaCare failed because it wanted to help the unfortunate.
There have been other articles, with headlines such as, “Cancer patient who blamed ObamaCare for ‘unaffordable’ treatment is actually saving money,” and “ObamaCare just made Americans richer without anyone noticing” (both from the Huffington Post). It seems Americans are unsure about what is best for their country.
The moral of this international tidbit is, if Americans don’t know everything about their government and how best to work together, do Canadians know any better?
In our case, many Canadians seem to hate Stephen Harper — evidence provided by the article Shit Harper Did on the website www.shd.ca, but though Harper may have done and said some stupid things, he has also contributed some good to our government.
Additionally, what if he becomes another historical hero in the years to come? What if the history books remember him as a victim of an oppressive society, and his initial plans turn out to have some benefit? I’m not saying that will happen for sure; after all unlike Mr. Peabody, I lack a “way-back” machine — or in this case a “far-forward” machine.
My point is, do we expect too much of our governments without giving them a chance? Often, we as the public don’t know all the facts at hand nor have we been trained for their job.
Political critique is everywhere, and it probably won’t ever go away, but a little bit of consideration for our leaders is needed for sure.
We’re all human, even if some of us are politicians.
