The Parliamentary elections will be held in Jordan on November 20, 2007, to elect representatives to the Chamber of Deputies, which is comprised of 110 seats spread over 45 regional electoral districts, 3 closed tribal electoral districts and one national woman quota district. The Parliament guarantees a minimum of six seats for women, nine for Christians, and three for the Circassian and Chechen minorities.

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I know that elections are the backbone of modern democracy, and that all modern democracies hold elections- but I also know that not all elections are truly democratic. The idea of democracy was to give people the right to choose their own government, but most ‘democracies’ do not give their citizens that opportunity.

Now that people have realized that their vote doesn’t make a difference, and more and more stay away from the polls. Meanwhile, Politicians vying for the perks of such a position preach that casting our votes is every citizen’s obligation, rather than trying to educate people about the importance of voting or increasing political insight in the younger generations, and providing motivation beyond tribalism.

Such thoughts run in my mind every day as I drive around circus-town, unhappily transformed to a carnival thanks to the heinous amount of Parliamentary campaigning banners, posters, and signs. Of every single color, design and breadth. How effective are such elaborate efforts to paint the town with the faces of the candidates? Would anyone really go vote just based on the votability of someone’s looks?

Elections in this modern era of mass media and this country of tribes are not won or lost on issues, which have anyway been stripped down to cliches passed on from generation to generation; they are won or lost on perception. Or tribalism. And since I do not belong to any “tribe”, and since I cannot find enough information about most of this year’s parliamentary candidates, I have to rely on perception.

My perceptions are based on the three things I can perceive solely from the campaign posters; slogan of candidate, design of poster, and how the candidate looks.

(Disclaimer: I am not voting in reality, and these “scores” are completely based on each candidate’s campaign and not what I know about him or her.)

“Yes to no taxes and customs on food and medicine”
Score: 2/10 (ummm, no comment).

“Our country is for everyone” (this proved to be a rather controversial slogan)
Score: 6/10 (what’s with the pose?)

“There’s no democracy without personal freedom.”
Score: 3/10 (I don’t like yellow)

“We are all partners in making the future” and “Women are primary partners in making the future”.
Score: 4/10 (eftt, empty women-power slogans!)

“Citizen. Environment. Growth.”
Score: 7.5/10 (I think I like this campaign)

“It is time for change. Either change now or things will remain as they are”.
Score: 4/10

“Invest with your vote for the future of your country”.
Score: 2/10 (why doesn’t she have a picture of herself?)

“Positivity”.
Score: 6.5/10 (she looks nice, and I like the colors of her campaign)

“All Jordanians are Jordanian. Prosperity happens when women get a complete share of roles in government and society”.
Score: 6.5/10 (morasha7 il ejma3 il nabelsi)

“From the university to the parliament. Working with scientific methods to serve our country”.
Score: 4/10 (ehh, from my experience at Jordan University, these guys should stay at the university)

“Bread. Freedom. Democracy”.
Score: 1/10

No slogan.
Score: 0/10 (mainly because he used glue to stick his posters all over the darn place)

“Honesty is our motto.”
Score: 7/10 (cause I think he looks adorable)

“Let us release the soul of change together.”
Score: 7/10 (he’s dressed nicely)

“No matter what we give… Jordan deserves more”
Score: 4/10 (I don’t like his expression)

“For freedom, justice, prosperity, unity.”
Score: 1/10 (I don’t like green, beards, his expression, and the IAF)

Democracy fails us when those who best manipulate our perception regardless of the truth are awarded with power. Democracy fails us when most people don’t vote. Democracy fails us when we start making distinctions between misinformation and lies. Democracy fails us when the truth doesn’t matter.

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Notice how a lot of the slogans focus on equality, and women’s rights.

Article from BBC:

It was the second time since June’s elections that the lower house (elected by the people), the Chamber of Deputies, quashed the bill on such killings, which are mostly carried out by brothers and fathers against women who have had sex outside of marriage. Islamists and conservatives opposed to the new law said it would encourage vice and destroy social values. Another bill – allowing women to divorce their husbands – was referred to a parliamentary legal committee for further review.In August, the upper house, or Senate (appointed by the monarchy), upheld both bills, after they were rejected by the lower house (elected by the people). Correspondents say that if lawmakers continue to reject the amendments, only intervention by the Jordanian monarch, King Abdullah, can ensure they come into effect.

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Are you voting? Who are you voting for? And based on what?