Some Politics is Local

We have a special super, duper hot-take mini-episode this week! We recorded this special podcast only an hour or so after Jason Kenney announced that he would be stepping down as Premier of Alberta after securing 51.4% of the vote in support of his leadership. 

In this burning hot take, we talk about what went wrong, revisit our Predict-orama on the leadership review, whether this is good for the NDP, the likely contenders in the now certain leadership race, Kenney's legacy as a Premier and, last but not least, whether Jason Kenney will get that sweet, sweet private sector job he's yearned for (on tap...around Christmas time).

For this week’s episode, in federal politics, we dissect (or, more accurately, Mike regales David on what happened on) the first official Conservative leadership debate. Who scored points, who lost points, who wants to fire the Governor of the Bank of Canada? We discuss! For provincial politics, we revisit the Ides of Spring (AKA Jason Kenney's leadership vote). We offer our take on the buying memberships for others scandal (?), the impact of the new Buffalo party might have and Mr. Kenney going to Washington. 

For ShowReport this week, it is a Mike-solo on the Amazon Prime series A Very English Scandal, starring Hugh Grant and based on the book by John Preston, which tells the story of Jeremy Thorpe's (former Leader of the Liberal Party in the UK) trials and tribulations in trying to cover up his male love affair.

For this week’s episode, for all levels of politics, we tackle on issue only: the implications of the (still draft) decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in the US Supreme Court. What does it mean for the US - and the 51% percent of the population that is oppressed by this vote? What does it portend for Trump? We discuss it all and more! We also talk about what the reverberations in Canada might be (including how likely is such a thing to happen here in the True North Strong and Free). To discuss all of this, we are joined by our illustrious friend and lawyer Jen (in our 2nd guest episode ever)!

For Report this week, there isn't one since there was so much to talk about with the salient news of the week (see above).

For this week’s episode, for Global Politics, we talk about the latest (and not so greatest) about Russia's invasion of Ukraine.  Is Putin rationale?  Are we heading towards nuclear oblivious?  We discuss! For Media Politics (?), we talk about Elon Musk's move to buy Twitter for the princely sum of 44 billion dollars. Is this good for the world (and, less importantly, the business)?  We dig into all of it!

For DocReport this week, Mike watched the newest Ken Burns offering on Ben Franklin - printer, inventor, scientist, politician, diplomat and, disputably, ladies man.  

For this week’s episode, we take the 'lightning round' approach - with a bunch of quick takes on interesting political topics.  For Global politics, we talk about the election in France and what it portends for the free-world more generally.  For US politics, we quickly gab about the increasing divide amongst Senators in Supreme Court nominations.  For Federal politics, we talk about the .5% rate hike, as well at the seemingly unstoppable rise of Pierre Polievre.  Finally, we catch our breath and soberly review the Ides of Spring, with a review on Jason Kenney's closing pitch to UCP members as his leadership review gets under way.

Power, Prime Ministers and the Press by Robert Lewis (former editor of Macleans), which (kind of) chronicles the history of political journalism in Canada.

For this week’s episode, in federal politics, we have a smoking-hot take on the Liberals' Federal Budget.  Did the NDP get what they bargained for (kind of)?  Will the Conservative have well-thought out criticisms against it (don't count on it)?  We discuss!  For provincial politics, we talk about the Ides of April...and now May (with the move of the Leadership Vote to mid-May)!  We go over Danielle Smith re-entry onto the political scene, the latest poll numbers and the resignation/firing of the CEO of Alberta Health Services.  

No report this week as we were having way too much fun talking about the above topics.

 

For this week’s episode, in Global politics, we go back and forth on the most interesting developments that happened of late related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.  Then, for Federal politics, we chat about the new Liberal climate change plan (now 'new-and-improved' with sector specific targets!).  Will this new plan save us from a fiery oblivion - and was the Liberal/NDP deal from last week helpful in bringing it to fruition...we'll discuss!   

For DocReport this week, Mike watched the 6-part, Netflix documentary series The Andy Warhol Diaries - based on the artist's "diaries" (which was originally released as a book and was edited by Pat Hackett).  You'll have to listen to the pod to find out why the quotation marks are there...

For this week’s episode, in Federal politics, we talk about the brand new confidence and supply agreement struck between the NDP and the Liberals that will (maybe) keep the government in tact until 2025. Who are the big winners and losers of the deal?  We discuss!  We then check in on the Ides of April, with the April 9th Leadership Review vote fast approaching.  We talk about the politics and logistics about moving to a mail-in ballot - and away from an in person vote in (lovely) Red Deer. 

We have our first ever MusicalReport this week from Mike, who went to go see Hot Boy Summer, which chronicles what the pandemic would have been like if Kenney was a student council president, rather than a premiere (you'll need to listen to the podcast to really understand this :).

For this week’s episode, in global politics, we talk (yep, once again) about Russia's invasion of the Ukraine. We take a bit of a different take on it this time by chatting about how the conflict could alter the world order - with possibly bolstering the assentation of China as a challenger to the US. For Canadian federal politics, we talk about the new entrants into the conservative leadership - with Mike trying to convince David to care about the race (even at this early stage). Will he succeed in doing so - you'll have to listen to find out!

We have a ShowReport this week from David on The Americans, which is a spy drama of Russian covert operatives who are trying to infiltrate the US government in the 1980s.

For this week’s episode, in global politics, we talk (once again) about Russia's invasion of the Ukraine. Is Putin a rational actor or just a dickhead? We'll discuss! Then, for US politics, we have a 'warm-take' on Joe Biden's first State of the Union address which took place on March 1st, 2022. For extra fun, David only read the transcript while Mike watched the whole thing live (with all the clapping-seal moments) - the medium is (somewhat) the message.

We have a dual BookReport this week, with David and Mike both reading War by Margaret MacMillon (author of Paris 1919), which dissects war, in all its aspects, into very granular detail.