Things are getting interesting in Alberta. Last week's leaders' debate provided a clear contrast. Robin Sears writes:
Rachel Notley may not flaunt the swaggering charisma of a Trudeau, but as she demonstrated in this week’s leaders’ debate, she sure wins on character. She conveys as well, a deep determination to fight for a politics of values, as she laced her opponent over and over for his wobbly handling of some very insalubrious candidates. Putting her opponent’s name in the same sentence as charisma or values-driven leadership increasingly produces sardonic guffaws.
Her opponent, United Conservative Party leader Jason Kenney, often sounded like an overconfident policy wonk angrily spouting stats in a student union debate. Political insiders score debates on direct hits and good recoveries. Real voters look for clues as to character: “Is this a leader who will fight for me and my family?”
The problem is that Kenny's overconfidence should not be confused with competence:
A fascinating study of gender differences among leaders, asks “Why do so many incompetent men become leaders? (and how to fix it).” A respected organizational psychologist, Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, says one factor ranks higher than most: we are too easily deceived into confusing confidence for competence.
A tough, swaggering leader is assumed to be a competent leader. No prizes for guessing who wins the overconfidence stakes — men overestimate their abilities twice as often as women. Narcissism, overconfidence’s first cousin, is 40 per cent more likely among men.
Her campaign strategists knew from the start that Notley wins the likability, authenticity stakes by a country mile. They have been trying to persuade voters that she has been an indomitable fighter, managing through the greatest economic challenge the province has seen since the Depression; that she led a government true to its values, especially on the jobs versus climate divide.
Her opponent would have voters believe he could have forced the price of oil higher, and single-handedly overruled Ottawa and the courts to get a pipeline built. Bizarrely, he claimed he would stage a referendum to kill Canada’s equalization formula. A silly claim: Equalization is a federal statute embedded in the Constitution.
Conservatives have been claiming for decades that they are competent. The evidence of that lie is everywhere.
Image: CBC
10 comments:
.. just a few thoughts jump to mind..
Kenney is glib.. its his nature.. he does really good glib.. he's been practicing all his adult life. Almost all political animals are glib and I don't mean that in a good way (it makes me want to barf..) Being truly glib is highly akin to lying, deceit, fraud.. One needs to differentiate though.. Ms Notely is somewhat glib or a skilled speaker but in a rational & open way.. and to a great extent her talking points are based on fact.. but its easy to see where her excellent speaking skills are rooted or anchored .. character.. which you tackled toute suite.
I believe she's the real deal.. my brilliant fiance believes she could be a brilliant and honest Prime Minister !! Kenney is an ideologic mess of a political skin walker.. pure poison. His thin veneer of self righteous holier than thou camouflage is just that.. but again, he's been practicing that and refining it all his life. Bottom line, he suffers from Harper Syndrome - smartest guy in the room - deception.. He just self modified and tunes his unfortunate creepiness.. even going on a strict diet to look less fat faced.. and more electable.
His scummery of pretending to be a legitimate federal MP candidate in Calgary was scamming taxpayers while his principal residence was in Ottawa, Ontario, year round.. in a condo he bought via salary plus 10,000.00 monthly 'housing allowance', as a 'secondary residence' walking distance to Parliament.. That should be the end of him politically. Visiting his mother several times a year (looking after her.. as he calls it) did not make him an Albertan.. it made him an occasional visitor. He did not even qualify legally for an Alberta Health Card or Driver's Licence.. (you have to actually live in the province) and anyone going the public media route with his travel and expense records was doxed and received death threats from overwrought partisans.. What kind of 'character' attracts that level of fuc_ery ? This is who Alberta wants ? And polls are now flogging the vote suppression 'news' that he and his sad ass troopers will get a majority.. you know.. to start inflicting the Kenney Advantage upon Education, Social Issues, Environment, Litigation, Medicine, Resources.. what a sad day for Alberta.. and for Canada..
I couldn't help but think of both Doug Ford and Donald Trump as I read this analysis, Owen. As we used to say, "Buls..t baffles brains."
The success of modern conservatives continues to baffle me, sal. They don't conserve anything. But they do have a talent for furious destruction.
As I wrote to sal, Lorne, the success of modern conservatives baffles me. My only conclusion is that voters have become easy marks.
.. if mainstream media is captured.. (which is where the citizenry gets somewhat informed day to day.. and may form their beliefs.. ie from the supplied 'news' - opinion - editorial and any applied 'slant' ..) what then ? A poisoned well ? When Government and Media are 'sympatico'.. enmeshed .. sleeping around.. and one adds corporate interests.. it becomes a self serving menage a trois.. the money, procurement pork, privilege, payola, subsidies, favorable legislation, donations, votes etc going every direction at once.. Trump et al exemplify this.. Harper had it.. Mulroney just wanted cash.. not nudge nudge wink wink.. cash - and now its wrapping onto Trudeau.. the short cutting of ethics.. and then defending it or denying it.. shading things.. without truly breaking the law.. using firewalls of separation & chief of staff cutouts (Novak) a la Harper.. 'I know nothing of these matters'
That’s the Big Lie of the past forty years, Owen. They’re not conservatives and what they espouse has nothing to do with conservatism. David Koch’s foray into presidential politics lit the way. And once somebody convinced Reagan that it would be really neat to say, “Government is the problem,” and got Mrs. Thatcher to tell him he was smart, it’s been conservative-this and conservative-that all the way when what they are is pure market libertarian. Most of the money’s always been there; but as Dave’s bigger brother would say, “We want it all.” And this is how they’re going to get it.
“Conservative” my ass.
We know that big money has corrupted our politics, sal. But nobody is doing anything about it.
The conservative mantra hasn't been "conserve" for a long time, John. It's been "more" -- more money, more power, more stuff.
As I always write, they voted for him and now they will have to live with it or die because of it. Jason Kenny is no one's friend, only his own. He has not developed any strategy for dealing with the Alberta economy. His suggestions so far are a joke. If the people of Alberta buy into it, they deserve him. On the other hand, the kids of Alberta don't. Like Ontario, it the kids he hit first.
Precisely, e.a.f. It will be the young who will pick up the tab for Kenny's willful ignorance.
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