Eleven Synonyms for Defending “Traditional” Marriage
As an intelligent person, I can’t help but feel befuddled by American politics. And when the subject of debate turns to gay marriage, my bewilderment devolves into profane belligerence directed at the addle-pate bigots that the American people (in their infinite wisdom*) entrust in their governance. I am honestly flabbergasted that this debate exists in the first...
No Good News – Wildrose Sand
I‘m as surprised as you are that Alberta has elections. I’ve always considered their opposition to democracy very progressive, or at the very least, honest. Ontario, on the other hand, is like a bowl of Froot Loops where the Froot Loops have been replaced by lies. It’s like we hadn’t figured anything out...
No Good News – Putin!
Vladimir Putin, Russian prime minister, judo expert, thug and probable supervillain, is the winner in an election North Americans could only describe as “democratic”: Vladimir Putin won a resounding victory in Russia’s presidential election on Sunday, exit polls showed, securing a new six-year term in the Kremlin and a mandate to deal with opposition protests...
Profits for Some, Speech for the Rest
On January 19, 2012, New Zealand’s counter-terrorism unit invaded an Auckland compound, rappelling down from helicopters, breaking down doors, wielding M4 carbines and dressed in civilian clothes under their flak jackets. Their target, Kim Dotcom, had been an international fugitive for two weeks, and in that time had not moved once. They took his children and employees...
This Time It’s Different
Among economists, academics and political scientists there seems to be a debate emerging about the current economic turmoil. The central issue being: does debt matter? The Keynesians don’t seem to think it does. Other people disagree. I think it matters for the following reason: it has mattered for the last 8 centuries, every single time...
Occupy Whose Space?
What follows is the perception of a senior citizen who has been visiting the occupied St. James park in Toronto, listening and talking to people, and who has been disappointed with the media representation of the Occupied movement. Because contrary to complaints, there is a coherent message. The state structure is a kleptocracy and very different...
Democracy Hereafter: Voices of Occupy Toronto – Day 1
When I got down to St. James Park on Saturday afternoon, I found that the first day of Occupy Toronto seemed to have more the atmosphere of a street festival than a political protest. There were the requisite samba squads providing relentless beats, tonnes of teenagers dancing, and more than a couple of spliffs being...
Pay No Mind to the Man Behind The Curtain
The price of raw cotton is at a 140 year high and one of the unexamined consequences of this phenomenon is that it is becoming more expensive to print US dollars. In 2008 the price of manufacturing a dollar 6.4 cents. A short two years later it jumped to 9.6 cents. I wonder if it’s...
The Left Needs to Grow a Pair – Part II
During the recent Toronto budget debacle, I was down at City Hall for the protest on September 26th. One of those semi-organized leftist temper tantrums. A referendum on Rob Ford’s agenda, so to speak, which in all fairness actually got the Ford brothers to back away from some of their more draconian cuts. If he’s...
PP Votes: Call for a NDP Toronto
There was a time, not too long ago, that this city was brimming with optimistic dialogue about social democracy. The death of Jack Layton had sparked a fire under the left-leaning majority of the downtown core and we were more than willing to speak up and out about the kind of politics that we as...
PP Votes: Danny backs the Libs, but votes NDP
I really wanted to write an article today espousing the wonderful future an NDP-led Ontario would bring. I desperately wanted to put my support behind Andrea Horwath, of whom I was initially quite skeptical but who has since won me over with her charismatic communication style, honest (or at least convincing) candour, and positive campaign message. I...
Populism Should Be Popular