McQUARRIE – Electorate is actually more united than it is divided

MANUFACTURING VOTER UNEASE and suspicions as a means of achieving party ambitions has become the divisive tool of choice for many a politician. And polarizing public opinion has become the favoured weapon for achieving it.

Yet, if you look at recent research and polling data, one sees that regardless of our political affiliation, we actually have more in common than some would like us to realize. In fact, with such obvious agreement on the big issues, I began wondering about the beneficiaries of a, ‘them versus us’ mindset.

Let me quickly explain by using some U.S. polling data and although American, it more often than not reflects our attitudes as well.

Politico, along with many other surveys, show that roughly 75 per cent of all voters favour higher taxes for the wealthiest among us. Over 90 per cent want government to negotiate lower drug prices. And 60 per cent want stronger privacy laws.

This is across the board polling that included voters from all parties and suggests a growing and common concern about economic inequality and the fairness of government and the political system.

More significantly, it brings to light the possibility of political polarization being more myth than reality. When over two thirds of voters agree on basic policy matters and want change, tribal politics comes into question. Of course it also begs the question: Why is government ignoring what the majority have said is needed?

Much like throwing back the curtain on Oz or, in this case, populist demagogy; can we now safely say the small-minded and short-term practice of appealing to the base desires and prejudices of a few people is a poor substitute for rational decision making?

People are angry and it appears that many politicians want and encourage the public to focus that anger on each other instead of on them. The public is also encouraged to believe that matters of serious policy, especially economic strategies and programs are beyond our grasp.  Too complex, they hint, for the uneducated public to understand let alone participate in.

Personally, I don’t think voters are being unintelligent or backward country bumpkins when they say drug prices need to be lower or taxation needs to be more fairly applied.

Naturally, no politician wants to be heard calling us stupid, so instead they talk of the need for expert opinions, legislative committee reviews and even Royal Commissions. And when that doesn’t work, we are reminded, with that all knowing eye-roll and wink, that the true culprit is bureaucracy and the snail-paced movement of government.

Off limits to this type of discussion is the SNC-Lavalin type influence of industry lobbyists and corporate donors. We can talk about the checks and balances and due diligence of proper legislative processes all we want but until the cheque books of industry, special interest groups and donors are removed from the process, public will, will be ignored.

It is indefensible to suggest that two-thirds of the population are wrong when asking for equality in taxation or fairness in pricing. It is inexcusable to suggest we are not smart enough to know what we want. It is unpardonable to blame scapegoats for inaction. And it is unforgivable to play the people against each other in an orchestrated bid to spread distrust, even fear amongst the people you are charged with protecting.

Surveys point to an electorate that is more united than divided and has had it with inequality and legislation that has been purchased by friends of government as opposed to enacted for the benefit of all.

Bill McQuarrie is a former Kamloops entrepreneur who has retired to Vancouver Island where he spends a lot of time fly fishing. He can be contacted at billmcquarrie@gmail.com. He tweets @bafflegabbed.