Comments for Relentlessly Progressive Political Economy

Comment on Flanagan’s flop reveals deeper truth about the nature of hypocrisy in Canada by Travis

Travis — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 22:23:22 +0000

Ok maybe my choice of the phrase political correctness clouds the issue (although I think you know what I mean vis a vis modes of discourse. I should also admit to having the heh heh huh moment too. Also I do not think that those that criticized his view that looking at child harm images do not harm children were wrong. Mostly I thought it was an excellent opportunity forgone to point out the extremes of his libertarian ideology. Moreover I thought it a little odd that so many progressives would have jumped on the incarceration as punishment band wagon.

Beyond that I do think that he should be able to say what he said even though I viscously disagree with part of what he said.

Comment on Flanagan’s flop reveals deeper truth about the nature of hypocrisy in Canada by Todd

Todd — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 18:27:47 +0000

I don’t think it was so much “political correctness” (an invention and canard of the Right) as it was 1) the only acceptable way of publically-expressing ones disapproval for the words for liberals and soc-dems, and 2) the paucity of thought on the Canadian Left in general (mostly left-liberal populism).

I indulged in a few snickers at the mental picture of that smug bastard Flanagan swallowing his foot until it could come out his ass to deliver it a good kick, but the shrieking I heard that passes as denouncement and criticism was entirely ridiculous.

Comment on Shorter Waldmann on Yglesias and monteraism by Travis

Travis — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 16:16:56 +0000

I just did not think it was my job to out you as a fellow profaner. I live in Quebec so I can swear as much as I like (in English). The word fuck has become a regular ER verb which can be conjugated as per the regular protocols. For example in the future tense Je fuckerai, tu fuckeras, il / elle / on fuckera, nous fuckerons, vous fuckerez, ils elles fuckeront.

Any equivalent processes of incorporating English profanity into Italian?

Comment on Shorter Waldmann on Yglesias and monteraism by Robert Waldmann

Robert Waldmann — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 12:06:03 +0000

What the fuck do you mean ” It should also be said Mr. Waldmann does not use profanity” you don’t know shit about the profanity I use, cazzo, in two different languages. What kind of stronzo do you think I fucking am damnit.

Comment on Flanagan’s flop reveals deeper truth about the nature of hypocrisy in Canada by Travis

Travis — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 07:12:16 +0000

I think many progressives got sucked into the temptation to flog Flanagan. It was a fairly clear cut opportunity. But then that is the problem with political correctness it ultimately leads to a discourse of denouncement rather than hard honest debate. I guess it is just more pleasing and efficient to destroy the person than the ideas. As with god people seem more comfortable with the devil when it takes human form.

Comment on Flanagan’s flop reveals deeper truth about the nature of hypocrisy in Canada by Alex

Alex — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 23:43:39 +0000

This is an excellent commentary. I was uneasy about the reaction to Flanagan from the start but couldn’t put my finger on precisely where the problem lay. You have articulated my concerns exactly.

More broadly, I can’t help but feel that there was more than a bit of the simplistic and anti-democratic logic of “you’re with us or with the child molestors/terrorists/Communists.” While I strongly disagree with Flanagan along the same lines you do, the unwillingness of other commentators to move beyond appeals to emotion/false dichotomies and actually deconstruct the argument is disappointing. I think many, unfortunately including no few progressives, are afraid of the logical implications of interrogating broader questions about how our society fails to protect children. Alas, it is always easier to point out the crimes of the weak than the crimes of the powerful.

Comment on Quebec election: the faux choix of the first two days by Aida K. Cherry

Aida K. Cherry — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 01:02:59 +0000

Louis Masson, the head of the Quebec Bar Association, says the Bill “clearly limits” the right to freedom of assembly. Constitutional lawyer Julius Grey told CBC News that Bill 78 is a “terrible law” that suspends the freedom to association, express and protest, without sufficient reason. Pauline Marois, leader of the opposition Parti Québécois, said it was “one of the darkest days of Quebec democracy” and demanded Premier Jean Charest hold elections because of the unpopularity of the law.

Comment on Bullshit in absolutes: or how ‘liberal’* economists argue with themselves by doghouseriley

doghouseriley — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 01:01:49 +0000

If trickledown worked we would be in our current situation. 90% of the debt has
been added by you right wing inbread rectums. Your not going to hire anybody
if R man gets in. The businesses of the next century don’t need them. Manufacturing hires millions to produce a product. If anything your lot is out to
ship that kind of labor overseas. The period between 1946 and 1968 was the greatest period of of industrial expansion seen in this country. The closest we’ve
come to is during the Clinton years when upper earners paid a higher but just income tax and the budget was balanced and the economy grew. That pot of money in the surplus, must have given the Republicans an erection that they couldn’t resist. You helped yourselves a lot of other peoples money including
$160,000 of mine. I am greatful to Romney for one thing. His words not mine,
“Don’t worry about loosing money in 2008. Somebodies got it”.

As you can see I understand you very well.

Comment on Bullshit in absolutes: or how ‘liberal’* economists argue with themselves by Colin J Campbell

Colin J Campbell — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 13:02:32 +0000

And isn’t the conclusion to the story that, in the end, even the big capital holders/hoarders lose out? As Keynes said (paraphrasing) I wish there were a Banking conspiracy! If history proves the unbreakable mold of repetition it has been so far, won’t it take a war to finally force big capital to divest? Isn’t this the only way capitalism has found to solve the problem of concentration of idle capital? And don’t the Syrian and Iranian situations tell us that a new grand scale confrontation (actually, the old confrontation in new clothes) is afoot? The cold war ain’t over. I think it is worth while letting all the people ignoring us know what we remember about the course of history, Travis.

Comment on The case for taxing the family garden by Travis

Travis — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 14:20:18 +0000

Yes it is totally crazy, but from the POV of orthodox economic theory, the conclusion is impeccable.