A Man For All Seasons
Who would've thought it? A grade B - er, make that a C - movie actor whose improbably ridiculous film roles played with a stiff demeanor, an absurd accent and a bulked-up physique has been transformed into the consummate politician. Oh, not just any politician, since most of them seem unfortunately to be self-serving and self-obsessed. This guy has set a new standard.The charm of his self-deprecating humour as his state's emissary and number-one representative on the national and international scene have marked him as a likeable and approachable human being. The antithesis of the stiff and bumbling caricatures he portrayed on film. Behind his gently humorous facade he presents as a thoughtfully serious and ethically responsible representative as governor of his state.
By no means the first and only governor of California whose awareness of environmental degradation expressed the concerned mind-set of Californians, he is taken seriously on the national and international stage. He's earning his stripes, expressing surprising opinions often quite at odds with that of the Republican White House.
Certainly on environmental issues he's way ahead of official America, bringing in legislation guaranteed to ensure his huge and populous state is making the kind of impact that the federal body refuses to sign onto. He has car manufacturers in the U.S. angered at his insistence that they design more environmentally sensitive vehicles if they want to continue doing business in California.
It remains to be seen how responsible he can convince Californians they need to become with respect to their limited water resources. The vaunted life-style of enchanted excess in a country where expectations are high on maintaining a luxurious way of life in a world where resources are expected to become even tighter must give way to some amelioration of the waste in domestic irrigation, and the proliferation of swimming pools in a relatively dry landscape.
He's making alliances abroad with his message of responsibility and the latest appears to be right here in Canada, particularly in British Columbia and Ontario. Still a relative novice, he's in the position to encourage these provinces in their desire to become actively engaged in fighting environmental degradation. He's willing to share ideas and technologies, to make friends and put his influence to good use.
What, is there something about that Kennedy magic that has rubbed off on him? He most definitely is not what he appeared at first to be, a die-hard Republican. He's appreciative of the position of trust that he holds. His manner, his language and delivery have now taken on a certain depth, a gravitas, earning him respect from his listeners.
He's here on a double mission; to sell California's products to Canadians - as though we don't already feel saturated with California produce and wines. And to help the provinces assume the kind of responsibility they say they mean to achieve, through his own experience.
Good man.
Labels: Heroes and Villains
posted by Pieface @ Wednesday, May 30, 2007
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