Electoral Power Plays
By Mon Casiple
Mon Casiple’s Weblog on Philippine Politics
This early, many events are already being connected–rightly or wrongly–to the 2010 presidential election still more than a year from now. This underscores the crucial nature of the 2010 elections–fortunes, literally, will rise or fall on the outcome.
Among the events that are subject to barbershop speculation is the resurrection of the Dacer case (Erap-Lacson), Legacy case (de Castro), ICRC staff kidnapping (Gordon), election automation (GMA candidate), and attacks on automation (other candidates). Earlier, Sen. Villar got his with the C-5 extension issue.
Some of the speculations are indeed election-related; some may even be true. What is important is that scenarios are again rearing their collective heads and provide fodder to the favorite Filipino sport of politics. What is disturbing is that the parameters of these scenarios go beyond the electoral or constitutional boundaries and basically have sunk to the level of the law of the jungle. To win–by whatever means–seems to be the rule of the coming 2010 elections.
We hear now of speculations of possible “automated cheating,” a June 30, a 2010 no-president scenario based on failure of elections, charter change via martial law or state of emergency declaration, an outright martial rule, a coup or similar scenario, etc. What gives…? Normal Philippine elections, obviously!
Among the events that are subject to barbershop speculation is the resurrection of the Dacer case (Erap-Lacson), Legacy case (de Castro), ICRC staff kidnapping (Gordon), election automation (GMA candidate), and attacks on automation (other candidates). Earlier, Sen. Villar got his with the C-5 extension issue.
Some of the speculations are indeed election-related; some may even be true. What is important is that scenarios are again rearing their collective heads and provide fodder to the favorite Filipino sport of politics. What is disturbing is that the parameters of these scenarios go beyond the electoral or constitutional boundaries and basically have sunk to the level of the law of the jungle. To win–by whatever means–seems to be the rule of the coming 2010 elections.
We hear now of speculations of possible “automated cheating,” a June 30, a 2010 no-president scenario based on failure of elections, charter change via martial law or state of emergency declaration, an outright martial rule, a coup or similar scenario, etc. What gives…? Normal Philippine elections, obviously!
Substance Deficit Syndrome
By Benign0
Filipino Voices
[...] Just like mass marketing, propaganda, and the ramblings of evangelists, campaigns are nothing more than a systematic effort to insult the collective intelligence. Let us not be quick to delegate our thinking to the most popular belief systems and their slogans. Let us evaluate our candidates with a critical mind this coming elections. [...]
Click here to read full text.
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Haaaay naku... When will we really change? When will we stop circling around again and again this mountain of our political immaturity? Aren't all the old traditional political generation "dead" yet in the wilderness of people's disgust? When will the new generation of people enter our "promise land"?
The nation needs leaders with the same caliber as Joshua and Caleb. We may have such leaders, but only if we as a people stop from being willing victims of the manipulations and control of the old spirit of traditional politics.
While we are already free from the slavery of dictatorship, but yet we are still in the wilderness of our struggle as a nation circling again and again the mountain of our political immaturity. We have been circling this mountain more than enough already and it is time to change course to the direction of the "promise land".
The nation needs leaders with the same caliber as Joshua and Caleb. We may have such leaders, but only if we as a people stop from being willing victims of the manipulations and control of the old spirit of traditional politics.
While we are already free from the slavery of dictatorship, but yet we are still in the wilderness of our struggle as a nation circling again and again the mountain of our political immaturity. We have been circling this mountain more than enough already and it is time to change course to the direction of the "promise land".
The time is at hand for us to enter our "promise land"... but only if we as a people are really willing to break free from the dishonesty and control of traditional politics that kept us in bondage for many generations.
