Monday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material to start your week.

- Armine Yalnizyan discusses the prospect of a shift in how we approach our economy as our usual monetary and fiscal policy assumptions have proven to fall short of meeting social needs. And Taylor Scollon writes that while there's some value to be found in a modern monetary theory model, we shouldn't treat it as an excuse to avoid needed conversations about raising revenue from the people who have it to contribute.

- PressProgress exposes the Libs' plans for future infrastructure to be built on a user revenue model, resulting both in costs at the point of use and a bias toward projects which produce profits rather than positive outcomes. And Iain Sherriff-Scott reports on the push by Jagmeet Singh and Andrea Horwath to ensure that nursing homes operate for residents' benefit rather than to boost corporate interests.

- Lauren McGill writes about the many ways in which we're imposing undue mental health burdens on our children.

- Brian Kahn reports on Exxon's familiar pattern of handing out money to shareholders while simultaneously laying off workers. Andrew Nikiforuk writes about David Hughes' finding that the Trans-Mountain pipeline is nothing more than a waste of money. And David Roberts offers a reminder that any hope of keeping the oil industry booming by developing plastics represents little more than wishful thinking.

- Finally, Joel Millward-Hopkins, Julia K. Steinberger, Narasimha D. Rao and Yannick Oswald study how it's possible to secure a decent living for everybody while cutting our energy use by 95%.

Sunday Morning Links

This and that for your Sunday reading.

- Don Pittis discusses how the spread of modern monetary theory is challenging some stale assumptions about government budgeting. And Sarath Peiris highlights how the Saskatchewan Party's plans for severe austerity are utterly unworkable without the federal government riding to the rescue of people who would otherwise be left without needed supports. 

- Ian Waddell points out that Justin Trudeau can easily avoid an unnecessary election by finding some much-needed tolerance for working with willing partners in the public interest. And while he accepts more of the Libs' spin on the relationship between the two parties than he should, Aaron Wherry takes note of the opportunities to work toward what the Libs constantly profess to be common goals. 

- PressProgress examines five of the biggest problems with Scott Moe's underfunded and poorly-thought-out orders for sending students back to school. And Alexandra Mae Jones discusses the importance of ventilation in limiting the spread of COVID-19 in schools. 

- Meanwhile, Nykole King comments on the gendered impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

- David Thurton reports on the Commission for Environmental Cooperation's study showing that tar sands tailing ponds are contaminating Alberta water supplies. And CBC News reports on a diluent pipeline spill near Fort McMurray.

- Finally, Tim Alberta writes about the fallout from a U.S. Republican party which has fully abandoned values and principles in favour of becoming an elite-funded personality cult. And Adnan Khan offers his take on the U.S.' ongoing implosion.