Thursday Afternoon Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- Owen Jones discusses how Donald Trump's new regime has abandoned any (however dubious) claim to U.S. moral influence around the globe with shameless thuggery. And Alaric deArment points out that the U.S. should be far less fearful of immigration, and far more concerned with emigration which is resulting in a massive brain drain among people who recognize Trump's dangers. 

- Brian Barrett writes about the damage being done by Elon Musk's DOGE due to its refusal to acknowledge it doesn't know what it doesn't know. And Crawford Kilian notes that the destruction of U.S. public health is starting the plague years to our south - making it all the more vital that Canada be prepared to contain the spread of what should be preventable diseases. 

- Gabriel Sherman reports on the violence and intimidation which are coercing politicians into complying with the worst of Trump's abuses. And Stephen Maher reports on the perspective of former Canadian intelligence officials who see little basis to continue the pre-existing relationship between us and the U.S., but most of the damage being done to the U.S.' reputation in the world. 

- Natasha Lomas reports on new research showing how TikTok and X are presenting German users with heavily-biased content in advance of its federal election, giving a glaring artificial advantage to the neo-Nazi AfD in particular. And Luke LeBrun discusses how X and Facebook have likewise served Doug Ford's interests in tamping down engagement in Ontario's ongoing election. 

- Bryan Evans and Desmond Cole discuss how Doug Ford has dismantled Ontario. And Jack Hauen points out the sheer callousness of Ford taking a condescending line against people unable to return to work even as he's deliberately dismantled the system which previously helped disabled workers to find employment. 

- Finally, Erica Ifill discusses how Pierre Poilievre's talking points remain little more than a warmed-over version of Trump's anti-social rhetoric. And Emmett MacFarlane calls out Tim Houston's plans to essentially eliminate a crucial form of accountability in Nova Scotia by making the province's auditor general subject to political removal.