Every time I see an expert pose a rhetorical question like that one, I have to wonder if they’re really that obtuse (cue the scene from *Shawshank Redemption*), or if it’s just easier to blame politicians. Because the answer to that question is one that many in this community (including me) have provided. Defense and intelligence people aren’t beholden to voters. Politicians are, at least in countries with some semblance of fair elections.
Trump is the more obvious example because he dominates the headlines, but it’s been said that 73% of Americans want more climate action, but 77 million people voted for a climate denier compared to 75 million for Harris. And another 90 million couldn’t be bothered to vote at all. That’s roughly 70% of voting-eligible adults who either voted directly for a “dead planet” or just didn’t care. Verdict: voters.
And despite the praise that’s being heaped on Mark Carney after his Davos speech, the flurry of daily Trump headlines makes it easy to forget that the only reason Canada voted for him was because of Trump. Pretty much every poll showed that Pierre Poilievre (a very Trump-like candidate) was predicted to easily win their election — until Trump started his 51st state rhetoric. The polls flip flopped, and Carney was elected. But had Trump kept his mouth shut (a complete impossibility), Canada would have voted for another politician in favor of a “dead planet.”
Politicians know full well what’s going on, but they want to be re-elected, so they have to give the voters what they want.
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Every time I see an expert pose a rhetorical question like that one, I have to wonder if they’re really that obtuse (cue the scene from *Shawshank Redemption*), or if it’s just easier to blame politicians. Because the answer to that question is one that many in this community (including me) have provided. Defense and intelligence people aren’t beholden to voters. Politicians are, at least in countries with some semblance of fair elections.
Trump is the more obvious example because he dominates the headlines, but it’s been said that 73% of Americans want more climate action, but 77 million people voted for a climate denier compared to 75 million for Harris. And another 90 million couldn’t be bothered to vote at all. That’s roughly 70% of voting-eligible adults who either voted directly for a “dead planet” or just didn’t care. Verdict: voters.
And despite the praise that’s being heaped on Mark Carney after his Davos speech, the flurry of daily Trump headlines makes it easy to forget that the only reason Canada voted for him was because of Trump. Pretty much every poll showed that Pierre Poilievre (a very Trump-like candidate) was predicted to easily win their election — until Trump started his 51st state rhetoric. The polls flip flopped, and Carney was elected. But had Trump kept his mouth shut (a complete impossibility), Canada would have voted for another politician in favor of a “dead planet.”
Politicians know full well what’s going on, but they want to be re-elected, so they have to give the voters what they want.