[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[crazy canuck]

Reagan has a lot to answer for, but Trumpism isn't really one of those things.

Not sure I agree. He sure did a bit to help Pat Buchanan along who you name dropped as a precursor.

Reagan got the support of the 'America First' movement and the proto-Trumpians.

But, I guess, to be fair Nixon had also done quite a bit of that.

Hmm, thanks, I did not know that there was a link between Buchanan and Reagan, other than the fact he was a relatively low level functionary during those years.  How did Reagan help him out when he became candidate Buchanan?

[Valmy]

Hmm, thanks, I did not know that there was a link between Buchanan and Reagan, other than the fact he was a relatively low level functionary during those years.  How did Reagan help him out when he became candidate Buchanan?

Low level? He was White House Communications Director.  That is a very senior position.

Buchanan got his legitimacy, and all those important jobs on Cable TV news, because of this. For decades he got to spout his views to millions of Americans on national TV.

[crazy canuck]

Hmm, thanks, I did not know that there was a link between Buchanan and Reagan, other than the fact he was a relatively low level functionary during those years.  How did Reagan help him out when he became candidate Buchanan?

Low level? He was White House Communications Director.  That is a very senior position.

Buchanan got his legitimacy, and all those important jobs on Cable TV news, because of this. For decades he got to spout his views to millions of Americans on national TV.

Ok, I concede the point.  But I still think communications being important is the tail wagging the dog.

[Valmy]

Ok, I concede the point.  But I still think communications being important is the tail wagging the dog.

Right well my point wasn't that Nixon and Reagan were out there trying to create a Trump regime, but rather they attempted to utilize and co-opt those forces. It backfired...well for us, not for them.

[Jacob]

My only assertion here is that Poilievre should be judged on his own merits (or lack thereof), and not based on whether he "sounds like Trump".

It is fair to judge Poilievre on his own merits. However, IMO "sounding like Trump" is one of those merits. It's a bit of a shorthand for the overall risk of whether  Poilievre is inclined to inflict Trumpist style damage on Canada. And that, in the end, is very important and therefore one of Poilievre's salient qualities.

To speak directly to his merits, some of my concerns are:

Poilievre showed up quite weakly on the tariff debacle. He didn't say much to begin with, his initial instinct being to pivot the conversation to "it's Trudeau's fault". I still don't have a clear sense of what he think the right response is here, and what his posture is going to be moving forward.

He was fairly supportive of the convoy which had an explicit objective among its leadership to overthrow the Canadian government. At the time the argument for not caring about that is that it was fundamentally goofy and unserious, but I think events in the US show that we can't just handwave that stuff away.

A third concern - where I expect you'll disagree - is that in these times of oligarch owned social media being used to undermine democracy (and oligarch ownership of most private traditional media), I think journalistic institutions like the CBC is integral to protecting democracy. And the desire to go all DOGE on the CBC seems to be one of Poilievre's more clearly articulated priorities.

[crazy canuck]

Ok, I concede the point.  But I still think communications being important is the tail wagging the dog.

Right well my point wasn't that Nixon and Reagan were out there trying to create a Trump regime, but rather they attempted to utilize and co-opt those forces. It backfired...well for us, not for them.

Ok, that I agree with.  The Republicans should have known they were playing with fire.  But now I think we are saying the same thing.  Trumpism did not evolve from the Reagan revolution.  It's antecedents predate Reagan by decades.