Here
American politics is rather straight forward. Straight forward in the sense that there are two parties (Well there are more, but they don't get any attention do they? Let alone influence) and they have clearly defined goals, ideologies and methods on how they aim to achieve their goas and uphold their ideas. Anyone can sit down, listen to both sides and decide who they want to support. I remember watching one of the debates between Romney and Obama, and, although I don't remember what they said, nor I understood everything they said at the time, there clearly was a dialogue and I could picture Americans in their homes, watching TV and having debates of their own with their friends and family and forming an opinion. All that is required from the voter is to care enough to get out on election day and actually vote.
I Seem to be stating the obvious, how could a Democracy work any other way?
This is not the case where I am from, and it might not be the case in several other places in the world.
I Seem to be stating the obvious, how could a Democracy work any other way?
This is not the case where I am from, and it might not be the case in several other places in the world.
There
We have several "MAin" parties (Main in the sense that they are represented in government) and they are all "out there" doing things, or claiming to do so, fighting other parties for votes, and making their mark on the communities that they are able to reach out to.
I remember watching TV during election time and having to sit through political commercials from the various parties. They were around 30 seconds long, and followed the same basic formula: (Brief explanation on the party's beliefs + Catch frase) / elevator music + Background of the Party's choice
The only things that would really change were the party's name and the catch frase. Their messages were all variations on a theme, "I'll fight for this" , "Defend that" , "Believe in this". "This" and "that" often being the same thing every time. Makes you wonder who they were fighting against if everyone wanted the same thing. Of course, these are only short little commercials, but even debates and speeches were the samething, or at least I think they were, it was hard to make out what they were saying, or rather, shouting. Especially the speeches. Big highly emotional, often angry, incoherent ramblings, all of them, performances done to a crowd of equally emotional and angry people (so maybe they were saying something afterall?)
The entire proccess of voting is like going fishing in this big ocean, supposedly filled with several types of exotic fish. You go there with your fishing net and expect to catch something, and you do. You take it home and you find out it all tastes the same, and it reaches a point where you just don't care anymore, to the point you don't remember what you had for dinner last night. Seriously, surveys done show that people tend to forget who they voted for just a month after elections.
A month. And frankly, I don't blame them. There is nothing to remember.
This is what dissuaded me, and several others, I believe, from keeping up with politics. Although that is unfortunate on itself, what makes it worse is that we are forced to vote when we turn 18. So the millions of listless voters march to the booths...
...and This happens
I remember watching TV during election time and having to sit through political commercials from the various parties. They were around 30 seconds long, and followed the same basic formula: (Brief explanation on the party's beliefs + Catch frase) / elevator music + Background of the Party's choice
The only things that would really change were the party's name and the catch frase. Their messages were all variations on a theme, "I'll fight for this" , "Defend that" , "Believe in this". "This" and "that" often being the same thing every time. Makes you wonder who they were fighting against if everyone wanted the same thing. Of course, these are only short little commercials, but even debates and speeches were the samething, or at least I think they were, it was hard to make out what they were saying, or rather, shouting. Especially the speeches. Big highly emotional, often angry, incoherent ramblings, all of them, performances done to a crowd of equally emotional and angry people (so maybe they were saying something afterall?)
The entire proccess of voting is like going fishing in this big ocean, supposedly filled with several types of exotic fish. You go there with your fishing net and expect to catch something, and you do. You take it home and you find out it all tastes the same, and it reaches a point where you just don't care anymore, to the point you don't remember what you had for dinner last night. Seriously, surveys done show that people tend to forget who they voted for just a month after elections.
A month. And frankly, I don't blame them. There is nothing to remember.
This is what dissuaded me, and several others, I believe, from keeping up with politics. Although that is unfortunate on itself, what makes it worse is that we are forced to vote when we turn 18. So the millions of listless voters march to the booths...
...and This happens
| This man is a TV comedian that ran for State Deputy of Sao Paulo (a pretty important state). He won with 1,000,000 (protest?) votes, the most-voted-for of 2010. You can watch it if you want, but the thumbnail makes the point already. The man propsed nothing and made a mockery of the position he was running for. One of his most popular frases being: "Know what a State Deputy does? Me neither! Vote for me and I'll tell you!", the other being: "Vote for Tiririca, cause it can't get any worse!" (It rhymes in Portuguese) He remained in the job for 2 years, and was actually nominated one of the best parlamentaries of the year! So I guess it worked out in the end. But it could have been much worse. He quit though, he told the press that he found out what a state deputy does and he didn't like it much. honestly, it was actually kind of funny. :) |
Another dissuading factor of Brazillian politics is the fact that it is a mess. Finger-pointing, false accusations, Screaming, police investigations. It's hard to keep up with it. It's like starting to watch Lost in the middle of season 3, and trying to make sense of the polar bear, The Smoke, the foot of that giant statue on the beach, Jacob and even desmond.
The ending was kind of disappointing too. Time will tell if my comparison holds true to the end, let us hope that it does not. :)
The ending was kind of disappointing too. Time will tell if my comparison holds true to the end, let us hope that it does not. :)
Everywhere?
What is the political scene in your country? Is it similar somehow? Completely different? Can any candidate from anywhere top Tiririca? How accurate was my brief description of American Politics? what did i miss?
and to paraphase Desmond:
"See you in another post, brother!"
and to paraphase Desmond:
"See you in another post, brother!"