Populists and wishful thinkers both to blame for failed state of our democracy
Re Renata Ford’s lawsuit promises to dominate Ontario’s penultimate campaign day, June 5
It’s not often that good luck intervenes to give people a second chance of saving themselves from a political disaster. However progressives are delusional to think that fate has intervened to challenge the populist inspired voters of Ontario with a reality check in the form of a widow’s lawsuit claiming Doug Ford, the heir to Ford Nation, is a failed businessman.
Unfortunately the sticky notes of Ford’s financial wizardry are too glued to his Ford Nation’s mindset to come unstuck. His voters are not motivated by reasonable facts but wishful beliefs.
Truth is of no concern to his minions sold on an illusion — elect the rich and you too will be made rich magically. Moreover they believe only business knows how to grow money, thus voting for Ford with his halo of money will make their lives glitter with the windfall of riches soon to follow.
Thus there is nothing to be done when the sleep of reason takes over a province. That’s the tragic truth of our social contract with democracy. The state of mind of voters determines the democratic government we get. But when voters succumb to the madness of crowds, which happens occasionally, good luck is all we can rely on to save us.
However, the sad truth of the failed state of our democracy in Ontario doesn’t just reflect the delusional thinking of the populist Ford Nationalists. One would expect serious people to be better planners, to ensure that democracy is not so easily disrupted by unforeseen unqualified, unfit, populist leaders such as Ford.
Ironically that’s the problem with the wishful thinkers who are progressives. They too lack the imagination needed to protect our vulnerable democracy by not legislating safeguards to prevent the hijacking of democracy by extremists who can get a majority government elected with less than a majority of the numbers of people in the province. Tony D’Andrea, Toronto