Musical interlude

Florrie - Pieces

Friday Morning Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- Greg Sargent writes about the utter villainy of Elon Musk's using the largest concentration of wealth on the planet as a tool to condemn children to starvation, while Margaret Sullivan highlights how Jeff Bezos is trashing the Washington Post by turning it into a corporate propagand mill. Gabriel Zucman discusses how the Trump regime's capture by oligarchs makes it vulnerable to a response which emphasizes requiring the richest few to pay their fair share. Jen St. Denis reports on the tech lobbyists seeking to impose DOGE-style chaos in Canada. And Jagmeet Singh talks to Bernie Sanders about the cross-border cooperation which can ensure a better standard of living on both sides of the border:

- Jenna Benchetrit reports on a new study showing that consumer debt and delinquency have been soaring in Canada even before Trump started throwing the economy into chaos. And Muneeb Javaid writes that there's no excuse for Canada not to apply a wealth tax - even as Christo Aivalis notes that Mark Carney is only looking to make matters worse by treating capital as more important than labour and people's well-being. 

- The Requital examines how increased reliance on food banks signals a worsening hunger crisis in Canada. And Vandna Sinha et al. warn of the exacerbated food crisis facing many in Nunavut as a food couver program is due to expire at the end of March. 

- Lloyd Alter notes that any plan to build independence from the U.S. should include a shift to clean energy and transportation - including the bike lanes and walkable areas which petropoliticans are determined to destroy. And Andrew MacLeod reports on David Eby's proposal to target coal shipments as both an effective challenge to any tariffs and a boost to a clean energy transition.

- Finally, Chandelis Duster reports on the grassroots movement for an "economic blackout" today as a first step to challenge the abuses of Amazon and other exploitative retailers and brands. 

On strategic considerations

Ontario's snap election is reaching its final day of voting following abysmal early turnout. And the campaign has seen a familiar range of attempts to get various configurations of parties, candidates and voters to engage in strategic voting schemes. 

Having written about more than a few of those in the past, I'll thus take the opportunity to provide a quick refresher.

At the level of parties and candidates, I've discussed the principles we should look for in a pre-election pact worth pursuing. And nothing of the sort is in place in the current campaign on a province-wide level - though the few candidates who have elected to step aside have done so in ridings where there's some reasonable hope of making a difference.

And at the level of individual voters, I've also written about how strategic voting plans can range from futile to downright counterproductive depending on the assumptions being used to determine which ridings to target and which candidates to support. And I don't see much reason for confidence that sites whose methodology ranges from "apply a province-wide swing to 2022 results with no regard for local or current conditions" to "back the Libs with virtually exceptions" will provide better guidance than the past failures.

None of the above is to take away from the importance of electing a far better government than the one Doug Ford wants to impose in perpetuity. But the message with the best chance of achieving that end is to mobilize as many voters seeking change as possible - not telling already-disaffected citizens that their votes are wasted if they're not funnelled into a strategic voting scheme. 

Thursday Morning Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- Max Stier discusses how Elon Musk's all-out assault on the U.S.' public service is contrary to every principle of competent management, while Pamela Herd and Don Moynihan point out the idiocy of treating every program and contract that doesn't meet with a single uninformed individual's approval as "fraud". Sarah Kendzior points out that the new Donald Trump regime is only a highly-compromised piece of a transnational organized crime network, rather than operating as a power centre of its own. And Dasha Burns and Myah Ward report on the plans of longtime war crime enthusiasts to operate a private military and concentration camp system with Trump's blessing. 

- George Monbiot's questions about how the UK needs to think about defending itself from a hostile U.S. are obviously equally applicable to Canada. And Phillippe Lagasse examines a few of the scenarios we should be preparing for. 

- Meanwhile, Renee Sylvestre-Williams warns that we shouldn't let a justified boycott against U.S. products fizzle out. And John Clarke discusses how the Bank of Canada is positioning the working class to bear the brunt of any U.S. action, while Deena Ladd argues that we should instead focus our efforts on true solidarity where nobody is left behind. 

- Finally, Desmond Cole discusses how Ontario's rent allowance is a poverty trap rather than a meaningful support, while John Michael McGrath notes that Doug Ford's choice to make housing even less affordable is shutting out the very workers the province supposedly wants to recruit. Nick Tsergas observes that paid sick leave would be another key benefit for businesses and the health care system alike - but that it's not on the radar due to Ford's determination that workers are on their own. And Catherine MacNeil writes that the corporate-friendly plan to address the crisis in the availability of primary care represents pure politics rather than a viable solution 

Wednesday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- Alejandra Gomez and Greisa Martinez Rosas offer a reminder that Donald Trump's attempt to pit immigrants against other workers serves only to distract from the reality that the capitalist class is callously exploiting both. And Amanda Taub reports on the protection racket diplomacy which has been tested first in the U.S.' threats to abandon Ukraine. 

- Jill Filipovic writes about the adolescent masculinity that represents the common thread of Trump's various factions and plans. David Dayen offers some hope that Trump's initial plan for a coup against U.S. democracy has failed as most institutions have survived the first wave of attacks, while Brian Beutler discusses how his unabashed villainy has helped to avoid a takeover without resistance. Adam Serwer points out how one of Trump's core goals is to reverse the gains of the civil rights movement. And Beatrice Peterson reports on the mass firings of intelligence community employees who dared to participate in LGBTQ+-oriented private chat conversations, while Madison Pauly reports on the McCarthyist demand that workers out their LGBTQ+ colleagues to enable their being purged from the civil service as a whole. 

- Alice Southey and Tabatha Southey write about the need to stop treating Trump's constant threats to take Canada by force as a joke or a thought experiment. David Moscrop points out how the external menace makes it easier to unite around what makes Canada worth defending. And Nora Loreto discusses how much of our sovereignty has already been sold off by our ruling class, while Taylor Noakes rightly notes that Trump's consequence-free negation of free trade agreements (including the one he himself negotiated) shows how little they were worth in the first place. 

- Crawford Kilian offers some lessons for both the U.S.' democracy and our own. Geoff Bickerton argues that the CBC provides us with an important trusted news source at an extremely low cost - which is particularly vital as the U.S.' media and information ecosystem is dominated more and more by the world's wealthiest and most narcissistic few. And Carine Abousief discusses the need to make our health care system more resilient against U.S. threats (rather than instead making it even more dependent on foreign actors).  

- Finally, Danyaal Raza points out how public health care in Ontario is under threat as Doug Ford seeks another term in which to neglect and/or privatize services. And Shellene Drakes-Tull calls out Ford for his own determination to sell out as much of the provinces as he can for the benefit of his cronies both north and south of the border. 

Tuesday Night Cat Blogging

Cat with buddy.

Tuesday Morning Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- Brian Cox writes that the combined cruelty and incompetence of the new Trump oligarchy should remind us of the need to tax the wealthy rather than letting them concentrate riches and power. And Richard Partington reports on a new study showing that UK Labour is losing support because of its insistence on pandering to the right rather than dealing with people's poverty and economic insecurity. 

- Maia Mindel discusses the risks of not being able to trust politicized data - as well as how to know when it ceases to be believable. 

- Owen Jones warns that the rise of the AfD in Germany (as the chosen party of Elon Musk and the global alt-right) reflects a disturbing pattern in the Western world. And Julia Damphouse notes that the election did see its momentum stall while the unapologetically leftist Die Linke also made a substantial breakthrough. 

- Max Fawcett recognizes that the Flu Trux Klan which appropriated the Canadian flag for its anti-science cause is downright eager to sell us out to the U.S. But fortunately, Curtis Fric notes that the convoy and extreme Cons are isolated in that position, with a strong majority of Canadians favouring like-for-like retaliation against Trump's planned tariffs. Charlie Angus points out the lengthening list of similarities between Canada and Ukraine in needing to build alliances to respond to a direct border threat.

- Simon Enoch and Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood note that there's no reason to tie the laudable goal of building high-speed rail to an exploitative P3s structure. Nelson Bennett points out the corporate forces looking to capitalize on the Trump threat to profit from slashing taxes and public services. And Andre Picard writes that if we're looking for ways to eliminate internal barriers to a constructive federation, a good place to start would be in prioritizing effective health care nationally over provincial whims. 

- Finally, Rumneek Johal discusses how Doug Ford in particular has undermined Ontario's health care system - and is seeking to do another term's worth of damage to it. Desmond Cole discusses how Ford has gotten away with a track record of failure and corruption so far. And Famita Syed, Emma McIntosh and Elaine Anselmi examine what Ontario's parties are proposing when it comes to environmental issues - with the PCs againrefusing to offer anything to voters after using their power to squelch any previous prospect of improvement. 

Monday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material to start your week.

- Charlie Angus discusses how the second Trump administration has been systematically dismantling both internal democracy and international alliances in order to tighten the executive's grip on power. Stephen Engelberg highlights how its attack on the civil service is based on obvious lies, while Amanda Marcotte points out the absurd yet painful parallels between Gamergate and Elon Musk's obsession with federal workers. And Donald Moynihan writes that the general public will suffer as a result of the destruction of a functional state. 

- Casey Michel writes that the corrupt deal in whic Eric Adams sold out his city to avoid prosecution shows the world that the power of the U.S. government is for sale. 

- As a note of relative hope, Dan Sinker points out how the control exercised by the Ku Klux Klan a century ago was itself dismantled. And Greg Sargent's interview with Leah Greenberg includes the recognition that plenty of people - including some who haven't been politically active before - are eager to counter Trump's abuses. 

- Bert Hubert writes that there's every reason for countries around the world to ensure they're not relying on U.S. tech companies who are subject to political control. And John Herrman points out that AI is already demonstrably cannibalizing itself - making it entirely unsafe to rely on any output that relies on web-based information. 

- Stewart Prest discusses the need for Canada to build a new international coalition in light of the reality that we can't rely on the U.S., while Taylor Noakes implores our media not to normalize Trump's attacks on our sovereignty. And Canada Healthwatch points out the opportunity to welcome doctors (among other workers) fleeing the U.S., while Ashifa Kassam reports on Spain's immense success opening its doors to immigrants. 

- Armine Yalnizyan discusses the choices faced by Ontario voters in their provincial election when it comes to an economoc response the Trump administration - with the MAGA-backing premier who called a snap election for a supposed mandate to deal with the threat being the only leader who hasn't deigned to assemble any ideas. Vanmala Subramaniam reports on the growing recognition that Ontario workers are far worse off as a result of Ford's stay in power. And David Leadbeater highlights how Ford is starving the province's universities. 

- Finally, Christopher Holcroft discusses how Pierre Poilievre is trying to reverse his message to an absolutely laughable patriotism theme after spending his entire time as Conservative leader expressing his hatred for Canada. And Toula Drimonis notes that the fraudsters and fascists who make up the Trump administration are firmly in Poilievre's camp - making him toxic to anybody who doesn't want to see those forces in power.