Re: Government is the problem, not the solution: typical Danielle Smith theme, by Ira Wells, Oct. 29-Nov. 4.

What the world needs less of is pretty politicians gift-wrapping a pile of political crap, for example, Sarah Palin and Danielle Smith. The Wildrose Alliance Party (WAP) is not a good right-of-centre alternative to the Tories. Libertarianism, on the other hand, is a sick wolf in sheep’s clothing. Libertarianism seems right on the outside, but Libertarianism is just a word for “every man and woman for themselves.” What separates us from wild animals is that we take care of our elderly, our sick and our poor. Libertarians have no desire to assume any social responsibility, nor do they believe they should, and if you’re born without opportunity, motivation or guidance to succeed in life, well then tough bones, that’s life. Want an abortion? Go ahead, but they’re not going to pay for it.

Nonetheless, without a true alternative we’d be stuck with the Tories until the cows came home, and democracy isn’t as dead in Alberta as some would cry out. Just because people vote Tory doesn’t mean democracy is dead — that’s how democracy works; if the people vote Tory until the end of time then that’s what the people get: what they want. And the people of Alberta want a centre-right party, not an extreme right party, and certainly not anything near the far left. However, aside from usual politics, the only real problem with democratic government is, per se, party rule. It’s like wanting a single satellite TV channel and having to sign up for the package deal, one with all the channels that you don’t like and never watch but have to pay for to get the one. For example, WAP uses the ideology of reformation to get votes, but there’s no real reform, and what reform you get comes with all the other Libertarian crap.

The alternative to less government, for example, is not more “less government,” for example, WAP, but nor is the solution simply more government either. The true alternative is different government, not less, not more. But Albertans don’t want Liberals, NDP, Greens or anything close to far left simply because this is Alberta, and we like it Conservative here. Furthermore, the majority is not interested in severing ties with Ottawa, as the WAP is also isolationist and would burn bridges before they were even crossed.

This is the land of prairie grasses, a place of hardship, oil notwithstanding, that doesn’t provide a lot of fat and requires a fast metabolism. For me and others who think like me, it is government that I believe in, not free market, for with less government there is more unfairness, like a game without a referee. And government is the only way to get things done and done right, because if you leave it up to the people they’ll drive whatever speed they feel like, rather than safely by the limit. Compare how many people recycle voluntarily and how many recycle when there’s a government program in place. And at the same time there is an efficient and effective style of government I believe in that embodies the essence of democracy, that being one akin to self-serve, a true reformation. The only “reform” of government anybody needs is legislation that embodies the right of an elected and independent MLA to authorize referenda on any issue at any time and make it binding with a vote in favour equalling 50 per cent of the population. Again, any issue at any time, 50 per cent of the population. If that’s not a picture of democratic health, then it’s the same ol’ same ol’ one-party rule.

Unfortunately, the alternative, no-name, self-serve, independent but friendly to Ottawa party doesn’t seem to exist. It certainly does not in the WAP, despite pretty faces.

David J. Still,

Calgary