Stephen Harper explains why arts and culture should be cut:

“I think when ordinary working people come home, turn on the TV and see a gala of a bunch of people, you know, at a rich gala all subsidized by taxpayers claiming their subsidies aren't high enough when they know those subsidies have actually gone up - I'm not sure that's something that resonates with ordinary people,” Harper said during a campaign stop in Saskatoon.

I watch a lot of TV and I've no idea what show or shows he could be talking about. “CTV National with Lloyd Robertson”? “Trailer Park Boys”? “La Zone”? What? What TV does he watch? Where does he get these demented ideas?

Incredibly, he also thinks he needs to dumb it down and try to engage the the common, unlettered folk whenever he addresses a crowd, an arrogant habit that not even Trudeau allowed himself. It's interesting, because conservatives like Harper are trying to create a social rift where there isn't one in this country. (There are plenty of others, of course, but I don't think this is one of them.)

In the matter of expert criticism of his party's views on justice and the penal system: “‘We're listening to ordinary people,’ Harper said in rebuttal to the body of academic research.” Same idea. But I don't think there's a significant demographic that loathes and mistrusts learning as much as Harper would like. Yet.

Labels: Piffling Men