Let’s get it simply stated up front: Democracy Watch is the most inappropriately named organization on the planet, bar none. They don’t watch for one thing. And on the specific issue of fixed election dates in some provinces, they are bitch…
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Politics, Re-Spun: 17 Federal NDP Leadership Possibilities
Jack Layton spent much time in his last days crafting his messages of hope, justice, optimism, equality and integrity: encouraging us to move on and build on the Orange Crush that he was such a key part of. So far I’ve heard of 17 who people are talking about considering as leadership contenders; few are […]
Continue readingLaw is Cool: On democratic legitimacy of the courts
My last post talked about how judges work with each other’s decisions. Today, I’d like to take a bird’s eye look at the relationship between the judiciary and Parliament. Unelected judges handle laws passed by elected legislatures such as Parliament of Canada or provincial parliaments. How they do it helps understand why it’s ok for […]
Politics, Re-Spun: Christy Clark Dabbles in Tea Party Rhetoric
It’s one thing to lose a referendum on a regressive tax that came in on a lie, that was a tax shift from businesses to real human beings, and that removed PST exemptions on real necessities or awesome products like cloth diapers, kids shoes, food, smoke alarms, child car seats, bikes and fire extinguishers. But it’s […]
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Agreeing with Ezra Levant?
I happen to agree with Ezra Levant today. Only in part. Here’s a piece on Quebec’s desire to license journalists. The government of Quebec wants to licence journalists. Christine St-Pierre, its minister of culture and communications, thinks it just ain’t right there aren’t controls over people like me. Or, more to the point, people like […]
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Jack Layton’s Legacy
Jack Layton has died from cancer. I believe his legacy will inspire optimism and integrity in Canadian politics. What are your thoughts? Share the Love: Twitter del.icio.us email RSS Facebook Google Bookmarks Digg LinkedIn StumbleUpon Technorati Yahoo! Buzz April 28, 2011 — A Compendium of My Prime Minister Layton Posts (2)March 25, 2011 — Contempt, […]
Continue readingLeDaro: Rick Perry and The Reality of Democracy
A long time ago there were kings everywhere who controlled public life. As time went on these kings were overthrown and replaced by mostly dictators. Somewhere along the way the idea of democracy was born. Democracy is supposed to give the power to the…
Continue readingHellberta: Canada: A country in economic denial
Well the market since the S&P downgrade of U.S. debt has been a fun ride huh? Gold continues to set what seem like daily records while stocks are “only slightly higher than a decade ago“. But all of these lightning fast developments have not shaken the faith Canadians (and in
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: The Great Shopping Shift
I end each day quietly lamenting how I haven’t yet succeeded in completely reforming the global economy. Certainly, it’s a tall order. I search for economic and environmental sustainability. I explore no-growth, steady-state economics to see how we can transform our society’s deranged obsession with unlimited capitalist growth into a more eco-socialist model. I don’t […]
Continue readingActs of Citizenship: “_Capitalism is the Crisis: Radical Politics in the Age of Austerity_”
One of the most despicable aspects of the McGuinty Liberal government, among many others, was its handling of security at the G20 Summit last summer in Toronto. Dalton McGuinty oversaw one of the greatest civil rights abuses in Canadian history. When you start to crack down on dissension you begin to destroy the very thing […]
A lesson in hypocrisy from King Abdullah
Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah has condemned Syria’s Assad regime for its suppression of pro-democracy dissenters and withdrawn his ambassador. This is a very civilized thing to do in the face of the brutality taking place in that country.Coming from Abd…
Continue reading350 or bust: Dear Prime Minister Harper: Please Stop Blacklisting Environmental Artists and Scientists
Blacklisted Canadian artist Franke James is becoming a mosquito in the ears of the Harper government. Several weeks ago, I wrote about the Harper government’s interference in the European tour of Canadian environmental artist, writer, and educato…
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, on how B.C.’s HST referendum and Wisconsin’s state Senate recalls should rekindle our interest in setting up direct democratic mechanisms to hold governments accountable between elections.
No followup links for now since both have been amply cov…
Continue readingRedBedHead: More Capitalism vs Democracy
I was reading this article in Foreign Policy – a “debate” between two highly respected international economists, Nouriel Roubini and Ian Bremmer when I came acros the two quotes below. What was interesting was just how similar they were to the quote I …
Continue readingDriving The Porcelain Bus: Ford Nation planning to fill city boards with unqualified conservative cronies
Toronto News: Ford accused of stacking public appointments – thestar.comEarly this year, we saw Case Ootes appointed to completely replace the TCHC board, and then Gordon Chong (part of Rob Ford’s transition team) was appointed to to a job for $100,000…
Continue readingRedBedHead: Capitalism vs Democracy
This article in the Globe & Mail about the ongoing debt crisis in the USA and Europe caught my attention. Not because it offered any interesting or unique insight into the origins or solution to the present debt crisis facing western capitalist nat…
Continue readingLarry Hubich's Blog: Olbermann: Keith’s Special Comment: The Four Great Hypocrisies of the Debt Deal
Things North American Corporate Media Would be Sure To Suppress But Would Be Crazy Enough To Work
Not to mention, no doubt, things to drive American Homeland Security Batty and drive the McCarthyist Tea-bagger paranoid types off to the fainting couches. Norway’s response to the recent terror attacks, quite different from Dubya Bush’s “We’ll smoke ‘em out!” vengeance speeches following 9/11 or those crazy security measures like airport body scanners . . . → Read More: Things North American Corporate Media Would be Sure To Suppress But Would Be Crazy Enough To Work
Continue readingOn small parties.
Short one today, as I’m trying to work through dissertation revisions. But I thought it was worth noting how few of Ontario’s registered political parties have bothered to put together a platform as yet. It’s kind of sad, given that we have fixed elect…
Continue readingHellberta: The next Alberta economic boom will be funded by faith
Good day to you Albertans. I haven’t written on this blog for quite awhile, in fact I wasn’t even sure if I was ever going to blog again. Things are moving too fast now to really spend any significant time on a particular subject however I feel Alberta’s economy needs
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