Panglossian Notes

ANWR, oh ANWR!

So the axe hasn't fallen yet - Senate Blocks Arctic Drilling. Notice that I haven't said that I was wrong in my last post, I thought the Demo's could not get anything together to block the Defence Bill.

So guess I'm wrong at times. I'm great at apologizes. But

I still think ANWR is ultimately going to be drilled.

And I think maybe the Inuit and Inuvialuit unfortunately have to face this.

So how to control the effects, it's their land and ultimately their culture which will take the big hit if the caribou's migrations and birthings are disrupted.

I don't want anyone to surrender but - what is your fallback situation. At time I don't think the charmers from outside ever consider this for the locals. Strong support until a complete defeat but the Inuvialuit and Inuit do live there. So what to do when you may have lost a battle, eh?

Got to admit the the House of Representatives and Senate politics is a bit more interesting than our HoC. This could be because I simply don't know enough, yet, about it and the various procedural games to be played.

I'm definitely a new boy as I'm still struggling to find my way around both the Houses websites. Great winter entertainment, hmm, need to what?

Technorati Tags: Canada, Economics, First Nation, Nunavut, Resource Revenue

ANWR

So the HR have opened up drilling in ANWR if the Senate approves. This was predicted as I recall.

Least these guys sit late.

"The ANWR provision was attached to a major defense bill, forcing many opponents of oil and gas exploration in the barren northern Alaska range to vote for it. The bill, passed 308-106, also included money for hurricane relief and bird flu preventive measures."

Here's the first news report I read. Many more links.

Everyone should know for sure whether drilling will be opened up by Wednesday. Since Bush has been handed so many slights recently I suspected he'll get a pass on this from the Senate.

The authority to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil exploration — long sought by President Bush, energy companies and Republican leaders — will be attached to a separate fiscal 2006 defense-spending bill that has widespread support in both parties because of its funding for the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Rushing to get out of town for the holidays, the House moved toward early-morning votes on both bills.

The Senate could act today on the budget bill and as early as Wednesday on defense spending.

Washington Post

Interesting link to the House Resource Committee re: ANWR

Technorati Tags: Canada, Nunavut, Politics

Watching in dismay!

Harold Bloom wrote a piece for the Guardian Book Review which seemed close to despair on his part about his country's democratic prospects: - Guardian Unlimited Books.

He starts by remembering Huey Long's quote "of course we will have fascism in America but we will call it democracy!"

The piece was written before the revelations late last week that the US president had authorized wiretaps on citizens.

Why would a president secretly authorize this type of activity. It's bothered me since I heard about it. The existing US legislation allows the type of activity he has proceeded with - the legislation even contains provisions to deal with extraordinary needs when time is of essence.

So why would a sitting US president clearly break the law which he has taken an oath to uphold.

On the face of it it doesn't seem rational. Someone concerned about the safety of citizens who has an existing process - law - to carry out the actions deemed necessary to keep those citizens safe.

Why not conform to the law?

I concluded that it and Bush's actions, confirmed by his statments on Saturday, are in effect a coup d'etat.

Over at the TPM cafe I think they may also. Check out Juliette Kayyem's postings and comments.

A real cynic could also concluded that he now desperately needs to save his failed presidencey so is looking for a fight with Congress to cloth himself in the flag and that great US only phrase "the American people" adopted by all liars about to show no concern for the Republic.

I'm, here in the north but quite dismayed.

I remember well the awfulness with the Nixon challenges that the US executive was supreme. But the system down there seemed to work and the complete failure of the US system was pulled back or better saved by the original construct of its "checks and balances".

Through most of the irrational last decade that one idea has keep me from almost completely writing the US experiment off.

Now, as under the criminal Nixon (Ford pardon aside), they have actually reached a constitutional crisis again.

I hope they can save themselves.

There needs to be a little less of the "American people" bullshit and a little more of where is the Republic if they have any hope of surviring.

I certaintly wish them the best.

Over breakast, this morning with my son, we chit-chatted about this and even though his interest are foreign affairs he wondered why a US "failed state" would be a concern for us up here.

Well, first I'd persoanlly hate to see the idea of a true republic destroyed.

I don't want to see the US republic become what its first year civic classes must say is a tyranical regime.

What a waste of 200 or so years.

History would not have come to an end as that fool Fukuyama so rightously proclaimed in 1992 but an interesting experiment would surely have ended and for that I'd feel extremely sorry.

But an unchecked tyrant sitting in Washington DC could pose Economic problems for us up here and that I'm not willing to sleep easily with.

Seeing that the USA is actually becoming one of the more unstable countries in the world I wish we here were considering during this great election time whether we should accure a nuclear capability.

Technorati Tags: Canada, International Trade, News and Politic, Politics, Stupidity

Sorry I keep meaning to provide a link

Sorry I keep meaning to provide a link to this article - American Prospect Online - The Arsonist

I love it. You can think that maybe even Condi "baby" is having to figure out how to maneuver in the Bushy administration.

From the sounds of it - read the link - she knows how to play the game.

If you are maybe interested in the great power politic of the world, have you read the link over at Juan Cole's site on the the Rice-Bush Doctrine.

Technorati Tags: News and Politic, Politics

More strangeness in the Arctic

Strange and a bit unsettling item from the Wall Street Journal.

Seems that US scientists have started to find drowned polar bears off Alaska. Who would have thought that polar bears could drowned? Sounds dumb on my part, I know , since the bears swim around the Arctic so it would only seem probable that some might drowned.

But I've only ever heard of their great swimming ability - you know typical story of bear sightings hundreds of miles from shore - and never of them drowning.

Last year the government of Nunavut increased the quote of bears Inuit in that territory would be allowed to kill because they said that based on traditional aboriginal knowledge the bear population had increased.

The increase was called into question particularly the traditional knowledge component. This component is usually respected by both Canadian and US officials if it can be substantiated.

However if rapid changes are occurring in the Arctic knowledge acquired by observing usual weather and animal patterns over a number of years may be seriously flawed.

There should be an interesting cultural clash if this goes on for any length of time.

Hey speak of the devil, the clash may have already begun.

Technorati Tags: Canada, Nunavut

Following up on Wilkins so-called scolding!

Josh Marshall has a couple of interesting notes on the great Ambassador of the USA in Canada.

"Following up on the antics of our embarrassing Ambassador to Canada, David Wilkins, TPM Reader AR reminds us that Ambassador Wilkins came in at an impressive #5 on TNR's recent list of top 15 Bush administration hacks."

TPM

The TNR reference is to The New Republics guide on the Bush hackocracy. Here's a link to the cached page showing the first 6 champs.

Technorati Tags: Canada, Politics, Stupidity

ANWR

Will's article, Our Fake Drilling Debate, provides a strong indication why I think the US congress will approve drilling in ANWR.

Technorati Tags: Politics, Resource Revenue

United States of America's interference

I think I've now read enough Canadian rants about the USA's ambassador to Canada's attempt to interfere in our general election.

The rants are as you may image all over the map both for and against the schoolboy lecture delivered yesterday by the USA's envoy.

My view is that what PM PM said at the Montreal meeting was classic rhetoric and appropriate for him to deliver as the senior representative of the Government of Canada at the big conference the country was hosting.

The New York Times seemed to appreciate some of what went on there and indicated so in their Monday morning editorial -America's Shame in Montreal.

For some reason the Bush administration had been trying to sabotage the whole conference. The fact that Bush's blustering had no effect other than to show himself again as someone who consistently misreads or try's to bully the facts made him and his administration look foolish and weak.

Lots of people outside our big box seem to understand this and also seem to understand the position and words used by PM PM.

Bush through his intermediary the Ambassador for the USA is doing what I would have though most know by now as his characteristic modus operandi having a temper tantrum and trying to get revenge. Any one heard about the Valerie Plaime thingy?

I mean he made this great speech yesterday on regime change and likely only forgot to mention Canada. Remember he forgot to mention the assistance given by Canada to ordinary citizens of the USA on 9/11.

Just not to be too impolite, here is the second paragraph from GWBs speech:

"The long run in this war is going to require a change of governments in parts of the world," Bush told the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, a nonpartisan educational group, on Monday. He didn't name names but noted that Iran and Syria have become obstacles to freedom in "a tough neighborhood."

I had hoped that the other two heads of national parties would respond in something like an independent Canadian way and, boy would it be nice, in a true potential leader's fashion.

But no, too much to hope for from these two characters.

They seemed to have missed the overall point of the Ambassador's comments - interference in our domestic affairs - and demonstrated their unsuitableness for any senior Government of Canada role.

Bill Blaikie, the NDP defense critic, yesterday afternoon on the CBC, made what I think was an appropriate comment - got his partisan digs in but made it clear this is our country thank very much USA.

He was asked by Don Newman (sp ?) about the Ambassador's comments.

He responded, as I remember, by saying he was discouraged by Canada's difficulty with living up to its Kyoto commitment - blamed the Liberal gov't - but said in effect PM PM can say what he wishes without interference from the USA.

Technorati Tags: Canada, News and Politic, Politics, Stupidity

So for something ... different, eh!

I have "The Huffington Post" in my connections but should I?

Likely, do you think?

Arianna provides really good general links to current news items and I think that this is a really good service.

I don't read the commentators. Or at least not always.

I do think John Cusack is great as a film actor but unless I'm about to lose my mind John I don't care what you think. And I do mean that.

So if your impressions of Arianna's sight has been a bit like mine maybe you should have a look this piece in the New York Review of Books just to really keep everything in perspective. I trust you know how to do a search to find Arianna's name.

While you are out in the ethers you may want to read Ken Auletta's piece in the New Yorker.

If you'd watched Jon Stewart last week you'd know it was to be in this weeks edition but Arianna's blog did, I think, have the first up link early this morning..

Technorati Tags: News and Politic, Politics, Stupidity

Some links on the troubles in Australia

There hasn't been much coverage in the mainstream media on the riots over the weekend in Australia.

I was expecting some more comments from the media just to keep a balance with some of various theories they had concerning the recent Paris troubles. Maybe if this isn't just an isolated incident we can hope for some great insights.

You might like to check this out. I understand from The Null Device that John Howard considers Alan Jones a great supporter or ally.

On something completely different, and just because Harper has said that the Liberals are against the "Family" whatever that is, eh.

And because he wants to re-introduce the "baby bonus" - it will be taxable I hope Stevey like the original.

I can't resist.

I have to post that famous picture of everyones friend Stephan from the Calgary newspaper. I know Layton and the NDP crew are also saying similar nonsense about "families" but everyone already knows what a silly bugger Jack looks like.

I think Steven would be great down there with the Bush baby clearing brush and talking softwood, don't you?. But he's got to wear this get-up don't you think. (OK one of his staff could dress him and get that hat on right and maybe show him how to throw back his shoulders.)

Hey, sorry, it maybe better to have a goof then the other guy. The other guy isn't a real cowboy anyway, is he?.

But the cowboy thingy seems to be back so Stevey could be on to something.

Technorati Tags: Canada, News and Politic, Stupidity