What a Failing Democracy Looks Like

Rachel Gilmore lived in Tunisia just before the fall of their democracy, and has important markers for us to notice: 

"The canary in the coal mine for a failing democracy are society's most vulnerable members. If people who are low income or are members of vulnerable groups are sounding the alarm, you should listen. ... Democracy is not something you have, it's something you do." 

Timothy Snyder explains that what Musk is being sanctioned to do is definitely attempting a coup. It doesn't feel like it because it's all digital instead of physical, but that's the world we live in: 

"The individuals seizing power have no right to it. ... It is all illegal. It is also a coup in its intended effects: to undo democratic practice and violate human rights. ... The possession of that data enable blackmail and further crimes. ... Musk would also make democracy meaningless ... he can make laws meaningless. Which means, in turn, that Congress is meaningless, adn our votes are meaningless, as is our citizenship. ... Each hour this goes unrecognized makes the success of the coup more likely."

Meanwhile, in Ontario, Doug has a huge contract with Musk worth $100 million. He said he'd rip it up, but now it's back on, and he was caught on a hot mic saying about Trump, 

"On election day was I happy this guy won? 100% I was. Then the guy pulled out the knife and fucking yanked it into us."

Andrew Wilkin writes,

"Ford, like Trump, has a similar political economic worldview where policies support easy money, debt forgiveness and socialism for the mega-rich, while the rest of us get neo-liberal austerity. Ford and Trump both favour government deregulation, privatizing public good and not properly funding public education and health-care systems in order to enable their privatization. ... could pose a threat to unionized public education jobs ... emergency rooms are overflowing, private clinics are expanding over public options, and health-care workers are burning out ... has questionable views about the equality of women and uses sexist rhetoric ... scapegoats immigrants ... falsely blamed immigrants for crimes, urban sprawl and dismantling environmental protections ... has questionable sympathies to violent far-right extremists ... willing to use secrecy and heavy-handed government power to stifle democracy and take away average working people's rights. ... Any vote for Ford is probably a vote for Trump-style politics."

If we don't want to follow the states, we HAVE to vote Ford out!! If ever there was a time the Libs and NDP should join forces, this would be it. But clearly that will never happen. Seriously, could you imagine, the day before the election, if one of them said to vote for the other in order to save our province!?! Nah, me either. No miracle on Wellesley Street for us! We ALL have to get out there this time, in the snow. You can vote NOW at you local elections office, or in advanced polls February 20-22 just in case there's a storm on the 27th. This is a vital moment for Ontario. All hand on deck!