Laurence Thompson @thompsonlg.bsky.social

Leaving muskland for bluer skies

[Laurence Thompson @thompsonlg.bsky.social @Thompson_LG]

Leaving here for bluer skies. Find me at @thompsonlg.bsky.social

[Laurence Thompson @thompsonlg.bsky.social @Thompson_LG]

One last repost:

[Doug Saunders @DougSaunders]

Say what you will about this place, the Grok AI knows its stuff

[Philip Smith 🇨🇦🇺🇦 @PhilSmith26]

Bluesky has reportedly increased its membership by one million or so in the last week, presumably due mostly to the MAGAfication of X owner. https://t.co/NyzvRJMD9L

[Doug Saunders @DougSaunders]

Head-smite. This is the toxic dichotomy between realities and vibes we’ve seen in other countries, with tragic results

[Laurence Thompson @thompsonlg.bsky.social @Thompson_LG]

Premier Houston said in his first campaign he was a Conservative, “but not like those other Conservatives”. He focuses on real issues, avoids constant fed bashing, & partners with the feds to get things done. That seems to have gone over well with both rural & urban voters. 4/4

[Laurence Thompson @thompsonlg.bsky.social @Thompson_LG]

Nova Scotia’s conservative provincial government is headed to an easy win for a 2nd term:. Why?
1. They have set rural healthcare as a top priority.
2. They have an excellent PK-12 education system. 1/

[Polling Canada @CanadianPolling]

(Support my work by subscribing/donating)

Nova Scotia Provincial Polling:

PC: 47% (+9)
NDP: 24% (+3)
LIB: 20% (-17)
GRN: 7% (+5)

MQO Research / Nov 10, 2024 / n=303 / Online

(% Change with 2021 Election)

Check out more NS details on @338Canada at: https://t.co/AC0Dt7GVAn

[Laurence Thompson @thompsonlg.bsky.social @Thompson_LG]

In education, NS has a universal pre-K (age 4) year that gives kids a head start on learning. It is introducing a provincial school lunch program (underway before federal funding, but now taking full advantage of federal support). 3/

[Regina Leader-Post @leaderpost]

Opinion: Saskatchewan can no longer ignore potash royalty reform https://t.co/luT20QkbPr

[Mark Z. Jacobson @mzjacobson]

"The good news" by @billmckibben

"How many people could tell you that, over the course of America’s campaign cycle, we passed the line where humans are installing a gigawatt’s worth—a nuclear power plant’s worth—of solar panels each day?"

https://t.co/bzZry0UWeo @CJR

[Laurence Thompson @thompsonlg.bsky.social @Thompson_LG]

Between my wife & I, 6 uncles & one aunt served in WW2 to defeat fascism. Two lie buried in Europe.
I honour their sacrifices by standing against the same dark forces they fought.

[Liveable Saskatoon @LiveableYXE]

Getting involved in civic elections is an important part of building a healthier, more positive community.

Thanks to Jory for speaking on behalf of LiveableYXE with @GlobalSaskatoon.

Be sure to visit our website at https://t.co/x23WWXWARI to learn more.

[Charlie Angus @CharlieAngusNDP]

On Remembrance Day I remember the huge price paid by people all over the world stop fascism.
At the Canadian cemetery at Ravena young Canadians are buried with their comrades - Muslim, Sikh, Jewish Hitler fighters from Palestine.
We are always stronger when we are together.

[Carole Cadwalladr @carolecadwalla]

Please read this. It's literally been 8 years in the writing.

The first wave of tech disruption of democracy 2016-2024 is over. What starts now is something much, much worse: the age of information chaos.
1/
https://t.co/bsnKnag51p

[Lindsey Simmons @Lynz_Simmons]

For those of y’all in blue states, in case you don’t know—

Red state governors + their state legislatures love to take local control from counties and towns. This is especially true if you’re a more liberal jurisdiction, but they do it even to their red county and town supporters.

In Missouri, they handed over farm land to China, stripped local health departments of their power during COVID-19, stripped KC of its authority to control its police department and hope to do the same in STL, and prohibited counties from protecting its citizens from CAFOs.

Expect this to happen at a federal level. Red states won’t be spared. This is a corporate takeover and anyone who has assets that can create value will be targeted for acquisition.

The Republican Party that spouted the ideals of federalism has long since expired. They’ve already talked about restricting state control of education, healthcare, elections and the environment.

[Laurence Thompson @thompsonlg.bsky.social @Thompson_LG]

So many parallels to politics in Saskatchewan. And at the root, it’s no political contribution limits. In Saskatchewan, it’s Calgary oil money. #skpoli

[Lindsey Simmons @Lynz_Simmons]

Lessons from a Red State:

I understand the entire “find out” narrative. But I think the implied assumption is that people will find out, reconsider their choice, and potentially change because they’ve recognized their choice caused them direct harm in some way.

But, historically, this isn’t want happens.

Many red states have low pay, low funding for schools, loss of hospitals, low healthcare outcomes, poor infrastructure, food deserts, opioid problems, CAFO growth, and are slow to act on remediating environmental hazards.

Missouri is a good analogue for America here. We have our blue strongholds to the east and west. Our northern area is more of a midwestern/rust belt region while southern Missouri will tell you openly that they are southerners who seceded and never rejoined the union.

Even with these regional differences, on policy most of us support common sense, practical solutions—minimum wage increases, stopping right to work, legalizing marijuana, funding public schools, requiring paid sick time and making abortion legal.

So you might wonder, then, why we can’t break out of the right’s stronghold. I’ve written about this extensively, but it’s a combination of right-wing rural radio, the decimation of local newspapers, Rush Limbaugh’s influence on our state, radio stations sold to Russia, voter suppression through the cleaning of rolls and voter ID, a lack of contested elections, efforts by the MoLeg to strip control from local communities, political intimidation and sometimes violence, and term limits.

But there is perhaps no larger reason for our inability to turn back the tide than the dark money and corruption that runs through this state as swiftly as the Mighty MO herself.

In 2008, Missouri eliminated campaign donation limits. Yup. Until a 2016 initiative passed, there were no limits on contributions to state races. We had two huge donors who essentially purchased their politicians. What you will see if you look at control of Missouri between 2008 to 2016 is that by the time 2017 inaugurations rolled around we had only 1 statewide Democrat—who had been appointed and supermajorities in both the MO House and MO Senate.

Though we now have limits, companies still spend millions in Missouri through Super PACs that largely mask their true donors. At first, these efforts were targeted against Democrats, then moderate Republicans—forcing them to either lose, resign or move further right. They’ve also been used to ensure votes that allowed for the purchasing of our farmland by China and in recent years have allowed Missouri dark money handlers to exert their influence outside of the state.

Take a look at the folks who will be considered for Trump appointments—Eric Schmitt, Joshua Hawley, Matt Whitaker, Andrew Bailey, Sam Graves. Many have ties to Missouri—now you know why.

The effect is that despite most people wanting more positive outcomes for their kids’ schools or increased pay and benefits at work that it’s impossible to secure these things through anything but ballot initiative because billionaires and companies control here.

There was a window we could have coalesced across the state but many thought some regions “too red” in which to invest. And now the whole state suffers. This has now happened to the whole of America. Dark money is working to drive out democrats and moderate republicans so that policies championed by just a couple of billionaires can succeed.

1/2

[Bruce Arthur @bruce_arthur]

I am glad @erinotoole wrote this. https://t.co/EwFSSxUeEC

[Laurence Thompson @thompsonlg.bsky.social @Thompson_LG]

@RHCarpentier When did you first find Regina hospital capacity numbers posted?

[Laurence Thompson @thompsonlg.bsky.social @Thompson_LG]

Thanks for this!
Was not aware that Regina #yqr hospital capacity data is now available on line.

[Rene Carpentier @RHCarpentier]

@Thompson_LG https://t.co/1GElIuRtFK

[Laurence Thompson @thompsonlg.bsky.social @Thompson_LG]

@RHCarpentier Yes. I was surprised to see the open capacity Regina #yqr hospitals have, even in Medicine, while Saskatoon has been over capacity for almost all of the past 4+years. A puzzle.