Reddit mentions of The China Model: Political Meritocracy and the Limits of Democracy

>If Justin "are the Baltic States a thing?"

That was a clip taken out of context in a joking interview where he was asked whether he prefers sunrise or sunset and then asked what his favourite baltic state was. He responded "that's not a thing" and after such reputable papers as the Sun and NP blew it up he explained that he meant having a favourite Baltic state isn't a thing. Not that Baltic states aren't things.

You can believe his explanation or not, but I find it more plausible that his explanation is true vs. him never having heard of the Baltics in his time growing up with a Prime Minister, or being in University, or teaching high school, or being an MP, or dating a girl from the Baltics.

>Trudeau really had some intellectual substance to note, I think you would have seen that manifested in some way, some how in his life choices.

Like being an MP and Prime Minister? Or does that not count for some reason?

>For a man born with every opportunity, every connection, he spent it exactly as a man with no substantive intellect would. Ok, go to university, but by the time you're in middle ago, do a bit of a gig as a high school drama teacher and give a series of "speeches" for money. Ok, right.

Uh beyond being bonker insulting to everyone in the drama community, it's ridiculous to make inferences about his intellect because he had generally chosen a life with high levels of happiness and low levels of stress. To me that kind of seems like what someone intelligent would do. Especially since he spent his whole childhood constantly in the limelight, I can see why he'd want to escape.

>If he had some intellectual substance, he wouldn't have been so shocking ignorant. It has taken years of practice, prep, and handlers to minimize that.

Citation needed. And not some idiot Sun columnist cheery picking quotes out of context to further the CPC narrative.

>Like I said though, I don't automatically think that makes him a bad leader though...because it doesn't make him stupid. As long as he surrounds himself with the right people, and he has shown some ability with that so far, then he need not worry about the public suddenly waking up to the realization that he lacks substance....it has worked just fine for other leaders, and it could for Trudeau the younger as well.

I actually agree with this part, minus the "some success" part. He's gathered many of the brightest and most experienced minds in Canadian politics that we've seen in the past few decades.

>For what it's worth, procedural issues are more important than general daily policy, I think. The rules of the game are critical...and the game in Ottawa is broken. Harper, for all his brilliance, showed no interest in fixing them beyond making their broken nature more obvious to all. When the system is broken, those who agree that it is, regardless of their partisan position, should set aside their differences and seek to fix it.

I completely agree here.

>If Trudeau "I really admire China's dictatorship" can leave a legacy of systemic reform in Ottawa, even as a Tory, I'll be grateful for that.

Again, a quote taken out of context, and one that there is absolutely nothing wrong with. He said he admired China's basic dictatorship because it allows them to turn the economy on a dime and pivot to being greener. Which is 100% true. China's one party system does have many advantages over democratic systems, in flexibility, long term planning and meritocracy. It has many disadvantages too, but it's not wholely bad and Trudeau's answer is actually rather interesting and thoughtful. I'd recommend reading this book for more insight on the differences (both good and bad) between our systems: https://www.amazon.ca/China-Model-Political-Meritocracy-Democracy/dp/0691166455

I apologize if I come off harshly, I agree with the general thrust of your point, I just find the random (imo undeserved) slags against Trudeau frustrating. It seems like whenever he makes a nuanced point, the Conservative media takes it, removes all nuance, and presents it as a gaffe. It's incredibly destructive to our national political conversation.