Can Harper pull it off?

I read an interesting article today about Tom Flanagan. There was a quote that struck me:

As an avowed adherent to free-market political philosophies, he says he isn't personally happy with number two, the "incrementalism" prescription that has Mr. Turner frothing and conservative pundits disappointed: "Moderation: Canada is not yet a conservative or Conservative country. We can't win if we veer too far right of the median voter." Like it or not, he says, "it's what I observed is working."

I had heard this before, but today it really struck home. Steve, as we know, is playing center. Reading more by Flanagan, it becomes very clear that the idea is to pretend not to be scary, pretend to care about what the majority wants, then once they trust you, take control through intimidation, by force, by cornering any opposition, by limiting choice, by controlling the message, by re-writing history, and by shutting of access to information. Eventually, so the idea goes, people change their views because they only hear that one message and get used to the new ways. For those who don’t change and still resist - silence them, castrate them.

“Brilliant!” some right-wing extremists might say. That is not brilliant, however. It is sociopathic. A child learns very early that if you want to manipulate people, you need to pretend you’re not scary, find out what they like and trick them into thinking you can be that way, then manipulate them in a variety of ways, especially through lies. Not brilliant, just utterly self-serving and without respect for the rights and welfare of others. Many people could figure out how to do this, but most people wouldn’t try because it is wrong, and most people have a moral sense, or conscience that would never present those methods as an option.

So, can Steve succeed at gaining control over Canadians and change them into his idea of what they should be?

No. There are a few things that will make him fail.

He does not have a true understanding of human nature because he does not feel things like most people do. Advisors can teach him some of the right things to say, tell him what actions will win people over, but because he lacks that true understanding, he cannot spontaneously come up with the appropriate response often enough. For example, he shook his son’s hand when seeing him off to school as part of a photo op. People had to tell him that puts people off because it’s cold. His new slogan “building a better, safer Canada” ignores poverty, human rights, the environment and comes across again as cold, controlling. This is why all of his messages, even answers in debate by him and his members are so tightly scripted. Spontanaity is his enemy in the House.

He, like all sociopaths, absolutely believes he is smarter than everyone else, has all the right answers, and is stronger. That makes his vision limited, since he doesn’t feel the need to learn beyond the immediate, nor is he inclined to consider other perspectives. He also misreads opponents and underestimates them.

His right wing ideology beneath his efforts at appearing harmless and centrist are too thinly veiled to be believable. He slips often in his rhetoric and actions as it becomes apparent that he is a control freak, runs a government based on secrecy, does not follow up his centrist words with action (environment, poverty, aboriginals, women’s rights), and can’t be spontaneous with normal emotions.

His own people want to share some of the spotlight and glory and will not allow him to gag them and dictate their words and actions forever.

Finally, the nature of Canada and Canadians works against him. Changing Canada one person at a time, as Flanagan explains has little chance of working here. There are too many cultures, distinct cultures that resist integration and Canada has always taken pride in these distinct cultures. We do not give into slogans as easily as Americans, partly because we do not have the same sense of being a superpower. We self-analyze much more. So to succeed in getting the majority of Canadians to trust him, get complete power, then change them so that they embrace extreme right wing ideology would take far more time than he has in his life.

He could win another majority, but can’t last much longer. If he does, it’s the fault of Canadians for allowing it, whether through apathy or giving up the fight. And we do need to fight this type of politician who wants to re-shape Canada and Canadians into his own, narrow idea of what we should be. That is un-democratic and un-Canadian.