Maybe a joke about Bill Morneau ... if not Greg

[Dog]

France, as always, will be the tall but skinny and lanky kid nobody will want to pick for their team.

[AD]

China?
Russia is with us that I know.

[AD]

Wait... when you say us... who do you mean?

[Dog]

Russia? Russia is with them. Ethno-Nationalist-Matcho appeal > old alliances. We’re with the subversive american deep state, working the resistance from the inside.

[Slick Nick]

Liberal Shia axis vs ethno-nationalist sunni jews.

Pretty sure Germany will be on our side this time. China too.

Authoritarian-Liberal-Shias vs Ethno-Nationalist-Fundamentalist-Sunni-Jews.

When was the last time Germany was on the winning side?

[Dog]

Franco-Prussian war?

[Slick Nick]

Franco-Prussian war?

And where's the Prussian capital city now?

[AD]

Russia? Russia is with them. Ethno-Nationalist-Matcho appeal > old alliances. We’re with the subversive american deep state, working the resistance from the inside.

Uhm. No. Russia is with us. Iran. Syrian gov't. Hizb'Allah.

Us.

[Dog]

Franco-Prussian war?

And where's the Prussian capital city now?

That’s cause they were squeezed on two fronts by large powers. Sorta like Russia between Germany and China.

[Dog]

Russia? Russia is with them. Ethno-Nationalist-Matcho appeal > old alliances. We’re with the subversive american deep state, working the resistance from the inside.

Uhm. No. Russia is with us. Iran. Syrian gov't. Hizb'Allah.

Us.

No, Russia is with the Ethno-Nationalist-Matchomens. That Trumps former alliances. Saudis are with Israel, for God/Allah/Yahweh’s sake!

If this is a problem, don’t let the door hit you on the way out!

[Slick Nick]

Why would China be on your side?

Turkey and Pakistan changed sides... you're in bad shape doggo.

[Dog]

Why would China be on your side?

Well, the’re not going to be on their side. Enemy of my enemy.

And yes, we’re getting creamed. We need the deep state to win the revolution in the states. Otherwise, we’re fucked. May as well be an ethno-nationalist-fundamentalist-fucktard.

[Dr_Chimera]

Russia is with anyone who will so much as smile at them.

[Dr_Chimera]

The USA doing nothing is rather fitting ...

The whole of Europe is staying out of it too. The Trump presidency has done a lot to expose neoliberal alliances for what they are.

[Dog]

Russia is with anyone who will so much as smile at them.

We know.

*turns smug liberal self around and walks away*

Better dead than to be seen with those guys, amirite??!

[Dog]

The USA doing nothing is rather fitting ...

The whole of Europe is staying out of it too. The Trump presidency has done a lot to expose neoliberal alliances for what they are.

Freaking neocons stayed out of their hair even with 9/11. Oil and monies, man.

Saudis have pulled a hissy fit at Sweden and Germany too recently over mild criticism.

[chicpea]

I am perfectly happy with no one's support. We are right. Let them cower.

[Slick Nick]

I am perfectly happy with no one's support. We are right. Let them cower.

You're rarely wrong when attacking a straw man.

[chicpea]

xong!

[Dr_Chimera]

Sad but true.

[Dog]

I think that may or may not be true.

Canada’s tweet was par for the course. It’s what Western govs do. Do business with the Saudis but every once in a while pay lip service to human rights. Same as with China and others. Heck, UK foreign office issued a similarly worded statement on Saudi human rights just yesterday. Saudis just seem to be irrational. The brash prince’s outsized ego picking weird fights where he thinks he can. Yemen, Qatar, Lebannon. Foreign policy based on bluster.

Another possible version (its opaque to us) is that the Trudeau gov may not have returned elevators on the Saudis 15b “investment”. Saudis buy influence by spreading money around and would have expected some love and deeper ties with the 15b order. The Libs may have been cooler than others to the Saudis, prompting them to being already pissed at Canada. In that sense, Canada would have some “credit”. Hard to know exactly to what extent Canada differed from other Western gov in their relations with the Saudis, if indeed there was any difference. They pulled their ambassadors from Sweeden and Germany too over “normal” criticism.

Anywho, this is all quite immaterial at least on face value. Canada-Saudi trade is negligeable. We’re far away from one another. Both middle powers that can’t really do anything more than annoy one another.

What I find to be much more important is that I think this is a consequence of Trump’s transactional view of international relations and natural affinity towards authoritarians. Had he not so clearly shown his disdain for Western alliances, they would have checked their response.

It’s not that it matters in this case, it’s that it signals a new world order. One of American pullback and retrenchment, leading other powers to rush in to take the space. That, of course, leads to considerably more global instability. A realignment where different actors will brush up to one another and test their relative strenght.

[chicpea]

They killed about 40 more kids yesterday. For perspective.

[Dr_Chimera]

I think that may or may not be true.

Canada’s tweet was par for the course. It’s what Western govs do. Do business with the Saudis but every once in a while pay lip service to human rights. Same as with China and others. Heck, UK foreign office issued a similarly worded statement on Saudi human rights just yesterday. Saudis just seem to be irrational. The brash prince’s outsized ego picking weird fights where he thinks he can. Yemen, Qatar, Lebannon. Foreign policy based on bluster.

Another possible version (its opaque to us) is that the Trudeau gov may not have returned elevators on the Saudis 15b “investment”. Saudis buy influence by spreading money around and would have expected some love and deeper ties with the 15b order. The Libs may have been cooler than others to the Saudis, prompting them to being already pissed at Canada. In that sense, Canada would have some “credit”. Hard to know exactly to what extent Canada differed from other Western gov in their relations with the Saudis, if indeed there was any difference. They pulled their ambassadors from Sweeden and Germany too over “normal” criticism.

Anywho, this is all quite immaterial at least on face value. Canada-Saudi trade is negligeable. We’re far away from one another. Both middle powers that can’t really do anything more than annoy one another.

What I find to be much more important is that I think this is a consequence of Trump’s transactional view of international relations and natural affinity towards authoritarians. Had he not so clearly shown his disdain for Western alliances, they would have checked their response.

It’s not that it matters in this case, it’s that it signals a new world order. One of American pullback and retrenchment, leading other powers to rush in to take the space. That, of course, leads to considerably more global instability. A realignment where different actors will brush up to one another and test their relative strenght.

I fell asleep halfway through this fascinating post.

[Dog]

Should have wrote it in 9 consecutive tweets.

[Germz]

I fell asleep halfway through this fascinating post.

You'll be a great graduate supervisor one day, doc.

[Dr_Chimera]

Follow the money.

[chicpea]

Maxime Bernier cannot fit any more dog whistles in his sexy mouth.

[senate]

A work of art:

[Boring Choice #2]

Did he mean to say death by political correctness?

[MP]

Max Bernier seems to becoming more and more unhinged after losing the party leadership. Hopefully he splinters off his own right wing party...

[Dog]

Max Bernier seems to becoming more and more unhinged after losing the party leadership. Hopefully he splinters off his own right wing party...

I hereby call for the death of the politically correct in Canada.

——

J’appelle à la mort les gens de rectitude politique au Canada.

[mayoradamwest]

We needed a new right wing party :maw:

[Dog]

We needed a new right wing party :maw:

Would be happy about the vote split. Would be unhappy in that it would push the CPC even further right to try to keep the wackos’ votes.

[Craig]

It might push 'em left too though, they could try to steal votes from both sides.

Imagine a center-right Conservative party that runs on good governance and not social issues.

[Dog]

I don’t know why cons are associated with good governance. The overwhelming majority of their ranks are self interested businessmens (big and small), free market ideologues and/or social conservatives.

Move the Libs bit more towards fiscal responsibility (they shouldn’t be running these deficits at this point in the economic cycle -either tax more or cut down on their non-redistributive or non-infrastructure based projects.

[MP]

Max Bernier seems to becoming more and more unhinged after losing the party leadership. Hopefully he splinters off his own right wing party...

[Dog]

Over/Under on ot being called the Libertarian Party of Canada (the LPC)?

[Dog]

Maybe the Libertarian and Anti-Immigration Party of Canada (the LAIC) to differentiate?

[TittiesNBeer]

Over/Under on ot being called the Libertarian Party of Canada (the LPC)?

We already have a libertarian party

[Dog]

Over/Under on ot being called the Libertarian Party of Canada (the LPC)?

We already have a libertarian party

I meant a real one, beaker.

:rollseyes:

[AD]

Over/Under on ot being called the Libertarian Party of Canada (the LPC)?

He was asked and refused to join the Libertarian Party

[Dog]

Over/Under on ot being called the Libertarian Party of Canada (the LPC)?

He was asked and refused to join the Libertarian Party

The Libertarian Party is basically Big D. Big D should join Bernier, not Bernier joining Big D.

[Dog]

Ok, so fine. Libertarian Party is taken. Second option is “Freedom Party of Canada” or some such.

[Dog]

Running on a platform of more cheap milk and less Pakistanis.

[AD]

That...

That's appealing to me.

[WTF]

"Screw you guys, I'll build my own party. With blackjack. And hookers."

-Maxime "Bender Bending Rodriguez" Bernier

[Craig]

I don’t know why cons are associated with good governance. The overwhelming majority of their ranks are self interested businessmens (big and small), free market ideologues and/or social conservatives.

Move the Libs bit more towards fiscal responsibility (they shouldn’t be running these deficits at this point in the economic cycle -either tax more or cut down on their non-redistributive or non-infrastructure based projects.

That's what I mean. Imagine a party to the right of center that actually wants to govern well, instead of being self-interested assholes. I honestly can't even think of anyone in Canadian politics who embodies that right now. Maybe Joe Clark? He's a little right of center, but has embraced stuff like the Freedom of Information act, legalizing pot and even minimum income.

[AD]

Jean Charest is my favourite politician. He should go back and lead the slightly right of center economically, very left of center socially, generally liberal masses (masses... lol) to the promised land.

[Boring Choice #2]

Over/Under on ot being called the Libertarian Party of Canada (the LPC)?

He was asked and refused to join the Libertarian Party

The Libertarian Party is basically Big D. Big D should join Bernier, not Bernier joining Big D.

I'm a fiscally conservative / responsible person who is mostly liberal / libertarian on things of a social nature... i.e. I don't give a shit about most of stuff people do but don't want chaos and want people to live within their means while having the basic programs that support everyone (health, education, security) and those who cannot help themselves (the young, the old, and mentally and physically challenged people).

Bernier is socially conservative and fiscally suspect with no real ideals.

We would not get along politically.

[Dog]

But, I’m left of center economically now. I just want to do it with balanced budgets (in non recessionary times). Raise taxes on higher brackets. Cut piecemeal / special program/ voter candy spending. Increase redistributive spending to lower earners (who, coincidentally will spend more rather than save which is what we need in a time of abondant cheap capital) and keep infrastructure spending high.

Fiscally conservative progressive social-democratic liberalism.