FROLITICKS

Satirical commentary on Canadian and American current political issues

Apr 2

Trump Could Run For President.  This Could Not Happen in Canada.

by bcurry

Legal exerts in the U.S. believe that former President Trump could run for president from prison.  Two previous candidates, Eugene V. Debs in 1920, and Lyndon LaRouche in 1992, both unsuccessfully ran from prison.  Experts note that there’s nothing in the Constitution preventing him from doing so.  Much will be determined by the outcome of a trial over Donald Trump’s indictment by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office which investigated Trump’s personal and business finances, including a payment by Michael Cohen, Trump’s formal personal lawyer.  The payment was made to adult-film star Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 election.  One major drawback is, if convicted, Trump would be subject to the same rules as other prisoners, which could definitely restrict his communications and ability to appear at events.  Furthermore, he would need to rely on proxies to campaign for him.  This of course removes Trump from the hustings which has proven to be his greatest strength on the campaign trail, especially among his followers.

Whether or not Trump is found guilty, the situation leaves the Republicans in a major bind, especially during their primaries to select their next candidate to run for president.  Trump’s core is still evidently strong and could mount a serious protest against the choice of any other Republican candidate.  In light of this, there is also nothing to stop Trump from declaring himself an independent candidate for president.  This in turn would most likely split the conservative support in the next election, much to the benefit of the Democrats and the incumbent president.

What’s interesting is such a situation could not occur in Canada as the Prime Minister (PM) is the leader of the party which gets the most seats in Parliament.  Unlike the American president, one does not vote directly for the PM, but votes for candidates of a political party within their electoral riding.  The party leader is selected through a party’s leadership convention, although in the case of an incumbent PM, his leadership is usually automatic unless contested within the party.  A PM typically sits as a member of Parliament (MP).  Once a party achieves the majority of seats in the House of Commons, the leader can then form the government and he or she is designated by the Governor General to fulfill the role of PM.  Thus, he or she could never run for leader of a party and in turn PM from prison.

Since the indictment of former President Trump is the first of its kind in American history, there are a few unknowns as to how everything will unfold.  One must also remember that Trump is still under investigation for other things, including other ongoing investigations related to his role in the Capitol riot, an alleged scheme to overturn election results in Georgia, and his handling of government records.  What’s interesting is that the indictment and these investigations have not really damaged Trump’s popularity among conservatives.  A very recent poll taken post-indictment indicates that Trump’s lead over Ron DeSantis in the 2024 GOP presidential primary surged to a 26-point.  In the poll, 57% of those asked said they would vote for Trump, while 31% indicated that they would back DeSantis.  This whole scenario represents a very real problem for the Republican Party, despite their outcries over Trump’s indictment.

Only in America you say!  America’s democratic institutions have been under attack for some time now from the far-right.  This entire predicament simply adds to the turmoil.  It is obvious that the authorities have to handle the whole episode with diplomacy and silk gloves.  In the end, whatever the eventual outcome of this indictment and ongoing investigations, the whole affair could become a political circus.  Certainly, no one, including a former president, is above the law.  Donald Trump is no exception.  The best thing that could happen is for Trump to withdraw his candidacy to be the Republican presidential candidate.  However, I strongly believe, knowing Trump, that this will never happen!

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Aug 12

How Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Actions Are Just the Tip of the Iceberg

by bcurry

Facing the scandalous report alleging that he displayed inappropriate behaviour, often sexual in nature, toward several women while in office, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo has now resigned.  Here one has a governor who claimed to champion women’s rights, but one who also had an office was considered “toxic” by the affected women.  While it appeared that Cuomo advanced a feminist agenda, there are those that now argue that it was just smoke and mirror politics.  Once again, it takes a high profile case to demonstrate that sexual harassment in the workplace continues to be an issue of major concern to both employers and employees.

Interestingly enough, Statistics Canada just released a report that concluded that one in four women and one in six men reported having experienced inappropriate sexualized behaviours at work in 2020.  Inappropriate sexualized behaviours are defined to include inappropriate verbal or non-verbal communication, sexually explicit materials, and unwanted physical contact or suggested sexual relations.  The survey also found that people with formal authority in the workplace ― such as supervisors and bosses ― were often the perpetrators of inappropriate sexualized behaviours.  Women most often identified a man as the perpetrator of all three types of the above defined inappropriate sexualized behaviour.  In addition, because the harassment that they experience at work is most often by a superior, people are reluctant to come forward fearing negative consequences for their careers if they did so.

Today, many jurisdictions require that employers have some form of written harassment policy in place and that it is clearly communicated to all employees, including management.  As well, most businesses must have an independent harassment complaint process in place to allow employees to come forward in a confidential and timely manner.  However, as the Statistics Canada survey indicated, approximately one-third of women and one-quarter of men surveyed said that they had not received any information from their employer on how to report sexual harassment and sexual assault.  Furthermore, such impartial complaint mechanisms should also deal with matters regarding discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived gender, gender identity or sexual orientation.

What is truly sad about the Cuomo case is the fact that it took so long to finally surface.  It took no fewer than five district attorneys who made preliminary inquiries into Cuomo’s alleged sexual harassment, now detailed in the scathing 165-page report released last week.  The report from state Attorney General Letitia James’ office found Cuomo sexually harassed at least 11 women — including nine current or former state employees — in violation of state and federal law.  Apparently, his resignation won’t end a bevy of pending investigations into him and his administration.  According to those in the know, the investigations and litigation could enmesh Cuomo for months or years after his scheduled departure from public office in two weeks.

What is interesting is that Cuomo was in his third term as governor, having been first elected in 2010.  One has to ask in this “#me too” movement era, why it took so long — some ten years — for these alleged complaints to come forward, and why it took an investigation by the Attorney General’s office to finally reveal the harassment complaints?  I would hope that there will be some form of formal inquiry into the whole process itself, examining why these women had to allegedly and silently endure what they endured over those years under question.  Moreover, as the above noted survey illustrates, the issue of harassment in the workplace is much broader than we think.  This is despite all the legal protections against such harassment for both men and women that now exist in most jurisdictions.  Hopefully, the Cuomo case will encourage governments, organizations and businesses to once again examine their harassment policies and complaint processes.

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Dec 23

With Trump, There’s Nowhere To Go But Down

by bcurry

Well, President Trump, you’ve gone and done it again. 2018 is ending with a big downward spiral in everything political, economic and international.  What’s really sad is that your narcissistic self has gotten the better part of your uneven temperament.  Let’s see, your former Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense are now gone over obvious in-fighting in the not so tranquil White House.  American allies around the world are bewildered at your foreign policies, including the immediate withdrawal of American troops from Syria and Afghanistan. Your failure to condemn the leaders of Saudi Arabia for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi has brought disgrace upon the U.S.  The November elections saw the Republicans loose control of the House of Representatives and numerous state legislatures.  Your so-called protectionist trade practices have helped the stock exchanges head into the worst bear markets since the great recession of 2008.  The American people are more divided then ever before.  Now, you’ve caused the shut down of many federal departments and agencies just before Christmas, with some 300,000 civil servants going without pay for who knows how long.  All over your squabble with Congress about including $5 Billion to construct a silly wall between the U.S. and Mexico, for which you had unrealistically promised during the election would be paid for by Mexico. Even members of the Republican Party are becoming frustrated with your irrational premise for a shut-down which you openly welcomed and endorsed on national television.

As we approach the start of a New Year, there appears that there is little hope for things to get any better. Your trade war with China has only just begun and we may be on the verge of another global recession. Americans, Canadians, Europeans, Japanese and everyone else will suffer as a result.  I’m afraid, President Trump, that you are no King Midas.  It appears that everything you touch turns to one big turd.  Indeed, the best is yet to come!  There are still the indictments of members of the President’s election team and the final outcome of the Mueller investigation which most likely will be the political story of 2019.  There is also little doubt that the Democrat majority House will begin investigations into your behaviour and past transgressions.  You may be yet facing impeachment proceedings.  But don’t worry.  You can always ask your good buddy, Vladimir Putin, to provide you with refuge in lovely Moscow. I hear that it’s nice at this time of the year.

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Jul 15

When One Takes the Humanity Out of Government, What’s Left?

by bcurry

Recent actions by the Trump administration have left me scratching my head. One action that I can’t understand is that of separating parents who are seeking asylum in the U.S. from their children, some under five years old! Not only did this action outrage many Americans, but it also brought on criticism from other countries, church groups and international organizations.  Talk about stupidity!

This is not the way that democratic governments should go about their business. Is this a reflection of American society today?  No matter the excuse, why would any society punish young children in this way?  The pictures of the internment camps for the children were heart breaking.  Imagine, as parents and grandparents, if this kind of separation happened to your children or grandchildren.  Even the courts are ruling that these actions are cruel and unusual punishment and have ordered the federal authorities to reunite these children with their parents as soon as possible.  Unfortunately, the administration has spread the parents all over the country and any reunification will most likely take weeks if not months in some cases.

Sending Trump’s wife out to visit some of the current youth internment facilities doesn’t do much to alter the terrible situation. This is the “I don’t care, do you” parent.  If anything, it’s just another attempt by the administration to down play the problem and put on a caring face.  Talk about hypocrisy!  One can only hope that Americans will remember what is happening.  After all, when one takes the humanity out of government, what’s left?

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Mar 17

Yes, Donald Trump Is “Vindictive”. His Recent Actions Prove It.

by bcurry

The Oxford Dictionary defines “vindictive” as “having or showing a strong or unreasoning desire for revenge”. When I read that Attorney General Jeff Sessions had fired former FBI deputy director Andrew Mc­Cabe — a little more than 24 hours before Mr. McCabe was set to retire — the first word that came to mind was “vindictive”.  Mr. McCabe had spent more than 20 years at the FBI and was well respected by his colleagues and previous administrations. This firing comes days just after the President suddenly fired his Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, using of all things a tweet to inform everyone.  Although not totally unexpected, Mr. Tillerson proved not to be the “yes man” desired by this President.  Again, the manner and speed in which his dismissal was carried out could be described as being “vindictive”.  After all, this was the same person that was rumored to have referred in private to Trump as being a “moron”, which I’m sure was never forgotten.

One again, following the earlier firing of former FBI Director James B. Comey, Mr. McCabe’s firing appears to be one more vindictive attack on the FBI. Remember that Trump’s administration has carried out an ongoing war with the FBI due to the agency’s work for special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s probe into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia. The FBI has also been alleged by the administration of improprieties in the handling of the Clinton email case, despite a lack of evidence supporting the allegations.  Mr. Mc­Cabe’s attorney noted that the intervention by the White House in the Justice Department’s disciplinary process is unprecedented, deeply unfair, and even dangerous.  Moreover, Mr. McCabe was a frequent target of criticism from Trump.  In addition, it was asserted by his lawyer that Mr. McCabe had not been given an adequate chance to respond to the Justice Department’s allegations.  It definitely appears that this may be a good case for a “wrongful dismissal” suit, and if won will no doubt tarnish the President’s and Attorney General’s reputations.

What’s even more troubling in recent weeks is the ongoing loss of Whitehouse staff who have either resigned or been dismissed. As one Political Scientist noted, to date there has never been so much staff turnover and turmoil occurring so early in a first Presidential term.  Way back in February 2016 I published a blog about “Donald Trump and Extreme Narcissism”  (https://froliticks.wordpress.com/2016/02/29/donald-trump-and-extreme-narcissism/).  In it, I noted about extreme narcissists that: “If challenged, they often will bully and disparage those who would dare criticize them.” For the sake of all Americans, I sincerely wish that I had been wrong in my earlier prognosis!

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Nov 20

Sexual Harassment Is Alive But Not So Well In The Corridors of Power

by bcurry

Not since the dismissal in the fall of 2014 of CBC Radio star Jian Ghomeshi for the sexual harassment of several employees has the issue become as explosive as it has in recent weeks. Of course, it all started with allegations of sexual harassment and assault by numerous women against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. Now stories by women and men of sexual harassment are coming out the woodwork involving high profiled men in the political, business and entertainment arena.  The notable use of social media has opened up the flood gates.  Countless women and men have rallied around the Twitter hashtag #metoo to reveal their own experiences with sex abuse, including in the workplace, diminishing the associated stigma.

In Canada, the Ghomeshi scandal helped to spur greater provincial protections that are now in effect through several new laws and policies. The changes beefed up provisions against sex harassment and bullying and gave governments the power to order an employer to conduct an impartial investigation when a complaint is made. Companies have also been forced to review and revamp their own policies to comply and are more aggressive in rooting out the problem of sexual harassment in their workplaces.

To date, the same cannot be said for in the U.S., although the federal and state governments will most likely have to deal with the matter in a more transparent and direct manner. After all, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, up to 85 percent of American women say that they have been sexually harassed at work. However, only a fraction of those cases are reported, partially due to the professional and legal risks for women who come forward. Nevertheless, women’s advocates are now noting that there appears to be a major ‘cultural and societal shift’ in the works.

In Canada, a 2014 survey by the Angus Reid Institute found that 43 percent of Canadian women had been sexually harassed at work. Unfortunately, the same survey found that men were more likely than women to agree that potentially problematic workplace behaviours were acceptable. In addition, a third of men (34 per cent) believed that sexual harassment in the workplace is “overblown” and receives more attention than it should.  It would appear that a real change in our attitudes about harassment still has a ways to go.  Maybe, just maybe, the recent high profile revelations of sexual misconduct in the U.S. may be enough to potentially lead to some real attitudinal changes. The fact is that everyone is responsible here and must work to stop such an obvious abuse of power.  It’s about time!

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May 15

Increased Lack of Ethical Conduct Among North American Corporate Leaders

by bcurry

During the past couple of years, I have been closely following the scandal rocking Volkswagen over its falsifying of pollution emission data for its diesel vehicles. In January of this year, six men were formally charged by the U.S. Department of Justice, accused of defrauding the United States and Volkswagen customers there, of violating the Clean Air Act and of committing wire fraud.  More charges could be in the offing.  European authorities are also considering the prosecution of VW executives with respect to the cover up and organized deception carried out over several years. The VW scandal is just the latest in a growing list of scandals going back to Hollinger, WorldCom, Lehman Brothers and of course Enron at the turn of the century — to name only a few.

When it comes to unethical conduct by corporate leaders, the VW case is only the tip of the ice berg. A recent study by Price Waterhouse Cooper indicated that there has been an increase in Chief Executive Officers (CEO) in the U.S. and Canada leaving their position due to scandal or improper conduct.  Improper conduct by a CEO or other employees is defined as including fraud, bribery, insider trading, environmental disasters and sexual indiscretions. Not only is this a North American concern, as the above study looked at ethical lapses by CEOs of the world’s 2,500 largest companies. They found that the issue is indeed global in extent. Furthermore, bigger companies were found to be more likely to force out a CEO over an ethical lapse.

What does this say about the ethics of leaders in the business world? How best can ethics and professionalism be taught in business schools and within companies? There is obviously a concern given that courses on corporate ethics are now being given in some of our top universities and colleges, something unheard of a decade or two ago.  Indeed, such teachings are even more important given the expanded definition of what comprises unethical or improper conduct.  It’s simply not good enough for companies to have written codes of ethics in place, they also have to be enforced from top to bottom in organizations.  Boards of directors and independent bodies have to be more accountable for ensuring that business is being carried out in a proper and ethical manner.

If the work of the private and public sectors is carried out in an unethical manner, we all suffer as clients and citizens. Indeed, it is incumbent upon our national leaders to lead by example.  They must represent the best of our societal values and act as role models for current and future generations of leaders.  Otherwise, we’re all in serious trouble.  We expect and deserve ethical conduct by our Presidents and Prime Ministers, State Governors and Provincial Premiers and other high level public officials.  They need to set the proper tone for ethical public and corporate leadership in our two countries.

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Jan 20

New Year and Crazy Politics to Look Forward To

by bcurry

Well. A new year has arrived and with it the certainty that politicians in the U.S. and Canada will provide us with plenty of entertainment — no matter how painful. Once again, one is starting off the year with new scandals, thanks largely to Republican Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey and what is now being called “Bridgegate”. Apparently, four days of George Washington Bridge delays in September were allegedly caused on purpose by Governor Christie’s office in order to punish a local Democratic Party mayor. In addition, questions are being raised about how the good Governor had directed some of the federal recovery funds in aid of the victims and extensive damage resulting from Superstorm Sandy. New Jersey Lt.-Gov. Kim Guadagno strongly denied that Christie’s administration had tied Superstorm Sandy recovery funds to support for a prime real estate project in Hoboken. However, Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer ratcheted up her allegation about the funding link and apparently has turned over documents to a federal prosecutor investigating his staff. Remember, Governor Christie was expected to be a strong contender for the Republican presidential nomination for 2015. Maybe not so much anymore?

Here in Canada, Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government is still going to have to deal with a number of Senate spending scandals — some of which are currently under investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). With federal elections coming up in October 2015, it will be very interesting to see just how long it will take for the RCMP to proceed with any potential criminal charges? In the meantime, the current government’s standing in the polls is going down. It appears that Liberal leader Justin Trudeau has been making headway with average Canadian voters, despite his apparent inexperience and having misspoken a number of times. Given the Liberal Party’s position in support of the legalization of marijuana (alias pot, Weed, reaper, Mary Jane, food, ganja, kush), I’d certainly vote for his party! Think of all the revenue one could raise. It may even help some people cope better with what’s going on!

Then we have President Obama telling us how we all need “Big Brother” to oversee your interests, whatever those may be. If the American spy agency is reading this, please note that I love spy movies. As your neighbour, I love Americans and would never walk on your manicured lawns without your permission and for fear of being shot. Carry on Mr. President and please let us know how it all works out in the name of national security.

I can’t wait to see what the coming year has in store for us. More of the same I trust. Meanwhile, keep smiling and enjoy the rollercoaster ride. Happy New Year!!!!!

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May 22

Leadership: It’s Not Only About What You Know, It’s Also About What You Don’t Know

by bcurry

“The buck stops here” is a phrase that was popularized by U.S. President Harry S. Truman, who kept a sign with that phrase on his desk in the Oval Office. Well, in the last few weeks, we’ve learned from President Obama and Prime Minister Harper that the buck appears to stop elsewhere. Sorry, but among the principal attributes of good leadership is setting the tone and establishing the culture for an organization, be it public, private or non-profit. This means that it isn’t always what a leader is aware of but what he or she is not aware of that is important.

In the case of President Barack Obama, it was his apparent lack of awareness of the pending release of the IRS Inspector General’s scathing report criticizing the IRS handling of claims by conservative groups for tax exemption as non-profit “social welfare” organizations. In the case of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, it’s his claims to a lack of knowledge about recent substantial monies gifted to Senator Mike Duffy by his own trusted Chief of Staff, Nigel Wright. Senator Duffy, a Conservative appointee, is involved in the Senate scandal about living and travel expenses, and now sits as an independent in the Senate. The PM apparently denies having any knowledge of what may very well have been a criminal act, and one resulting in the subsequent resignation by Mr. Wright. Now this is a PM who in 2005 vowed to run an accountable and totally transparent government if elected.

In both cases, these national leaders pledged to run ethical and transparent administrations. Thus, like any good leaders, their respective values should be reflected under their administration. In turn, they are accountable to their parties and to the electorate for any and all activities undertaken during their administration. It is not enough to simply deny knowledge of illicit activities and irregularities. Leaders should own up to their general responsibilities for good governance and ensure that those responsible are dealt with under the full force of the law if warranted. Simply making excuses does not cut the mustard!!! Ultimately denying responsibility is not an option, for as President Truman professed: the buck stops at the top.

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