FROLITICKS

Satirical commentary on Canadian and American current political issues

Dec 7

Waning Support for Death Penalty Won’t Stop Trump from Proceeding with Executions

by bcurry

The Trump administration is ratcheting up the pace of federal executions prior to his leaving office.  Having resumed executions in 2019 for federal crimes, there have been 13 executions since last July.  His administration resumed putting inmates to death after a 17-year hiatus.  This will cement Trump’s legacy as the most prolific execution president in over 130 years. While President Obama had placed a moratorium on federal executions, he left the door open for future presidents to resume them.  It is reported that Attorney General William Barr defended the extension of executions into the post-election period, saying he’ll likely schedule more before he departs the Justice Department. 

It should be remembered that the U.S. is the only Western industrialized country to continue to have the death penalty.  The death penalty was ‘de facto’ abolished in Canada in 1963 and ‘de jure’ by legislation in 1999.  An Angus Reid survey in 2012 indicated that fifty percent of Canadian respondents said they prefer life imprisonment without the possibility of parole while only 38 percent supported the death penalty.  Interestingly, according to the same survey, 88 percent of respondents who voted Conservative in the 2011 federal election were more likely to regard the death penalty as appropriate — much in line with their Republican counterparts in the U.S.

At last count, President-elect Joe Biden is a death penalty foe, and a spokesman told the American Press that Biden would work to end the death penalty for federal crimes once he is in office next January.  However, this still currently leaves the death penalty as a legal capital punishment in 28 American states.  Last year, those states carried out a combined 22 executions.  However, most states halted executions since the start of the pandemic as a safety measure in prisons. 

Another concern for the federal government and the affected states is the current shortage of the lethal drug used to carry out the sentences, much of it previously imported from Europe.  For this reason, the U.S. Justice Department was forced recently to update protocols to allow for federal executions by firing squad and poison gas, though it’s unclear if those methods might be used in coming weeks.  Some states also have the option of hanging in carrying out their sentences.  All of which are barbaric!  One wonders if they intend to bring back the guillotine, once used by a number of European countries but since abolished with removal of the death penalty?

It will be interesting to see whether the Biden administration will live up to its intention to do away with the death penalty for federal crimes, despite the current Republican-led Senate.  Hopefully, if Biden follows through, states with capital punishment may consider putting an end to their death penalty option and thus becoming part of the more humane and civilized world.  In addition, Canada has seen a number of prisoners who have been found innocent after serving a number of years as a result of life sentences.  As history shows, abolishing the death penalty would also put an end to the tragic execution of persons found innocent after the fact. 

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Dec 4

Although Climate Change Has Taken a Back Seat to the Pandemic, Today It’s Still a Major Issue

by bcurry

The annual cost of catastrophic weather disasters is rising sharply.  Meanwhile, Canada and the U.S. aren’t doing enough to prepare for future disasters.  In the last year we’ve seen severe storms, hurricanes, wildfires and major droughts across North America.  There is little scientific doubt that this is the result of climate change.  According to a recent report by the Canadian Institute for Climate Choices, the costs of weather-related disasters equalled 5 to 6 percent of Canada’s annual economic growth since 2010, compared with an average of about 1 percent prior to that year.  Based largely on data from the Insurance Bureau of Canada, there were $14.5 billion (US$11.2 billion) of direct disaster-related costs from 2010 through 2019.  This is very likely an underestimation, particularly when indirect costs are taken into account.

Unfortunately, the current coronavirus pandemic has to a large extent put the issues surrounding climate change on the back burner for the time being.  Most experts would agree that, even without the pandemic, the bad news is that climate-change adaptation in Canada is far behind where it needs to be.  In addition, Canada still relies heavily on the fossil fuel industry as a major driver of its resource-based economy.  A number of studies have shown that the Canadian banking industry still invests heavily in the fossil fuel industry.  One recent study by the Rainforest Action Network notes that in the 4 1/2 years since the Paris agreement on climate change, fossil-fuel lending has grown at five major Canadian banks.  These banks provided more than $131 billion (Canadian) to oil and gas companies in 2019 alone.  Even the Export Development Canada, an arm’s-length federal agency that helps Canadian industry sell its products abroad, averaged about $10 billion (Canadian) a year in support for fossil fuels exports.

CEOs at Canada’s major banks may well pay lip service to reducing the carbon intensity of their investments and their support for green technologies, but the reality is that they have continued to greatly finance the fossil fuel industry.  Some have even promised to be carbon neutral by 2050, aligning themselves with Paris agreement targets.  However, their financial support significantly assists in investments related to exploration, production, refining, and transportation of fossil fuels — all of which contribute to Canada’s and to global carbon emissions.  Some will argue that it is the sole role of banks to make money and it is their primary responsibility to support the Canadian economy.  But at what cost? 

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Nov 29

Who Among Us Is Ready To Be Vaccinated For COVID-19?

by bcurry

Now that anti-coronavirus vaccines are on the horizon, possibly as early as next month in the U.S., who among us is ready to be vaccinated?  Bioethicists are now jumping into the fray in order to suggest some alternative approaches for early vaccination selection.  According to the Canadian National Advisory Committee on Immunization, it is recommending four initial key groups: those at risk of severe illness and death (such as the elderly or those with pre-existing conditions), essential workers most likely to transmit the disease (such as health-care workers), those at risk who live in communities that could suffer disproportionate consequences (such as isolated Indigenous communities), and other workers providing services that contribute to “the functioning of society.

Up to now, the Canadian federal government, which is responsible for the eventual national distribution of vaccines to the regions, has given little indication as to which groups will receive the first inoculations.  Since the coronavirus has especially been deadly for seniors and particularly those in long-term care residences, it would not be a surprise that their residents and staffs would be at the front of the line.  After that, officials will most probably target health care workers and first responders who are needed to treat persons sick with COVID-19.  Given the current increasing numbers of cases in the U.S. and Canada, there is little doubt that more hospitalizations will occur.  Unfortunately, the arrival of vaccines will not curtail the impending massive increases over the winter period in related death tolls.  Others who are young and for the most part healthy will likely have to wait to be vaccinated.

Then there are those who will not want to be vaccinated for whatever reasons.  It’s impossible for anyone to be forced to take the COVID-19 vaccine once it’s available.  Opinion polls have shown that over one in four Americans are very likely going to not get vaccinated, some of whom are anti-vaccinationists to begin with.  Others will simply take a wait and see approach, not trusting the claims by public health officials that the vaccines are safe with no serious side effects.  Another consideration is that while at least 19 countries already have programs in place that compensate individuals injured by vaccines, Canada does not except for Quebec.  The U.S. has the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program which is a no-fault alternative to the traditional legal system for resolving vaccine injury petitions.  However, individuals must file a petition for compensation with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims if they believe they were injured by a covered vaccine.  Resolving such claims is no doubt a lengthy process with no guarantee of compensation in the end.

Failure to get vaccinated may come with specific consequences.  For example, one can certainly imagine that the authorities and businesses may want proof of vaccination before someone can return to work or go to school.  Furthermore, one’s freedom to travel by air or public transportation may be restricted without proof of immunization.  Until much of the population is adequately vaccinated and so-called “herd immunity” sets in, people are being urgently warned to continue to avoid crowds, wear masks and practice good hygiene in the meantime.  It will be many months until we will have this terrible virus under control, hopefully as a result of the effective implementation of national and regional vaccination programs.  This includes the buy-in of the majority of the population.  As they say, hope rests eternal!

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Nov 25

What Does “De-funding of the Police” Really Suggest and Why?

by bcurry

Here in Canada and the U.S., certain interest groups have called for the de-funding of the police.  In 2020, prompted by several high profile incidents on both sides of the Canadian border, many Canadians took part in protests calling for an end to racial bias and misconduct by police towards Indigenous and racialized people in Canada.  Yet, the issues surrounding systemic racism can be found throughout society, requiring a more holistic approach.  Furthermore, a 2019 Statistics Canada survey found that just over 4 in 10 (41%) Canadians aged 15 and older in the provinces reported having a great deal of confidence in the police, while nearly half (49%) said they had some confidence. Less than 1 in 10 (9%) Canadians reported having low confidence in police—that is, not very much or no confidence at all.

Understandably, those who reported less or no confidence in the police were among distinct groups that included Indigenous peoples, visible minorities, people with mental or cognitive disabilities and bisexual persons (those who self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or otherwise not heterosexual).  Even among these groupings there were differences in the reported level of confidence in the police.  While those who reported having had recent negative interactions with police expressed low confidence in them, the correlation between such negative interactions and their obvious discontent, whether legitimate or not, is hardly surprising.

My initial understanding of the de-funding of the police is that fewer police would be needed if more social services were available to handle cases involving these distinct groups.  The difficulty with the premise is that we are still a society where the rule of law must prevail.  As such, there will always be a need for certain degree of enforcement that will ensure that the majority of citizens feel relatively safe in their communities.  Indeed, the vast majority of policing should be about prevention by ensuring that violators of laws are safely apprehended.  In support of this societal goal, one only has to think of violent crimes, traffic violations, organized criminals, break-ins, terrorism, etc., etc.

Of course, how enforcement is carried out can always be improved.  Many recent community service innovations by police have involved greater liaison with social service agencies, community representatives and health care practitioners.  A first important step has always been to better educate enforcement personnel with respect to their interaction with these distinct groups, in particular persons with mental or cognitive disabilities.  The police are dealing with daily and difficult symptoms of a society lacking in sufficient resources to tackle poverty, inadequate health care, deficient education resources, mental illnesses, systemic racism, etc., etc.  Law enforcement is an inherent and essential part of our society and the majority will clearly oppose the de-funding of the police as promoted by certain distinct groups.  Realistically, this controversial concept is a non-starter — period.

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Nov 21

Americans Must Overcome the Collective Narcissism Promoted by Donald Trump

by bcurry

Back in February 2016, I blogged about Donald Trump displaying behavioural traits associated with an extreme narcissist (https://froliticks.wordpress.com/2016/02/29/donald-trump-and-extreme-narcissism/).  I recently read a very interesting article in the UK’s Independent on “collective narcissism” written by Alan D. Blotcky, a clinical psychologist in Birmingham, Alabama.  Dr. Blotcky noted that collective narcissism refers to the feelings of greatness or supremacy of a group of people organized by race, ethnicity, religion, or some other distinction.  He also noted that the narcissistic connection between Trump and his supporters is a bond that is irrational and incredibly strong.  In this post-election period, it has now become evident that Trump and his supporters are mutually invested in maintaining their collective narcissism at any cost.

The failure of Trump to concede his defeat is a reflection of the narcissistic behaviour prevalent during his entire administration.  Unfortunately, the mass media loved to cover his every uttering, often on Twitter, whether or not they made any sense or had an ounce of truth.  Trump’s supporters followed his every word as if it was gospel and as if he were an occult leader.  There is little doubt, as reflected in the election’s results, that many of his supporters have numerous legitimate grievances and concerns around sociocultural and economic issues.  Unfortunately, as Dr. Blotcky notes, the resulting collective narcissism led some of them to support several unfounded conspiracy theories and various extreme groups whose ideologies include racism, xenophobia, terrorism, or fascism.  The President simply manipulated these grievances to encourage support for his views and the need for gratification as a way to prop up his own narcissism and image.

Dr. Blotcky goes on to give several suggestions as to how to deal with such collective narcissism among Americans in order to reduce the evident divisiveness left behind by President Trump.  One important suggestion is to cut off Trump’s media lifeline that unfortunately had been used effectively to stoke the fears of white Americans and to reinforce their growing collective narcissism.  An extreme narcissist loves the attention, so don’t give him any when he is no longer president.  Instead, concentrate on the words and actions of President Elect Joe Biden, hoping that he can begin the healing process.  Dr. Blotcky advocates: “Unity, inclusiveness and honesty must be our mantra going forward.”  No one should have been surprised that Donald Trump refuses to concede in light of Joe Biden’s victory and that the majority of America voters rejected his policies.  No one should be surprised that his administration is acting vindictively and refuses to assist the incoming administration towards a smooth transition to govern.  These are the continuing actions of an extreme narcissist.  For the sake of the country and democracy, the sooner Donald Trump leaves office, the better off we’ll all be!

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Nov 15

Why Has Tracking of Coronavirus Cases Become Such an Issue?

by bcurry

As the numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases increase in Canada and in the U.S., there has been a greater interest in tracing where the cases originate.  Such data is then used in some cases by governments to introduce accessibility restrictions or simply impose a complete lockdown of businesses and government services.  For months, places like gyms and restaurants have been linked to outbreaks of COVID-19.  One recent study compiled using location data collected by SafeGraph in the U.S. linked more than 80 percent of infections to locations such as full-service restaurants, gyms, hotels, cafés, religious organizations and limited-service restaurants.  What all these locations have in common is of course the fact that they have people congregating in significant numbers, often in close quarters.

However, I have difficulty as to why the emphasis is being placed on tracking which really represents outcomes after cases have been confirmed.  Instead, we may be better off looking at realistic ways of dealing with such gatherings as a preventive measure.  After all, a once of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  Furthermore, there are a lot of assumptions about the use of such tracing methodologies.  Indeed, in Ontario (Canada) authorities admit that where 60 percent of infections occurred is simply unknown.  Unlike some American states, provinces here have instituted a variety of restrictions on locations and gatherings, including lockdowns, since the pandemic became an concern back in the spring.

It doesn’t take an epidemiologist to figure out how people become more vulnerable to COVID-19.  After all, the virus takes the form an aerosol spread by an infected individual(s), asymptomatic or not, in an enclosed area where people can breath in the virus.  Most dangerous locations involve spaces where people cannot adequately physically distance, are not wearing masks or applicable personal protective equipment (PPE) and there is poor ventilation.  At the outset, this was why outbreaks occurred particularly in long term care and retirement homes.  Sufficient precautions, such as PPE, were not taken by long term care residences to protect their staff and their most vulnerable residents from exposure to the virus.

Limiting exposure to potential sources of infection and taking the appropriate precautions just makes common sense.  Unfortunately, there are still people who insist on frequenting such locations without adhering to preventive measures.  The fact that confirmed cases are now rising can be largely contributed to such complacent attitudes.  Maybe when hospitalization numbers overwhelm the health care system and the number of deaths continues to astronomically increase, people will come to realize the consequences of risky attitudes and actions.  Governments will continue to use tracking numbers in order to politically justify restrictions on businesses and services.  However, such measures may be too late for many people.  It appears that the only way to really convince people to act in a safe and healthy manner may be to crack down and issue hefty fines in the case of large private or public gatherings.  Everyone needs to understand that various forms of individual sacrifice are required for the good of their families, communities and society at large.  If one lives in an area where restrictions are slim to nonexistent, I would definitely urge caution about visiting potential COVID-19 hot spots — no matter where the location is.

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Nov 12

President Trump Is Playing The Victim Role Once Again

by bcurry

All through his presidency, Donald Trump has appealed to his supporters that, like them, he is the victim of a corrupt system, whether it be the courts, the media or congress.  He blamed mainstream media for putting out “fake news” about the daily events.  He blamed the House of Representatives and the Special Prosecutor for the impeachment hearings.  He blamed the Federal Bureau of Investigation for failing to investigate the actions of his “political enemies” and Hunter Biden’s business activities in the Ukraine.  He accused top public health officials of overstating the crisis surrounding the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S., including the use of testing so as to inflate the numbers of cases.  Now, he is blaming the electoral system for the outcome of the presidential election, without presenting any proof of voting fraud or mishandling of votes by the states.  There is no doubt that Donald Trump is a victim, but a victim of his own arrogance, hypocrisy and self-importance.

Unfortunately, Trump’s refusal to concede to Joe Biden is designed to promote one more conspiracy theory among his supporters that the election was stolen and he did not “loose”.  Simply launching dozens of lawsuits without any legal grounds is a waste of precious time and resources.  The hypocrisy of it is highlighted by his daughter Ivanka Trump.  In recent statements, Ms. Trump celebrated the fact that the Associated Press projected the state of Alaska for the Republicans and for her father.  At the same time she rejected the same organisation declaring Joe Biden the president-elect, despite Mr. Biden clearly winning the 270 electoral college votes he needs for the White House.

On top of which, you now have key Republicans and administration officials encouraging the President should keep fighting until every “legal” vote is counted.  They include Vice President Mike Pence, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Attorney General William Barr, and Senators David Perdue, Susan Collins, Kelly Loeffler, Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley to name a few.  On the other hand, one has Republicans who have congratulated Joe Biden on his victory such as former President George W. Bush, Senator Mitt Romney and Governors Charlie Baker, Larry Hogan and Phil Scott.

Meanwhile, to date, GOP operatives have filed a string of lawsuits over alleged ballot tampering in battleground states but have had zero legal victories or produced any substantive evidence for their claims.  Sorry, Mr. President, you’re no victim in all of this!  While the nation waits to proceed with the normal political transition and there are record numbers of Americans who continue to die or become hospitalized because of COVID-19, you obliviously keep on playing golf.  This nonsensical situation will only add to what is already a terrible legacy, and is just another symptom of Trumpism.

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Nov 8

President Elect Joe Biden Has Four Tumultuous Years Ahead

by bcurry

There was really no sense blogging during the final week of the presidential campaign and during the past week of vote counting in battlefront states.  Canadians were closely watching these important events unfold just as much as most Americans.  Now that it’s all over, thank God, we can begin to look forward to the arrival of the new administration in January 2021.  However, the issues obviously will be incredibly difficult to deal with following Donald Trump’s four years in office. 

The first and foremost one is the current increasing daily rates of COVID-19 cases in the U.S.  As it stands, with only four percent of the world’s population, the U.S. has accounted for 20 percent of global deaths due to the pandemic.  The U.S. has to date suffered over 235,000 deaths.  As the U.S. moves into the cold months of winter, modelling apparently is forecasting that 100,000 or more Americans will die in the next three months, many in the heartlands of America.  Unfortunately, surveys indicate that a significant number of Americans, as many as two out of five, still believe that the pandemic has been overblown.  As in Canada, people may be becoming complacent after nine months since the virus appeared in North America — a big problem for public health and government officials.

In the States, Trump’s constant attack on the science, his lack of national strategy and his denial of the seriousness of COVID-19 are a major hurtles for the Biden administration to overcome.  Americans are hurting health-wise and economically because of this pandemic and will need more monetary and moral support over the coming months.  Without getting COVID-19 outbreaks under control, hospitals will become overwhelmed and more deaths will surely occur.  Additional economic restrictions will have to be put in place and further economic consequences will occur.  The next administration will have to launch war-like efforts to successfully deal with the pandemic in the short term until an effective and safe vaccine can be developed, manufactured and distributed down the road.  However, there are no guarantees.

While Joe Biden may be looking at other issues, these will most likely have to be put on the back burner for some time.  He will need the support of Republicans across the board: in Congress, the states and even down to the community level.  Hopefully, he will be able to reduce the incredible divisiveness left behind by the Trump administration.  For this reason, Americans will have to be patient and understand that each and every citizen has a role to play in combating this pandemic.  As in Canada, everyone will have to sacrifice in order to manage the situation in the coming months.  As the saying goes: “We’re all in this together.”

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Oct 29

Well, Mr. President, Where Is Your Economic Boom Going Now?

by bcurry

On October 28th, the S&P 500 Index fell 3.5 percent, the biggest drop since June, amid a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, especially in the U.S. Midwest.  There was also a significant drop in European stock values where there have been rising coronavirus infections and even tougher lockdowns.  In addition, American lawmakers failed to agree on an economic aid package before the Nov. 3rd election thereby eliminating any stimulus in the very near future.  The West Texas Intermediate crude sank 5.6 per cent to US$37.36 a barrel because of fears that additional economic restrictions will have a further negative impact on the already hard hit travel industry and daily commuting. 

The timing of this significant downturn could not be at a worst time for Donald Trump, less than a week before the election.  Trump has consistently used the stock markets as an indication of an economic recovery.  The problem is that the markets do not necessarily reflect what’s actually happening on main street.  For one thing, the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics showed that the unemployment rate declined to 7.9 percent in September 2020 from 8.4 percent in the previous month.  However, this was below market expectations of 8.2 percent, as fewer people were looking for jobs.  The labour force dropped by 0.7 million to 160.1 million, with the number of unemployed persons falling only by 1.0 million to 12.6 million and employment rising by just 0.3 million to 147.5 million.  Moreover, the jobless rate remained well above pre-pandemic levels as the recovery from COVID-19 shock showed signs of slowing amid diminishing government stimulus and record spikes in new coronavirus cases.

The President’s campaign has put all his eggs in the one basket, that of the economy.  He continues to downplay the terrible impact of COVID-19 on the economy.  While Trump’s rich friends have benefited from the recent stock market gains, the average American continues to suffer from the loss of business and employment, not to mention the health care costs associated with the coronavirus.  The bottom may be about to fall out of the President’s campaign.  One can only predict that the U.S. has headed into a major recession, one which may be greater than that of the Great Recession and may last longer.  Whoever becomes the next president will have to deal with this economic mess, which can only begin by reducing the COVID-19 case loads and providing an appropriate economic stimulus package.

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Oct 26

Finally, the American Mainstream Media Got It Right

by bcurry

For sometime now, both in the U.S. and Canada there have been serious concerns about where people are getting their local, national and international news.  With the advent of social media and nebulous on-line sources of news, the danger of misinformation and disinformation has risen on a number of occasions.  This has especially been the case during national elections.  The confirmed Russian interference in the last American elections highlighted the ability of certain actors to attempt to insert bias and misinformation into news outlets and social media.

In any democracy, the media plays an important role.  In the past, journalism within mainstream media resources, be it in print, radio or television, was a key, reliable and important source of information for citizens.  There was a code of conduct for journalists to research and verify their sources of information before publishing or broadcasting their findings, hopefully based on facts gathered in their investigations.  I would like to think that, when I read articles in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the National Post and the Financial Post in Canada, etc., etc., the information has been thoroughly vetted to ensure as much accuracy and verifiable facts as possible.

Unfortunately, there are still attempts by some to plant misinformation for political gain.  This appears to have been the case among President Trump’s close advisors inside the White House who believed President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign needed a desperate last ditch rescue mission.  According to the New York Times, this included Arthur Schwartz, a New York public relations man close to Trump’s eldest son, Donald Jr., White House lawyer Eric Herschmann, and former deputy White House counsel Stefan Passantino.  They attempted to concoct a story concerning to Hunter Biden’s work in the Ukraine and the involvement of then Vice-President Joe Biden.  They were hoping that mainstream media would pick up the story and go with it prior to the November election.  However, following further investigative journalism, news outlets such as the Wall Street Journal wouldn’t buy it.  Good for them!

While some unreliable social media sources and right-wing publications love to pursue such stories in an attempt to influence their supporters and possibly some voters, at least the mainstream news media shed light on the President’s attempt to promote “fake news” for political gain.  Trump even tried to raise the unconfirmed collusion story about Hunter and Joe Biden’s involvement in the Ukraine during the final presidential debate.  However, without substantive proof, the attempt was a weak and dishonest one aimed at manipulating public opinion for political gain.  Hopefully, voters will acknowledge Trump’s unfortunate effort to deflect the debate from other important and real issues such as his administration’s absolute failure to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

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