Joining the Sask. Party is the best idea Facebook’s ever had
Editorial | by Stephen Whitworth
Have you heard the latest, greatest most fantastic notion in the history of ideas? You must have, because everyone’s talking about it on Facebook. You’re on Facebook, right?
It’s even been in the news — in fact, one of my co-workers got interviewed about it by CBC (I know because the link was on Facebook).
You must have heard. But if not, well, let me lay this sucker on you.
Ready?
We should all buy Sask. Party memberships so we can vote for Saskatchewan’s next premier.
WOW.
I know, right? Where’d that come from? Who even comes up with such glimmering nuggets of concentrated genius?¹
This thinking is so far outside the box that the box gave up looking for it and went home.
Now, I have to admit that as someone who has never held a membership in ANY political party, it wasn’t easy to wrap my head around this at first. And then there’s the fact that — and I hope you’ll forgive me for this — I sometimes cynically suspect the Sask. Party government to be a clown carnival of hyper-partisan bullies and nitwits who consistently put self-serving politics and ideology before good public policy.
“Why would I want to give any money to boom-bungling hacks?” I think in my darker moments.
But then I think, ‘maybe I’m just not seeing the big picture.’
In exchange for giving the Saskatchewan Party my money and a bunch of personal information they can permanently store in their spooky database, I get to cast a vote for one of the six superheroes vying to replace Brad Wall as party leader and Premier!
And there are so many great choices, all of whom have absolutely nothing to do with the sorry state of Saskatchewan’s economy despite nearly all of them being a part of this government when everything went “kerplooey”.
There’s the dude who suddenly has opinions about the contents of uteruses! The political apparatchik who’s never held office and helped orchestrate the government’s ever-so-popular last budget! The former Conservative MP who won’t shut up about his cell phone and REALLY hates the NDP!
Tina Beaudry Mellor! Two other people! MY GOD IT’S SO EXCITING.
How can I say no to such an opportunity?
The problem is, sometimes — like when I’m distracted by, say, imaginary anti-colonial school assignments² or the astonishing fact racism, contrary to all evidence, doesn’t exist in small-town Saskatchewan³ — I go back to having doubts. I think things like, ‘Gee these guys got handed the greatest boom in the province’s history and instead of using it as a generational opportunity they recklessly cut taxes, ran-up deficits, drunkenly un-diversified the economy, waged a selfish, indulgent and petty war on organized labour and destroyed critical transportation infrastructure (to name but a few achievements).’
Maybe this Sask. Party membership thing is a TERRIBLE idea?
Nah. Couldn’t be. Facebook loves it. Sure, things will be as bad or worse under the next leader, but what alternative is there? Picking a new premier at the next election?
That’s just crazy talk.
- Apparently the Saskatchewan Teacher’s Federation, which suddenly thinks supporting politicians who rip up collective bargaining agreements is a solid strategy.
- As per climate scientist Bronwyn Eyre.
- As per Ken “Chevy 4 Leader” Cheveldayoff.
