Ultramachiavellian

Chapter XVII of Machiavelli's The Prince is titled, "Concerning Cruelty And Clemency, And Whether It Is Better To Be Loved Than Feared".

Which brings us to Shawn Skinner, who yesterday told reporters, at a federal-provincial announcement, when pressed about the disconnect inherent in making joint announcements with the government of some foreign country, apparently, with which Our Dear Nation is at war:

My boss can vote for who he wishes. He can mark his X where he wishes to mark it. From my perspective, I have a job to do. I'm elected by the people of St. John's Centre. I'm in cabinet representing the people of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. I have a job to do, and I'm going to do that to the best of my ability.

Skinner obtained his cabinet post in no small part owing to his willingness to act as a human shield, and designated attack poodle, for Our Dear Premier, especially on the VOCM airwaves.

Which brings us to Danny Williams, who has, very obviously, made it very clear to Minister Skinner that keeping the job that he has to do will also depend on making a call to VOCM.

Danny desperately wants to be loved. He seems to think the route to that love is to be feared — last winter's by-elections proved that long before this fall's general election ever did.

But neither love nor fear are sufficient any more, not in a political culture where Dear Premier has escalated all the way to humiliation of his own cabinet.

And of course, if it serves pour encourager les autres, all the better.

AV presentation courtesy Simon Lono: