A pragmatist is someone who:
"… is practical and focused on reaching a goal. A pragmatist usually has a straightforward, matter-of-fact approach and doesn’t let emotion distract her.” Vocabulary.com
“… takes a practical approach to problems and is concerned primarily with the success or failure of his or her actions” FreeDictionary.com
“… "is hardheaded” and “firmly rooted in the real world". OxfordDictionaries.com
To be pragmatic doesn’t mean one is shallow or selfish, lacking compassion or ideals. Pragmatists may be motivated by a strong sense of right and wrong, but they’re likely to keep their emotions in check in the service of whatever moral good they’re trying to achieve. That’s because strong emotion can make us stupid and short-sighted. And then the goal is not achieved. To have one’s eye on the goal is to care about outcomes. The thought does not count.
In the political sphere, being pragmatic doesn’t necessarily mean having an incremental approach to achieving policy goals. Pragmatic politicians can certainly support bold policies, as long as they are doable and compatible with other policy objectives (e.g., fiscal, economic). For instance…
A Time-Limited Basic Income for Adult Students and Trainees
How to Achieve Universal Healthcare Coverage and Save a Trillion a Year in US Healthcare Spending
At least in theory.