Rants and Roars

Politics: An Optical Illusion

Most things in nature are the way they are for a reason; evolution is a demanding master. Fall colors, however, seem to be an exception. They are not (to my knowledge, at least) adaptive; that is, they do not help plants to survive, they are merely artifacts of leaf senescence, part of an orderly shutting-down of plants for the winter.  Fall colors are a wondrous coincidence! 

People don't think much about leaves until autumn. Then, for a brief time, we revel in the multitude of colors that emerge from what was previously a plain green background. Of course, there were subtleties of shade and texture in the greenery that surrounded us all summer, but after the first flush of green in the spring, we quickly grow accustomed to the green backdrop of plant leaves and focus our attention elsewhere. 

But when days shorten and grow crisper, leaves come into their own, though it is only in death that they finally attract our attention. As the gold, yellows, reds and browns of autumn emerge we come to realize the diversity of the plants that once made up the summer greenery. For a few short weeks before winter's white coat arrives, Mother Nature shrugs off her dowdy greens, throws fashion sense to the wind and bursts forth with a season ending explosion of color. And then we get out the rakes! 

Attractive fall coloration is not limited to trees and shrubs, however…  It is also the time of year when societal norms kick into gear and the smell of barbecue on a warm summer evening or a campfire sending cinders in a starlit sky are parked in our memory banks. Fall has a myriad of indicators…school buses, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and politicians freshly seasoned with Montreal Steak Spice and premonitions of a brighter tomorrow. The season never fails to deliver…

As sure as summer is a distant memory we can also be assured that our fall and winter will be riddled with political rhetoric and public debate about ‘hot button’ issues that, in recent years at least, have become a rite of passage in Newfoundland & Labrador.  Assuredly, Muskrat Falls will continue to generate a political firefight as will the decline in government revenues and increase in budget deficit

I am, admittedly, a political junkie and a lifelong student of the political process. Most of my attention is focused on international politics such as the theatrics provided by the American presidential race, or the absurdity of perpetual conflict in the Middle East, or the dynamics at play in the European Union. 

By virtue of the fact that I am a Canadian, I also follow the goings-on in Ottawa out of sheer necessity as opposed to absolute interest. The same holds true for provincial politics since both equate to the excitement of watching paint dry.  That is not a criticism…simply an observation!

Occasionally, someone comes along and adds a little excitement to the wake. Pierre Trudeau comes to mind, as does local politicians like Joe Smallwood, John Crosbie, Brian Peckford and Danny Williams. All were predictably unpredictable!

Today, for whatever reason, our political leaders appear downright boring! It may be as much to do with media accessibility as opposed to personality but, nonetheless, they seldom demand the same attention or generate the same buzz as their predecessors. 

Kathy Dunderdale, for instance, has three years left in her mandate and unless her advisors completely reinvent her message and choreograph her delivery style we will probably see her poll numbers continue to drop. Politics is, after all, more about optics then it is about substance and, optically speaking, the polls are indicative of what people are seeing and hearing. It is what it is! 

Although early days, and much can change between now and the next election,  Dunderdale does not epitomize a Premier who will be fighting another election in 2015. She appears more at peace with her own demeanor and comfortable with the legacy of being the first elected female premier in Canadian history. In two years she will have also had the opportunity to see several major initiatives come to fruition.

She appears more comfortable with the substance of her message then with the public portrayal of her character. In politics, more often than not, the public likes ‘spit n polish’ and Dunderdale has failed to perfect the shine. That doesn’t necessarily mean she won’t deliver the goods!

The Progressive Party of Newfoundland and Labrador will, in all likelihood, be challenged by two opposition parties who will have redefined themselves by the end of 2014. The Liberals have a history of bouncing back! The New Democrats have conceivably ignited a cinder in many regions of the province and continue to mobilize grassroots electorate who have always had one foot left of the political center.

Key players to keep an eye on over the next two years include; Kathy Dunderdale, Dean MacDonald, Siobhan Coady, Lorraine Michael, Tom Osbourne, and Jerome Kennedy. You can write your own headlines… Mine have already been written!

Most things in politics are the way they are for a reason; evolution is a demanding master! As the blue, red and orange colors of politics emerge we come to realize the diversity of the people that surface for a moment in time and then pass through the revolving door.