A House Divided Against Itself...

Left or Right...there is no in-between.

The Toronto Sun

So, when I started this blog less than half a year ago I never would have imagined linking to the Sun as often as I have. But, true to form for this space, I look to talk about the issues that are important to me, and potentially to the country, regardless of who's writing about them at the time.

It also doesn't hurt that my favourite blogger, Mr. Warren Kinsella, is only published in that paper anymore (let's think about that and talk more about it another time).

Anyway, today the Sun has an exclusive poll from my friend Dr. David Coletto at Abacus data looking at recent polling numbers and the division found across the country. A far more detailed look than what was in Sun can be found here.

Maybe there will be some commentary on this elsewhere over the course of the coming days, but it will likely focus on one party's fortunes over another's. But there's something else worth considering: look just how divided we've become. 

Divisive Politics

The quote in the heading of this post is from Lincoln (again) but it finds it's genesis in the Bible at least, and perhaps even before that. Whatever the origin, the thought process is simple: when one people is split and fights against itself it cannot last, for it becomes weak to outside forces.

In the Canadian context, this could mean many things. For example, how can we continue to recover from this horrible economic downturn, a downturn that has hurt so many, if we can't come together? What hope do we have of making important things better, like healthcare, or education or the environment, if we can't even try to agree on the simplest points on each of them? Perahps most importantly of all, if we are to face the challenges of tomorrow with strength and courage, where will we draw it if all around us we only see rhetoric and fear?

Some will point out, rightly, that in many ways the country has been divided for a long time. East vs. West, Cons vs. Libs, French vs. English, there is certainly a history of disagreement. But honestly, who among us doesn't feel as though this time things are different? Who can stand today's politics, with its crass divisiveness and creativity destroying anger?

Mostly though, where are the visionaries, the builders, the brave souls (political or otherwise) willing to keep an open mind and do something new? Where are those willing to call out the bullshit spouted around them, and name things as they are? 

As often asked in this space, what happened to caring more about values than winning? Because, in the end, the only way we're truly going to get our country going again is if we at least TRY to do it together.

-exit soapbox-

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