Wednesday, June 26, 2019

The Government We Deserve


If  you believe that somehow there will be less baloney for sale during this federal election, you're going to be deeply disappointed. Susan Delacourt writes that social media will not reign in the lies and distortions. But there are two defences against falsehoods:

Craig Silverman is a media editor with BuzzFeed News, which is working in collaboration with the Star on election-integrity initiatives now and into the election campaign.
“There’s obviously a supply problem. It’s being created, it’s being spread,” Silverman told me on Tuesday. “But there’s also a demand problem: people in some cases are seeking it out, or when they’re seeing it and consuming it, they’re not taking their own responsibility to question it.”

Responsibility comes down to two things -- keeping your emotions in check, and using your brain:

For fake news to work as a tool of disruption or mischief, it requires an emotional audience, with hair-trigger instincts toward the “send” and “share” buttons. Angry or hyper-emotional voters are the best friends of fake news. Unsurprisingly, politicians such as Trump find them useful, too.
Emotions work well in politics for the same reason they work well in conventional advertising — it’s much easier to manipulate how people feel than how they think.

But there's also another element involved. Some promises are impossible to keep. The reasons are many. But salesmen have been peddling bridges in the desert for a long time. The old adage still applies: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

And, as always, we get the government we deserve.

Image: The Fitness Skeptic

6 comments:

The Mound of Sound said...


I disagree. We don't get the government we deserve. When fewer than two out of five voters can elect a strong majority government, as we had under Harper and again under the current regime, we are not getting the government we deserve. When three out of five voters are essentially shut out of the process, their votes not translated into seats in Parliament, they are not receiving the government they deserve. Democracy is rule with the (informed) consent of the governed. How much of Trudeau's somewhat less than two out of five support was garnered through campaign promises such as electoral reform, social licence, First Nations consultation that evaporated almost as soon as the votes were tallied? That's not informed consent but misled or duped consent. We "deserve" a democratic result. We certainly don't get it.

Owen Gray said...

I take your point, Mound. Proportional represeentation would give us a government which tracked voter preferences more accurately. But, as long as voters allow themselves to be easily swayed by their emotions and not by critical thinking, even a proportional system could yield a government which prefers self dealing and corruption.

the salamander said...

.. I think you're both right ..

but can someone explain how a travesty like Andrew Scheer can get elected Prime Minister.. moreso.. explain how he became a multi millionaire suddenly.. and even more, explain why we have subsidized him.. and paid for his brood's diapers or diaper service.. for the last 10 or more years ?

What is really worrisome (to me anyway) is that an entire cadre of political clingons out there.. are or may be .. becoming multimillionaires as we snore at night, safe in our beds n igloos. Like is Rob Anders gonna buy out Canadian Tire ina hostile stock manipulation manouvre ? Or Laureen Harper's blind trust for Ray Novak gonna run for the border with a renegade RCMP lootenant ? What of Tony the weinie wagger ? He a multi mil guy? Rona Ambrose ? Multi mil gyrll ? Ms sauvignon blanc Rempel ? Jason th Kenney Lord of Alberttawa ? Jenni Byrne ? Arthur Hamilton ? Dino outta jail Del Mastro ? Johnboy Baird ? Mystery guy with red goattee from Alberta robo wizard ? Stephen Lecce ? Are they all multi millionaires now.. If so.. how did it happen ?

AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN ON OUR DIME !

Is that 'Politics In Canada' today ? Is that our so called 'Democracy' ? The people named above are somehow 'normal middle class Canadians' ? How do I get one of those 'blind trusts' or bulging stock portfolios and a 'wealth management' firm ? Or a chateau in France.. hello mr Job Churn Morneau !! And hi Scott Brison or Ex Prem Dalton McGuinty.. or Kellie Leitch & Joe Oliver.. hi Stephen Harper (net worth?)

We have a Prime Minister in Waiting.. who's 'musing' on ELIMINATING CPP and OAS .. because he sees them as taxes.. and we can just all get in the mood for Self Layaway Plans.. or as Peter McKay might say.. selling off one of our properties to cover lawyer fees ..

I remain non-partisan.. that writ in stone, dead cat swung in a cemetary blood oath sworn to.. ya steal my vote from my cold left hand.. my right hand ticklin yo throat with a bowie knife.. thought I was dead huh.. !!!!! That my knee in yer balls jack, my left hand's fingers gougin yer eyes.. ya picked on the wrong laddie here bye..

My views on elecshuns & political parties are blunt.. I see a lot of scumbuggery and very very few champions.. I see more and more religious zeolatry crashing in, huge money of course, dirty mainstream sellout media.. and the net result is.. more 'big energy' subsidizing & environmental destruction.. I know of two MP's I respect only.. Michael Chong of Wellington County.. and 'Nat' Nathanial Beaches East York Toronto.. some fine Greens on the big island BC.. same on PEI ..slim pickens, slim hopes, slim beliefs..

If we truly want Canada to land in the dumpster of history.. we got Andrew Scheer .. who we have been paying, pensioning.. paying every single expense for.. for over 10 years.. rent, heat, transpo, security, cable TV, booze, lunch, dinner, breakfast for 7... suits, dry cleaning, nannies, diapers.. aides, couriers, makeup artists.. THAT IS THE STATE OF POLITICS TODAY.. That is who & how we vote for.. deary me !!!!!!!!!!

Owen Gray said...

There's a story that, when Harry Truman left the presidency, he had to borrow money to move back to Independence, Missouri. Times have changed, sal.

the salamander said...

.. times were tuff back then.. eh.. !
Back then, Mulroney had to make do with what cash fit
in a brown paper bag..
or two.. or three

Owen Gray said...

The carpetbags have gotten a lot bigger, sal.