One thing that this Ukraine tragedy has really shown (or should really show) is that a career in politics shouldn’t just be regarded as some easy way to have a job.
I particularly find Canada’s foreign minister, Melanie Joly’s situation quite fascinating, as an example ( an absolutely no disrespect to he btw). Two municipal elections ago she was running for mayor of Montreal and defeated.
Now, as our foreign minister, has responsibilities and duties, the likes of which she probably never predicted. She’s seems very up to the task to me, however, our parliament also seems to have a fair collection of lightweight goofballs who are only in it for a few minutes of bombast during question period.
Back in the early 90’s Western Australia (a mining state and not normally thought of sympathetic environmentalists) as is their erratic want, elected two Greens senators Christabel Chamarette and Dee Margetts.
Thoroughly decent, erstwhile, wet behind the ears, single issue environmental party “freshman” who found themselves holding the balance of power of the Federal Government at a time when some seminal legislation and issues crossed their desks. Bambiesque was not an unreasonable descriptor, though the task would have severely tested political veterans.
Lacking the experience, expertise, support staff and virtually everything else that makes a parliamentarian’s office work they found themselves as the swing vote on big ticket items like negotiating tax bills, trade agreements, Mabo (native title) budgets, energy policy. Virtually every contentious bit of legislation on any topic needed their support. They were not taken seriously, they were underestimated, they overreached, they made all the rookie errors that you’d expect. If they did nothing, they were derided as the governments lackies, if they exercised their numbers they were derided as holding the country to ransom.
Prime Minister Paul Keating’s classic and vitriolic description of the Senate they were effectively in control as “unrepresentative swill” was directed squarely at them.
Suprisingly enough it didn’t end in tears.
This is sort of like a nice version of US’ Manchin and Sinema.
I disagree. They are both long time politicians with access to adequate staff. Manchin and Sinema are simply obstructionist and corrupt. They are only incompetent if you expect them to represent their constituents; if you expect them to represent the coal industry and other large donors they nearly perfect Senators.
Not to mention that actor who got elected because he did a good job of playing a president on TV. I hear he’s been somewaht involved in the Russian situation.