Poll
of gloom: It's back to politics
"Thaaththa," Bindu Udagedera asked, "what is all
this fuss about elections?"
"Why, Bindu, I thought elections are not really on anybody's
mind now…," Bindu's father Percy said.
"That
should be so…," Bindu agreed, "but should that be
the case for the next five years?"
"Why do you say that?" Percy wanted to know.
"Why,
thaaththa, Satellite has said that there will be no elections for
another five years…."
"Ah, trust Satellite to make such a statement and confuse everyone…."
"But thaaththa, can Satellite really postpone elections for
the next five years?"
"Well, she was anyway hoping to extend her term of office by
one year, wasn't she?" Percy recalled.
"But
thaaththa, there was some confusion about when her second term of
office began…," Bindu argued.
"From a one-year extension to a five-year extension is but
a small step, Bindu…," Percy said.
"Why
do you say that, thaaththa?" Bindu wanted to know.
"Why, remember, these traits tend to run in the family…."
"Why is that?"
"Why, the Queen Bee herself extended her term of office by
two years in the seventies with the help of the change over to the
Republican constitution…"
"But we must not forget that Junius tried to follow that example…,"
Bindu argued.
"How
could you say that?" Percy demanded.
"Why, when he proclaimed himself President, he said his term
of office began on the day he took oaths as President, which was
more than a year after his election victory…"
"But," Percy pointed out, "he did eventually hold
elections before his six years ended…."
"That's true," Bindu said, "but that is only because
he thought he had a better chance of victory then rather than if
he waited for another year…."
"And
he did resist suggestions to amend the constitution and contest
for a third term of office…." Percy pointed out.
"So, what will Satellite do now, thaaththa?" Bindu wondered.
"Well,
she has already got the professor agitated. He is demanding elections
at the end of this year…"
"But thaaththa," Bindu said, "all this talk about
no elections for another five years is enough to get anyone agitated…."
"She does have a reason for saying that…," Percy
said.
"And
what is that?"
"She certainly doesn't have to call for general elections for
another five years because we had elections only last year…."
"But
what about the presidential elections itself?"
"If those elections are held," Percy said, "she cannot
contest, so who would contest from the Blues?"
"That is something that they would have to decide, of course…."
Bindu said.
"But that is precisely the question they cannot answer…."
Percy noted.
"There
may be another reason for there being no elections for another five
years…," Bindu suggested.
"What is that?" Percy wanted to know.
"Well, there is no need for general elections for another five
years anyway and if the executive presidency is scrapped, there
would be no need for presidential elections either…,"
Bindu pointed out.
"But,
Bindu," Percy said, "knowing Satellite, when she says
there will be no elections for another five years we can only be
sure of one fact…."
"And what is that?" Bindu asked.
"And that is," Percy said, "there will be elections
before five years…."
Bindu didn't want to disagree with that. |
