The problem we have is not a lack of options and opportunities to sort out the government finances ourselves. The problem facing Newfoundland and Labrador is that the leading people of the province, not just the politicians but all the leading people, don’t have the stomach for making the kinds
Continue readingTag: democracy
Is Universal Suffrage Logical? Is it Moral?
Not everyone is a fan of democracy. Other than those who outright prefer dictatorship of one kind or another, some critics simply don’t trust all citizens having equal power over their governors. Jason Brennan, a Georgetown University political philosopher, expresses just such a view in his book Against Democracy. Brennan
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: On Inequality, Democracy and Taxing the Rich – A Modest Proposal
No doubt many raised in our capitalist society, where inequality rules and excessive incomes and wealth are seen as a right (and where even the NDP only proposes a measly 1% tax on excessive wealth), will consider this proposal to be radical but it is actually quit a modest proposal.
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: The ABC Dilemma ….again
As ‘be counted’ day approaches each of us of voting age must decide which ‘party’ to vote for, yes I know we do not vote for the party but for an individual who ‘represents’ (or more correctly is a member of) said political party. Lets face it the whole idea
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: What’s Going On?
Half of the kitty cats just walked by to sniff my hand only to keep walking as I started to pet them, so they wouldn’t be mistaken as being too interested in more petting. Charlie just came up to me again, and left when I tried to pet him. In
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Democracy in danger?
Given the title of this blog I must ask the question is our very democracy in danger from the proliferation of discourse on social media, whether true or not, about our political leaders and their various ‘platforms’. I will freely admit that being one of the rare individuals that has
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: Hong Kong – The Struggle for Democracy
The CBC’s reporting on Hong Kong: “The anti-government protests present one of the biggest challenges facing Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012. And with the ruling Communist Party preparing to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic on Oct 1, the
Continue readingPlease, No Excuses for Maduro
In the early days after the Russian revolution, leftists would visit the country in order to view this experiment in collectivist society. They would be welcomed, given the grand tour of appropriate Potemkin displays, be suitably impressed, and return exclaiming they had seen the future. They had seen a future
Continue readingDemocracy Needs Gatekeepers
When the Internet arrived and then computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee unleashed the world wide web, a paradise of communication loomed. Now everyone could have access to all the world’s knowledge. We would all know everything we wanted or needed to know to make us ideal citizens. We would make wise
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: My review of Eric Weissman’s book on intentional homeless communities
I’ve just reviewed Eric Weissman’s book on intentional homeless communities. Points made in the review include the following: -Intentional communities in general are communities built around specific goals. But in the case of this book, I mean small communities of housing sometimes made from discarded, donated and recycled material, and
Continue readingIs Democracy Unnatural?
Today is an exceptional time for democracy—the first time in history that most nations in the world may be called democratic (assuming we are generous with our definition). Democracy has, throughout history, been an occasional thing. Governments have in all times and places tended to autocracy. This isn’t surprising. Males
Continue readingI Am a Democrat … and an Elitist
There is much talk about populism these days. The term has a variety of definitions, but the general idea is that society is separated into two groups at odds with one another—the mass of the people and a corrupt elite. The populist leader claims to represent the will of the
Continue readingThe Maple Monarchists - Blog: A Collection of Loyal Quotes: Part Five
“A king is a king, not because he is richand powerful, not because he is asuccessful politician, not because hebelongs to a particular creed or to anational group. He is King because he isborn. And in choosing to leave theselection of their head of state to thismost common denominator in
Continue readingDemocracy Speaks and Turkey’s Strongman Takes a Hit
A list of strongmen leaders running pseudo-democracies to justify their autocratic rule usually includes Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He has expanded the power of his presidency and increasingly curbed human rights and suppressed the media. His government uses financial and other leverage over media owners to influence coverage of
Continue readingThe Spirit of Democracy Shines in Hong Kong
The condition of democracy is much in debate these days as fascist-tinged populism manifests itself from the United States to South America to Eastern Europe. It is, therefor, encouraging to see people in some places at least rising up against arbitrary rule in the name of democracy. In Hong Kong,
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Long Hours & Many Miles
“The hours are long, the workload can be overwhelming. The people you work for don’t always like you and, after four years, they can fire you without saying why.” so says the opening commentary in a recent article highlighting the retirement of some Mps this coming fall. “I didn’t realize
Continue readingWestern Alienation? What Western Alienation?
It’s one of those times. Alberta is enduring an oil bust so “Western alienation” is back in the news. The word of interest here is “Western.” Although some Albertans may disagree, Alberta is not the West. The alienation occurring out here is generated primarily in Alberta with an echo in
Continue readingThe Business Levy or Why I Support the Fraser Institute and You Do, Too
Two institutions hold the keys to the money vaults of the country. One is concerned about the welfare of society generally, the other about its own welfare only. One is concerned about compassion, equality and democracy, the other about profit. One is democratic, the other is not. The first is
Continue readingReferendums or Citizens’ Assemblies?
Holding a referendum on whether to remain or leave the European Union was one of the dumber decisions in the long history of the British political class, as is becoming increasingly apparent. Obviously, when David Cameron took his fateful decision, he hadn’t the slightest idea of what his Conservative Party
Continue readingAlex's Blog: Austerity and the Decline of the Collective
(Notes for Second Annual Arnold Amber Memorial Lecture, Toronto, May 29, 2019) I am honoured to be celebrating the life and values of Arnold Amber. Celebrating social justice and human rights and a life of activism has never seemed more important. Thank you to Arnold’s family and to all for
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