Vote early! Vote often!

Lately, many people have been asking me my opinion on the upcoming election.

As a trained journalist and a keen observer of socio-political dynamics in the country, I replied, “What election?

I’m kidding. Of course, I did notice the proliferation of colourful signs in my neighbourhood and after a brief moment of confusion in which I blurted to my wife, “Oh my God, almost everyone around here is selling their house! We better get out before the market crashes”, I realized what was happening.

Now, the tricky part is that for many years journalists were not allowed to have opinions of any kind. When I was in the newsroom we were told by our editors (insert heavy Scottish accent here) that we could not join any political party, put up any sign, attend any meeting or rally, sit on any board or be a part of any organization of any kind on earth.

“May I vote in elections?” I asked timidly.

“Yes, but don’t let anyone see you,” said the editor. “Don’t have any ideas about anything at all and just go back to your desk.”

So for many years I and my colleagues complied. This was known as “Journalistic Objectivity” and was actually quite freeing. For example, at home, your spouse might ask, “What do you think of the pot roast?” and you could simply say, “I’m sorry, I can’t really comment on that. I can ask the pot roast what IT thinks and write that down.”

This made for a happy marriage especially around questions like, “How does this bikini look on me?” and “Really, be honest, do you want to watch Steel Magnolias again because I do.”

Occasionally, the rule of objectivity and getting “both sides of the story” was a challenge. Say you covered a speech on the scourge of world famine.

Back in the newsroom, your editor would say, “OK, sure, but get me someone who thinks it’s a good idea.” This could make for a long day. There were similar problems around getting differing views on questions like A. “Are there penguins?” and B. “Should the play Cats even exist?” (By the way, the correct answers are A. Yes and B. No.)

Anyway, sometime in the early 1990s after journalism scholars did years of research and watched several episodes of Murphy Brown, it became clear that journalists did have ideas and even opinions. Rules were loosened, allowing reporters to openly join bowling leagues and state in public that cancer was “bad.” Those were heady days.

Today of course, with the advent of online blogs, podcasts and Twitter, journalists have opinions about everything, even things they know nothing about. Objectivity has been replaced by something called “Transparency” in which journalists reveal exactly what they think so that the viewers are aware of their biases.

So now, you might tune into an interview like this:

“Hello, today we’re discussing loosening gun laws, which everyone knows is insane. We have in our studio Senator Thurman Gitwaffle from Arkansas who is a moronic ass. Hello Senator Gitwaffle….”

And that’s on public television. On cable news channels interviews are now mostly yell fests and the occasional bare-knuckle cage match.

In any case, that brings us back to the current municipal election.

After careful consideration and a lot of intense scrutiny of the issues, I can honestly say that I am totally bored. Nonetheless, here are my views:

We should have built the new stadium on the waterfront.

Though Fred Eisenberger often appears to be sleeping — even during his own speeches — I think he has been a good mayor.

The person who designed parking spots in the MIDDLE of one-way streets may have been on drugs.

If you think a major city does not need a modern, efficient transit system, you should visit Jakarta.

We should have built the stadium on the waterfront.

If you think Doug Ford is going to give Hamilton ONE BILLION DOLLARS to “fix up the city and buy snacks” you are definitely on drugs.

Get out and cast your ballot. And vote like your life (in the city) depended on it, because in a lot of ways, it does.

And finally, did I mention the stadium?

Paul Benedetti is the author of You Can Have A Dog When I’m Dead. He lives in Hamilton and loves it.