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Showing content with the highest reputation on 07/29/2025 in Posts
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Completely wrong. Trump and protectionism are 100% of the reason. You can't reverse half a century of free trade by shifting into reverse. We're making movies and software now instead of relishing in an imaginary rosy future making toilet paper. Didn't work to retirement bolting wheels on trucks or soldering bits onto motherboards on some assembly line. Those were far from the 'glory days'.3 points
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I asked Grok for the signs of an authoritarian government. Which apply to Canada? Which to the US right now? Suppression of Political Opposition: Opposition parties are banned, harassed, or marginalized. Political rivals are imprisoned, exiled, or silenced through intimidation. Elections, if held, are manipulated to ensure the ruling party’s victory (e.g., voter suppression, ballot stuffing, or media control). Restriction of Free Speech and Press: Censorship of media outlets, including state control or shutdown of independent news organizations. Journalists face harassment, imprisonment, or violence for critical reporting. Internet access may be restricted, with heavy surveillance of online activity. Erosion of Civil Liberties: Limits on freedom of assembly, protest, or association. Use of excessive force by police or military to suppress demonstrations. Widespread surveillance of citizens, often justified as "national security." Centralized Control and Weakened Checks and Balances: Concentration of power in the hands of a single leader or small group. Judiciary and legislative branches are undermined, controlled, or packed with loyalists. Constitutional changes to extend term limits or grant unchecked powers to the leader. Propaganda and State-Controlled Narratives: Government dominates public discourse through state-run media or propaganda campaigns. Alternative viewpoints are discredited as "fake news" or "foreign interference." Cult of personality around the leader, portraying them as infallible or indispensable. Use of Fear and Repression: Secret police or paramilitary groups enforce loyalty and punish dissent. Arbitrary arrests, torture, or disappearances of perceived enemies. Policies stoke fear of external or internal "threats" to justify authoritarian measures. Economic Control and Cronyism: State control over key industries, often benefiting loyalists or elites. Widespread corruption, with resources funneled to regime supporters. Economic policies prioritize regime stability over public welfare. Manipulation of National Identity: Exploitation of nationalism, religion, or cultural identity to unify support and demonize opponents. Marginalization or persecution of minority groups as scapegoats. Historical revisionism to glorify the regime or its leader. Weak Rule of Law: Laws are applied selectively, favoring regime allies while targeting opponents. Legal protections for individuals are ignored or dismantled. Security forces operate with impunity, often above the law. Control Over Education and Culture: Curricula rewritten to align with regime ideology. Cultural institutions (e.g., arts, museums) are co-opted to serve state narratives. Intellectuals and academics face censorship or persecution for challenging the regime.2 points
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Judges cannot block funding, or lack thereof, in a bill. This judge should be removed from office. If she cant follow the law she can't be a judge.2 points
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In BC the NDP has been negatively affecting the forestry and mining sector as well with excessive regulations and preserving old growth forests, etc. This has resulted in the layoff of thousands of workers in various small cities and towns.2 points
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Yes it is. The Charter of Rights & Freedoms: Hate-speech has a very high bar legally. Christians expressing opinions that are pro-life and against gender transition surgery or gay marriage should not be subject to hate speech laws, unless they're threatening violence or something else obviously criminally serious against those groups whose behaviours they oppose. Also, there's MAGA Canadians in Canada. There's no laws outlawing pro-Trump opinions in Canada, nor should there be. This shouldn't be a left or right issue, it's an issue about government censorship and free speech rights and religious rights. I think Trump is a POS but banning some MAGA lover from performing at a public venue is government overreach. They used the public safety excuse (heckler's veto) because they know they can't ban the guy for his speech.2 points
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Absolutely not, for either country who needs each other energy alliance. The US has done a fine job though in reminding the world to diversify trade and investment away from them. Nothing like that happens quickly but America first will be known as America alone at some point down the road.2 points
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You know you're in the wrong when even Trump is telling you to stop the genocide. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/28/trump-acknowledges-real-starvation-in-gaza-and-tells-israel-to-let-in-every-ounce-of-food October 7th was a horrific terrorist attached and completely unjustifiable. But what the IDF is doing to civilians in Gaza is exponentially worse. I have always taken the position that Israel is a bastion of western democracy alone in a most autocratic region that wants them dead. We should protect them. I'm not so sure anymore. Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal that's clinging to power because he knows that if his coalition collapses, he goes to jail. The US should pull military support for Israel as long as it continues to allow the famine in Gaza. This opinion is not anti semitic. It's anti human suffering. The Pro-Palestinian protestors that annoy us in the West, kind of have a point now. Using the holocaust as justification to commit your own genocide is immoral.1 point
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Up until 2007, the Federal Reserve was nothing more than a place banks had to keep cash to cover 10% of their deposits. The other 90% could go out in loans, treasury bonds, etc. It was a mandated 10%. Up until 2007, they got no interest for it. After 2007, the Federal Reserve paid out interest. Now, they are paying about $160B in interest per year of tax payer money. Ted Cruz wants to eliminate that: https://m.economictimes.com/markets/stocks/news/market-stability-threat-cruz-taps-trump-gop-allies-to-push-fed-overhaul/cruzs-controversial-proposal/slideshow/121822358.cms Cruz's controversial proposal Senator Ted Cruz is pushing a plan to end the Federal Reserve’s authority to pay banks interest on reserves. He claims this would save the U.S. government over $1 trillion. Cruz has discussed the idea with Donald Trump and Republican colleagues, emphasizing that half of the interest is paid to foreign banks—something he sees as senseless. (Source: Reuters) ‐--------------‐---------------- Here is the podcast where he talks about it towards the end: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dems-poll-numbers-plummet-plus-how-to-save-%241trill/id1495601614?i=1000719464909 This will save the tax payers $1.6T over 10 years. It will put money back into the economy, instead of sitting in a vault. It will prevent us from funding foreign banks. The end result is a win, win, win for America. Yet, somehow this is contreversial.1 point
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PEI and NL ferries are federal jurisdiction. Ferries in BC are not.1 point
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Why? Just so that Trump can call the carney to the WH, make him stand in the corner for a while, and then cancel it?1 point
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..their predecessors.. Isn't Harper one of those? And just saying we should diversify our trade? Everyone's been saying that since Trump brought out his tariff plan(s).1 point
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So it's not just us and it isn't new... Oct 11, 2020 Nashville,TN. "We had THREE venue changes and so much resistance BUT THE CHURCH WILL NOT BE SILENCED!" Oct 12 2020: Nashville Tennessean "Nashville did not permit the event Nashville officials said Monday morning that organizers did not apply for a permit to host the event and that the Metro Public Health Department is working to investigate what happened." But here's what he's really about: Rolling Stone: July 11, 2022 "Sean Feucht Ministry Inc. ballooned in revenue from $280,000 in 2019 to more than $5.3 million in 2020, ending the year $4 million richer than it started. (The accounting is curious: The ministry claims to have received zero dollars in contributions, despite Feucht avidly soliciting such gifts.) Warren Cole Smith, president of Ministry Watch, says that leveraging a ministry to live the high life, is not just unseemly, it’s potentially illegal. If a guy that makes less than $200,000 a year is buying multiple, million-dollar properties, at a minimum that warrants additional questions.” What’s more curious is that Fuecht, who slaps “donate” buttons on all of his web sites, told the IRS he received zero dollars in contributions in 2020. Yet a review of public Venmo transactions reveals that Fuecht’s ministry received at least 250 donations during a one-week stretch in July 2020." Christians love that graft!1 point
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The number of times I've seen you begin a debate with an accusation of lying is a good start. Your circular performances where you invent dumb strawmen to argue against, then refuse to move on when your opponent refuses adopt your fabrication as their point, leading you to further accusations of lying is my favorite. The "I call out lying when people are lying", or "I point out people are running away when they are running away" is another spectacular example of self-affirming, circular reasoning. This comment would hold more water if you were actually making logical, fact-based arguments, rather than waving your hands around and nattering vaguely about "context" whilst accusing people of bigotry. 🙃1 point
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But making it the norm isn't productive over the long haul IMO. That seems to be all people are doing now... I think it leads to a see-saw effect that generates its own momentum. You might be overthinking the typo... Gota run, see ya1 point
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But on what basis should he have been denied. He had scheduled shows here didnt he. He has performed here before. So why should this be revoked. It seems there was no real standard here other than some people complained. And if that becomes the standard, then why can't anyone get enough people together and get any events they like cancelled? Foreigners aren't guaranteed any right to work in Canada as you say. So, if we got enough butthurt people to complain about some artist from outside of Canada that you might like, can we cancel him? Here is one. Would you have been ok with Ozzy playing in Canada?1 point
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Sadly, you are right about that. But not because expression does not include speech. It is that all the rights in the charter are only guaranteed to 'such reasonable limits'. So we have freedom of speech or any other form of expression to some arbitrary reasonable degree. That is the sad reality of the charter. But once again, which of Canada's draconian speech laws has he violated in any of his performances? How has he gone beyond the bounds of expression allowed in Canada? There are tons of people who have previously espoused all kinds of views who are allowed to come to Canada. What puts this guy beyond the pale? I mean if we are talking about musicians many of them have done more than just espouse so called unacceptable things, but have broken tons of laws.1 point
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That's no excuse for getting it the way they did. Palestinians were accepting of Jews until the border was opened to millions of refugees and Zionists started creating the state of Israel violently.1 point
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LMAO! It's what we paid Ivan C. Rand to do.1 point
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If your political party was made up of medical experts, this might make some sense.1 point
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Agree we need to export more to other countries, which is starting to happen and will continue to in a bigger way. Fact remains though that we're landlocked and our North American infrastructure is integrated for both oil and electricity and dependence on each other.1 point
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So I can't argue that a fine is unjust unless I donate to help pay the fine? Is that really your argument here, herbie? That's an incredibly stupid thing to say. You spend far more time sniveling on here than I do. Am I supposed to believe that with regard to every topic you post on you are somehow providing financial support to the people or parties involved whom you support?1 point
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Mulroney would tell him the same thing, go back when the USA comes to it's senses.1 point
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The feds made it uneconomically for any private entity to try to build a pipeline, and then took it over so they could siphon of billions of dollars in graft for their friends. Build it where? BC says no. Manitoba says no.1 point
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You did no such thing at all. It's amazing, you can't see when somebody replies to you and answers your questions and somehow you magically can see replies you made that werne't even there Are you using some sort of magic secret decoder ring that none of the rest of us have? How many cereal box tops did you save up and send in? LOL! Should i be drinking my ovaltine? And we told you kid, you're pretty much just part of the comic relief around here at this point, we talk about you whenever we feel like, No you didn't and everybody else can see you're making that up. As has already been pointed out I've heard of people like you having imaginary friends, but you can't even pull that off. The best you can do is imaginary posts! ROFLMAO1 point
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Finally something you're qualified to talk about....1 point
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Did you have another fruitful weekend of fighting on the internet with anyone who'd pay attention to you, no-life? As always, things aren't the way you say they are, just because you insist on it really really hard. 🤡1 point
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You want to charge them with mischief? No the awful long-term damage and consequences of this should make the Palestinians realize that they were complete dumb fcuks and Cause them to abandon their ignorant hostility towards Israel and try and find a way to work together to have peace and prosperity I don't think they're smart enough for that and I don't think Israel thinks they're smart enough for that so they're looking at option b, make sure they never ever get to a position where they can threaten Israel again. Palestine and Gaza had a choice. This is what they chose. Let them live with it1 point
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It's too bad that how you gauge sources, content. behavior and information is determined entirely by how much you agree with it, rather than how much it actually makes sense or whether it can be supported by fact. 🫠 The reality is that I do provide sources (and do so regularly) when I need to prove or disprove something. I also finished high school and understand the purpose of citation, which (contrary to you and Fox's understanding) is to quote and support specific claims rather than just dumping a link into the thread and then making up your own version of what it all means. "at least Fox provides sources," is funny shit though. All-day no-life trolling, according to Army Guy, is rationalized and excused because "at least he provides sources". By that criteria, here you go, this is your life on this board: https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/confirmation-bias Selective exposure, which refers to the filtering of information. Meaning that the individual avoids all challenging or contradictory information. Trolling is fine, if at least you provide "sources", right?!?1 point
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VIA: "Think Freedom" on X No matter how you feel about the TRUCKER CONVOY — Tamara Lich’s treatment should concern every Canadian. You may disagree with the convoy. You may rightly recognize that some individuals involved held extreme or distasteful views. You might not like Tamara Lich. And yes, she has been charged—but not convicted—of counselling mischief. That distinction matters. But you should still be asking whether Tamara Lich has been treated fairly by Canada’s justice system. Why does it feel like the process itself has become the punishment? Here’s what we know: Tamara Lich was arrested in 2022 for counselling mischief — a non-violent charge. She spent weeks in jail, was denied bail multiple times, and has been under house arrest for over 3.5 years. Her trial is still ongoing. She has no prior criminal record and is not a flight risk. For what? A non-violent charge: counselling mischief. People who’ve known Lich personally describe her not as a political mastermind, but as a passionate, ordinary Canadian—Metis, five-foot-one, a mother, deeply concerned about the country's direction. Perhaps politically naïve, but sincere. And this is what should worry all Canadians—left, right, or otherwise. If you believe in freedom of expression, if you believe protests should be judged fairly regardless of their politics, and if you think the justice system should be impartial—not influenced by ideology or pressure—then you should be paying attention. People charged with far more serious violent crimes are routinely granted bail. Yet here we are: a woman with no criminal record, who didn’t own a truck or honk a horn, has become entangled in a multi-year legal battle that many say appears politically charged. At the height of the convoy, Tamara Lich started a GoFundMe campaign that raised over $10 million before it was frozen. Regardless of your views on the convoy, this kind of grassroots fundraising caught the nation's attention—and likely the government. The funds were later restrained by court order and remain largely frozen due to an ongoing civil class action lawsuit. Supporters argue that Lich’s “real crime” was becoming a powerful symbol—a viral figure representing a sentiment many Canadians, particularly in the West, felt but didn’t see reflected in Ottawa. When the process becomes the punishment, precedent is set. No matter your politics, if your voice ever becomes “too loud” or “too inconvenient,” could this happen to you?1 point
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That makes YOU an ALIEN ENEMY for all the crimes by Trump which YOU SUPPORTED. 🤮1 point
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So switch to MAGAt option #2. Deny, deny, deny. Claim that him attending to his own private while on the public dime is NOT a conflict of interest. Claim the dictionary definition is wrong. So your photo in there beside "sycophant" now means you;ve grown tires of elephants, does it?1 point
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See what I meant about twists instead of folds in the brain matter? Who the f*ck was talking about pensions and what does that subject even have to do with conflicts of interest? UNABLE to discuss any issue whatsoever, deflect,. distract, gaslight.....1 point
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The low IQ residents of the USA see their own President enriching himself at their own expense and attack those pointing out what is happening in front of their eyes. The entire concept of 'conflict of interest' in incomprehensible to brain matter that consist of twists rather than folds. As it is clear this forum is infested with bots, russian trolls, merely malcontent contrarians, those who will die to defend the wealthiest's tight to become wealthier (knowing full well it's not themselves as their too lazy to even comprehend how to) and have never darkened the doorway of a library, there is never any actual discussion of issues. Google conflict of interest, think about it for at least 30 seconds and reply to that rather than how people or countries or 'the left' is stoopid because they can form rational opinions and you can't.1 point
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I suggest you go join a church group instead of silencing them and get to know your neighbors, because your local community is going to be the one to help you in your old age. Isolating yourself from me won’t help.1 point
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Except those weren't "opinions". You can't dispute a single thing I said there, because they're objectively true. 🤡👍1 point
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Why should they be arrested though? Conservatives like myself, we want to maximize freedom of choice.1 point
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So now he's resigned. We can start all the grumbling and whining all over again from square one.1 point
