Aperte.org Jeremy Handcock

In a recent post entitled "Political reform, the Mexico Way", Jorge offers a hilarious translation of proceedings in the Mexican Senate that led to the passage of energy reform legislation. The Guardian has an English article covering the same, although sadly it omits the colorful details of Jorge's source.

The images I had in my mind while I was reading Jorge's translation were fantastic: Senators smuggle fellow Representatives into the building in car trunks to disrupt proceedings using metallic garbage bins. Representative Alvarez then accuses her party members of treason and begins repeatedly and inexplicably "throwing herself against the glass doors of the room." All the while, Senators name-call "bitch" and "motherfucker" at their colleagues. I'm not knowledgeable about the state of political comedy in Mexico, but this would make for a great SNL-like skit!

Arguably, the scene in the Canadian House of Commons isn't any more civil. Rick Mercer recently wrote a funny piece on the shouting matches and "bad acting" that frequent the House:

I get embarrassed watching question period live and I've been naked on national television. Imagine going in to your office or your workplace tomorrow and the minute you see anyone you don't like, you just start yelling and screaming like a lunatic. You'd be fired. And there's a reason. Because when people act like that, nothing gets done at work. It's not acceptable in any Canadian workplace. Why is it acceptable on Parliament Hill?

He then goes on to propose that the House of Commons be outfitted with cameras pointed at everyone, not just on the members who are talking. I'm all for it. If cameras don't raise the level of discourse and refined behavior in the House, at least the rest of us will have prime comedic footage of our members acting in dysfunction.