Where are your papers?

I'm going to take some time and get political this evening. It happens from time to time, and far be it from me to foist my tin-foil-hat-wearing opinions on everyone else, but every now and then I need to rant on things that I observe.

I studied the Cold War in high school. Most people who would bother to read this (the dozens of alternate personlity readers included), would know this. So I'm not going to dwell on that too much, everyone will just have to trust me. The forty year "conflict" is probably one of the most interesting wars in history. Very little fighting, and far fewer deaths than either of the World Wars, but more than enough hatred and prejudice spread around to make up for it.

Back then, sweeping generalizations were made to smear the other side. To be labeled a communist, or socialist in the western world was tantamount to be called a traitor, even though the Soviets were far from either ideology. I once read a simplification of North American thoughts of the USSR that sums the idea up nicely. Some parents explained communism to their children by telling them "In the Soviet Union, you have no choice of ice cream, EVERYBODY gets Vanilla." Perhaps it was true, I know it is fact that they only had four television stations, even in 1990. The USSR wasn't only communism, it was some sort of bizarre semi-communist dictatorship. There were the elite, who ruled, and the working class, who went about their business, with no say.

To try to steer this meandering back on course, there's something about the Soviet Union that I would like to remind everyone...even those too young to remember. They were portrayed as the devil for requiring even their own citizens to seek permission to leave the country. Their own citizens were not free to travel without government permission. Rewind a few more decades, and another nation had this habit...Nazi-era Germany. Most recognize the stereotypical line "Your papers, please..."

The United States TSA has proposed a new set of rules and regulations that would require airlines to submit a full passenger manifest 72 hours before takeoff for all international flights. This means that even US citizens will be screened leaving the United States. While the intention MAY be benign, this is an exit visa, by any other name. The potential for abuse of this system is almost limitless. A draft list in effect? Anyone selected automatically screened out. Showing signs of political dissidence? Same. This may not happen for years, perhaps even decades, but the level of power this grants the American government over their own citizens almost ensures that some day, it will.

It could easily be dismissed as fringe conspiracy theories, but ask yourself, would it really be surprising if the hyperpower that has launched two offensive wars in the past decade lashed out at its own citizens. A forever war, which is what has really been handed to western civilization, can only last so long on a volunteer army. Sooner or later, if this war continues to expand, as the American rhetoric promises with Iran, a draft will not only help, but will be necessary. A mass exodus in case of economic collapse, a sure bet if the petrodollar system comes crashing down, would also negatively affect the American nation-as skilled workers abandon ship before the waterline gets too high. These new rules would stop people from leaving at the government's discretion.

Wait a minute, you're probably saying to yourself. I'm Canadian, this doesn't affect me! I tender that this is nonsense. Since World War II, Canada has lost a great deal of its national identity to its big brother to the south. Our national defense is slaved to theirs, and our society and way of life is very similar. Our government is very much in the Americans' pocket, and if you don't believe that, recall softwood lumber, or NAFTA, or virtually any other dispute between Canada and the United States.

Which brings me to the final part of our political rant, our governments. Our governments are made up of the elite, a bunch of rich bureaucrats so far out of touch with the "real" world that the rest of us live in and its challenges as to be ineffective. That's why they consistently make gaffes when asked about costs of living, or what issues should be important to the voters. They campaign on a set of issues that varies very little from party to party, and ignore the will of the people for the most part. Look at the approval ratings of the government south of the border. In the last Ontario election a few days ago, I had a hard time choosing a candidate...because by and large, I thought they were all gasbags. I've grown cynical, and distrust politicians (gee, can you tell?), but it's a problem when you can label what ideology your candidate is following, and that ideology is the support of the corporate world, no matter what the cost.

Hmm....exit visas for US citizens, governments that are out of touch and removed from their constituents....I feel like I just went through all this. We're not there yet...our friends south of the border aren't there yet. But we're on our way, and if we don't watch ourselves, the trip will be short.