Just a thought running through my head right now: When does ideology trump principle? Are there people who exist for whom principle always trumps ideology? Lets look at some examples: Mayor Rob Ford smoked crack. Two news organisations, one reputable, the other less so, ran a story in which their
Continue readingTag: ideology
Politics and its Discontents: Another Refreshing Perspective From Pope Francis
I am finding more and more to like about the new Pope everyday. I am certain his distinction between faith and ideology will enrage some on the right – that is, if they even listen to anyone anymore. Recommend this Post
Continue readingAutonomy For All: Why Liberalism? Part 2
In part 1, I outlined a view of what liberalism is, and an understanding of what “ideology” is. In part 2, let’s look at some evidence for the views I’m promoting, in summary, the thesis that: [Liberalism] does not start from a sacred writ that outlines all outcomes and presupposes
Continue readingAutonomy For All: Why Liberalism?
In early January, Paul Krugman wrote something that actually cuts to the heart of perhaps the most important distinction between liberalism and other ideologies, particularly right wing ideologies like conservativism and libertarianism. Discussing the idea of minting a platinum coin in order to circumvent the Republicans’ ability cause a US
Continue readingAutonomy For All: One Liberalism Through the Ages
This was originally published at Open Left, I am republishing it here as a starting point to further updates on these topics and themes. – D. Last weekend Paul wrote: Moreover, by the 1870s, British liberals had become quite aware that their previous understanding of economic freedom was a hollow joke,
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: Conservatives Can’t Avoid Social Responsibility
There is no stronger conservative principle than personal responsibility, however this Conservative government has shown that when people are only responsible to themselves, social well-being suffers, eventually including the well-being of Conservatives. This apparent contradiction is obvious in that though Conservatives believe in personal responsibility, they also claim the largest
Continue readingCanadian Progressive World: The day Canada’s white supremacists saluted Stephen Harper
So far, Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s ideology-inspired of project of social and political engineering expresses itself most eloquently as the Conservatives’ egregious assault on civil liberties, the metamorphosis of Canada into a petro-state, and militarization of both Canadian society and foreign policy. We’re yet to acknowledge how this project oppresses
Continue readingCANADIAN PROGRESSIVE WORLD: A CLASSE act for Quebec’s next provincial election
Should an election be called, the more militant group of the Quebec student protest movement will mobilze students against ideology and neo-liberal politics. That’s according to CLASSE’s new manifesto, recently launched by Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois (pictured), the organization’s spokesman. The manifesto focuses on four core themes: democracy, feminism, social justice and
Continue readingCANADIAN PROGRESSIVE WORLD: Canadians Mourn The Untimely “Death of Evidence”
“The Harper government is the most environmentally hostile one we have ever had in Canada.” – Maude Barlow, Chair of the Council of Canadians About 1,500 scientists, lawyers, students and activists from across Canada gathered on Parliament Hill yesterday and held a mock funeral to mourn the death of Canadian
Continue readingCANADIAN PROGRESSIVE WORLD: In Ottawa, scientists to mourn the death of Canadian evidence
Canadian scientists gather in Ottawa today to stage a funeral procession to protest the Harper government’s draconian cuts to federal scientific programs and systematic muzzling of Canadian scientists. The protest is sponsored by the Council of Canadians. It begins at the Ottawa Convention Centre at 12 p.m. ET and ends with a rally
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: Belief of Action
An idea is not important because you think it; an idea is only important because you make the world think it. There is an egotism in the world today that is responsible for the decline of political activism, and that egotism is from the misconception that all our ideas and
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Terror is in the Eye of the Beholder: Alberta’s Counterterrorism Unit to Protect Oil and Gas Industry
Picture 2.png In January, during the week before Canada’s federal hearing on the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline, the Harper government and Ethical Oil Institute launched an unprecedented attack on environmental organizations opposed to the pipeline and accelerated expansion of the tar sands. Resurrecting Cold War-style ‘terrorist’ rhetoric, conservative politicians like
Continue readingFive of Five: Draw Mohammed Day 2012
I forgot today was the third annual Draw Mohammed Day, a popular internet movement born out of frustration with violent reactions to simple parodies such as cartoons. While I had mixed feelings about it, on the whole I think these kind of movements are quite appropriate. Islam is one of
Continue readingThe Leadership Narrative
Way back when, a few months after the last federal election, I replied to the Susan Delacourt’s “Is the Liberal Party dead?” question, echoed ad nauseum in the nation’s press, with a warning to be wary of forcing Canadian politics to fit a certain narrative. That narrative presupposes the inevitability
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On equivocal labels
I’ll agree with the commentators pointing out that Nanos’ polling on party labels shows far more trouble for the Cons than for the NDP. But let’s point out another part of the story that the media spin seems to be leaving out. Plenty of the terms used in association with
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: Conservatives Unite, Liberals & NDP Divide
It is widely known that over the last few years a certain political group has been arrogant, close-minded, and divisive, what may come as a surprise is that group is made up of the Liberals and the NDP. Both Liberals and New Democrats have criticized Conservatives for years, alleging they
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
Random readings to occupy your time. – Stephen Maher and Glen McGregor are still digging into Robocon – with a focus on figuring out exactly how “Pierre Poutine” assembled lists of anti-Con voters to target. And Sixth Estate both points out that the count of affected ridings is up to
Continue readingPolitics and Entertainment: Overlapping Agendas and Neoliberal Markers
This is a brief addendum to my last post. Of course four other obvious neoliberal markers that precede the four mentioned in that post are TFSAs, proposed PRPPs – both of which serve the financialization of the economy, a major global neoliberal project – a series of corporate tax cuts, and
Continue readingOccupy Ottawa: Conservative Senator: “Every murderer should have a rope in his cell”
The Conservative government’s universally-condemned omnibus crime Bill C-10 has a confirmed YES vote in the Senate. The name behind the vote: tough-on-crime Conservative Senator Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu. Earlier today, Boisvenu said a prisoner “should have the …Read More
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Forecast the Facts Challenges American Meteorological Society to Hold Weathercasters Accountable for Climate Denial
Picture 2.png Do you get your climate science from your weatherman? If so, you might be the dupe of an ongoing anti-science campaign, played out by some of national television’s most recognizable TV weathercasters – more than half of whom are climate change deniers. It might not be immediately apparent that
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