All Things Canada Eh

[JimC]

Brian, I still think it is reasonable to be glad that the lesser of two political evils is elected. I'll be hoping for the re-election of the Labor Party in our upcoming federal election, even while realising that Anthony Albanese is a standard slightly left of centre politician - he's still a damn slight better than Peter Dutton, a Trump-lite conservative...

[Svartalf]

yeah, it's funny how the US are the only place where a frump endorsement is not the political kiss of death.

[macdoc]

Well a preference is not an endorsement.

[Brian Peacock]

Brian, I still think it is reasonable to be glad that the lesser of two political evils is elected. I'll be hoping for the re-election of the Labor Party in our upcoming federal election, even while realising that Anthony Albanese is a standard slightly left of centre politician - he's still a damn slight better than Peter Dutton, a Trump-lite conservative...

My worry is--and I don't think it's unfounded--that the lesser of two evils is fine if that's the only option, but expecting them to administer positive change for the betterment of all, and the environments and ecologies we all rely on, is a fools errand if their raison d'être is to maintain the system that's brought us to where we find ourselves today - even if they're promising to maintain it in a more competent or compassionate fashion than the other lot. I think we need to guard against taking Liberal rhetoric around change at face value, because although I'm sure many of them are sincere the inclination of Liberals, and the policies which invariably follow, fundamentally represent continuity with what has already failed.

[pErvinalia]

With Labor re-elected we push back the time that we will be totally fucked when compared to the Coalition. They really aren't the same, as far as they both are from your socialist utopia.

[Brian Peacock]

Utopias are something worth aiming for, but pragmatically we should be prepared to settle for somewhere on the way to them. But centrist, liberal technocrats, and certainly the right, don't even want to explore the possibility of embarking on the journey towards care-based sufficiency economics, participatory democracy, and/or the social justice I believe is necessary for the long term survival of our and all other species.

[Brian Peacock]

With Labor re-elected we push back the time that we will be totally fucked when compared to the Coalition. They really aren't the same, as far as they both are from your socialist utopia.

I think you're basically right though. While Australian Labor, Canadian Liberal, UK New Labour, and US Democratic parties aren't going to make things any better they might still slow down the rate at which things get worse.

[L'Emmerdeur]

Just to note: The party's name is Democratic Party. 'Democrat' Party, while used relentlessly by some, is incorrect and generally is used to signal disparagement of the party.

[Brian Peacock]

Just to note: The party's name is Democratic Party. 'Democrat' Party, while used relentlessly by some, is incorrect and generally is used to signal disparagement of the party.

I'll make sure I use that in future - even when disparaging them!

Wouldn't that rightly make the plural 'the Democratics' as well then?

[L'Emmerdeur]

Just to note: The party's name is Democratic Party. 'Democrat' Party, while used relentlessly by some, is incorrect and generally is used to signal disparagement of the party.

I'll make sure I use that in future - even when disparaging them!

Wouldn't that rightly make the plural 'the Democratics' as well then?

Not denying it's a quibble. But accepting it is allowing their political opponents to decide what they're called. It's prevalent in American right wing media and in communications from Republicans.

A Democratic Party member as such is a 'Democrat,' so the plural is 'Democrats' when writing or speaking of members of the party.

[Brian Peacock]

Just to note: The party's name is Democratic Party. 'Democrat' Party, while used relentlessly by some, is incorrect and generally is used to signal disparagement of the party.

I'll make sure I use that in future - even when disparaging them!

Wouldn't that rightly make the plural 'the Democratics' as well then?

Not denying it's a quibble. But accepting it is allowing their political opponents to decide what they're called. It's prevalent in American right wing media and in communications from Republicans.

A Democratic Party member as such is a 'Democrat,' so the plural is 'Democrats' when writing or speaking of members of the party.

I'll grant that language and framing are important in political coms, but when a word like Democrat becomes a pejorative label then it's probably a sign that things are not in a very healthy place. Nonetheless, now I'm aware how Democrats and allies feel about it I'll amend my deployment.

A way to denude the denigraters is to re/claim ownership of the pejorative, like LGBTQ+ communities have done with Queer, or disability groups have done with words like Cripple, Spaz, and Mutant, or even the Conservative and Unionist Party of Great Britain have done with Tory.

[JimC]

Brian, will we see the term "Whigs" return to British politics?

[Svartalf]

you mean the labor guys are NOT nicknamed 'whigs' when conservatives are still being called tories all the time?

[Joe]

Just to note: The party's name is Democratic Party. 'Democrat' Party, while used relentlessly by some, is incorrect and generally is used to signal disparagement of the party.

I'll make sure I use that in future - even when disparaging them!

Wouldn't that rightly make the plural 'the Democratics' as well then?

Not denying it's a quibble. But accepting it is allowing their political opponents to decide what they're called. It's prevalent in American right wing media and in communications from Republicans.

A Democratic Party member as such is a 'Democrat,' so the plural is 'Democrats' when writing or speaking of members of the party.

I've always thought it a silly affectation, and sometimes tease people for using a noun in place of an adjective. It's elitist, I know, but I am married to a writer.

[JimC]

The Whigs in the past was the moniker of the Liberal party, long before there was a Labor party...