Murray Mandryk’s recent column illustrates a point that is not fully appreciated by the public; Negative advertising and nasty campaigning tactics are loathed by the public. However, these tactics are widely embraced, because they work. And they work very well. https://leaderpost.com/opinion/columnists/mandryk-robocalls

However, like many columnists, Mandryk imagines a better world where the current Saskatchewan government invests less time slagging opponents and more time actually solving the problems facing our province:

“Just imagine if the ingenuity spent demonizing its opponents was put toward classroom overcrowding or hiring more specialists and nurses.“

As for why political leaders engage in hammering their opponents in nasty robotexts, other — even deeper factors, may be at play.

Politicians are not normal people. As was explored in a recent column by Matthew Harris (The Times, 19 April 2024) politics, by and large, attracts people with “…a stunted appreciation for risk”.

Bottom line: don’t expect politics to change much as we approach a provincial general election on October 28, 2024.

With so much at stake and with political careers hanging in the balance (never mind the future of Saskatchewan) campaign discourse will become increasingly strident.