CheckMate is a weekly newsletter fromRMIT FactLabrecapping the latest in the world of fact checking and misinformation. It draws on the work of FactLab's researchers and journalists, including itsCrossCheckunit, and of its sister organisation,RMIT ABC Fact Check.

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This week, we tackle a claim by United Australia Party national director Craig Kelly that the national medicines regulator has finally come around to the drug ivermectin.

We also round up the key claims from Tuesday's federal budget, and look at how social media users reckon Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews's digital driverslicence plan is a car wreck.

News from Australia's medicines regulator has sparked a flurry of social media activity after it announced it would lift an almost two-year ban on the "off-label" use of the drug ivermectin.

The antiparasitic drug has long been a favourite for treating COVID-19 among conspiracy groups, anti-vaxxers and others, despite a lack of evidence in support of its effectiveness against the disease.

In 2021, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) announced that most doctorscould no longer prescribe ivermectinfor anything other than the treatment of TGA-approved conditions, citing concerns that people were taking the drug in lieu of vaccination against COVID-19 and in higher doses than recommended.

It also pointed to "national and local shortages for those who need the medicine for scabies and parasite infections", which it blamed on a rise in "prescribing and dispensing for unapproved uses" during the pandemic.

On Twitter, the ban's demise was met with enthusiasm by United Australia Party national director Craig Kelly, who in February 2021 resigned from the Liberal Partyin order to advocatefor unproven COVID-19 treatments, among themivermectinandhydroxychloroquine.

"IT'S OVER: THE TGA HAVE SURRENDERED ON IVERMECTIN,"he wrote in a tweetthat called for "war crime trials and reparations".

"For as I repeatedly said, the TGA couldn't hold out forever, as their senior management were risking being personally sued for malfeasance given the tsunami of evidence rolling in, showing that ivermectin is highly effective against COVID."

Mr Kelly linked the announcement toanother tweet from the previous day in which he declared that a new study showed the drug had "won" before claiming that "thousands of Australians died unnecessarily from COVID because the TGA denied them access to this life saving ivermectin".

So, what did the TGA actually say?

According to itsannouncement, the TGA decided to drop its ban because of "sufficient evidence that the safety risks to individuals and public health is low when [ivermectin is] prescribed by a general practitioner in the current health climate".

That evidence includes higher rates of vaccination or hybrid immunity against COVID-19, "awareness of medical practitioners about the risks and benefits of ivermectin, and the low potential for any shortages of ivermectin for its approved uses".

In the TGA'sfinal decision, which lays out the regulator's reasoning in more detail, its reviewer explained:

"There is now an overwhelming weight of evidence against the use of ivermectin in patients either as a prophylaxis or as a treatment of patients with COVID-19 with no benefit in large clinical studies."

This, they said, meant doctors were now well informed of ivermectin's risks to patients and its "lack of efficacy" in treating or preventing COVID-19, allowing practitioners to "exercise sound judgement" when considering such off-label use.

The regulator's announcement explicitly states that "the TGA does not endorse off-label prescribing of ivermectin for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19".

It also points to advice from the National Clinical Evidence Taskforce, an Australian group of independent clinical experts, which, havingreviewed 17 randomised controlled trials, "strongly advises against the use of ivermectin for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19".

Thelast timethis newsletter looked at ivermectin's effectiveness against COVID-19, ameta-analysisof 11 randomised controlled trials bythe Cochrane Collaboration(a highly regarded scientific research network) had found the drug appeared to offer "no beneficial effect" to people with mild or no symptoms.

For those with more severe symptoms, the reviewers said there was "low certainty evidence" it did not help patients to get better, whereasthey were "uncertain whether ivermectin prevents death or clinical worsening".

CheckMate has not reviewed the "large randomised double-blind, placebo controlled study" (into ivermectin and COVID-19 prevention) referred to by Mr Kelly in his earlier tweet, as this hasnot yet been peer reviewed.

Notably, this isnot the first timea member of Mr Kelly's party has misrepresented the lifting of a drug ban.

In 2022, UAP chairman Clive Palmer used a speech to claim that Queensland's chief health officer had lifted a ban on hydroxychloroquine in response to data showing its effectiveness against COVID-19, when in fact it was due to the easing of "supply concerns".

An announcement from Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews that drivers in the state will soon be able to obtain a digital drivers licence has been met online with conspiracy theories invoking misunderstood urban planning concepts and accusations of covert government tracking.

Taking to social media on Monday morning, the premier announced that the new licences would be rolled out to residents of Ballarat under a pilot programbefore becoming available statewide in 2024.

"Full licence holders will be able to use it as a digital licence, as well as proof of age in venues," Mr Andrews announced onTwitter,FacebookandInstagram.

Similar digital licences have been available in South Australiasince 2017and across NSWsince 2019, and are also set to be rolled out in Queenslandthis year.

According to apress releasedetailing the Victorian government's plans, drivers will be able to opt in to digital licences, which will be accessible via the Services Victoria or VicRoads apps.

"Drivers will still have the option to use their physical licence," the release states.

But while many people responded positively to the announcement (or, in some cases, suggested the move was well overdue), others were quick to claim the premier had sinister intentions.

"Let me guess," one Twitter user wrote, "[the digital licences] will be linked to a social credit score and other metrics, and eventually be required for access to certain roads and facilities?"

Another tweeter suggested the move was "yet another step towards 15-minute cities", a sentiment which was shared on Facebook by a user who stated: "Phones should be phones not government tracking and scanning devises [sic]!!! Start of smart city agenda!!!"

Others said the move would bring with it security risks, with one sarcastic tweet reading: "Let's hold all the identities of Australian citizens in one central location, brilliant idea!"

None of those claims, however, appears to be based in fact.

When it comes to "social credit scores", RMIT FactLab haspreviously foundthat no such system exists in Australia, nor is there any evidence to suggest the digital licences would be used to limit people's movement.

As for "Smart Cities" and "15-minute cities" (which are different concepts), conspiracy theorists often use the terms interchangeably to allege governments are planning to exert excessive control over citizens with the help of increased surveillance.

In reality, the 15-minute city isan urban planning conceptin which amenities for example, schools, shops, parks and healthcare are within a 15-minute walk for residents.

Unsurprisingly, given that 15-minute cities are aimed at reducing car-reliance, there's no evidence that digital drivers licences have anything to do with the concept.

Smart Cities, on the other hand, isa broad termfor the technology used in cities and towns for a number of purposes, from checking for vacant car parks to providing free public Wi-Fi.

While digital licences fit this mould, there is nothing to suggest the new form of identification will result in increased surveillance.

Meanwhile, despite it not being unreasonable for social media users to raise concerns about data storage and safety, some appear to have forgotten that drivers licence data isalready collected and storedby the Victorian government's Department of Transport and Planning, as well asby the federal government.

In any case, as with other states that have already rolled out the technology, digital licences in Victoria will not be mandatory.

As Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down Tuesday night's federal budget against a backdrop of rising living costs, RMIT ABC Fact Check ran the rule overthe key claims made during his speech.

So, how did they stack up?

First up were wages, which Mr Chalmers claimed were "now growing at their fastest rate since 2012".

Certainly, the figures bear this out for nominal wages, with a 4 per cent rise forecast for next year. However, those for real wages that is, after adjusting for inflation paint a less rosy picture.

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Following a 2.25 per cent fall this year, real wages are tipped to grow by 0.75 per cent in the year to June 2024, which is not so different to growth recorded under the Coalition (in 2015, 2016 and 2019).

Next, Mr Chalmers said he was "proud" that 339,000 jobs had been created since Labor was elected which, while correct, doesn't necessarily mean his government is responsible for actually creating them.

As one expertpreviously told Fact Check, it was "bordering on laughable" for governments to take credit for jobs creation, "but the reason it's not laughable is that they say it all the time and everyone accepts it and it really doesn't raise any eyebrows".

Meanwhile, Mr Chalmers' claim that unemployment was at "historic lows" was also broadly correct, Fact Check found, explaining that while official unemployment was lower in the 1960s and 1970s, it was now at its lowest level since the ABS began publishing monthly labour force figures in 1978, almost half a century ago.

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Among the government's budget announcements was a 15 per cent boost to the Commonwealth Rent Assistance rate, which the treasurer claimed amounted to "the largest increase in more than 30 years".

Indeed, social services data dating back to 1990 shows that this payment has been increased above inflation only three times in as many decades, and never by as much as 15 per cent (the next largest rise, in 2000, equalled 5 per cent).

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When it came to recipients of the single parentingpayment who are set to benefit from broader eligibility criteria that will allow them to claim payments for longer Mr Chalmers was correct in saying that "over 90 per cent of these parents are single mums".

The latest figures show that, of the payment's 230,520 recipients, some 96 per cent (220,175) were women.

The Treasurer was on less solid ground in the lead-up to budget night, however, when he claimed that the Albanese government had inherited a trillion dollars of "Liberal debt", of which only a "tiny fraction" could be blamed on his Labor predecessors.

Fact Checkfound that claim to be "spin", explaining that while most of the debt Labor inherited was accrued during the Coalition's term, a sizeable chunk was racked up by the previous Labor government, whose share amounted to either 25 per cent or 31 per cent of the total (depending on the measure used).

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Edited by Ellen McCutchanand David Campbell

Got a fact that needs checking? Tweet us@ABCFactCheckor send us an email atfactcheck@rmit.edu.au

See more here:

Former Liberal MP Craig Kelly claims the TGA has 'surrendered' on ivermectin. Is that correct? - ABC News

Ottawa, ON Kelly McCauley, Conservative Shadow Minister for the Treasury Board Secretariat, and Pierre Paul-Hus, Qubec Political Lieutenant, responded to the report entitled Exploring The Culture Of Whistleblowing And The Fear Of Reprisal In The Federal Public Sector released by the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner:

These findings show a disturbing trend in the public service that has only been made worse by Liberal inaction. Canadians rely on whistleblowers to expose corruption, mismanagement, and waste in government. Yet Justin Trudeau has consistently ignored the advice of experts to improve Canadas whistleblower laws.

The Public Sector Integrity Commissioner has found that public servants are more pessimistic, cynical, and jaded than ever when it comes to reporting wrongdoing. This should not come as a surprise given the Prime Ministers history of condemning and prosecuting anyone who stands in his way. Just ask Jody Wilson-Raybould or Vice Admiral Mark Norman. As the Commissioner noted, nearly all participants in his study said that fear of reprisals for anyone reporting wrongdoing is a real concern.

This new Liberal culture of corruption, much like the old Liberal culture of corruption from the Chretien-Martin era, is evidenced by the CRA giving backroom deals to major corporations, the withholding of evidence to the Nova Scotia Mass Casualty Commission, and of course, the SNC-Lavalin scandal.

Five years ago Conservatives laid out a simple, zero cost plan to improve Canadas whistle blowing laws through the Government Operations committee. And for five years, the Liberals completely ignored our sensible recommendations. Canadians are starting to learn why: one thing Liberal politicians fear the most is a public servant with integrity who is willing to expose their corruption.

Go here to see the original:

Liberal Government harbouring a culture of fear and corruption in the public service - Conservative Party of Canada

WASHINGTON

Politicians have been using migrants as props for decades. Republicans visit the Southwest border and declare that immigration is out of control. During the Trump administration, Democrats made their way to detention centers to decry the treatment of children locked in cages.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas took the tactic to a new level Thursday, busing about 100 people including many who said they were fleeing violence or poverty to Vice President Kamala Harris doorstep. Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis sent a separate group of migrants to Marthas Vineyard, a playground for wealthy liberals, on Wednesday evening.

The two buses Abbott sent to Washington arrived outside the Naval Observatory just after sunrise. Reporters were on the scene before the humanitarian group that has been leading resettling efforts here since April, when Abbott and Arizonas Republican governor, Doug Ducey, started sending thousands of migrants to Washington and other liberal cities.

Amy Fischer, an organizer with the Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid Network, said she and other volunteers found out about the newest arrivals on Twitter. Her group is most often mobilized to help buses that arrive early in the morning or late at night at Union Station, the train and bus hub thats just a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol.

The migrants were welcomed and soon taken by Uber, Lyft and private volunteer cars to a church that the group has been using to help people bathe, eat and figure out where they plan to settle, whether in Washington or elsewhere. Fischer said her group has helped about 6,200 people so far.

This whole project is a racist publicity stunt that doesnt uphold the agency and human rights of those who are arriving to seek safety, Fischer said.

But it is forcing some Democratic leaders to adjust policy in order to process the unexpected arrivals. Washingtons Democratic mayor, Muriel Bowser, declared an emergency last week to free up $10 million in funds after the Pentagon rejected her requests for help from the National Guard.

We have a system that is failing those that are arriving to seek safety, Fischer added. And instead of states and localities and the federal government and Congress addressing the real needs, its turned into a game of political football.

President Biden asked Harris last year to address the root causes of migration from Central America. Republicans have referred to her as the Biden administrations border czar a title she has resisted and conservatives have pilloried her all week for declaring in an NBC News interview over the weekend that the border is secure.

Those remarks triggered Abbott to send the buses to Harriss home, he tweeted Thursday.

VP Harris claims our border is secure & denies the crisis, Abbott wrote. Were sending migrants to her backyard to call on the Biden Administration to do its job & secure the border.

Border agents recorded 1.9 million encounters with migrants between October 2021 and the end of July, an all-time high. This number doesnt represent individual migrants because many migrants try to cross the border and are apprehended multiple times.

The issue did not come up during a speech Harris delivered later in the morning at the White House event aimed at combating hate-filled violence and her office did not respond to emailed questions.

Gov. Gavin Newsom called for the Justice Department to investigate DeSantis actions, citing reports that migrants said they were recruited based on false representations that they would be taken to Boston and given expedited access to work authorization.

The fact that Fox News and not the Department of Homeland Security, the city or local NGOs were alerted about a plan to leave migrants, including children, on the side of a busy D.C. street makes clear that this is just a cruel, premeditated political stunt, said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

More here:

GOP governors bused migrants to liberal cities. Texas sent them to the vice president's home - Los Angeles Times

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The dust up on Parliament Hill between Pierre Poilievre and a member of the press gallery sure doesnt look good.

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It is an incident that plays right into Poilievres narrative that the media are biased and out to get him, which, to be fair, many of them are but not all and not the reporter in question.

From our newsroom to your inbox at noon, the latest headlines, stories, opinion and photos from the Toronto Sun.

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Let me be up front, the incident looked horrible on the reporter in question, David Akin of Global, but this isnt a case of media bias it was really bad judgment by Akin.

Ive known Akin for more than 15 years as a fellow journalist and worked with him in launching Sun News Network where he hosted a show and was the Parliamentary Bureau Chief for the network and Sun papers. Hes one of a handful of reporters on the Hill, along with people like Bob Fife at the Globe or Stephanie Levitz at the Star, who I think of as a straight shooter.

He famously broke the story on Trudeau taking the vacation to the Aga Khans island.

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With his outburst on Tuesday though, Akin was over the top. He wouldnt even let Poilievre deliver his statement before he started yelling at him. Outside of partisans, who already dont like Poilievre, most people watching the exchange would think Akin didnt look good.

And that includes Akin himself, who apologized later that day saying many viewers and readers said he was rude.

I agree. Im sorry for that. We all want politicians to answer questions but there are better ways of making that point, Akin posted to Twitter.

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Another angle of Global News reporter David Akin heckling Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, which Poilievre responded calling Akin a "Liberal Heckler". Akin has since posted an apology for his behavior. pic.twitter.com/r5jwp1hAmk

Battles between the Parliamentary Press Gallery over access to politicians and the ability to ask questions have been going on for years. I was there for the boycott and walkout on one of Stephen Harpers news conference way back in 2006 or so.

The problem is that as a group, the issue of access really only becomes an issue when it is Conservatives in power. I cant tell you how many useless process stories Ive seen about how Harper would only take five questions or would limit the amount of time he would spend.

You know who else does that without all the stories painting him out to be a bad man afraid of the media and democracy? Justin Trudeau.

Yet it is only an issue, only becomes a major story, if the Conservatives have limits.

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Thats one of the many ways the gallery shows their bias, that and believing their job is to hold the opposition rather than the government to account. My caution to those complaining about media bias though is that its not everyone and it doesnt happen for the reasons you think.

There are many good reporters in every newsroom in Ottawa, yes, even CBC. People also need to know that any bias, real or perceived, isnt due to the media bailout fund, which newspapers get but TV networks dont, its simply because most journalists consciously or unconsciously agree with Liberal policies and are skeptical of Conservatives.

There is no grand scheme or plot, its just the way they are, and until that changes it will give Poilievre plenty of ammunition to claim hes being picked on.

My advice to the journalists on the Hill is to be fair to the new Conservative leader, treat him the same as youd treat Trudeau. My advice to Poilievre is to realize he shouldnt campaign against the entire gallery, he or his team will need them at some point.

My prediction is both sides will ignore me and were going to see a very hostile relationship due to the actions of both sides in the coming years.

blilley@postmedia.com

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LILLEY: There is a Liberal media bias on the Hill but David Akin isn't the problem - Toronto Sun

Francis Fukuyama tries to understand the criticism liberalism faces, and identifies solutions

Francis Fukuyama tries to understand the criticism liberalism faces, and identifies solutions

There is no such thing as society, Margaret Thatcher, the late British Prime Minister once said, highlighting what she thought of the responsibility of the individual. Thatchers idea of maximum individual and minimum state was the centrepiece of her economic philosophy. Her administration privatised public industries, deregulated the financial sector and dismantled the welfare state, unleashing a new era of free market policies. Across the Atlantic, President Ronald Reagan of the U.S. did the same. What was then called Reaganomics and Thatcherism, which came to be known as neoliberalism, spread across the world as a leading economic philosophy of the ruling classes in both liberal and authoritarian states. But neoliberal economic policies also heightened inequality, which created social tensions that eventually led to the rise of far-right leaders and parties on one side and radical identitarian groups on the other, which is now threatening liberalism itself. This is the context of Francis Fukuyamas latest book, Liberalism and its Discontents.

Fukuyama is a western political philosopher who doesnt need an introduction to a global audience. He shot to fame with his 1989 essay, The End of History, written a few months before the collapse of the Berlin Wall, in which he argued that humankinds end (objective or target) is liberalism. But his recent books, Identity(2008) and Liberalism, are an acknowledgement that the political situation today is demonstrably different from 1992 when he updated the essay into the book, The End of History and the Last Man. While he still believes that liberalism is the end of history, the liberal theory he embraces is no longer triumphant and the road is long and bumpy. Hence the title: Liberalism and its Discontents.

It is an earnest attempt by a die-hard liberal to understand the criticism the theory faces and identify solutions. For Fukuyama, the fundamental tenets of liberalism personal autonomy, individual rights, equality and property ownership are sacrosanct. The problem contemporary liberalism faces is that it was taken to the extremes by both the right and the left in the context of grotesque inequalities triggered by neoliberal experiments. In the book, Fukuyama emerges as a liberal democrat who believes in the role of state (without the state, liberal principles cannot be implemented), regulated markets and limited welfarism (individuals need to be protected from adverse circumstances beyond their control).

He also challenges some of the historical criticism of liberal theory. Fukuyama argues that Abraham Lincoln based his fight for the abolition of slavery on the Declaration of Independence which says All men are created equal. He calls into question the argument that it was colonialism that made the West rich, citing the examples of the modernisation of East and Southeast Asian economies in the last quarter of the 20th century. For him, communist China saw its best economic performance when it flirted with liberalism.

But the problem with Fukuyamas narrative is that it treats classical liberalism as a pristine theory thats dissociated from the violence committed by its practitioners. That allows Fukuyama, who argues theres no alternative, to continue to believe in the moral superiority of liberalism without any qualms, like the bland fanatics of western civilisation, as Reinhold Niebuhr wrote in 1957. When the Declaration of Independence, one of the foundational documents of liberalism, was announced, the U.S. was a slaveholding country and it continued to be so for decades. Even after the Declaration of the Rights of the Man and of the Citizen of 1789, France continued its racist policies at home and abroad for decades. European colonialism is today largely seen as a racist, violent project, unleashed by the same liberals who believed in individual autonomy, equality and consumer rights.

Colonialism didnt come to an end because the colonial masters one day decided to respect liberal principles it was brought to an end by decades-long anti-colonial, nationalist movements which often met with violent reaction from their overlords. This violent project didnt come to an end with the collapse of colonialism. Liberal internationalists in the West, commanding over the worlds most dangerous militaries, started invading countries in the East to export democracy and liberal values, and thereby shattering societies and dismantling states, spawning anarchy and violence. The list is endless, from the Irish famine of 1845 to the Iraq war of 2003.

For Fukuyama, neoliberalism is an aberration that could be fixed with state intervention. But minimum state and the autonomy of big industries were part of classical liberalism as well. Before the birth of the regulatory state, as Fukuyama writes, financial and industrial giants had enormous influence over state policies. Neoliberalism is actually a return to this original principle thats based on maximum individual. Fukuyama gives the example of post-war European welfarism to argue that liberal democracies could build an equity-based development model. But he has overlooked two underlying factors the tragedy of the Great Depression that strengthened the call for a stronger state and the threat of communism and working class revolutions. When he writes about the economic development of Southeast Asian nations, Fukuyama conveniently sidesteps the fact that these countries have historically had stronger state control over societies and economies, which manifested in their response to the COVID-19 crisis, in contrast to that of the Wests. Even in the case of China, the real question is whether China flirted with liberalism or liberalism flirted with China?

Liberalism as a political theory, a governance model (liberal democracy) and an economic philosophy (private property ownership) have played a critical role in human progress. But its not an ideological hegemon and like other theories, it also has a very violent history. Many liberal theorists, driven by what Pankaj Mishra calls a fanatical conviction of moral superiority, do not see this historical context and the problematic praxis of liberalism. Fukuyama is not an exception.

Liberalism and its Discontents; Francis Fukuyama, Profile Books, 499.

stanly.johny@thehindu.co.in

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Review of Francis Fukuyamas Liberalism and its Discontents: Crisis of liberal democracy - The Hindu

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"Fox & Friends Weekend" co-host Will Cain explained on "The Faulkner Focus" Thursday that Democrats need to live with the policies they advocate for, especially when it comes to illegal immigration.

VP HARRIS BORDER COMMENTS REVEAL MASS AMNESTY REMAINS TOP ADMINISTRATION PRIORITY

WILL CAIN: It's necessary, and I think it's genius. I think everybody should have to live under the policies they advocate. And in this case, what we should do and what governors across the nation, including Governor Greg Abbott of Texas and Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida, are doing is making sanctuary cities live under the policies they advocate. Actually, it's more benign than that, they're actually just accepting an invitation. These cities have invited illegal immigrants to come and take advantage of their sanctuary. Why are they then upset that somebody has accepted their invitation?

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Will Cain: It's time for liberal sanctuary cities to live under the policies they support - Fox News

As Franois Legault made his way around the room at a pizza restaurant in Laval, smiling and shaking hands, he stopped and delivered a message to four men eating lunch at a table.

"It's about time for a change in Laval," said the leader of the Coalition Avenir Qubec during thecampaign event in the city's Mille-les riding on Monday. "We have to change the colours."

On its way to what it hopes will be a resounding majority victory for a second mandate, the CAQ is looking to flip the province's third largest city from Liberal red to CAQ blue.

In 2018, the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) won five out of six seats in Laval, with only one seat going to the CAQ.

This year, however, nearly all of the candidates who wonunder the Liberal banner four years ago are gone. That includes Francine Charbonneau, who has represented the Mille-les riding since 2008.

The CAQ hopes Julie Side, a longtime party member, can break through in that riding.

"This year, I am convinced that it's the right one. It's the right year for Julie, and she's coming to Quebec City," Legault told the small crowd at the restaurant while standing next to Side, who finished a distant second to a Liberal in the Bourassa-Sauvriding in the northern part of Montreal in 2018.

In addition toCharbonneau, outgoing Liberal MNAsJean Rousselle andMonique Sauvhave alsoquit politics. Thesame goes for Guy Ouellette, who representedthe Chomedey ridingand was booted out of caucus shortly after the 2018 election.

In mostof the five Laval ridings the Liberals won in the last election, the CAQ finished second and not by much.

"Those ridings in 2018 were won by very close margins," said Philippe J. Fournier, a pundit and poll analyst behind the 338Canada poll aggregator.

"If you apply the current polling, especially among francophones, unless there's a micro-local target thing that we missed in the polling, the Liberals will be swept out of Laval except Chomedey."

Saul Polo, who was twice elected in the Laval-des-Rapides riding, isn't fazed by what the punditssay.

"In the past two general elections, all the odds were always against myself and this time it's no different," Polo said during a campaign event in Laval last Sunday.

"We feel comfortable in this situation."

Earlier in the campaign, Quebec Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade said the party was playing offence, not defence, when it came to the ridings in Laval.

"It's about more than preserving seats in Laval, it's about getting Sainte-Rose," Anglade said referring to the lone riding the CAQmanaged to win last time.

The mayor of Laval, Stphane Boyer, has noticed the increased focus on his city from party leaders, and he's all for it, believing it could lead to more commitments from future governments.

"I'm happy there's a tough battle in Laval," he said. "Historically, in Laval, there's been a lot of under-investment in different fields, whether it's culture, transit or others."

Despite the CAQ's dominant election victory in 2018, it has yet to make a major dent in Montreal.

Going into this election campaign, the party only held two ridingsin the city: Camille-Laurin (formerly known as Bourget) and Pointe-aux-Trembles both on the east end of the island.

That could change come Oct. 3, according to Fournier. He says the east end ridingof AnjouLouis-Riel and the Maurice-Richard riding, whichincludes part of the city's Ahuntsic neighbourhood are in play.

In 2018, as in Laval, both those ridings elected Liberal MNAs who are not running this time around.

"Basically, you look at the data of francophones per riding and everywhereyou have over 60 per cent francophones, the Liberals are in trouble," said Fournier.

Jonathan Marleau, the Liberal candidate for Maurice-Richard, saidhe believes the party's door-to-door efforts are paying off and he brushedoff talk of a CAQ takeover.

He also saidLegault's controversial comments on immigration aren'tgoing over well withvoters in and around Montreal.

"In Ahuntsic, people of course come from all, very diverse backgrounds," Marleau said. "When they talk to me they say that's something they're not very comfortable with. Because they want a leader to say that all Quebecers matter."

CAQ progress in and around Montreal, however, including in Laval, would deal a crushing blow to the Liberals who suffered historic lossesduring the last provincial election, dropping from 68 seats to just 31.

Read more:

CAQ looks to flip script on Quebec Liberals, boot them out of Laval - CBC.ca

The Swedish people have declared their mandate. According to News Click, the right-wing Sweden Democrats are now prepared to join the ruling coalition after a surprising election victory.

According to a count by the countrys elections authority, which covers 99.9% of voting offices, the four-party alliance would have taken a lead over the left with 176 seats 73 of them going to Sweden Democrats (SD).

With more than 21% of the vote, the Sweden Democrats (SD) are now the nations second-largest party. The vote share has pushed the party in a strong position to demand concessions in exchange for its support in the legislature.

This election result represents a turning point in Swedens history, which will now begin its transition from being a bastion of tolerance to one that is more conservative. Additionally, Stockholms perspective on the EU, NATO, and so-called liberal ideals may shift radically.

Make no mistake, the election results in Sweden are definitely going to give the West sleepless nights.

For years, Sweden has remained the most ethnically mixed nation since large-scale asylum-based immigration first began in the 1990s and accelerated sharply following the fall of the Arab spring.

But, the upcoming right-wing wave looks to break this jinx on Stockholm. First off, Sweden Democrats describe itself as a nationalist party with an anti-immigration policy.

The SD has been one of the major voices opposing immigration for a long time. The party labels migration as the primary cause behind the recent rise in gang and gun crime among second-generation immigrant youth in Swedish cities.

The party aims for zero asylum-seekers, along with longer prison sentences and wider use of deportation.

Their notion is a clarion call, SD would support open Swedishness, which means that anybody can become Swedish if they learn the language and adopt the culture, but the notion of a Swedish Muslim is not accepted.

In addition, the Social Democrats also have a very stormy relationship with Brussels. The SD leader once made headlines for calling out Swexit.

The matter was a hot potato between Sweden and the EU until the Sweden Democrats reversed their policy of calling for the country to follow Britain out of the EU. SD also aspires to transform the EU from the inside.

This means that by supporting the RW faction that is emerging within the Bloc, the Swedish RW is about to spur more tensions for Liberal Brussels.

Furthermore, Kurdish people are likewise extremely beloved by Sweden Democrats. The party is in favour of the establishment of an independent Kurdish state and the formal international recognition of the Armenian genocide. Thus, Turkeys desire to exterminate Kurds may also encounter a new roadblock.

Also Read:Sweden has decided to elect a right-wing prime minister

Sweden Democrats have also been charged with being affectionate to Russia. Swedens Democrats have long been friendly toward Russian President Vladimir Putin.

A week before the Ukraine invasion, when the party leader, Jim Akkeison, gave an interview with public broadcaster SVT about which leader he preferred U.S. President Joe Biden or Putin, Akesson gave a kind of shaky answer. He replied, It depends on the context.

So, what exactly could happen to NATOs application once SD storms into power? That remains under suspicion.

Sweden has given Akesson a chance to make Sweden great again. A new age has begun, and this history is in the making. Sweden has consistently maintained its positive reputation in the west. But Stockholm is about to turn into an apple of discord right now. Now, just wait before Stockholm turns into a threat to democracy for the west!

Read more from the original source:

Good days for Sweden begin, and the liberal establishment bites the dust - TFI Global News

We join our voice to that of all peace-loving people to condemn the September 13 Azerbaijani attack targeting the regions of Sotk, Jermuk, Kapan and Vardenis, all within the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia, which resulted in at least 49 deaths and many wounded.

It is the duty of every Armenian in the world to reflect on this alarming situation and to raise his voice of protest.

It is also the duty of the Armenian authorities to powerfully protest in the appropriate quarters, and even more so to counter the press and media campaign unleashed by Azerbaijan and Turkey and disseminate the voice of justice.

Azerbaijan is negotiating with Armenia under the pretense of signing a peace treaty. With these attacks, it is trying to impose its own conditions, which compromise Armenias sovereignty and territorial integrity.

When the sovereignty of any country is in question, first of all, the UN and relevant bodies should counter the existing danger not only by supporting the victim in question, but also by maintaining their principles of the maintenance of harmony and peace between nations.

In this connection, we welcome the initiative of the French authorities to place this alarming incident on the agenda of the UN Security Council, and we also welcome the decision of the Security Council of Armenia to apply to the UN, the Russian Federation and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to halt this aggression.

See the rest here:

Armenian Democratic Liberal Party Condemns the New Azerbaijani Attack on Armenia - The Armenian Mirror-Spectator

Im not raising money to register every combination or permutation of my name. I want my funding to go into communicating my key messages because I think theres a sense of entitlement with lots of blue-ribbon seats.

Felicity Frederico is running against James Newbury (pictured), who has held the seat of Brighton since 2018. Joe Armao

The mother-of-two announced her run on August 31, with a platform of climate action, integrity and gender equality. Earlier that day, Mr Newbury told parliament the Coalition would commit $9 million to revamping Brighton Primary School if it won the November 26 election.

Ms Frederico says the Liberals are sandbagging previously safe Brighton, which the party has held since the early 1950s.

She had been a lifetime Liberal voter before her husbands uncle, Ramon, encouraged her to become a member of the party.

Her daughter Emmie, while at kindergarten, would adorn the windows of then Goldstein MP Andrew Robbs campaign office at the end of their street with her finger paintings. Ms Frederico joked that her daughter viewed Mr Robbs office as her private gallery.

But the consultant, who twice ran for Liberal Party preselection, argues it has failed to keep up to date with a modern Australia.

She points to there being no women representing metropolitan seats in Victorias lower house. Just four of the Liberals 21 members of the Legislative Assembly Roma Britnell, Cindy McLeish, Bridget Vallence and Louise Staley are women, but all represent rural or outer-suburban electorates.

The party I joined is not the party I left, Ms Frederico said.

I joined because I believed and supported free enterprise and small government. It was a party that I respected because it nurtured and encouraged business and individuals.

Since then, the political landscape and the critical issues have changed. While these are still important, climate and equality have come to the forefront, along with integrity.

Ms Frederico formally renounced her party membership in May.

She had previously served on Bayside City Council from 2008 to 2016, including a one-year term as mayor in 2015. That year, she said, 97 per cent of sport pavilions in the council area had no female change rooms, something she made sure to rectify.

Bookies have Labor as the raging favourite to win a third straight election at $1.20, with the Coalition at $4.50, which has blown out from $3 in July.

View original post here:

Why this teal candidate left the Liberal Party after 17 years - The Australian Financial Review

Published 2:50 pm Wednesday, September 14, 2022

The Pike Liberal Arts Patriots (0-3) are back on the road this week heading to Florida for a game with the Port St. Joe Tiger Sharks (1-1).

Pike is coming off a bye week in which the banged up Patriots got some much needed rest heading into another long road trip.

Practice has been great, PLAS coach Travis Baxley said. We had a chance to heal up and rest the guys that bumped up a little bit. We also got to sort of refine and add to our offensive, defensive and special teams schemes. We feel healthy and better prepared than we have all season going into this week against Port St. Joe.

The Patriots lost to Chipley (Fla.) in their last game by a score of 46-9, while the Tiger Sharks are coming off a 35-6 loss to Bay High School. Port St. Joe opened the season with a 41-8 win over Jefferson County in week one, however.

Port St. Joes balanced spread offense comes into this week after throwing for 219 yards last week and rushing for 280 yards in week one. Tiger Shark running back DJ Oliver is currently committed to play college football at the University of South Florida.

Theyre athletic and theyll go four and five wide (receivers) and an empty backfield and they want to get their athletes out in space, Baxley said of the Tiger Sharks.

Going into his third game at the helm, Baxley knows what hell get from his team in terms of effort but he wants to see that hard work turn into execution now.

I want to see execution, he emphasized. The players are playing hard and giving effort, thats what we do. We say that all the time but I want to see us execute and finish now.

Pike Liberal Arts and Port St. Joe will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. at Tiger Shark Stadium at Port St. Joe High School.

See the rest here:

Pike Liberal Arts returns to action this Friday on the road - The Troy Messenger - Troy Messenger

QUEENS PARK Today, the Ontario government released its regulations for Bill 7, signalling just how far they are willing to go to send hospital patients to a long-term care home, that may be far away from the people most important to them in their lives.

The regulations state that hospital patients can be sent to a long-term care home as far as 70 kilometres away from their home, family and support networks. In Northern Ontario, Doug Ford is willing to send patients even further, up to and beyond 150 kilometres.

These regulations show what we already knew that Bill 7 will hurt more than it helps, said MPP Fraser, Interim Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party. The greater the distance you separate families, the greater the hardship.

But Doug Ford hasnt stopped there. The government is also authorizing hospitals to charge patients $400 per day if they refuse to leave their families behind, at the time when they need their support the most.

Today is a sad day for patients, said Dr. Adil Shamji, MPP for Don Valley East. Because of this governments failure to manage the pandemic, patients will be sent to far away long-term care homes under the threat of a $400 per day fine.

Ontario Liberals have put forward a motion to limit the amount patients can be charged to be equal to the co-pay in long-term care.

-30-

Continued here:

Ford Tramples on Patients' Rights with Bill 7 Ontario Liberal Party - Ontario Liberal Party

We often see and hear some of our fellow Americans labeled as "liberals" and certain viewpoints or opinions sometimes disparaged as "liberalism." The Latin root of those words is "free." Here is how liberalism is actually defined:

Liberalism is a political and moral philosophy based on the rights of the individual , liberty , consent of the governed and equality before the law . Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but they generally support individual rights (including civil rights and human rights ), liberal democracy , secularism , rule of law , economic and political freedom , freedom of speech , freedom of the press , freedom of religion , private property and a market economy .

Most of this sounds pretty good to me, and you may also support most or at least some of those rights. If so, as Jeff Foxworthy would say You miiiggghhhttt be a liberal!

David Stene lives in Pelican Lake, Minn.

This letter does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Forum's editorial board nor Forum ownership.

Read the original post:

Letter: If you agree with these principles, you might be a liberal - INFORUM

SACRAMENTO

In a subtle departure from his national image as a liberal champion, Gov. Gavin Newsom successfully pushed state lawmakers to support a series of tough policies in the final weeks of the legislative year that bucked progressive ideals and ultimately could broaden his appeal beyond California.

Democratic and Republican lawmakers at the state Capitol heeded his call to extend operations at Diablo Canyon, reversing an agreement environmental groups drove six years ago to shut down Californias last remaining nuclear plant out of safety concerns.

The governor won support for his plan to provide court-ordered treatment for unhoused Californians struggling with mental illness and addiction amid outcry from powerful civil rights organizations.

Newsom vetoed legislation to allow supervised drug injection sites in pilot program cities, drawing criticism that his decision was politically motivated as speculation swirls around his prospects as a potential presidential contender.

He is making political calculations on all of these decisions in a very deep and nuanced way that considers where he wants to go next, said Mary Creasman, chief executive of California Environmental Voters. That doesnt mean he doesnt care about these issues. I think he does. Hes making political calculations around how to still move the needle for climate while also protecting some of the political interests.

Newsom successfully lobbied the Legislature to approve a $1.4-billion forgivable loan for Pacific Gas & Electric in order to continue operations at Diablo Canyon through 2030. He said the bill was critical to the states ability to avoid rolling blackouts during heat waves, which have caused problems for California and presented political challenges for the governor. Newsom signed that legislation into law Friday.

He balanced the controversial ask with a package of bills to address climate change that Creasman and other environmentalists celebrated.

The marquee policy in Newsoms climate package, which he announced just weeks before the end of the legislative session, created health and safety buffer zones between homes, schools and public buildings and new oil and gas wells. That also squeaked by this session after lawmakers had tried and failed to pass those restrictions for years without his intervention. Other more contentious legislation addressed carbon capture technologies, which some environmental organizations argue only perpetuates oil extraction.

That was 100% strategic, Creasman said. Its strategic because he wants the headlines to be about climate action versus about these other things hes doing, which I get. But hes doing both. The authentic story is both. There were some really phenomenal things and there were some really tough things.

Newsom pressed for the climate legislation amid a clash with the oil industry that drew national attention. As part of a campaign to call out Republican governors and make himself a resonating voice for Democratic voters across the country, Newsom ran ads in Florida contrasting that states restrictive policies on abortion rights and education with Californias more liberal positions.

Western States Petroleum Assn. responded with its own advertisements in Florida warning about the cost of Newsoms climate policies.

Creasman said being seen as a climate leader is smart if Newsom has national ambitions. Though the term climate change has been politicized, voters nationwide want the government to do more to mitigate increasing drought, wildfires, pollution and extreme heat. Its also the only issue that will give Newsom a global spotlight, she said.

Since his sound defeat of the Republican-led recall attempt last September, advisors to Newsom have said his decisions are less motivated by politics and are instead a reflection of the confidence he feels to govern in a more nuanced way. The strong support he received from the electorate gave him the freedom to stray from a strictly progressive agenda that many in his party want him to follow.

In an interview with The Times in July, Newsom said that his first term has gone by in a flash and that he wants to take advantage of the time he has left.

If Im privileged to have a second term, you guys will be writing my obituary within six months and whos the next person coming behind me, Newsom said. I know how limited my time is and I just dont want any regrets. I dont want to look back and join some panel of ex-governors saying, I woulda, coulda, shoulda. Im not going to do that.

Robin Swanson, a Democratic political strategist, said Newsoms also practicing pragmatic politics.

She compared his legislative approach to that of former Gov. Jerry Brown. When Brown returned to the governors office in 2011 for his third term, he was a more seasoned politician with less adherence to a strict political ideology.

I think this is part of his growth as governor, Swanson said. When youre managing a state of 40 million people, you have to do what matters and what works in that moment whether that aligns 100% with what you would do in a perfect world. Those solutions often are a little more center, more middle of the road.

Newsom disappointed many of his allies last month when he vetoed Senate Bill 57, legislation to allow Los Angeles, San Francisco and Oakland to set up supervised injection site pilot programs. Moderate Democrats and Republicans, who characterized the bill as government authorization to use lethal drugs, applauded the decision. They urged Newsom to pour more resources into treatment and rehabilitation programs instead.

But advocates and addiction specialists said the veto would lead to more deaths amid an opioid overdose crisis.

Mike Herald, director of policy advocacy for the Western Center on Law and Poverty, said the governors rejection of the bill was disappointing because it seemed like the type of first-in-the-country bold action he gravitates toward.

Herald also suggested hewing toward the middle is not new for Newsom. While he was a county supervisor and then mayor of San Francisco, Newsom championed Care Not Cash, a policy to reduce welfare for single homeless adults and instead spend the funds on shelters, housing and services.

Im just not as surprised as some when hes more conservative-leaning on certain issues, Herald said.

Newsom also faced fervent opposition from civil rights groups for his Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) Court proposal, a far-reaching plan to provide court-ordered treatment for thousands of Californians suffering from a mix of severe mental illness, homelessness and addiction.

A coalition that included the American Civil Liberties Union, Disability Rights California and the Western Center on Law and Poverty groups with which Democrats in the Capitol often align spent the legislative session castigating the proposal as an inhumane effort to criminalize homelessness and strip people of their personal freedoms. The Legislature overwhelmingly approved it, with Republicans and Democrats celebrating its passage.

It runs completely counter to truly progressive ideals, said Susan Mizner, director of the ACLUs Disability Rights Program. Its a throwback to an era in which we punish people for being poor and we punish people for having mental illness.

Homelessness and crime were among the top three concerns for California registered voters in a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll conducted this spring, and Newsom is well aware of the potential political liabilities he faces if he fails to address those issues.

Despite the criticism from the left, Newsom isnt expected to face much, if any, retribution from California liberals when he comes up for reelection in November. A recent poll found that Newsom led his challenger, state Sen. Brian Dahle (R-Bieber), by more than a 2-1 margin. Many of the conservative Republicans policy positions, including his opposition to abortion rights and government mandates of COVID-19 vaccinations and restrictions, are denounced by Democrats.

Newsom and Democratic lawmakers this year did notch big wins on gun control legislation, an issue embraced by the left, after a wave of mass shootings this spring and summer shocked the nation.

Newsom and legislators pledged swift action on more than a dozen gun control bills, including one modeled after Texas vigilante abortion law that will allow private people to sue anyone who imports, sells or distributes illegal firearms in California. Nearly every measure passed, and Newsom has already signed the majority into law.

But Newsom couldnt win over enough state lawmakers to pass a concealed-carry proposal. He made national headlines in June when he introduced the legislation alongside California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta and state Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-La Caada Flintridge) in response to the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling against restrictive open-carry laws in New York, California and other blue states.

Senate Bill 918 would have designated dozens of places as sensitive, meaning off-limits to carry firearms, and added new licensing criteria to determine whether applicants presented a danger to themselves or others. The proposal fell two votes shy of passage early Thursday morning, after several moderate Democrats either abstained or voted against the measure.

He wants to be a player in national Democratic politics, said Jack Pitney, a professor of American politics at Claremont McKenna College. He also has to attend to the mundane business of running California. And both of those things are on his mind.

Newsom surely remembers what happened to the last blue-state governor who won the Democratic presidential nomination, Pitney said. Michael S. Dukakis took positions that looked good in Massachusetts but made him vulnerable to GOP attacks in the 1988 presidential race.

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Newsom departs from his liberal image with controversial wins at the Capitol - Los Angeles Times

In 1967, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at Harlems Riverside Church to a crowd of thousands that flowed out the door as far as 120th Street. King publicly condemned the Vietnam War because it had broken and eviscerated the civil-rights and anti-poverty movements at home. The American government was the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today.

Read: Martin Luther King Jr. on the Vietnam War

In 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky invoked another MLK speech while asking Congress to help his country repel the Russian invasion. I have a dream. These words are known to each of you today. I can say, I have a need: I need to protect our sky. Two months later, Democrats voted unanimously in favor of a $40 billion package of arms and other assistance to Kyiv.

These two moments capture an important shift in how the American left thinks about the U.S. military and war more generally. Progressives typically see war as inherently murderous and dehumanizingsapping progress, curtailing free expression, and channeling resources into the military-industrial complex. The left led the opposition to the Vietnam War and the Iraq War and condemned American war crimes from the My Lai massacre to Abu Ghraib. Historically, progressive critics have charged the military with a litany of sins, including discrimination against LGBTQ soldiers and a reliance on recruiting in poor communities.

Meanwhile, for decades, the right embraced Americas warriors. Defense hawks were one of the three legs of the Reagan stool, along with social and fiscal conservatives. The military itself leaned right. One study found that from 1976 to 1996, the number of Army officers who identified as Republican increased from one-third to two-thirds. In 2016, according to a poll in the Military Times, active service members favored Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton by a margin of nearly two to one.

In the past few years, however, these views have started to change. From 2021 to 2022, the share of Republicans who had a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in the military fell from 81 to 71 percent, whereas for Democrats, the number increased from 63 to 67 percentcutting the gap from 18 points to four. And the militarys views shifted in tandem. In 2020, dozens of former Republican national-security officials endorsed President Joe Biden because Trump had gravely damaged Americas role as a world leader. In one poll before the 2020 election, more active service members backed Biden than Trump (41 to 37 percent).

Why has this happened? Two big reasons are Trump and Ukraine.

Trump saw the military as a symbol of power and surrounded himself with a phalanx of generals. But when he realized they were not a Praetorian Guard that would do his bidding, defend him against all enemies foreign and domestic, and keep him in office by force if necessary, he soured on the military. Trump trampled on its most sacred beliefs and rituals, saying that U.S. generals were dopes and babies who want to do nothing but fight wars. Americans killed in battle, he said, were losers and suckers. Trump suggested that Gold Star families had spread COVID at the White House. He railed against American prisoners of war: I like people who werent captured. He pardoned three service members accused or convicted of war crimes, even though military leaders said it would erode the militarys code of justice. In his testimony to Congress, Trumps acting defense secretary, Christopher Miller, said that Trump had told him to ready the National Guard to protect his supporters on January 6, rather than Congress itself. All of this created a fundamental clash with the militarys code of honor and its commitment to the Constitution. Trump wondered why American generals couldnt be more like Hitlers generalsby which he meant the loyalist fanatics who battled in the ruins of Berlin, not the Wehrmacht officials who tried to assassinate the Nazi dictator.

Since he left office, Trump has fueled the conservative belief that Biden is indoctrinating the armed forces with liberal ideas. Republican Senator Ted Cruz said the U.S. military is suffering from a woke cancer and is in danger of becoming a bunch of pansies. The Fox News host Laura Ingraham suggested defunding the military until it abandons its diversity programs: Go after their budget.

Its true that the military has moved left, and not just because of Trump. After George Floyd was murdered in 2020, Kaleth Wright tweeted: Who am I? I am a Black man who happens to be Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force. Last year the Pentagon warned, To keep the nation secure, we must tackle the existential threat of climate change.

This shouldnt be so surprising. The military is the epitome of big government, with egalitarian wages, socialized medicine, and the best government-run child-care system in the country. No wonder General Wesley Clark joked that its the purest application of socialism there is. Now progressives are expressing a new gratitude for an institution that understands the value of diversity, cares about the rule of law, and was willing to stand up to Trump when the future of democracy was most in danger. At a time of rampant conspiracy theories like QAnon, liberals appreciate that the military operates in a world of tangible threats and complex logistics and has a basic respect for reality. George Orwell said people often cling to falsehoods until the lie slams into the truth, usually on a battlefield.

Then came Russias invasion of Ukraine. No foreign conflict since the Spanish Civil War has so captured the imagination of the left. Nearly a century ago, many progressives saw Spain as a pure fight between democracy and fascism. Ernest Hemingways novel For Whom the Bell Tolls and Pablo Picassos painting Guernica captured the horror at fascist brutality. About 3,000 Americans traveled to Spain to fight in the international brigades. Today, many on the left see Ukraine as another contest between fascism and democracy, and that rare thing: a good war. Thousands of Americans have gone to join the struggle.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is the antithesis of everything the left stands for. Not only did he launch an unprovoked attack on a sovereign democratic nation, but he has also disparaged LGBTQ rights, multiculturalism, and immigration, and claimed that the liberal idea has outlived its purpose. Zelensky, in contrast, has built bridges with the global left. He addressed the Glastonbury music festival, in the U.K., where the revelers chanted his name to the tune of The White Stripes Seven Nation Army. In Germany, the Green Party led the charge to supply weapons to Kyiv, overturning decades of German wariness about intervening in foreign wars. LGBTQ protesters in Berlin also demanded that Germany step up arms shipments to Ukraine, so that a Pride parade can, one day, be held in the Russian-occupied city of Mariupol. Ukrainian liberalsartists, translators, teachers, filmmakershave joined the struggle. As one writer put it: All our hipsters in Ukraine fight.

To be sure, theres a leftist fringe in the United States that still considers America the worlds evil empire and remains deeply hostile to its military power. That fringe includes the linguist and political activist Noam Chomsky, who praised Trump as a model statesman for pushing for a negotiated peace in Ukraine. But the bulk of the left has shown remarkable solidarity with the Ukrainian cause. Liberals who once protested the Iraq War now urge Washington to dispatch more rocket launchers to defeat Russian imperialism. Representative Jamaal Bowman of New York, a member of the progressive caucus, tweeted: We unequivocally stand with the global Ukrainian community in the wake of Putins attack.

The main opposition to helping Ukraine has come from the right. Trump, who has long praised Putin as a genius, questioned why Americans were sending so much money to Ukraine. Most congressional Republicans backed the aid package to Kyiv in May, but 11 Republican senators and 57 House Republicans opposed it. Republican Representative Matt Gaetz tweeted that if the GOP takes the House in the upcoming midterms, support for Ukraine will end. The Fox News host Tucker Carlson claimed that Ukraine is an American puppet state, and that his real enemies are not in Moscow but on the American left: Has Putin ever called me a racist?

In March, Democrats were 10 points more likely than Republicans to say that Washington has a responsibility to protect and defend Ukraine from Russia. By July, this gap had grown to 22 points. Another recent survey found that Democrats were more supportive than Republicans of sending weapons to Ukraine as well as of accepting Ukrainian refugees in the United States. A remarkable 42 percent of Democrats favored deploying American troops to Ukraine, versus 34 percent of Republicans.

Progressives have always viewed foreign conflicts and domestic struggles as connectedwith war being either a dangerous contagion or a righteous crusade. A poster from the Spanish Civil War showed the image of a dead child: If you tolerate this, your children will be next. A generation later, the pendulum swung, and King saw intervention in Vietnam as a threat to civil rights in America. Today, the pendulum has swung back, and the left sees the march for freedom in America and the battle to defend Ukraine as elements of the same global fight for democracy. After all, the aggressor in UkrainePutinalso meddled in the 2016 election to help Trump.

Will the alliance between the left and the military last? Progressives may grow nervous about escalation in Ukraine or lose interest in the war. The economy remains the most pressing issue for most Americans. Perhaps, like Orwell in Catalonia, some American volunteers in Ukraine may decide that the struggle is not as pure as they thought. The lefts underlying concerns about the U.S. military have hardly disappeared. Republicans may one day shove Trump offstage and try to get the 80s band back togetherdefense hawks, social conservatives, and fiscal conservatives.

But for now, Trump remains the dominant force in the Republican Party. The Ukrainian cause remains resonant. And the left may worry about another authoritarian great power that threatens a smaller democracy: China mobilizing against Taiwan.

An era of liberal hawkishness should not mean an unthinking embrace of the military. America needs a strong progressive voice to check the rampant waste in the military-industrial complex (which ran to hundreds of billions of dollars in Iraq and Afghanistan). The military has very real problems, like the crisis of sexual assault. It doesnt benefit from the sort of soft-focus Thank you for your service reverence that has prevented people from asking tough questions about Americas disastrous wars in the past. On Ukraine, liberals can channel Washingtons policy in a more progressive direction, stressing human rights, pressing for investment in green technology to reduce reliance on Russian energy, and going after Moscows dirty money.

In the end, the U.S. military is the worlds anti-fascist insurance policy. The insurance premiums may be outlandish. And most of the time we dont need the policy. Until one day we do. If you need to ship M777 howitzers to Ukraine, the military-industrial complex has its uses.

In 1967, King was right to see Vietnam as a catastrophe for America, at home and abroad. If Americas soul becomes totally poisoned, part of the autopsy must read: Vietnam. But today we face a different world, and a stark choice. Zelensky, Ukrainian progressives, and the European Union? Or Putin, Trump, and Tucker Carlson? The left picked the right side.

Read more:

Why the Left Is Learning to Love the Military - The Atlantic

OPINION:

With Labor Day 2022 now in our rear-view mirror, Election 2022 is officially here, a nine-week run to decide who controls Congress and more than 35 state governorships.

For the past several months, pollsters and politicos have been saying that Republicans are poised for big wins on Nov. 8. But all that has changed as the liberal media seek to recast the races as tight.

Could unexpected Democratic gains foil a midterm Republican victory? The Guardian reported last week. Red wave crashing? GOP momentum slips as fall sprint begins, wrote the Associated Press. From a Republican tsunami to a puddle, opined CNN.

It was a referendum. Now its a choice, read the CNN analysis by Ronald Brownstein. For political professionals in both parties, thats the capsule explanation for why the Democratic position in the midterm elections appears to have improved so much since summer began.

While Mr. Brownstein cited evidence suggesting more voters are treating the election as a comparative choice between the two parties, the piece offered mostly anecdotal claims. But one, from a Republican pollster, put forward an interesting notion.

It is a really unusual election, Bill McInturff of Public Opinion Strategies told the liberal outlet. Republicans have significant advantages on their set of issues (inflation, economy, crime, border security) and Democrats enjoy significant advantages on issues of concern to their voters (abortion, climate change, guns, health care).

There is no overlap, no competitive issues. This means each party has an unusual opportunity to try to create their own narrative to their own voters on what this election is about, he wrote.

The pollster sought to put those sets of issues on the same level which they most definitely are not. Soaring inflation especially sky-high gas and food prices is the top issue, while things like climate change and Second Amendment rights poll well down the list of issues in nationwide surveys.

Take a piece from PBS last month, headlined: Inflation, personal expenses rise sharply as election priorities, poll suggests.

Concerns about inflation and personal finances have surged while COVID has evaporated as a top issue for Americans, a new poll shows, marking an upheaval in priorities just months before critical midterm elections, said the article from another liberal news outlet.

YouGovAmerica found much the same in a July poll. Twenty-four percent put soaring prices as the top issue, with 12% saying jobs and the economy as No. 1. Concern about health care fell to just 10%, while abortion dropped to 6% and guns to 5% despite a headline this week from The Washington Post that read, In sprint to November, Democrats seize on shifting landscape over abortion.

Meanwhile, media outlets have all gotten out the same talking points over the last month: President Joe Bidens doing better. The presidents approval rating had been hovering in the mid-to-high-30s, but over the past month climbed back into the 40s.

But that is already starting to change again. Biden approval falls, holding near low end of his presidency, Reuters wrote on the last day of August.

U.S. President Joe Bidens public approval rating fell modestly this week, a poor sign for his Democratic Partys hopes in the Nov. 8 midterm elections, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll completed on Tuesday. The two-day national poll found that 38% of Americans approve of Bidens job performance, the news agency wrote.

Same as it ever was.

And the numbers on another key barometer were even worse, according to a running average compiled by Real Clear Politics. Just 23.2% of Americans think the country is moving in the right direction, while a whopping 70% think its all moving in the wrong direction.

Its worth noting that the party in the White House almost always loses congressional seats in the presidents first midterm election. While Ronald Reagan lost 26 House seats, Trump 40, Bill Clinton lost 52 and Barack Obama 63. Only George W. Bushs Republican Party picked up seats eight in his first midterm, which came after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

But the bottom line is simple: Americans vote with their wallets, choosing the candidates who are best for them financially. While they may still care deeply about other issues, their state most often decides which way they go on Election Day.

And for the record, it was former President Bill Clintons own campaign guru who spelled out that fact in just four words: Its the economy, stupid, James Carville said in 1992.

Despite the breathless predictions now that the election will be close (a few months ago, prognosticators had been predicting a 50-60 seat pickup by Republicans), the economy will be the key issue and the GOP routinely polls better on that issue.

And judging from the number of Democrats dodging appearances with Mr. Biden, few want to get his stink on them.

Joseph Curl covered the White House and politics for a decade for The Washington Times. He can be reached at josephcurl@gmail.com and on Twitter @josephcurl

Link:

Welcome to the 2022 midterms: Let the liberal media spin begin - Washington Times

VANCOUVER - Federal cabinet ministers are mulling over how to help Canadians shoulder the weight of inflation but Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is warning that any help from the government will target the most vulnerable and must be fiscally responsible.

The Liberal cabinet is in the midst of a three-day retreat in Vancouver this week as ministers prepare for the fall sitting of the House of Commons. Underlying every discussion right now is the difficulty Canadians are having paying their bills.

Freeland said she spent the summer travelling to meet with Canadians for the first time since COVID-19 hit, and the feedback she heard is that while people are confident in the long-term picture, the current cost-of-living turmoil is a real challenge.

"It was really important for me to get that kind of direct fingertip feel of what is happening in the Canadian economy and what Canadians are feeling," she said before heading into the second day of the retreat Wednesday.

Wednesday's sessions included a briefing from economists about the cost-of-living conundrum, just hours after the Bank of Canada raised its key interest rate for the fifth time in seven months in its continued effort to get inflation under control.

Inflation is starting to ease the rate fell to 7.6 per cent in July after hitting a 39-year high of 8.1 per cent in June largely because the price of fuel began to drop. But that did little to ease the cost of basic needs like groceries, which was almost 10 per cent more than a year ago. Gas prices are still on average 12 per cent higher than they were in September 2021.

In much of Ontario, natural gas rates went up 20 per cent or more in July.

A report this week by Equifax Canada said Canadians are starting to rack up debt to stay on top of their bills, with a 6.4 per cent increase in credit card balances between the first and second quarters of this year.

Internationally many governments have moved to ease the pain of inflation. Germany this week produced its third aid package of the year, worth another C$72 billion, including direct payments to seniors and students to help with soaring energy bills and a reduced rate for some electricity used by most households.

In August France passed a $26-billion aid package that increased pension and welfare payments and hiked the gasoline rebate implemented in the spring from about 24 cents to almost 40 cents.

In Canada, the Liberals have been reluctant to introduce similar measures, fearing that flooding the economy with money could drive up demand at a time when supply chain issues are a key driver of inflation.

Freeland's $8.9 billion "affordability plan" published in June mainly included measures promised long before inflation began its sharp climb, and which Freeland has said were already included in Canada's budget plan.

That includes child care agreements with provinces that will slash daycare bills for many families starting this year, increases to the Canada Workers Benefit and old age security pension promised in the 2021 budget, and annual increases to GST rebates and the Canada Child Benefit.

On Wednesday Freeland opened the door to doing more, saying she knows "the most vulnerable in our society need to be supported" but warning that any aid plan will be balanced with maintaining fiscal controls.

"I think that's going to be a very important subject of our discussions today and tomorrow," she said.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, whose own caucus is having a pre-session retreat in Halifax this week, said Canada needs to follow the example set by other countries in doing more to bring the cost of living down.

"People are having an incredibly difficult time putting food on the table, paying their bills," he said.

Singh said the government needs to impose taxes on corporations that are taking advantage of rising prices, and use that money to help struggling families.

That has been the approach in several places, including Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom, which imposed temporary "windfall taxes" on some companies to pay for affordability aid packages.

For months, Singh has been asking the federal government to double the GST rebate and provide a one-time increase to the Canada Child Benefit.

The Liberals are expected to introduce the first step in a national dental care program soon, which was promised as part of the Liberal-NDP supply and confidence agreement reached last winter.

A $500 aid payment for low-income renters is also expected this fall.

Keeping the NDP happy is only one political problem for the Liberals this fall. As of Saturday, they'll also be facing another new Conservative leader.

Ottawa-area MP Pierre Poilievre is widely expected to win that contest, and he has spent much of his campaign arguing the Liberals are directly to blame for inflation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 7, 2022.

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Economy and affordability on the table as Liberal cabinet meets in Vancouver - The Chronicle Journal

For decades the riding of Verdun has voted Liberal, but this election might be different.

Quebec Solidaire and the CAQ are leading polls, with the Liberals a close third place.

Housing is a significant issue in the riding, with real estate prices and rents have soared in recent years in Verdun.

Quebec Solidaire candidate Alejandra Zaga Mendez will focus a major part of her campaign on housing and the environment.

Zaga Mendez says she lives with a roommate because rent is too costly.

"Housing is a big issue because people are not able to afford the price of the apartments at this point," she said.

The race to win Verdun could be one of the most exciting in Montreal.

"When we talk about ridings on the island of Montreal that the Liberals have held for a long time and that could really fall, I think Verdun is like the poster child of that riding," Daniel Bland, a political science professor at McGill, said.

Liberal party candidate Isabelle Melancon is feeling confident. She's won two elections in Verdun.

"I went to the Verdun legion, at the Dawson community centre, and the reception is very good," Melancon said. "The English community knows I'm an ally, and I will always work for my citizens."

She isn't the only candidate with prior political experience. Veronique Tremblay is running under the CAQ banner and is currently a city councillor in the riding.

"I've learned a lot about the issues for Verdun, so I know Verdun very well," Tremblay said. "I know the citizens. I know the needs. I think lots of issues share the solutions between the municipal and the provincial."

The election is Oct. 3.

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Three-party race in Verdun could spell the end of Liberal reign - CTV News Montreal

Gettysburg College launches teletherapy solution, Uwill, to increase capacity and provide after-hour support

GETTYSBURG, Pa., Sept. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Uwill, the leading teletherapy solution for colleges and students, today, announced a partnership with Gettysburg College to support the counseling services available on campus and increase capacity. As the need for mental health support increases nationwide, Uwill's solution utilizes need and preferences to immediately match students with a diverse team of licensed and available counselors.

"Our goal is to provide comprehensive mental health and wellness services campus wide, for all Gettysburg students. We needed to remove barriers such as service hours, and to create an array of opportunities for all students to access quality care. Uwill will help ensure an experience where students can learn, lead, and succeed inside and outside of the classroom," said Krista Dhruv, Executive Director of Counseling and Wellness at Gettysburg College. "By providing the necessary mental health resources, we hope to support each and every student, providing them a sense of balance, and the ability to excel."

Gettysburg College is launching this teletherapy option at a time of increasing mental health challenges reported on campuses nationwide, where 95% of students felt their mental health negatively affected them within the past year. "At a time where mental health support is of paramount importance, Gettysburg's partnership with Uwill shows their dedication to student wellbeing and success," said Michael London, Founder and CEO of Uwill.

Utilizing its proprietary technology and counselor team, Uwill pioneered the first Higher-Ed therapist matching platform and wellness environment. The solution offers an immediate connection to an available licensed counselor based on student preferences, all modalities of teletherapy, 24/7/365 crisis connection, wellness programming, detailed reporting and support. Uwill partners with more than 100 institutions worldwide including the UC Santa Barbara, Berklee Online, Xavier University, and Morgan State University to ensure their mental health and wellness environment meets student needs.

About Uwill

Uwill has become the leading mental health and wellness solution for colleges and students. The most cost-effective way to complement a college's mental health offering, Uwill partners with more than 100 institutions including Boston College, University of Michigan, American Public University System, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Uwill is also the teletherapy education partner for NASPA. For more information, visit uwill.com

SOURCE Uwill

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Teletherapy Leader Partners with 16th Liberal Arts College in 2022 - PR Newswire

Ottawa, ON Dan Albas, Conservative Shadow Minister for Finance, and Grard Deltell, Conservative Shadow Minister for Innovation, Science and Industry, today released the following statement after the Bank of Canada increased interest rates by 75 basis points:

Todays 75 basis point interest rate hike means more pain for Canadians struggling to keep up with record cost of living pressures.

Despite being warned that out-of-control spending would continue to put enormous upward pressure on inflation and interest rates, Justin Trudeau and his NDP allies have refused to change course. As a result of continuing with their reckless tax and spend agenda, Canadians are now being forced to contend with a fourth consecutive outsized interest-rate hike.

For Canadians, this means less of their hard-earned money in their own pockets. Canadians with mortgages will see a sharp increase in their payments, while those looking to buy a house for the first time will see the dream of homeownership slip out of reach.

Anyone who has taken on debt to afford basics like food, rent, and utilities will see their purchasing power eroded by increased debt repayment. Unfortunately, the Liberals and their NDP allies have rejected Conservative proposals to reduce inflationary pressure by getting their reckless government spending under control.

Instead, the Liberals and their NDP partners seem to be out-of-touch with the cost-of-living crisis Canadians are facing. As a result of their failure to control spending and provide cost-of-living relief, Canada appears poised to face a significant economic downturn.

Canadians deserve a government that will fight the cost-of-living crisis and make life more affordable. That is why Conservatives will continue to call on the government to tackle inflation by getting reckless spending under control.

Conservatives will continue to fight to leave more money in the pockets of hard-working Canadians, protect the value of the money that they earn, and end the governments inflation-fueling reckless spending.

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Liberal made cost-of-living crisis gets worse as interest rates rise again - Conservative Party of Canada