Should historical figures be judged by the best things they have done or the worst. Should they be judged by the standards of today or of their time. Should some things like slavery or genocide be considered evil no matter when they may have occurred. These are legitimate questions to
Continue readingTag: Abraham Lincoln
Alberta Politics: Fourth of July Fever: Pay attention when your neighbour has a breakdown; it may be contagious
Happy Fourth of July. It’s Independence Day at the crazy neighbour’s place next door and the crowds are partying without masks. How the world sees Donald Trump, as a fire gremlin (Image: Der Spiegel). We can’t very well send fire trucks to help put the fires out because the borders
Continue readingAlberta Politics: It’s late for snowflakes, but UCP gas minister melts down over criticism at St. Albert Pride flag raising
St. ALBERT, Alberta — My goodness, it’s rough being a government minister in this province! Sometimes people will even criticize you! Dale Nally, associate minister of natural gas and electricity and MLA for Morinville-St. Albert (Photo: Government of Alberta). I mean, seriously, the nerve! This never used to happen to
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Donald Trump and the Video That’s Driving Him Crazy
Last Sunday night Donald Trump shocked most decent Americans by taking part in a Fox News town hall at the Lincoln Memorial.And making an absolute fool of himself over and over again."They always said Lincoln — nobody got treated worse than Lincoln. I believe I am treated worse." But now it seems
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Canada’s universal single-payer health care system is our best vaccination against the neoliberal virus
Who would have thought a decade ago, or even six months back, that Canada’s chances of surviving as a unified country would be better than those of the United States? The thought the mighty United States of America — e pluribus unum, and all that — could be on the
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Alberta government to strike new Blue Ribbon Panel on Blue Ribbon Panels
Alberta’s United Conservative Party Government plans to strike a Blue Ribbon Panel on Blue Ribbon Panels. With the global coronavirus pandemic and the worldwide collapse of oil prices, the United Conservative Party Government believes it will need even more “expert panels” to justify potentially unpopular policies it intends to enact,
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Guest Post by Olav Rokne: Since all political careers end in trivia, here’s the scoop on America’s would-be presidential candidates
Guest Post by Olav Rokne British statesman (and repugnant racist) Enoch Powell once famously remarked that all political careers end in failure. While there may be some truth to his observation, I would suggest that it might be even more accurate to say that all political careers eventually become trivia.
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Thanks to Donald Trump, the post-war American imperium that’s run like a Swiss watch is coming unsprung!
PHOTOS: U.S. President Donald Trump’s inaugural parade makes its way through Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20, 2017, just before the stuff hit the fan and everything went to hell in a handbasket. (Photo: United States Navy.) Below: President Trump, former president Barack Obama, the late Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau,
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Donald Trump: He’s bad, but I’m here to tell you he’s not the worst president our neighbours have ever had
PHOTOS: Donald J. Trump. Never mind what you think. He’s not the worst American president ever. Actually, he’s probably about the 7th worst … so far. (Photo: Gage Skidmore, Creative Commons.) Below: Worse presidents James Buchanan, Warren G. Harding, Andrew Johnson, Andrew Jackson (in his dotage), Franklin Pierce and Millard
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Rachel Notley’s demand for a pipeline quid pro quo demonstrates the steely side of Alberta’s premier
PHOTOS: Alberta NDP Premier Rachel Notley. Below: Peter Lougheed, Alberta’s first Progressive Conservative premier, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his father, the late prime minister Pierre Trudeau. GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alberta Rachel Notley’s decision yesterday to make support for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s plan put a national price on carbon conditional
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Donald Trump and Abraham Lincoln’s Ominous Warning
There have been quite a few stories and cartoons in the media recently, wondering what Abraham Lincoln, if he was alive today, would say about the dangerous demagogue Donald Trump.All seem to agree that the Great Emancipator wouldn't be impressed….
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Justin Trudeau’s victory speech was generous, but toughly repudiated Stephen Harper’s divisive rule
PHOTOS: Justin Trudeau addresses supporters in Montreal last night in this screen shot from the CBC’s broadcast of the prime minister elect’s victory speech. Below: the Trudeaus, son and father. Justin Trudeau’s victory speech last night touched a gracious note of tribute to the losers, especially the evening’s principal loser,
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Thomas Mulcair comes to Edmonton bringing the promise of flinty eyed fixes to our national malaise
PHOTOS: NDP supporters lined up to take selfies with the man they hope will be the next prime minister of Canada. And if Thomas Mulcair wasn’t available, as below, there was always his bearded visage on the side of a bus for a selfie. Bottom: Mr. Mulcair, still smiling, as
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Memo from The Old Copy Editor: The offensive flag in question is not ‘the Stars ‘n’ Bars’
PHOTOS: An offensive symbol on the front of a Canadian truck, right here in Alberta. The Old Copy Editor reminds readers that this is not the Stars ’n’ Bars. Below: HMCS Iroquois back in the day when she still had a gun on her foredeck. The Old Copy Editor reminds
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Nelson Mandela: ‘An international emblem of dignity and forbearance’
Nelson Mandela, in about 1964. Nelson Mandela is the father of modern South Africa, but he belongs to all humanity now, and all of humanity seems ready to embrace him at last. The New York Times accurately observed that Mr. Mandela, who died today at the great age of 95,
Continue readingdrive-by planet: Dakota ‘Trail of Tears’ march in Minnesota: setting the historical record straight
In November of last year in Minnesota native Americans and supporters took part in a trek known as the Dakota Commemorative March – the 10th year it has been reenacted. Minnesota’s ‘Trail of Tears’ pays tribute to the 1,700 Dakota captives, mostly women and children, who were force marched 150-miles
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Tales from the political root cellar: Alberta’s liberal War on Spuds and the Harper election strategy
David Swann in Alberta’s political root cellar, contemplating all those potatoes. Actual Alberta politicians may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: The real David Swann, Alberta’s likely reaction to his quixotic efforts. Perhaps it’s just as well that Dr. David Swann, former leader of the Alberta Liberals still toiling away
Continue readingLeft Over: On Irony….
It is more than just a little ironic that the first black president in US history is hesitant about giving support to the concept of legalizing, or legitimizing, the right to universal marriage . I hate the term ‘gay’ used as some sort of blanket coverage for LGBT issues, as
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Thomas Mulcair? We can’t spare that man. He fights!
Ulysses S. Grant, exactly as he appeared. Below: Thomas Mulcair (from a Toronto Star photo), for comparative purposes; President Lincoln. I like Thomas Mulcair for the same reason Abraham Lincoln liked Ulysses S. Grant. As President Lincoln famously said of Gen. Grant, the Commanding General of the Union Army in
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