Accidental Deliberations: On backward thinking

I’ve previously discussed the telling social budget which saw Scott Moe prioritize golf and pedicures over human well-being. But even if we look only at the Saskatchewan Party’s pre-election fiscal budget, that too speaks volumes about a painfully warped set of priorities – even before Moe goes into slash-and-burn mode

Continue reading

Accidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links

This and that for your Sunday reading. – Heather Scoffield points out that the Trudeau Libs’ definition of poverty (for the purposes of claiming credit for having reduced it) excludes many people facing extremely precarious financial circumstances. Sarah Boseley discusses how the UK Cons’ gratuitous austerity has led to declining

Continue reading

Accidental Deliberations: New column day

Here, on the Saskatchewan Party’s dangerous focus on privatization and photo-ops rather than the public infrastructure the province needs. For further reading…– Alex MacPherson reported on both the Moe government’s advance notice of the flaws in the roof of the new North Battleford hospital, and the continued use of panels

Continue reading

THE FIFTH COLUMN: Towards a Green Social Democratic Economy

Background/Context Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit.[1][2][3][4] Characteristics central to capitalism include private property, capital accumulation, wage labor, voluntary exchange, a price system and competitive markets.[5][6] In a capitalist market economy, decision-making and investments are

Continue reading

Accidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material to start your week. – Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee discuss the utter failure of corporate-driven “market” incentives to produce fair outcomes: If it is not financial incentives, what else might people care about? The answer is something we know in our guts: status, dignity, social connections. Chief

Continue reading

Accidental Deliberations: New column day

Here, on how right-wing provincial governments across Canada are deliberately denying benefits to their constituents solely to try to avoid any credit going to the federal level in advance of this fall’s election. For further reading…– Murray Mandryk, Sarath Peiris and plenty of letter writers have already pointed out the

Continue reading