On January 11, 2012, I offered any mainstream journalist at any large Canadian daily a free-dinner-for-two (value$150) if he/she could convince their editors to let them write an article or column describing the neoliberal policies of the Harper government. I have had no takers. But this week, I did hear from
Continue readingTag: neoliberalism
A Different Point of View....: Unless people take action, Harper’s scheme will mean ‘Goin’ Down the Road’ for Maritimers
By dramatically changing the health care funding formula, is Prime Minister Stephen Harper showing little concern for the future of the Maritime provinces? The Health Accord “deal” that Harper practically threw in the face of the provinces and territories this week, not only cuts health funding for all the provinces
Continue readingAlex's Blog: The Price Of Austerity
Austerity, we have been told repeatedly by pundits and political leaders, is the defining issue in these uncertain times, the solution to our economic challenges. We have been given fair warning that the next federal budget will be first about cuts – cuts to government even as we continue to
Continue readingA Different Point of View....: ‘Dinner for two’ for first journalist who dares to explain Conservative ideology
Journalists in the mainstream Canadian media are being intimidated from fully describing the soulless ideology practised by the Harper Conservative government – at least this has been my impression for some time now. Wanting to find out what journalists are really writing about the Tories and neoliberalism, I spent some
Continue readingArt Threat: What’s the value of an art school? – Contextualizing the crisis at NSCAD
NSCAD's modern new Port campus overlooks Halifax harbour. Photo by Rory Hyde. Celebrating its 125th anniversary next year, The Nova Scotia College of Art and Design is the oldest of Canada’s four dedicated art universities. With slightly over 1000 full time students and spread across three campuses in downtown Halifax,
Continue readingOn “fascism” in the U.S.
Paul Street on why the U.S. is not a “fascist” state: Even if real historical fascism could be translated across times and place to the modern U.S. it would be largely redundant for America’s powers that be. The American elite already gets the basic regressive and authoritarian outcomes of fascism
Continue readingA Different Point of View....: Should we ‘take down’ the banks or try to save the best of capitalism?
It is November 1968, and a writer for Modern Mechanix peers 40 years into the future: “People have more time for leisure activities in the year 2008. The average work day is about four hours . . . . Homes are practically self-maintaining. Robots are available to do housework and
Continue readingThe network of global corporate control
“The structure of the control network of transnational corporations affects global market competition and financial stability. So far, only small national samples were studied and there was no appropriate methodology to assess control globally. We present the first investigation of the architecture of the international ownership network, along with the
Continue readingLeftist debate on politics and power
A fascinating exchange of ideas on, amongst other things, the limits of the Occupy movement and the need to explore ways to bring about change of (not in) the system through the exercise of political power. Protests alone are an important start but, according to expert leftists and activists will
Continue readingTroubling questions about CETA ‘s impact on municipalities
As negotiations between Canada and the EU near their completion we still don’t know many of the details as our government only sees fit to brief business interests on them, but what we do know is extremely troubling. CETA in the governments own words is the “most robust” trade and
Continue readingStimulative austerity bearing fruit in Britain? Not. Nor globally
George Osborne was quick out of the gates with the austerity as stimulus gambit. Which as everybody from myself to Paul Krugman predicted was going to be a flop. Osborne has been trying to save face by arguing that his … Continue reading →
Continue readingGangster Capitalism: Same as it ever was?
If you are going to read one thing and just one thing on the financial crisis and how it is working itself out you need to read this blog post at naked capitalism: the one stop shop for understanding contemporary … Continue reading →
Continue readingThe economy lab, the dark age of free trade theory, and the naive view on natural resources and economic development
Over at the Economy Lab in the Globe which Failed, which itself has gone from bad to worse, one of the economists they keep in their stable has either produced an extraordinarily naive analysis or a dishonest one. I am … Continue reading →
Continue readingThe Rebel’s Letter to Mankiw and some thoughts on education in economics
Yesterday I noted that 10 percent of Mankiw’s students walked out of his class to protest what they, rightly believed, to be a heavily biased introduction to economics. I think the students are right. Introductory courses are meant to introdu…
Continue readingMankiw’s students walk out
So about ten percent of Mankiw’s students figured out that Mankiw is a neoliberal. Harvard students should have known that by grade six. Better late then never I suppose. Filed under: Greg Mankiw, liberal economic theory, Neoclassical, Neoliberal…
Continue readingProfit, wage, NDP, and tax revenue growth in Newfoundland and Labrador
Although I covered it off in my rebuttal to the Minister of Finance Thomas Marshall in the last post I thought maybe a graphic would be a more compelling way to illustrate what has been going on in Newfoundland and … Continue reading →
Continue readingA without prejudice rejoinder to the Minister of Finance
On Wednesday of last week the Minister of Finance for Newfoundland and Labrador Thomas Marshall was interviewed by CBC Central Morning about a report I did for the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour (NLFL). In one respect, the fact ……
Continue readingHow to read economic language for bias: “wage inflation” in Newfoundland and Labrador
Sometimes we read things and we get that gut feeling that we are being subtly manipulated. Economics is of course full of this subtle manipulation. Words like “choice”, and “efficiency” and even phrases like “free trad…
Continue readingWhen we go to the polls we have but one option- Neoliberalism
And that is the problem, the only options we have when we vote these days no matter where we are in Canada is the degree of neoliberalism we get. So while it does matter which party we vote for as the degree with which they embrace this vile philosophy…
Continue readingDelicious and dangerous irony: China to buy Italisn bonds
How much of a disaster is the EMU? Look no further than the spectacle of the Italians going cap in hand to the Chinese for a bail out. The fact that the Italians are tapping the Chinese is not the … Continue reading →
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