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New Canadian Politics Thread

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Sadly that speaks to people who are insecure AF and tie self worth to looks. There’s definitely something to be said for people who have great self confidence and are well spoken. Some of that can come from not being hard on the eyes. Pierre was a trendy dresser and athletic. Absolutely. Personally I don’t find him
Attractive at all but that’s neither here nor there. I find that many women in politics get reduced to their looks or being called a Karen if they show any backbone or don’t allow people to talk down to or over them. Their looks mean sweet fuck all in regards to being capable leaders. Hey, it doesn’t hurt at all when it’s an all in one package. It shouldn’t be the case though. Policy, ideals along with platform and moral convictions should always be how it rolls.
 
blkngldbabe said:
Sadly that speaks to people who are insecure AF and tie self worth to looks. There’s definitely something to be said for people who have great self confidence and are well spoken. Some of that can come from not being hard on the eyes. Pierre was a trendy dresser and athletic. Absolutely. Personally I don’t find him
Attractive at all but that’s neither here nor there. I find that many women in politics get reduced to their looks or being called a Karen if they show any backbone or don’t allow people to talk down to or over them. Their looks mean sweet fuck all in regards to being capable leaders. Hey, it doesn’t hurt at all when it’s an all in one package. It shouldn’t be the case though. Policy, ideals along with platform and moral convictions should always be how it rolls.
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But again you are talking in terms of what things "should" and "shouldn't" be about. Realpolitik is about what actually "is" and "isn't". This is what the wokesters consistently get wrong about politcs and, well, about a lot of things. They labor under the misapprehension that how they feel about something is the most important thing and it's not. How you or I feel about something doesn't change the reality. If the CPC wants to form the next government they have to accomplish that in the real world where looking like a circus clown won't get you elected even if you're a Rhodes Scholar with an IQ in the stratosphere.
 
WeHaveMoreCupsThanYou said:
But again you are talking in terms of what things "should" and "shouldn't" be about. Realpolitik is about what actually "is" and "isn't". This is what the wokesters consistently get wrong about politcs and, well, about a lot of things. They labor under the misapprehension that how they feel about something is the most important thing and it's not. How you or I feel about something doesn't change the reality. If the CPC wants to form the next government they have to accomplish that in the real world where looking like a circus clown won't get you elected even if you're a Rhodes Scholar with an IQ in the stratosphere.
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Yet, Trump and Ford have won elections recently. It's not all about looks.
 
WeHaveMoreCupsThanYou said:
But again you are talking in terms of what things "should" and "shouldn't" be about. Realpolitik is about what actually "is" and "isn't". This is what the wokesters consistently get wrong about politcs and, well, about a lot of things. They labor under the misapprehension that how they feel about something is the most important thing and it's not. How you or I feel about something doesn't change the reality. If the CPC wants to form the next government they have to accomplish that in the real world where looking like a circus clown won't get you elected even if you're a Rhodes Scholar with an IQ in the stratosphere.
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Let’s be real, whats the over/under on people from the CPC
That tick those boxes, never mind being one of Canada’s most beautiful people?
 
WeHaveMoreCupsThanYou said:
You're naïve if you think that anyone gets elected these days because of things more significant than looks, speaking style, comportment etc. What you look and sound like has been the most important thing since the advent of color television. Policies are important but if the embodiment of those policies are a candidate who isn't pleasing to the eyes and ears then you're at a disadvantage unless your opponent is similarly unappealing.

In the 1960 Presidential debate, a tanned John Kennedy seemed on television to wipe the floors with Dick Nixon, who was suffering with a bad cold and was pale and sweaty. Even in black and white it was easy to see which candidate looked more ready to lead and people who were polled after watching the debate gave it to JFK in a landslide. But when they polled people who had only heard the debate on the radio the opinion as to which candidate won the debate was closer to a 50/50 split.

That's why I say that in 2022 there is no universe in which a buck-toothed "Karen" like Marilyn Gladu, an incel-looking nerd like Michael Cooper or a hillbilly on Ivermectin like Martin Shields is beating Justin Trudeau. And all the good looking Cons are mostly batshit crazy so as soon as they open their mouths it will be game over.

Pierre Trudeau didn't beat Bob Stanfield in 1972 just because of policies. He beat him because voters didn't want to be associated with someone who looked like a doddering and awkward old git next to the youthful and athletic Trudeau. In fact, both Trudeau's were barely in federal politics for 5 minutes before becoming their party's leader and shortly thereafter Prime Minister. It wasn't their wealth of political experience and acumen that got them elected. It was a combination of their good looks and their opponents' ineptitude. Remember the Harper attack ads where they made fun of Justin with that "Nice hair" line? Well yeah, it was nice hair and that nice hair that was dark and youthful beat the silver banker's haircut that Harper was wearing. Pierre Trudeau looked credible when he showed up to the 1970 Grey Cup wearing football cleats as he booted the ceremonial kick-off. Bob Stanfield's campaign imploded when he was photographed fumbling a football that was tossed to him at an election photo op.

Policy shmolicy. The electorate isn't that deeply invested in the issues and if they bother to vote at all they often vote for the most superficial of reasons. I'm not saying it's right, it's simply the way things are. Even newborn babies have been shown in studies to naturally gravitate toward attractive looking people more than not so attractive people. It's something we are hard-wired with.
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I'm going to use far fewer words to say it, but I agree with you that appearances >>>>> policy in politics. And I wish it were not the case.
 
UWHabs said:
Yet, Trump and Ford have won elections recently. It's not all about looks.
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I suspect many Trump and Ford voters support them because of and not in spite of their looks. They are more relatable to blue collar workers than an elite like JT.
 
Wayward DP said:
I'm going to use far fewer words to say it, but I agree with you that appearances >>>>> policy in politics. And I wish it were not the case.
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What it largely comes down to is that there is an expectation for a politician to look and sound a certain way for them to be acceptable to vote for within their given lane. Stephen Harper was successful with conservative leaning Canadians because he looked and talked like an accountant. The vast majority of Canadians don't know enough to understand the finer points of policy and just want broad swaths anyway. All a politician has to do is speak the way their voters think (simply, slowly, appeal to emotion) and look like they're "supposed to" to match that message.
 
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I mean sure Wehave does not always make his point super eloquently (or he does, depending on your perspective), but does anyone actually object to the argument that looks matter in politics?

Now, whether it is proper to be critiquing the appearances of each prospective candidate in such detail is a different inquiry
 
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