Sunday, March 07, 2004

Senate Reform, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, still with us?

If you promise to return to the ole Podunk, I"m going to send you on a little trip. Ok, promise? No fingers crossed! Ok, I'll trust you (he he, famous last words no? I'll be watching my site meter folks!).

Over at seanincognito, is a raging debate over Senate reform, well, thus far it's only Sean's well thought out rant on the Senate and a couple of comments I dropped in, but hey it's Sunday morning, I'm sure the rage wave will arrive shortly.

The most glaring statistic of the finely researched piece, is the amount of Chretienistas currently parking their pork laden butts on the Senate benches. 74 out of 105 patronage enabled members can claim their elevated status thanks to their uh, passing acquaintance,with the little guy from Shawinigan. A force that will be there for at least ten years or more. A situation that must strike fear into the heart of PM the PM, as he purges the regular party and government machinery of all traits and personages Chretien. Talk about roadblocks on the democratic reform highway!

Sure you can go through the motions of cleaning up the multi layered bureaucratic slime pits, but at every turn you stumble into a new mess. As Sean points out, the Prime Minister wants us to believe he's going to try and reform the "democratic deficit" that we suffer under in this country. Well there is no larger example of that deficit, than the Upper House, if ever there was a time to trot out that old chestnut of Senate Reform this would be it, but, I guess one can only fight a war on so many fronts.

The sleepy chamber will probably be allowed to slumber on during the Martin mandate (should he win the anticipated Federal election). Which is really too bad, because for far too long it's main purpose, has been a reward for partaking in the kind of political behavior that has us all aghast these days. Abolishing the silly thing would go a long way to sending the message, that it's no longer business as usual! We can only hope that as PM the PM strives to make our government more accountable, he takes a sober second look, at the second chamber. Sending that over paid, underworked crew off packing would go a long way to hammering home the idea that the times they are a changing!

Drop into seanincognito, read the piece and join the debate. But remember, come on home to the Podunk when your done!

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