POLITICAL CLONES AND RECESSIVE GENES

Dynasties which are political have a cohesive set of characteristics. Usually, these privileged types are cut from a cloth which is a rich tapestry, full of privilege, manifest destiny and cultured and groomed messaging.

From an early age, in spite of a complete lack of talent or intellect, noblesse oblige is bred in the bone.  A young man or woman cannot escape the sense of urgency and importance and the siren call of worldliness and power, and the elite camaraderie that will form their futures.

Dynasties have the affect of ribbon candy. They swirl out into the future. Perhaps not all dynasties land the younger generation smack in the middle of power, but they do politicize the host.  Shirley Douglas, the daughter of Tommy Douglas, the architect of Canadian universal health care has traversed the country trying to assure this system’s survival.  Peter Mackay is the son of lumber baron and Conservative MP Elmer Mackay. Although his mother was a prominent psychologist and peace activist, Peter ended up emulating is dad.  He has said of himself "I've been called treacherous, venal, stupid, lazy. . . and that's just from the Tories!" He prides himself on winning. After fighting the merger of the Alliance and the Conservative parties, and promising the PC’s he would never bend, he then formed a strategic alliance with Stephen Harper to lake the deputy leader’s job in the newly amalgamated organization.

Justin Trudeau is being hailed as the successor to his father’s considerable mantle as an intellectual, boulevardier and internationalist.  He is quite an ordinary man, but it is said that he has the royal jelly, the genetic code for political success and at the very least some of his father’s talent.

Other political children have chosen high profile media jobs as their peripheral call to arms and political life. Sacha Trudeau is a journalist who has produced a sixty minute film on the invasion of Iraq, works as a contributor to McLean’s Magazine, and Catherine Clark and her brother Justin are also journalists.  Ben Mulroney, son of former Prme Minister Brian Multroney haunts the infotainment airwaves on Canadian Idol and several other talking heads programs.

Mackenzie King left nothing behind him. With no daughter, son or wife and only a canine ghost to converse with, his legacy ended toute suite when he passed.

In the US Joseph Kennedy junior has chosen to pursue the environment as his forum for advocacy.  His father, Ted Kennedy has further humiliated himself by writing a childrens’ book titled “My Senator and Me: A Dog’s Eye View.” Okay. This would not be even half as silly if he had not named the Dog Splash with the book being written from the point of view of this ironically named puppy. Chappaquidick ring a bell?

Jerry Brown was a dismal failure in the role of governor of California.  His father was a democratic governor, Pat Brown and his predecessor was Ronald Reagan. Jerry was a philosophical hit, but his financial acuity was lacking. He was defeated and re-entered politics as Attorney General. He remains famous more for his tempestuous affairs with Linda Ronstadt  and Debra Winger than his political style.

In our own province,  Bill Bennett was the heir apparent in the Social Credit Dynasty of his father,  W.A.C. Bennett. His policies approximated those of his father, as we continued to barter, and not too carefully our resources for the equivalent of American magic beans.

Politicians are a species unto themselves. They take risks, they avail themselves of privacy, they fight for our rights or ignore them. The roles they fulfill are demanding, fraught with risk and the constant awareness of fickle constituencies that may turn on them with the turn of a screw, or an allegation (baseless or not).

Commitment and talent are not hereditary. They are individual and often accidental.  Something happens, someone takes up a cause, and makes a decision to take on a role in a “ governing” utility. That may be neighborhood (municipal), branch office (provincial) and head office (federal government) in nature. We should respect anyone who takes the risk and leads. We should also hold each and every one of these people accountable for the way they represent us. Leadership is not hereditary. It is either part of someone’s nature or it is not. Be aware of who you support, elect and criticize. We made them what they are.

 

Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them to become what they are capable of being. 
- Goethe