Obama? More of the Same
So -- Barack Obama's impact on young people is clearly evident in the posts preceding this one. Sure, he inspires (through a very talented speech-writer ... which explains why he does better in set-piece speeches than in debates), represents something "new" (though to get to this stage of his political career one wonders how many favors he's promised), and portends to give historic representation to traditionally marginalized groups (in spite of his penchant for pandering after the 'white' vote). But the fact is, even if Barack Obama wins the nomination and defeats McCain in November, it will be business as usual in Washington. Different sections of the immense political establishment will benefit but no real change will occur.
So -- instead of pulling for Barack Obama, I think the candidate that best represents genuine political will and dedication to public service is Ralph Nader. This sounds silly as most people know him as the narcissistic spoiler of the 2000 Elections, as the man who robbed Al Gore of victory and the villan who sent Bush into the White House. But what fewer Singaporeans (I'm assuming we've heard of the man to begin with) realize is that Ralph Nader has been a tireless public advocate on a range of issues that are bound up with our daily lives since the early 1960s. One example: Seat belts in cars and all-around safety in automobiles? It was Nader's land-mark investigations into the dishonest profit making short-cuts of the automobile industry that have made safety features the norm in our world. Forty years before Al Gore, Nader was already talking about the environment and how corporations need to be accountable for their industrial practices. Nader has an amazing list of accomplishments that look out for the little guy, from airline policy to nutritional labels on food; but more profoundly, he's demonstrated that more can be achieved if non-partisan citizens take an interest in politics and challenge the Corporate-Government complex. It is a sad thing that the two-party system (much like the PAP's stranglehold on political discourse) has essentially kept Nader out of any kind of meaningful political debate. There's an excellent film that documents Nader's career: An Unreasonable Man which would inspire anyone, regardless of political persuasion.
In an ideal world, I would root for the party (and by default, that Party's nominee) that has a socialist bent. But "The Government", so crucial in effecting key legislative reform that straightened out inequalities in an earlier time, has allied itself with corporate interests at the expense of taking proper care of ordinary citizens. And this is pretty much a global phenomenon. The fact that "Singapore, Inc." is touted as an excellent model of government is a sad case in point. Perhaps the best way to BE political is to cultivate small victories in local ways - for instance, getting individuals interested in issues to begin with, as this blog tries to do - rather than rally around the most fashionable icon of the political establishment.
So -- instead of pulling for Barack Obama, I think the candidate that best represents genuine political will and dedication to public service is Ralph Nader. This sounds silly as most people know him as the narcissistic spoiler of the 2000 Elections, as the man who robbed Al Gore of victory and the villan who sent Bush into the White House. But what fewer Singaporeans (I'm assuming we've heard of the man to begin with) realize is that Ralph Nader has been a tireless public advocate on a range of issues that are bound up with our daily lives since the early 1960s. One example: Seat belts in cars and all-around safety in automobiles? It was Nader's land-mark investigations into the dishonest profit making short-cuts of the automobile industry that have made safety features the norm in our world. Forty years before Al Gore, Nader was already talking about the environment and how corporations need to be accountable for their industrial practices. Nader has an amazing list of accomplishments that look out for the little guy, from airline policy to nutritional labels on food; but more profoundly, he's demonstrated that more can be achieved if non-partisan citizens take an interest in politics and challenge the Corporate-Government complex. It is a sad thing that the two-party system (much like the PAP's stranglehold on political discourse) has essentially kept Nader out of any kind of meaningful political debate. There's an excellent film that documents Nader's career: An Unreasonable Man which would inspire anyone, regardless of political persuasion.
In an ideal world, I would root for the party (and by default, that Party's nominee) that has a socialist bent. But "The Government", so crucial in effecting key legislative reform that straightened out inequalities in an earlier time, has allied itself with corporate interests at the expense of taking proper care of ordinary citizens. And this is pretty much a global phenomenon. The fact that "Singapore, Inc." is touted as an excellent model of government is a sad case in point. Perhaps the best way to BE political is to cultivate small victories in local ways - for instance, getting individuals interested in issues to begin with, as this blog tries to do - rather than rally around the most fashionable icon of the political establishment.
posted by gary at 7:06 AM
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