Politics and its Discontents

I do believe Brittlestar has divined the mystery of why undesirables proliferate and prosper in public office:

  My previous post addressed a concern that the media are writing narratives for us, telling us what to think, creating a consensus that may...

  I don't post on a daily basis anymore, partly because I have other things keeping me busy and partly because I do wonder if anything g...

Brittlestar has the answer.

H/t Michael De Adder Should you need further encouragement, read the columns by Martin Regg Cohn and Susan Delacourt . Says Cohn: Dec...

To be sure, the elevation of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario to government redounds to everyone's shame. Led by a buffoo...

Here is the price journalists pay.

If, like me, you are a retired senior to whom the fates have been reasonably kind, you have the luxury to contemplate the world around you...

For some strange reason, this resonates with me:

I think it is indisputable that thanks to the online world of social media, civil discourse has been hobbled. If, for example, one reads co...

At a time when traditional journalism is weathering both economic and political storms, we should all take a moment to reflect on the vita...

In response to my post yesterday on rebellion, Pamela MacNeil had this commentary, which I am featuring as a guest post: Rebels Lorne, e...

In response to my post the other day featuring some stellar letters from Star readers on inequality, regular commentator Pamela MacNeil o...

In a recent post well-worth reading, The Mound reflected on the decline of support for liberal democracy. Today, Star readers respond to...

“Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.” ― Winston S. Churchill The above is clearly not in accord with...

I have to admit I was feeling rather discouraged the other day when I read this CBC report in which an EKOS Research poll found that only 2...

The Toronto Star recently featured the 2013 Atkinson Series: Me, You, Us, journalist and author Michael Valpy’s investigation into social...

But what is the answer? Re: ‘Golden age’ for Poland caps 500 years of pain, Dec. 22 Seeing the statement “communism’s iron grip” was too...

....everything you thought you knew about our democracy was an illusion? The following video, made before the last U.S. election and directe...

Although I do not subscribe to the 'tactic' of refusing to vote, much of what comedian Russell Brand says in this BBC interview wit...