An Incisive Analysis Of Broken U.S. Tax Policy

Although readily dismissed as a socialist by the right-wing, Linda McQuiag offers a fine analysis of the failings of U.S. tax policy in an article entitled Tycoons Laughing All the Way to the Bank. In it, she gives the example of hedge fund managers, the top 25 of whom earn an average of almost $900 million per annum, having to pay a mere 15% tax rate on their income. Others earn much more: David Tepper of Appaloosa Management made $4 billion in 2010, on top of the $4 billion he made in 2009, and he'll make about the same this year as well; George Soros made $3.3 billion last year.

Yet even that obvious insult to the working and middle classes is considered sacrosanct by the Tea Party true believers. Yet another instance of failed political leadership.

The Failure of Political Leadership - Part 2

The other day I wrote a brief post called The Failure of Political Leadership, inspired by what is quickly becoming a national embarrassment for the City of Toronto in its choice of Rob Ford as mayor. Now quite openly betraying his promise not to gut services but only eliminate 'the gravy', he and his acolytes are considering all manner of service reductions which could affect, amongst others, library branches and hours, police services and transportation routes. That got me thinking about the current calibre of the people we elect, and without question, many of them are patently unfit to hold public office.

In theory, the people we elect are entrusted with representing our interests. Far too often, and I suppose I state the obvious here, they are instead pursuing their own lust for power and their own ideological agendas. Take, for example, those who are described as Ford allies on Toronto City Council. That they are allies of the mayor suggest that they support and take direction from him, either because they are ideologically aligned with his values or they enjoy or seek to enjoy the power conferred upon members of his executive committee, once more suggesting that the needs and interests of their constituents are, at best, a peripheral consideration.

And of course we see the same failure of politics playing out in the United States, where the ideological divide between the Republicans and the Democrats, and an extraordinarily partisan lust for power has brought that country to the brink of economic collapse, as epitomized in the current imbroglio over raising the debt ceiling. So ideologically opposed are the Republicans to even very modestly increasing taxes on the ultra wealthy that they are willing to sacrifice the struggling working and middle class, many of whom voted for them.

Is there a solution to this deficit of democracy afflicting the West? I don't know. But without question, some reforms are necessary before people completely lose faith and see democracy as simply a convenient label barely concealing some egregiously inconvenient truths.

Unmediated Passion For Libraries - A Cure For Cynicism

I defy anyone to remain untouched after reading this story and watching the accompanying video in which 14-year-old Anika Tabovaradan makes a passionate plea to Mayor Rob Ford not to cut library services in Toronto. As the spokesperson for a large segment of library patrons, both her arguments and her emotions should remind all policymakers that their decisions have impacts that go far beyond the fiscal.

A Failure of Political Leadership

It is perhaps to state the obvious in asserting that our elected officials rarely represent our interests very well. Examples, far too numerous to list, abound. Probably the most prominent failure currently in the news is that of Rob Ford, who became the mayor of Toronto on the promise to cut the fat (he subject he appears to be intimately familiar with)) without touching essential services.

Of course, one could place most of the blame on the credulity of the voters who elected him, given given their apparent proclivity for magical thinking in accepting him at his word, but Toronto Star columnist Royson James has an interesting piece on how some people are reacting now that essential services such as libraries and municipal transportation are under serious consideration for cuts. Entitled Toronto wants its vote back, it is well-worth reading

Something To Start The Long Weekend

While driving to get my hair cut, and tuned to Canada's Premium Jazz Station this morning, I heard a song from long ago sung by the late Phoebe Snow, a woman possessed of such a lovely voice but who probably wasn't nearly as well-known as others of her generation. Called Harpo's Blues, it may be a song easy to dismiss until you consider the underlying emotion conveyed in Phoebe's voice, which raises it to an entirely new level, in my view.

More Evidence Of The American Right's Intellectual 'Limitations'

I have phrased this post's title as tactfully as I can, but I think if you watch the following video, you will be tempted to use other, more obvious ways to describe right-wing American cognitive abilities. You will notice that as soon as the Fox host asks scientist Bill Nye about climate change, Nye realizes he must talk in a much slower manner than he ever did when he hosted the children's science program, Bill Nye The Science Guy.

Thanks to my son Matthew for providing this link:

Revelations Of Further Charter Rights' Violation At G20 Summit

In what has become almost a routine posting to my blog, the Toronto Star has revealed yet another violation of rights arising from last year's federally and provincially supported G20 Summit. An article entitled Police wrong to question man with crossbow near G20 fence, judge rules, a few quotes will be enough, I hope, to persuade readers to peruse the article:

“The law makes clear that an investigative detention of that kind gives rise to a right to counsel,” provincial court Justice David Fairgrieve said Wednesday.

The judge also agreed with defence criticisms of Toronto police for continually denying McCullough’s rights to counsel while he was held at the Eastern Ave. detention centre for G20 detainees.

Just a timely reminder to all of us before we cast our vote in the Ontario election to carefully consider which political leaders have told us an inquiry is not necessary into what was the biggest breach of Charter Rights in Canadian history. No amount of political posturing diminishing its significance can alter the truth.