On Believing Nothing: Practical Man Jason Strikes Again

Andrew Coyne provides an anthropological study of that unique species of politician that is seemingly ubiquitous north of the 49th parallel, the “Practical Man”:

But of these there is a special breed, who glories in the title of the Practical Man. The Practical Man is not just ignorant of policy. He is hostile to it, at least so far as this involves the careful and systematic study of a subject, the fruits of which he is inclined to dismiss as “ideology.” His ideology is to have no ideology, on which point he is as precisely dogmatic as any pharisee.

John Tory, of course, is the archetype of this breed. Unfortunately, practicality seems not to have worked out for him in this election campaign. Canada (and Ontario) can have only one political home for Practical Man and the Liberal Party seems custom-made for him.

With that frame of reference, let us now turn to enjoying the comedic value of Practical Man and New Media Consultant Jason Cherniak evaluating fellow Practical Man Dalton McGuinty. On McGuinty’s broken promises from the last provincial election:

The problem with the whole “promise breaker” argument is that it is actually an admission that McGuinty has been a good premier.

This will confuse some, but not those Practical Men who know that election promises constitute “pigheaded idealism” that should be tossed aside when they clash with practical complications. “Tonight,” Jason argues, “the people of Ontario will prove that Dalton McGuinty meets their high standards.” By “high standards,” Jason means not the standard that we regularly hold our kindergarten-age children to, namely that when you say you’re going to do something, they should do it. He means practical standards. And by practical standards, he means no standards whatsoever.

And by no standards whatsoever, he means the perfect Liberal candidate. Tonight, vote McGuinty!