Thursday August 1, 2024 | VICTORIA, BC
EDITORIAL by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
For many folks it feels like a shot of new positive energy to see a relatively young female politician (and of non-white mixed race) rising to the possibility of becoming the next president of the United States.
The whole world has watched as President Joe Biden faltered and with amazement how quickly VP Kamala Harris raised $11+ million and secured a whack of high-level endorsements within days of Biden stepping aside as the Democratic candidate for the Nov 2024 presidential race.
It’s been a while since the struggles between right and left in politics (both in Canada and the USA) have seen a break from the norm. Yes, in Canada we’ve seen the impact that a third party can have, as the federal NDP have propped up the Liberals as a means to improve on the delivery of people-first programs and supports. But the shift of major players at the top rung rarely happens and almost never so quickly.
Women in politics might feel re-energized, as well as anyone who has toiled in the political party trenches for a long time.
The management of politics has become so thick with process in the last 10 to 15 years (with bloated communications teams who are boosted by the power of instant communication through social media), that a breath of fresh air seemed hardly possible.
Let’s call it the ‘Kamala effect’ that cracks open the door to seeing that sudden positive change is possible.
Meanwhile, Republicans who follow candidate Donald Trump in cult-like fashion have muddied the political mix with JD Vance as their VP contender. He’s like the Sarah Palin of the 2008 race: a gamble to hold onto the MAGA base but something that in the end will shoot the party in the foot.
===== As first published in the July 26, 2024 biweekly print/PDF edition of Island Social Trends. Are you a Premium Subscriber yet?
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