On windows of opportunity

Following up on yesterday's post, the NDP's decision to advance a non-confidence vote obviously reflects a different path than the one which seemed promising to me. And there's at least one explanation as to why there may be an interest in an election sooner rather than later:

Speaking with sources within the NDP. There is a noticeable shift in the parties attitude towards and election. They WANT an election against Trudeau. I have been told there is data coming showing them in a steady 2nd place against Poilievre with a shorter than expected ground to reclaim.

— JB (@jb.polaris.tube) December 20, 2024 at 12:43 PM

From the standpoint of merely managing party interests in Parliament, that type of data would create a strong incentive for an early election - particularly if the main alternative is trying to negotiate with a leader whose ability to give effect to any agreement is in doubt. 

But I'm still not convinced there isn't a better third option which could pair a relatively strong party position with a concerted effort to tap into public resistance to an American oligarchy which seems likely to overwhelm domestic discussions in any election campaign. 

Meanwhile, it's also worth noting the timing involved. Just as now isn't a time when there's a realistic prospect of negotiating legislation, it's also too late for any non-confidence vote to take place for at least a period of months. And there's risk in assuming that both of the conditions seen as favouring an election now (the assumption of polling momentum and Justin Trudeau's continued leadership of the Libs) will still be in place by the time there's any chance to act on today's declaration. 

Friday Afternoon Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- Robert Reich comments on the U.S.' out-of-control oligarchy - while noting there are precedents in turning the tide. Alexander Hurst calls out Elon Musk in particular as a one-man rogue state, while the Guardian calls for the UK to take steps to limit foreign and corporate interference. And Paul Krugman talks to Michele Martin about how Americans have been let down by the institutions which were supposed to protect their interests - opening the door for nihilists and demagogues to make matters far worse. 

- On that front, Alexander Panetta writes about Donald Trump's plan to use the resources of the state to litigate American media into submission. 

- Malcolm Nance discusses what a new U.S. resistance may need to look like. Paul Waldman writes about the failure of most Democrats to stand up for values and supporters, rather than making bipartisanship and cooperation the top priority even in the face of an authoritarian opponent. And Judith Butler highlights how the treatment of trans people in particular reflects the acceptance of fascist logic by both U.S. parties. 

- Finally, Emiko Newman, Kai Nagata, Tracey Saxby and Melissa Lem set out the climate mandate letter they'd like to see in British Columbia. And Peter Dietsch makes the case for progressive carbon pricing which ensures the rich pay a fairer share for their discretionary carbon pollution. 

On disruption

There's little doubt that Chrystia Freeland's resignation from the federal cabinet (with associated spillover effects) has managed to earn the notice of even those largely disconnected from politics. And while the most common reaction seems to have been to wait for something more to happen internally among the Libs, a few commentators including Karl Nerenberg, Steve Burgess, and Aaron Wherry have offered some view as to what might come next.

But it's worth discussing the reality that both the stakes involved and the range of potential outcomes extend far beyond the realm of Liberal personality politics.  

Keep in mind that the last two Canadian federal elections have involved a consistent state of stalemate. The Libs lost their majority in 2019, but maintained enough seats to stay in power with other parties' support; the Cons perceived possibilities of taking power, but instead plateaued in terms of both vote share and seats. And a two-year stint of minority government led only to a virtually identical result in 2021, as Libs focused on holding power, Cons determined to seize it through reflexive criticism, and an NDP looking to secure benefits through legislative concessions in a minority Parliament all ended up stuck roughly where they started. 

After three more years of the same dynamic in Parliament, however, the positioning of the national parties has stabilized at a rather different level - with the NDP nearly catching up to a sinking Lib vote share. And Trudeau's past ability to hold the line in close two-party races in the past offers no reason to think he can suddenly overcome the weight of baked-in public disapproval and massive support deficits - particularly without some plan to do anything differently other than cribbing from Doug Ford's Book of Temporary Giveaways. (On that front, the familiar calls for every other party to sacrifice their own interests to rally behind a Prime Minister who's hemorrhaging support in his own caucus are particularly laughable.)

But there are opportunities to shift the foundations of the parties' current positions. And while Trudeau may be able to influence which ones are able to proceed, there's potential for a shift to happen without his acquiescence. 

From the Libs' standpoint, a leadership race would shift the party from being focused on defending (or seeking to topple) a single insular leader, to having multiple leadership candidates pursuing a broad-based outreach program with an obvious incentive to bring in new members and supporters. And if it's true that Trudeau lacks a path to build support at this stage, a leadership race would quickly sort out who's capable of offering greater growth potential. 

Of course, the downside for the Libs is that the leadership voters' assessment might not match that of the general public. But the fact that's the worst possible outcome of electing a new leader only serves to demonstrate how little there is to gain sticking with the status quo: the worst-case scenario in trying someone new is the same electoral wipeout that looks unavoidable under Trudeau. 

Meanwhile, the NDP has an opportunity to take on a new role which might lead to much greater heights than its current position holding the balance of power in Parliament. 

If Trudeau does announce his departure, a caretaker Lib government wouldn't likely be in any position to meet any demands for improved legislation. Which means that the NDP would need to treat its legislative accomplishments as having been locked in for the next campaign, and turn toward another primary focus of activity and engagement while the Libs are focused on their leadership election. 

On that front, Charlie Angus has already received plenty of well-deserved attention for his challenges to the impending Trump regime (and its bootlickers among the Poilievre Cons). 

But when Trump actually takes power and begins his campaign of state repression against both political opponents and members of out-groups, many people will have reason to look for a resistance party in Canada. And the NDP should generally have a clear path to establish itself as both the Parliamentary voice and the organizing hub for people on both sides of the border who have reason to fear the worst of Trump and his government. 

Importantly, that opening will arise no matter what Trudeau decides to do. If he stays in place, his choice to bend the knee at Mar-a-Lago - together with Freeland's declaration that he's failing to react to the Trump threat - will make it difficult for him to try to claim the title for himself. And while leadership contestants may look to take anti-Trump rhetorical positions, the fact that they'll be focused primarily on their own vote counts would limit their effectiveness in achieving substantive results. 

In the end, there can't be any serious doubt among Canadian progressives that something needs to change before a federal election in 2025. And the best-case scenario would see two reinvigorated and viable challengers to Poilievre's assumed ascension to power. 

Update: So much for that idea.  

Thursday Morning Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- Iris Gorfinkel rightly asks why Doug Ford (among other politicians) doesn't want people to know if they have COVID-19 when that knowledge would allow them to both seek treatment and avoid further spreading. Publishers Weekly offers a quick review of Sarah Jones' Underclass on how COVID-19 exposed the U.S.' utter disregard for the lives of many of its residents. Emily Dupree calls out the manufacturing of an end to discussion of a pandemic still in progress, while Crawford Kilian notes that the U.S.' scientific and public health apparatus may soon be looking for a new base of operations. And Kate MacKenzie and Tim Sahay discuss the connection between COVID and climate policy, as the wealthiest and greediest few have seized on the opportunity to attack the concept of collective action no matter how obvious the benefit of pursuing it. 

- Eloise Goldsmith reports on Jonathan Kanter's recognition that plutocracy is itself a form of dictatorship - a point that's been driven home by Elon Musk's apparent unelected veto over the operation of the U.S. government. David Lurie highlights how Donald Trump is planning on renewing Republicans' longstanding attacks on core social programs. And Molly Jong-Fast reports on Trump's plans to use "zombie laws" to take powers that even a Republican-dominated Congress wouldn't dare to grant him.

- Lori Lee Oates examines how the global alt-right movement is manifesting in Canada. And Paris Marx points out how Pierre Poilievre is cozying up to the same broligarchs currently pulling the strings of the Trump regime. 

- Finally, Nesrine Malik points out that we shouldn't treat the hijacking of identity politics by wealthy cranks seeking to further entrench white male power as a reason to concede the field entirely. And Brian Beutler examines what ethical populism can look like (in contrast to the reactionary version of the term).

Wednesday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- Kat Kerlin writes about new research showing that the true social cost of carbon pollution is over $280 per ton - far higher than the prices currently attached to it, even as our policy debates center on whether to subsidize the climate crisis even further. And Nina Lakhan reports on the growing list of countries pushing for a just transition away from fossil fuels to avert a climate breakdown. 

- Martha Bebinger reports on the prescriptions for rooftop solar power which are helping to ensure people with specific medical needs aren't vulnerable to being cut off by private utilities. And Julian Fell, Tim Leslie, Alex Lim and Ashley Kyd discuss the global spread of solar power - and its ability to meet humanity's energy needs with far less disruption than fossil fuel alternatives. But Kate Aronoff warns that the fas of AI data centers risks keeping dirty energy onstream far longer than can reasonably be accepted. 

- Michelle Goldberg calls out the tech industry elites who have chosen fealty to Donald Trump over any other interest. And Andrew Egger warns that the silent surrenders of media organizations offer a dangerous precedent for the prospect of Trump's future wrongdoing being the subject of investigation and reporting. 

- Finally, Ron Filipkowski discusses the need for U.S. Democrats to build means of communicating with people in the face of a loud and closed conservative media ecosystem. And Ettingermentum examines the U.S. Democrats' retreat from substantive policy positions - which is now being used as an excuse to demand further drift toward the right. 

Musical interlude

Lastlings - Perfect World

Tuesday Morning Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- Jo Lauder, Tyne Logan, Fran Rimrod, Alex Lim and Stacy Gougoulis discuss how a largely-forgotten 2009 heat wave is the deadliest natural disaster in Australia's recent history - and how the climate breakdown is threatening to undermine the work done since then to protect people from extreme heat. 

- Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood points out that Donald Trump's plans to push increased American fossil fuel extraction may make Canadian production into a money-loser even faster than anticipated. Mitch Anderson reports on CAPP president Lisa Baiton's abandonment of any pretense that Canada's oil sector will ever contribute to even net-zero emissions. But Robert Tuttle reports that an abject refusal to be part of any solution isn't stopping Imperial Oil from demanding tens of billions of public dollars for a carbon capture scheme. 

- Oliver Milman reports on the U.S. climate scientists facing the reality of a denialist federal government. Ned Resnikoff writes that there's no reason to pretend the Republicans' plans to trash the any trace of a functional state will be anything but destructive to the general public. And Denny Carter discusses how people have been trained to think of any regulation as undesirable - while being open to recognizing the protectie function that regulations are intended to serve. 

- Nora Loreto points out that the austerity pushed by parties who rely largely on rural voters is responsible for the erosion of smaller communites. 

- Zoe Williams writes about the realities of life in the midst of a "quad-demic" even as most people operate in utter denial. Devi Sridhar discusses the particularly acute danger of a bird flu pandemic based on the foreseeable mutation of strains which have already been detected. And C. Alfaro et al. examine how it's possible to detect aerosolized COVID-19 - and how care homes and healthcare settings have the most dangerous concentrations. 

- Finally, Edward Zitron discusses the corporate enshittification of everything, as the software systems underlying an increasingly large proportion of human activity become perpetually more focused on extracting profits at the expense of people.  

Monday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material to start your week.

- Linda McQuaig writes about Catherine McKenna's rare (if belated) honesty about the extent to which Canadian policy is dictated by fossil fuel tycoons. And Susanne Rust and Ian James report on the corporate sector's plans to gut health and safety regulations in the U.S. 

- Grant Robertson and Kathryn Blaze Baum report on the combination of reliance on algorithms and self-regulation that led to a large and preventable outbreak of deadly listeria. William Gavin reports on a U.S. Senate committee report documenting Amazon's alarming propensity for work injuries (and deliberate executive choices to prevent workers from protecting themselves), while Hannah Critchfield and Juan Carlos Chavez investigate Florida's wave of heat deaths which employers have concealed from authorities. Jeremy Fuster reports on Disneyland's $233 million wage theft settlement. And Yuye Ding et al. study the effects of mandatory return-to-office policies, which produce a predictable brain drain which employers seem happy to accept in order to temporary slash costs. 

- Jon Queally reports on Donald Trump's plans to privatize the U.S. Postal Service - and the growing movement to save it. And Dru Oja Jay discusses how the same fight is playing out in Canada, with the Libs choosing to strip away the bargaining power of workers using collective action to argue for enhanced public service rather than dysfunction and precarity. 

- Emily Bell highlights why there's no reason to trust the self-serving propaganda of corporate media owners. Steven Beschloss calls out the wealthy and privileged Americans who are bowing before a Donald Trump dictatorship rather than using their resources to fight for a functional society, while Scott Dworkin examines a few of the forms of press complianc. And Greg Sargent interviews Anne Applebaum about the potential domino effect of ABC's failure to fight a strong defamation case on principle, while Jonathan Last notes that the extraction of protection money looks like one of the central pursuits of het second Trump administration. 

- Finally, Dale Smith discusses how 2024 can only be seen as a year of creeping (following by sprinting) authoritarianism. And Laura Barron-Lopez and Cynthia MIller-Idriss discuss the surge of public misogyny following the U.S.' election, while Taj Ali writes about the recruitment of young men into the toxic "manosphere".

Sunday Afternoon Links

This and that for your Sunday reading.

- Julieta Manrique et al. study the prevalence of COVID-19 after infection - and find that even in patients who aren't immunocompromised, it manages to spread and replicate in most organs. Julia Wright, Dick Zoutman, Mark Ungrin and Ryan Tennant discuss how universities are failing to take post-COVID conditions seriously. Brett McKay reports on the hundreds of COVID outbreaks in Alberta acute care facilities in 2023-24 - even as the UCP torqued any reviews to insist it should have done even less. And Freja Kirsebom et al. study the continued effectiveness of COVID vaccines in preventing symptoms and hospital admissions among pregnant individuals.

- Jenna Hennebry writes that the real problem with Canada' temporary foreign worker policy is the systemic vulnerability it imposes on workers - which won't be improved in the slightest by forcing workers to compete for fewer positions.

- Glyn Moody discusses how the first version of right-to-repair legislation in Canada is almost entirely useless since it only allows for single-use fixes rather than any sharing of solutions.

- Finally, Natascha Kennedy highlights how big money is threatening democracy in the UK and elsewhere - and how prohibitions against corporate donations are a necessary element in reducing the danger. And Jon Queally reports on Bernie Sanders' message that the most important priority needs to be to overcome the global oligarchy.

Musical interlude

Stoto - 299792458

Friday Morning Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- Will Noel, Lia Codrington and Scott MacDougall examine the lessons to be learned from jurisdictions who have been making a successful transition to renewable energy. David Roberts talks to Cory Doctorow about the need to avoid letting clean energy fall into the enshittification trap that's ensnared so many other parts of our economy and society. Mark Paul, Holly Caggiano and Emily Grubert discuss a new survey showing that there's strong public support even in the U.S. for curtailing fossil fuel extraction. 

- Grant Smith reports that even OPEC is grudgingly acknowledging that demand for fossil fuels is headed for a precipitous decline - though the oil-soaked Canadian right figures to be the last group of people willing to acknowledge that reality. Peter Kalmus discusses the desperate need to stop giving oil barons and their lobbyists a veto over climate action. Ecojustice exposes how CNRL alone is blatantly violating its obligations to report carbon pollution at hundreds of Alberta sites, while Mike de Souza reports that even when the UCP government is aware of violations by oil companies its priority is to suppress the truth rather than enforcing the law. And Yue Qui, Aaron Sojourner and Paolo Volpin examine how mergers and acquisitions tend to signal more dangerous work environments in mines. 

- Jack Marley discusses how increasing desertification of land demonstrates the need to rapidly contain the climate breakdown. And Harriet Reuter Hapgood reports on new research showing how that the reach of drier conditions extends to over three quarters of the Earth's land.  

- Kate Yoder wonders whether talk of tipping points serves to encourage or demoralize people in the pursuit of climate action. And Paul Waldman warns of the dangers of politics based on shapeless disgruntlement. 

- Derek Robertson writes about the tech sector's plan for the Trump administration to foster a culture of impunity and corporate waste. Jarrett Renshaw, Rachael Levy and Chris Kirkham report on a particularly noteworthy example in Elon Musk's plans to eliminate reporting requirements for car crashes to ensure Tesla's carnage on the roads can't be studied or regulated.  

- Finally, Dhruv Khullar writes about the new gilded age of medicine in a system increasingly designed to exploit patients rather than treating them or supporting their health. Annie Waldman reports on UnitedHealth's choice to systematically limit access to treatments for autism. And Christina Jewett and Sheryl Gay Stolberg report on the attempt by one of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s associates to cancel any approval for polio vaccines as RFK is set to assume control over public health in the U.S. 

Thursday Morning Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- Crawford Kilian reviews Richard Seymour's Disaster Nationalism as setting out the problem of fascists using emergencies both real and contrived as an excuse to shut down democratic processes and single out invented enemies for punishment - while recognizing that there's no easy way to inoculate against it. Steven Hill discusses how that analysis largely explains Donald Trump's election in the U.S. Jen St. Denis reports on the Russian influence being used to try to break down democracy in Canada and elsewhere. And Joseph Thomas offers his suggestions as to how to fight misinformation like a doctor in a one-on-one setting. 

- Maurice Mitchell comments on the need not to give up on electoral politics as a means of improving the well-being of the general public, while Marc Elias offers his take on how to build an opposition movement. Jared Yates Sexton discusses the predictable outcome if peaceful and democratic means of change appear to be completely blocked off. And Tara Raghuver and Ruthy Gourevitch discuss the potential for the growth of tenant unions as a mechanism for organization and collective action.  

- Chris McCahill writes about new research showing that higher levels of car dependence produce reductions in life satisfaction as well as health. Catie Gould discusses how parking requirements are a major obstacle to the availability of affordable housing. And John Michael McGrath examines the Charter case for a right to bike lanes, while Matt Hansen reports on the dooring of a cycling advocate on the day of a hearing into Ontario's anti-bike legislation.

- Katie Dangerfield reports on the dangers facing striking postal workers in their day-to-day employment (which Canada Post is seeking to exacerbate by making work even more precarious). And Tom VanHeuvelen, Xiaowen Han and Jane VanHeuvelen study the impact of unionization on mortality - finding that union membership leads to a longer and healthier life. 

- Finally, Oxfam America highlights the social and health benefits of a guaranteed income, while noting that it's possible to work toward one at any level of government. 

Wednesday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- Laurie Laybourn and James Dyke comment on the developing doom loop as fear, hardship and political instability created by a climate breakdown in progress make it harder to coordinate efforts to ameliorate it. And Gaby Hinsliff writes that Storm Darragh taught her family and community how poorly prepared they were for climate disaster, while Matthew Ballew et al. examine how psychological distress appears to be a spur toward climate activism. 

- Fiona Harvey warns that a COP29 outcome more attuned to Vladimir Putin's political ends than the preservation of a liveable environment may be only the beginning. David Suzuki laments how the oil industry undermined any effort to agree on a plastics treaty. Eamon Ryan discusses how the oil industry and other corporate forces poisoned public opinion against a successful push to reduce carbon pollution in Ireland. And Joe Vipond makes the case to treat the fossil fuel industry like big tobacco - i.e. as a dishonest and destructive actor impeding work which is necessary for the public good.  

- Dharna Noor reports on new NOAA data showing that the Arctic is now a net emitter of carbon pollution, rather than serving as a carbon sink. Max Fawcett discusses Kevin O'Leary's attempt to play Alberta for a fool by seeking out public money for a highly-polluting, zero-benefit AI project - and the danger that the UCP will be happy to play along. And Rewiring America studies the effects of converting to electrical power - finding that a shift to electric appliances produces demonstrable benefits to air quality both inside and outside the home. 

- The Angus Reid Institute finds that a strong majority of Canadians see corruption and tax evasion as a major cause of the affordability crisis - potentially signaling a strong appetite for a credible plan of attack against them. Paul Krugman (on his new site after his retirement from the New York Times) discusses how the right's anti-public sector rhetoric facilitates actual fraud and abuse by corporations and the righ. David Macdonald points out that a time-limited GST holiday isn't a particularly good use even of a temporary windfall, while glaringly failing to address the structural factors that are stressing people's finances. And Paul Kiel reports on a tax loophole which wealthy Americans are using to avoid contributing a cent of a Medicare tax paid by workers. 

- Jason Sattler writes that Donald Trump's main political skill is setting up an alternate reality for himself and a maddeningly large number of voters. Oliver Willis notes that he's been able to get away with denialism in large part due to the refusal of Democrats to engage in a meaningful fight as to the controlling narrative. And Simon Wren-Lewis rightly argues that progressives shouldn't fall into the trap of echoing and reinforcing the politics of stupid. 

- Finally, Ryan Romard writes that public sector strikes in Canada (spurred by years of relatively high inflation paired with pay freezes) are helping to set up opportunities for all kinds of workers to seek better wages and working conditions. 

[Edit: added link.]

Tuesday Night Cat Blogging

Feline takeover.

Tuesday Morning Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- Julia Conley reports on the continued accumulation of riches in the hands of a few, as the total wealth of billionaires has more than doubled worldwide over just the last 9 years. And Susan Riley points out that the right's supposed solution to economic anxiety will only make matters worse by diverting even more wealth upward. 

- The Hatchet discusses how price-fixing and profit-taking is the norm across the food supply chain - with manufacturers being no less guilty than major grocery chains. And Dustin Godfrey reports that independent grocers without the clout of a corporate conglomerate are struggling to survive the combination of supplier price increases and deep-pocketed competition.  

- Solarino Ho points out the inevitable consequences of putting housing in the hands of billion-dollar corporations who are both ruthless (to the point of collusion) in extracting the highest possible rent and fees, and utterly unconcerned with tenants' well-being. And Kathy Moreland writes that Doug Ford's plan to punish homeless people does nothing to help them. 

- Krista Carr discusses what the Libs' choice to exclude people receiving disability payments from their general rebate continues to say about erasure by design. 

- Alice Marwick writes that the concept of mainstream media is increasingly becoming obsolete, based on both the availability of viewpoint-driven sources (if currently tilted toward the right) and many people's decreased interest in accessing news as a separate category of content. And Andrew Potter muses about the implications of artificial intelligence being able to mimic any distinct or creative voice. 

- Ron Johnson highlights what cities lose when they purge bike infrastructure in favour of car-centric urban design. And Dan Sheehan calls out how American public space has long been set up to endanger pedestrians.  

- Finally, Catherine McKenna discusses her collaboration with the fossil fuel sector in what it pretended to be a commitment to long-term climate policy - as well as her subsequent realization (obvious though it seemed to some of us all along) that oil barons ultimately have no interest in being good-faith participants in averting climate disaster if it means the slightest haircut to their profit margins.  

Monday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material to start your week.

- Stefan Labbe reports on new research showing how the business-driven use of lead in gasoline resulted in large-scale poisoning in the U.S. (and in other countries including Canada). Shanti Das reports on the pesticide poisonings in Brazil caused by chemicals which are banned in the UK but still approved for export. And Topher Sanders examines both the levels of cancer-causing formaldehyde people encounter in everyday life, and some steps that can be taken to reduce exposure. 

- Ralph Nader writes about the silent violence of corporate control over our health and well-being. Omar Ocampo reports on the latest Forbes wealth data showing that a mere 12 American tycoons have over $1 trillion in concentrated riches between them. Jake Johnson reports on the Congressional Budget Office's findings that tax cuts for the wealthy purportedly intended to spur economic growth will in fact produce economic shrinkage for everybody but those at the top. And Harold Meyerson talks to Randi Weingarten about the need to offer working-class voters something more promising and responsive than a continuation of the neoliberalism that has turned people into resources to be exploited. 

- David E. Sanger, Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman report on the cartoonish conformity test being imposed on applicants for positions in the next Trump administration, while Robert Reich notes that the cabinet is being filled out based on absolute subservience and flattery. Ray Fisman writes about the dangers of running government like a business. And David Shiffman discusses what scientists can expect based on lessons learned when Stephen Harper was imposing the Cons' policy of employee muzzling and science denialism in Canada. 

- Finally, Alex Boyd examines how the right-wing noise machine is attacking Canada to inflame fascists in the U.S. Sarah Kendzior asks whether the U.S. is following the path of one of its most prominent celebrities - and approaching its death on the toilet phase. And Tim Miller implores people not to respond to the idiocy of the Trump regime with an "LOL Nothing Matters" ideology which exacerbates its damage. 

Musical interlude

Royksopp - I Had This Thing

Friday Morning Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- Oliver Milman examines how insurance rates in the U.S. are pricing in climate risks - and pushing insurance out of reach for people facing the most severe effects of the climate breakdown. And Devi Sridhar reports on new research tracking the longer-term damage caused by climate disasters. 

- Anjali Appadurai writes that Canada has chosen to obstruct international efforts to reduce carbon pollution. But Megan Gordon points out that Canada has the ability to join a global surge in clean energy if it's willing to act in the interests of workers rather than oil tycoons. Bjorn Bremer, Jane Gingrich and Hanna Schwander write that it's not too late to turn the tide against the climate crisis. And Becky Robertson points out how non-car-centric infrastructure is both popular and effective where it's implemented - no matter how determined right-wing demagogues are to destroy it.   

- Charlie Angus offers a compelling take on the lamentable state of democracy in Canada, based particularly on a Con party which refuses to take a break from inane talking points regardless of the real issues at stake: 

- Michael Harris points out just a few of the glaring questions which Pierre Poilievre has brazenly ignored while seeking power. Max Fawcett offers a reminder that the corporate-funded branding of right-wing parties as fiscally responsible bears no relationship to reality. And David Baxter reports on the justified frustration of Indigenous leaders that the Cons chose to block legislation to ensure that First Nations have safe drinking water.  

- Meanwhile, Adam Serwer discusses how Donald Trump's supporters have taking to embracing outright villainy. Steve Schmidt notes that the plutocrats who control an increasingly-large share of the U.S.' press and access-based talking heads are both genuflecting before Trump rather than acting like an independent media. Paul Farhi and John Volk examine how Trump's electoral victory was based largely on running up the score in news deserts. And Marcy Wheeler points out the embarrassing lack of context and background being presented in stories seeking to treat a pardon arising out of the politically-driven prosecution of Hunter Biden as a far larger scandal than an entire regime built around corruption.

- Finally, Anelyse Weiler and Tayler Zavitz discuss how the agricultural lobby is pushing draconian ag-gag laws in Canada - and how their implementation creates avoidable health risks for animals and people alike. 

Thursday Morning Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- John Ganz discusses how a number of tech tycoons chose to support Donald Trump as part of a broader distaste for democracy and popular empowerment. And Oliver Darcy discusses how the Los Angeles Times (like other major media outlets) has been converted into a propaganda arm of the business oligopoly after falling under billionaire control.  

- Jesse Drucker examines how the U.S.' estate tax has been undermined, resulting in stagnant public revenues even in the face of systematic concentration of wealth. And Margit Schratzenstaller examines how the rich respond to inheritance taxes - finding far more evidence of evasion and avoidance than of any real moves to avoid paying a fair share. 

- Marcela Garcia reports on the takeover of veterinary medicine by private capital, resulting in corporate control over both consumers and veterinarians.

- Anna Merlan reports on the rise of one prominent climate denial account on X thanks to active support from numerous members of the Trump regime. And Adamo Anthony Donovan writes about the misinformation campaign against bike infrastructure. 

- Joel Bourne discusses the climate and environmental effects of a global food system based on fragile monocultures in stressed ecosystems. And Kiley Price examines how the climate breakdown is both increasing the need for vaccines, and interfering with their availability. 

- Finally, Lise Courteau points out the need to recognize and value unpaid work in order to promote equality and safety for women - even as dangerous political forces are attempting to push in the opposite direction. 

Wednesday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- William Hunter reports on a warning from scientists that the Arctic's sea ice may melt completely as soon as 2027. And David Spratt examines (PDF) the devastating implications if we continue along the path toward 3 degrees Celsius of global warming. But Robert Kopp et al. warn (PDF) of the dangers of oversimplifying complex climate effects into "tipping points" - particularly when they serve as an excuse for inaction. 

- Fieldnotes reports on the fossil fuel sector's role in installing Donald Trump back in power - as well as its plans once he retakes it. And Isaac Slevin et al. study the shadowy corporate forces at work trying to block offshore wind power projects - with "information subsidies" representing the most important pollution of the public discourse.  

- John Lorinc implores Ontario to learn from the ample evidence that public-private partnerships serve only to enrich the latter at the expense of the former - though of course for the Ford PCs, that's precisely the point. And Emma McIntosh reports on the first set of reports from Ontario's new Auditor General Shelley Spence, which include fully-anticipated findings that Ford is wasting billions of public dollars to enrich a few developer cronies. 

- Adam King discusses how the Trudeau Libs' failure to benefit the material conditions of workers has allowed the Cons' demagoguery to resonate far more than it should. 

- Finally, Alvin Finkel writes about the historical pattern of oppressors and popular revolt. Jason Sattler sets out a declaration of independence from the control of billionaires. And Nathan Robinson notes that the plutocrats in Trump's inner circle in particular are conspicuously unconstrained by reality and reason in seeking to seize ever more power for themselves. 

Tuesday Night Cat Blogging

Festive cat.

Tuesday Morning Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- Andrew Dessler offers a reminder that it's still possible to alter the trajectory of the climate breakdown if we take steps to stop spewing carbon pollution. And Fatima Syed discusses Ontario's shuttering of coal power plants as an example of how a modicum of will and effort can make major changes. But Amy Westervelt highlights how the fossil fuel industry is determined to prevent a transition from happening - and has largely enlisted the power of governments to stifle the prospect. 

- Aaron Cantu discusses how oil operators are staying away from wells in California if they're made responsible for cleanup costs. And Amanda Follett Hosgood reports on Enbridge's decision not to build the Westcoast Connector pipeline based on a lack of business merit after receiving approval a decade ago. But Max Fawcett warns that there's another attempt afoot try to ram a Northern Gateway pipeline through B.C. - with Donald Trump's election serving as the latest excuse. 

- Victor Tangermann reports on Tesla's release of large amounts of dangerous wastewater around its plant in Austin. And Sharon Lerner and Al Shaw report on the FDA's scientific documentation of the dangers of formaldehyde as an air pollutant - but note that it's refusing to reduce the risk to the people affected. 

- Jason Murphy discusses how long COVID is affecting health and well-being in Australia. And Andre Picard takes note of the danger of an avian flu pandemic which governments seem entirely determined to ignore in the name of business as usual. 

- Finally, Carol Cadwalladr examines how billionaire ownership of major media outlets has resulted in the distortion of the information available to citizens. Rumneek Johal points out that coverage of CUPW's Canada Post strike has been glaringly slanted toward the interests of management and the corporate sector. And Alex Cosh observes that Canada's business lobby is determined to inflict austerity on the public in order to funnel public money to defense contractors. 

Monday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material to start your week.

- Sarah Kendzior writes about the replacement of shared culture with corporate-funded propaganda - and the need to maintain focus on the bigger-picture fight to maintain and build community rather than the firehose of trivia and scandal from the second Trump administration. Peter Turchin examines some of the forces pushing the U.S. toward collapse which help to explain its election results. Bob Berwyn reports on the UN's warning that disinformation is one of the major obstacles to climate action. And Harold Meyerson argues that the path forward for U.S. Democrats needs to involve resisting the corporate elite, rather than hoping to be seen as better serving its interests.

- Meanwhile, Stewart Prest discusses how Canadian political leaders need to earn the trust of young people in order to build a movement capable of countering the alt-right. Charlie Angus highlights the historical roots of neoliberalism and the collapse of the working class, while Luke Savage writes about the need for social democracy to roll back the spread of corporatism and commodification. And Paul Kahnert points out how the concentration of wealth and power - and concurrent decline of civil society - have laid the groundwork for political and social unrest. 

- Jim Stanford notes that the concept of a "vibecession" (to be dismissed as illusory) serves to undermine the work needed to strengthen our social base - while noting that we should also call out the right's determination to use public frustration as an opening to make matters far worse. And Muneeb Javaid discusses the real hardships facing many Canadians who rightly aren't prepared to accept the argument that they can't expect more from their political leaders. 

- David Zipper points out the need to treat traffic safety as primarily a matter of systemic choices and forces rather than isolated individual acts. Taylor Noakes contrasts Doug Ford's decision to punish everybody for his hatred of people on bikes against Montreal's success developing cycling infrastructure. And Muhammad Rizwan Azhar and Waqas Uzair write that demand for fossil fuels is bound to decline based on a shift toward bikes, mopeds and other more efficient forms of transportation. 

- Meanwhile, Kevin Crowley and William Mathis report that oil giants are already borrowing money to pay out shareholders rather than being able to do so based on value produced. But Agence France-Presse reports on the failure to reach an agreement on curbing plastic production can be traced primarily to petrostates insisting that their desire to pollute trumps human health and well-being. 

- Finally, Gary Fuller reports on new research showing the incidental health benefits of reducing carbon pollution. And Heather Stewart discusses how the climate crisis threatens the availability and affordability of basic food supplies. 

Musical interlude

Audrey Vixen - Emergency Room

Friday Afternoon Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- Joshua Pearce discusses the reality that the climate crisis could carry a ten-figure death toll over the course of this century - which would give rise to an obvious responsibility to act among any but the most inhuman of leaders. Mario Alejandro Ariza reports on the connection between insurance costs rising as a result of the climate breakdown, and a resulting spike in people who can't pay their mortgages. And Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood highlights the need for Alberta and other jurisdictions currently under the thrall of petropolitics to prepare for reduced demand. 

- But Joakim Kulin examines how finger-pointing and blame-shifting have been used to translate nationalism into climate obstruction. Raphael Satter and Christopher Bing reports on the emerging revelations as to how Exxon Mobil and its corporate buddies have sponsored and made use of the hacked e-mails of environmentalists to disrupt climate litigation and activism. And Geoff Dembicki reports on the astroturfing efforts of the fossil gas lobby in its attempt to undercut Vancouver's ban on gas heating - though Seth Klein is relieved to note that attempt to drag the city backwards just barely fell short. 

- Henry Obanya discusses the immense amount of microplastic pollution caused by vehicle tires. 

- Negin Owliaei and Maya Schenway point out that the incoming Trump administration has a detailed and dangerous playbook to shut down progressive civil society. And Robert Reich offers a reminder that an ostensibly populist campaign has given way to a cabinet of plutocrats and their sycophants, while Gil Duran talks to Brooke Harrington about the tech bros' plans to exploit the power of the presidency. 

- Finally, David Moscrop discusses the belated recognition by some commentators that a "liberal" consensus which does nothing to challenge concentrated wealth and power will never earn the support of the working class. And Kim Siever reminds us that billionaires are an economic drain on society - not a goal to be pursued, or even a necessary evil to be accepted.

Thursday Morning Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- Carbon Brief examines the results of the COP29 climate summit - with the main takeaway being a familiar combination of barely-existent commitments and watered-down aspirations. Sofia Gonzales-Zuniga, Danial Riaz and Mia Moisio highlight the hypocrisy of Canada and other petrostates who are ramping up exported carbon pollution while trying to claim to be meeting emission reduction targets. 

- Andrew Nikiforuk reports on the sham referendum being used as an excuse for dangerous coal mining in Ranchland, Alberta. And Emma McIntosh exposes the reality that Doug Ford's government was well aware there's no rational basis for systematically destroying cycling infrastructure before ramming through a bill to do just that. 

- Meanwhile, Carl Meyer notes that cross-party cooperation played a crucial role in applying a minimal standard of accuracy to petropropaganda. 

- Stéphane Leman-Langlois, Aurélie Campana and Samuel Tanner warn that the violent far right has been emboldened in Canada - with little apparent response from governments or law enforcement. And Max Fawcett notes that our institutional conservative parties are eager to surrender Canada to Donald Trump and his brand of fascism. 

- Finally, Tannara Yelland and Martin Lukacs report on the Competition Bureau's investigation into rantel price-fixing by corporate landlords. 

Wednesday Afternoon Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- Ellen Wald writes that Canadian oil companies would be smart to be prepared to answer for their environmental and human rights abuses. But Carly Penrose reports that they're instead funding petropoliticians and shadowy lobby groups in an effort to undermine climate change policy, while David Climenhaga discusses Danielle Smith's latest scheme to make accurate information about emissions illegal. 

- Hiroko Tabuchi writes about the propaganda campaign being waged by the plastics industry in an effort to avoid answering for massive and easily-avoidable damage to people's health and the environment. And Tom Perkins reports on new research finding that microplastics and "forever chemicals" are particularly dangerous in combination with each other. 

- Jack Hauen discusses how the Ontario PCs' destruction of bike lanes shows the outsized influence of a few wealthy donors. Sarah Elton and Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher write that Doug Ford's diktat forcing the removal of bike lanes doesn't merely reflect hostility to bikes themselves, but a war on data and evidence in policy choices. And David Rider discusses the misinformation being deployed to undermine the development of walkable and people-friendly cities. 

- Silas Xuereb examines the hundreds of billions of dollars per year being diverted into excess profits - and the resulting opportunity to both reduce inequality and fund social needs through a windfall profit tax. 

- Finally, Adam King discusses how the Canada Post strike fits into wider trends around precarious work and the destruction of public services. And Paris Marx points out the contrast between the strength and solidarity of public sector workers in a well-established bargaining unit, and the results of isolate-and-conquer practices imposed Amazon and other corporate giants. 

Tuesday Night Cat Blogging

Curious cat. 

Tuesday Morning Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- John Woodside reports on the pitiful excuse for climate finance advanced by developed countries at COP29. Kate Dooley highlights how the carbon trading scheme set up at COP29 falls far short of both actually reducing carbon pollution, and accounting for other environmental and social harms caused by credit-generating activities. Patrick Greenfield notes the absurdity of governments and businesses claiming credit for natural carbon sinks as somehow offsetting new carbon pollution. And Nancy Stauffer discusses how existing emission promises rely in particular on implausible assumptions about the viability and impact of carbon removal.

- Trevor Tombe and Jennifer Winter study the price impact of carbon pricing on Canadian food, and find that it's a fraction of the added cost imposed on consumers by corporate profiteering. And Andre Picard writes that the recent cluster of cases of scurvy in La Ronge reflects a far broader issue of poverty and food insecurity in northern regions. 

- Meanwhile, Cheryl Jahn interviews Alex Hemingway about the immense opportunity cost of offering boutique tax cuts rather than investing in underresourced public services. And Wency Leung reports on the dire state of Ontario's public education system as a result of decades of austerity. 

- Simon Spichak points out that recommendations being supported by the Public Health Agency of Canada may actually worsen the effects of long COVID, including by recommending exercise when it's strongly inadvisable. 

- Finally, Ricardo Tranjan discusses how to make rent regulation effective to ensure that housing is both available and affordable. 

Monday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material to start your week.

- Whizy Kim writes about the rise of the overt use of wealth and associated fame to overwhelm the U.S.' political system. Jason Sattler discusses the need for a new declaration of independence focused on decoupling from billionaires. And Robert Reich notes that Democrats' refusal to meaningfully challenge corporate greed and bullying resulted in their political defeat by a demagogue claiming (however implausibly) to stand up for the working class. 

- Meanwhile, the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage has released its report on the intimidation and subversion tactics of tech giants. And Seamas O'Reilly discusses the comparative joys of Bluesky in contrast to the social media platforms that have gone through full enshittification. 

- Helena Horton, Lucy Swan, Ana Lucía González Paz and Harvey Symons highlight new data showing the acceleration of the climate breakdown - even as the wealthy countries who bear the most blame continue to dodge any responsibility for reparations or mitigation. And Karen McVeigh reports on the scientific recognition that we're generating an unmanageable quantity of plastic waste - with the same bad actors blocking any solutions on that front as well. 

- Nadine Yousif reports on the success of Halifax' choice to integrate tent encampments rather than meeting them with violent displacement. And Jonathan Brooke and Jennifer Hulme discuss how anybody in need of medical assistance is made worse off by a punitive response to addictions. 

- Finally, Jim Stanford studies (PDF) the benefits of expanded child care availability in Canada - including in averting both recessions and inflation. 

Musical interlude

Romy - The Sea

Friday Morning Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- Michael Scherer and Josh Dawsey document the dark-money false flag operation used by Republicans and their wealthy owners to depress Democratic turnout. And Justin Ling calls out Pierre Poilievre for relying on absurd claims to try to generate outrage within the Cons' low-information base. 

- Meanwhile, Thomas Zimmer laments how the U.S.' upper class is indicating its plans to accommodate Donald Trump's authoritarianism in order to preserve its position of privilege. 

- Clement Nocos discusses how Justin Trudeau's temporary GST giveaway is a poor substitute for removing consumption taxes from essential goods. And Danyaal Raza points out that Canadians in general are paying for the private health insurance that's prioritizing the wealthy and undermining our public health care system. 

- Mike Moffatt points out that mixed-use, walkable neighbourhoods can do wonders to both alleviate the housing crisis and minimize avoidable carbon pollution. And Iglika Ivanova and Anastasia French discuss how soaring housing costs are driving up the living wage needed to get by in Vancouver (among other cities). 

- Finally, Nadia Hasan writes about the need for real disability benefits to account for the fact that most people will be disabled at some point. 

Thursday Morning Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- Sarah Johnson reports on Unicef's warning that children will face far more extreme heatwaves and other dangerous weather events in the decades to come. And George Monbiot writes that the "solutions" being relied upon to respond to the climate crisis are rarely any more plausible than the spin of the most stubborn head-in-the-sand denialists. 

- Ben Stockton and Hajar Medah expose how McKinsey & Company has been working on keeping people hooked on fossil fuels. Amy Westervelt and Royce Kurmelovs examine how fossil fuel giants have always been preventing COP conferences from achieving any meaningful progress - even if they're far more brazen about controlling the agenda now. 

- Graham Thomson discusses the obvious dangers of putting a partisan operative and fossil fuel zealot in charge of Albertans' retirement savings. But Angela Amato reports on the gap between the CPP's net-zero promises and its choice to invest in dirty energy. 

- Jon Milton examines the background to the CUPW postal strike - and particularly the difference in goals between workers committed to public service, and an employer determined to do less in order to claim false economies.  

- Finally, The Disabled Ginger points out how a refusal to mask in health-care settings further endangers vulnerable patients. Heidi Ledford examines the rise of bird-flu infections in humans which are being largely ignored as a matter of public policy. And Lisa Schnirring reports that anti-vaxxers have managed to cause an outbreak of polio in Warsaw. 

Wednesday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- Jake Johnson writes about the growing recognition that we'll never avert a climate breakdown by putting all action at the mercy of petrostates and oil lobbyists. And Carl Meyer discusses how the Libs have spent far more time and political capital doing PR work for the tar sands than to work on developing an international framework to combat the climate crisis. 

- Luke LeBrun notes that Europe is taking steps to work around reliance on the U.S. over the course of another Trump presidency, and writes that Canada should be pursuing the same option.  

- Max Fawcett writes that the importance of the CBC has only been amplified by the spread of disinformation from elsewhere - meaning that the Cons' plans to trash it could have devastating consequences. And Mitchell Anderson warns of the dangers of allowing propaganda to overwhelm any sense of shared objective reality. 

- Jon Milton discusses how the U.S. Democrats' campaign serves as a painful example of how not to combat far-right demogoguery. And Sheima Benembarek discusses how the compulsive blaming of immigrants - which is currently being enabled by the Trudeau Libs - serves as an entry point to fascism.

- Finally, Jeremy Appel calls out Danielle Smith's attacks on trans people in Alberta. And Duncan Kinney reports on the UCP's use of for-profit nurses - coupled with its refusal to provide any information about the scope of the practice. 

Tuesday Night Cat Blogging

Geometric cat.