Withteeth is back.

It’s been a while,

I figured it was time to get writing again. I might be a stay at home parent and busy as all hell, but writing is good for me, so I should get back at it.

Over these last few years both Hessian and myself have gotten much more political, aided like many by the extremist and often fascist politics coming out of the USA, Brazil, and Turkey to name a few, we have really felt the fire under our asses to get working on our projects, and net working and organizing has never been easier with those same fires energizing people around us.

New posts will be more political, and I have far less patience then I use to for those whom wish to be demagogues. The comments will be places for questions and discussions. Not a place rhetorical yelling matches. I will not tolerate hate speech, or hateful dog whistles. But that said, learning is encouraged and I have always enjoyed hearing and learning from people of many view points. So long as they are not calling into question the basic humanity of other people that is.

I hope to talk about organizing, build intentional community, and the creation prosocial social environments. Hope to hear from some of he long time readers! If anyone one has suggestion for posts or wants to ask question please leave a comment!

Withteeth

This 2019 Canadian Federal Election

Hello friends,

A little recap is in order. As I excepted, Trudeau and the Liberals never did bring about electoral reform. Despite having a mandate of 73% for electoral reform, and similar numbers even in a questionnaire the liberal comity designed to cloud the issues. Canadian made it clear they wanted electoral reform. Sure you might argue that Canadian’s didn’t agree on what kind of system would be best, but the experts where quite clear on which options would be proportional and which would not be. The large consensus was on the Mix Member proportional (MMP) format. MMP would be easy for voters to understand, and cost effective to implement while also being highly proportional. However, the Liberals benefit the most of any political party from the First past the post system being on average the second vote for all parties, hence why I never thought they would follow through after winning a majority in the 2015 election. (Although this election it’s the NDP who are second vote even being the third option for conservative voters)

While the Liberals did Legalize cannabis even the legalization was a half measure. They didn’t decriminalize it or help those thousands of people in jail from simple possession of the now legalized drug, or those who where punished in the years leading up too legalization. They when back on their promises for reconciliation with first nations, and are even taking the aboriginal victims of child abuse to court at this very moment to get out of paying for program improperly funded. The Liberals with an ill gotten majority have managed to do a great deal of harm, and now have the gall to ransom Canadians claiming voting for anyone except the liberals is a vote for the conservatives. Not only is this not true, and the best it looks like the Federal Conservative can do is a minority government, but it’s not a valid strategy to rely on known liars, using an abusive tactics, to hope they will save you from other liars. The lie is especially galling when other options exist. Notably the NDP with their leader Jagmeet Singh (Jug-meet Sing) Who has been doing stellar over the last few weeks.

The election is tomorrow. The NDP are offering a green new deal for Canada, a no referendum electoral reform to MMP in the first months of the new term, and importantly Dental care for the most vulnerable out of the gate, funded by a modest tax on the top 0.1% of Canadian’s. All this before working on universal pharma and dental care, something need by all, benefits all. If we take the priority away from major cooperate handouts, these measures are something we can easily afford, and in fact will collectively save us money and a whole lot of human suffering.

At this point I am sick and tired of our thankfully short elections here in Canada, and as I live in Alberta I know the damage of a conservative government better then most. But continuing to bring in federal liberal governments as a stop gap only ensures better options will never arise, and the liberal option is only a lesser evil, and we have a much better option in Jagmeet Singh. I’d dare say this elections NDP present a genuinely good option for once now that they once again have a truly progressive platform, and now have a diverse party.

I am hopeful for a minority government tomorrow. Help make that happen, carefully look at the polls for your area. Vote to keep the cons and the liberals at bay, do your best to bring real options into our federal system. Vote for Electoral reform. Vote for universal Pharmacare. Vote for universal Dental. Vote to tax the super rich. Vote for the NDP. Make it so everyone’s vote counts.

Withteeth