This and that for your Thursday reading. – Matt Bruenig writes about the U.S.’ alarming growth in student debt – which combined with diminished career prospects is leading to dim future outlooks for far too many young workers. And Eric Grenier’s look at the latest release of data from Canada’s
Continue readingTag: George Monbiot
Accidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material to start your week. – George Monbiot writes that the erosion of government for the public good stands to lead to an authoritarian state: All that remain as widely shared, commonly accepted sources of national pride are our public services: the NHS, the BBC, the education system, social
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Mark Karlin interviews George Monbiot about the prospect of politics based on empathy, sharing and belonging. – Andrew Jackson and Kate McInturff each offer their take on the federal fiscal update – with both lamenting the Libs’ lack of ambition. – Karl
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Hugh Mackenzie writes that the biggest problem with the Libs’ closing tax loopholes for private corporations was the failure to push for far more tax fairness: Any tax reform that isn’t just a give away creates winners and losers. If the goal is
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – Yves Engler discusses how Justin Trudeau is now the face of the exploitation of poor countries and workers by the Canadian mining industry. And Penny Collenette writes that governments and business should both bear responsibility for human rights – though it’s worth
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Richard Hill wonders whether neoliberalism is approaching its end, while noting the dangers of allowing progressive themes to be used to prop up elitist power structures. And Heather Boushey interviews Kimberly Clausing about the opportunity to raise revenue and reduce inequality by
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Nathaniel Lewis and Matt Bruenig discuss the relationship between massive inheritances and ongoing wealth inequality. Nick Hanauer makes the case for much higher taxes on the wealthy as part of a plan for improved economic development, while a new Ipsos poll finds
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Can You Imagine?
I have always believed, and still do, that one of the essentials for bringing about real political change is knowledge. To be aware of and informed about the key issues is, in many ways, to be engaged. However, I now also realize, after watching the George Monbiot video posted by
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Stephanie Blankenburg and Richard Kozul-Wright comment on the rise of rent-seeking as a driver of stagnation and inequality. And George Monbiot argues that we shouldn’t let our common wealth be used for the sole benefit of a privileged few: A true commons is
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Andrew Jackson, Tavia Grant et al, Kate McInturff and Trish Hennessy each look at Statistics Canada’s new income data which shows worsening inequality and persistent poverty over the past decade. – Jordan Brennan offers a needed response to a Financial Accountability Office
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Assorted content to start your week. – George Monbiot offers his suggestion for a new political narrative to build a better world than the one currently dominated by neoliberalism: (B)y coming together to revive community life we, the heroes of this story, can break the vicious circle. Through invoking our
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – David Sirota talks to Naomi Klein about the push by right-wing politicians and corporate media outlets alike to stifle any discussion of how fossil fuels contribute to the climate change fuelling Hurricane Harvey. Matt Taibbi laments how the media contributed to the
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Joseph Stiglitz offers a reminder that tax giveaways to the rich and the corporate sector accomplish zero – or worse – when it comes to economic development: If corporate tax reform happens at all, it will be a hodge-podge brokered behind closed doors.
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – George Monbiot examines the history of James McGill Buchanan, Charles Koch and others who have used massive amounts of time and money to ensure that wealth wins out over democracy in shaping U.S. policy – and how their influence will sounds familiar elsewhere
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Nina Shapiro comments on the price of privatizing public goods. And George Monbiot weighs in on how the Grenfell Tower fire confirms that what corporatist politicians deride as “red tape” is in fact vital protection for people: For years successive governments have
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: The Conservative Ideology
“ideology” \ˌī-dē-ˈä-lə-jē, -ˈa-, ˌi-\ a systematic body of concepts, especially those of a particular group or political party—Merriam-Webster The word “ideology” was coined by the French philosopher Destutt de Tracy. Originally it meant the science of ideas; but shrewd politicians like Napoleon Bonaparte corrupted it to mean something more
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your long weekend reading. – Cole Stangler interviews Raquel Garrido about the political critique behind Jean-Luc Melenchon’s emerging presidential campaign – and it sounds equally applicable in Canada: One of the reasons why the current regime is lacking consent in French society is because the process for
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – In advance of this year’s Progress Summit, Ed Broadbent writes that burgeoning inequality threatens our democracy: Inequality matters. Promises must be kept. It’s not enough for our government to celebrate the diversity of our country but not enact policies that head off
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your weekend reading. – George Monbiot examines how politics in the UK and the U.S. are dominated by unaccountable corporate money. And Stephen Maher and B.J. Siekierski report that both the Libs and Cons are fully on board – as Rona Ambrose managed to take (however justified)
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: The 2017 List
Last year Ms Soapbox made a list of New Year’s resolutions for Rachel Notley. Happily, Ms Notley delivered on the list, with the exception of resolution #4 (Ms Soapbox failed to anticipate the arrival of Jason Kenney on the political scene). Rather than rewrite the whole thing Mr Soapbox decided
Continue reading