Stephen Hodge 🇨🇦
@mushymiddle.bsky.social
Never 51. Slava Ukraine. Capitalism doesn't work without healthy social programs. Lots of attention paid to US politics because it does, always has and always will affect Canada disproportionately. Also Canadian politics is boring, just the way I like it!
Maybe it's just me, and perhaps it's a bit silly, but is it possible many of today's problems tie back to Superhero fandom? A savior rises and saves everyone from impending doom. That seems an awful lot like what MAGA seems to think Trump is. No? A tough guy they think will fix all their problems.
October 3, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Maybe it's just me, and perhaps it's a bit silly, but is it possible many of today's problems tie back to Superhero fandom? A savior rises and saves everyone from impending doom. That seems an awful lot like what MAGA seems to think Trump is. No? A tough guy they think will fix all their problems.
Relations with China breaking down. Relations with Elon Musk breaking down. Relations with Europe, Asia, allies, higher education, etc., all breaking down. Can you find the common element with all these disintegrating relationships? I'll give you a minute if it's not obvious…
June 10, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Relations with China breaking down. Relations with Elon Musk breaking down. Relations with Europe, Asia, allies, higher education, etc., all breaking down. Can you find the common element with all these disintegrating relationships? I'll give you a minute if it's not obvious…
The Toronto Maple Leafs need more, not fewer, fair weather fans. Until the business side of the team starts to feel the same pain their fans feel, they'll continue to play competitive, but lackluster teams year after year. You want to see seismic moves made to the roster? Leave seats empty.
May 15, 2025 at 2:16 AM
The Toronto Maple Leafs need more, not fewer, fair weather fans. Until the business side of the team starts to feel the same pain their fans feel, they'll continue to play competitive, but lackluster teams year after year. You want to see seismic moves made to the roster? Leave seats empty.
Reading all the Americans reacting to the Canadian election as though it's a great repudiation of Trumpism. Meanwhile Liberals drew 43.5% of the popular vote to the Conservatives 41.4% share. Furthermore the government will be a minority, which is comparable to a Dem president with a GOP Congress.
April 29, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Reading all the Americans reacting to the Canadian election as though it's a great repudiation of Trumpism. Meanwhile Liberals drew 43.5% of the popular vote to the Conservatives 41.4% share. Furthermore the government will be a minority, which is comparable to a Dem president with a GOP Congress.
Not one thing on this list is particularly radical. They are all things commonly found in other wealthy developed economies. It's not outsiders making life hard for American citizens. It's tax cutting billionaires, lobbyists and politicians who want your tax dollars working for them, not for you.
April 28, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Not one thing on this list is particularly radical. They are all things commonly found in other wealthy developed economies. It's not outsiders making life hard for American citizens. It's tax cutting billionaires, lobbyists and politicians who want your tax dollars working for them, not for you.
If anyone in Canada is thinking they don't need to vote because this election is already decided… get off your ass and go vote! If you think your candidate is in for an easy win and don't bother going to the poll then that's exactly how your candidate ends up losing - your vote matters so go do it!
April 26, 2025 at 3:01 AM
If anyone in Canada is thinking they don't need to vote because this election is already decided… get off your ass and go vote! If you think your candidate is in for an easy win and don't bother going to the poll then that's exactly how your candidate ends up losing - your vote matters so go do it!
Trump's greatest fear is coming true. If his popularity remains well below 50% for long enough, Republicans in Congress might start to realize he's no longer their meal ticket. They might even grow a spine and start to remember what they once stood for… they might even oppose something someday!
April 25, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Trump's greatest fear is coming true. If his popularity remains well below 50% for long enough, Republicans in Congress might start to realize he's no longer their meal ticket. They might even grow a spine and start to remember what they once stood for… they might even oppose something someday!
Seeing Poilievre's remarks on the Pope's death is jarring. Given he himself is Catholic, it really seemed as though his comments were perfunctory and clipped, as if he found the topic more of a nuisance than a meaningful moment to Canadian Catholics. He just never brings empathy to his persona.
April 22, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Seeing Poilievre's remarks on the Pope's death is jarring. Given he himself is Catholic, it really seemed as though his comments were perfunctory and clipped, as if he found the topic more of a nuisance than a meaningful moment to Canadian Catholics. He just never brings empathy to his persona.
Everything is so fucked up. Nobody knows what to be angry about except for… everything. Which is just an ineffective way to push back against anything. It leads to people saying stupid things like kidnapped citizens are just a distraction. It creates rage machines spinning out of control. #Bluesky
April 19, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Everything is so fucked up. Nobody knows what to be angry about except for… everything. Which is just an ineffective way to push back against anything. It leads to people saying stupid things like kidnapped citizens are just a distraction. It creates rage machines spinning out of control. #Bluesky
When (if) sanity once again holds the seats of power in the White House and on Capitol Hill, it's past time for America to update its core political tenets. Term limits for Congress and SCOTUS, rein in (ban) corporate spending on elections, and more robust checks and balances are clearly required.
April 17, 2025 at 1:26 PM
When (if) sanity once again holds the seats of power in the White House and on Capitol Hill, it's past time for America to update its core political tenets. Term limits for Congress and SCOTUS, rein in (ban) corporate spending on elections, and more robust checks and balances are clearly required.
So what's on Bluesky's mind today? Renditions? Tariffs? Constitutional crises? Mishandling sensitive military information (remember that)? Racism? Inflation? Farmers? Attacks on government and private institutions? Democracy?
Sigh, such a great time to be alive…
Sigh, such a great time to be alive…
April 17, 2025 at 12:11 PM
So what's on Bluesky's mind today? Renditions? Tariffs? Constitutional crises? Mishandling sensitive military information (remember that)? Racism? Inflation? Farmers? Attacks on government and private institutions? Democracy?
Sigh, such a great time to be alive…
Sigh, such a great time to be alive…
US tourists are scared to travel abroad, even to Canada. Well, they should be, but for a different reason. Canadians are angry and frustrated with Trump, but not at all Americans. We're still happy you're visiting. But be wary on your return because CBP is what tourists should be scared of.
April 15, 2025 at 5:38 PM
US tourists are scared to travel abroad, even to Canada. Well, they should be, but for a different reason. Canadians are angry and frustrated with Trump, but not at all Americans. We're still happy you're visiting. But be wary on your return because CBP is what tourists should be scared of.
Innocent until PROVEN guilty. Better to let ten guilty people go free than to convict one innocent. These were commonly accepted principles of justice. What happened to the basic underlying legal philosophies keeping government and judicial overreach at bay? Have they been forgotten, or discarded?
April 15, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Innocent until PROVEN guilty. Better to let ten guilty people go free than to convict one innocent. These were commonly accepted principles of justice. What happened to the basic underlying legal philosophies keeping government and judicial overreach at bay? Have they been forgotten, or discarded?
As human rights are violated around the world we watch. The Uyghurs in China, genocide in Gaza, journalists arrested in Russia, or thousands of children stolen from families in Ukraine. We look on, outraged but helpless. Soon the world may be looking at the US that way. Something to think about.
April 15, 2025 at 1:54 PM
As human rights are violated around the world we watch. The Uyghurs in China, genocide in Gaza, journalists arrested in Russia, or thousands of children stolen from families in Ukraine. We look on, outraged but helpless. Soon the world may be looking at the US that way. Something to think about.
America as an idea. America as an aspiration. America as a nation. Going, going…
April 15, 2025 at 1:56 AM
America as an idea. America as an aspiration. America as a nation. Going, going…
Colgate had a stranglehold on the toothpaste market deciding they no longer needed to advertise. In months Crest became the leading brand, stayed there for decades. Tariffs will do the same to the entire American economy. A short term policy disaster will lead to years of lost opportunities.
April 13, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Colgate had a stranglehold on the toothpaste market deciding they no longer needed to advertise. In months Crest became the leading brand, stayed there for decades. Tariffs will do the same to the entire American economy. A short term policy disaster will lead to years of lost opportunities.
I watch international news sources make clear Trump's tariff pause still includes a blanket 10% for all countries. US media just reports it as a pause. He raised taxes for American consumers 10% on everything brought into the country. According to US news nothing has happened and won't for 90 days.
April 11, 2025 at 11:59 AM
I watch international news sources make clear Trump's tariff pause still includes a blanket 10% for all countries. US media just reports it as a pause. He raised taxes for American consumers 10% on everything brought into the country. According to US news nothing has happened and won't for 90 days.
If the SAVE act passes and gets written into law, I think it might be time for the United States to simply stop calling itself a democracy. Every adult citizen (save a few SERIOUS criminals) should get to vote and that vote should be obtained in the least difficult way possible.
April 10, 2025 at 3:42 PM
If the SAVE act passes and gets written into law, I think it might be time for the United States to simply stop calling itself a democracy. Every adult citizen (save a few SERIOUS criminals) should get to vote and that vote should be obtained in the least difficult way possible.
Reposted by Stephen Hodge 🇨🇦
How will The Guinness Book of World Records measure the greatest loss of wealth, over a short period of time, in the history of the world? Do they set the time period? Do they look at when the losses startand finish? Do they figure out the average lost every day? Trump's entry must be comprehensive!
April 8, 2025 at 4:34 PM
How will The Guinness Book of World Records measure the greatest loss of wealth, over a short period of time, in the history of the world? Do they set the time period? Do they look at when the losses startand finish? Do they figure out the average lost every day? Trump's entry must be comprehensive!
Is it ever going to be possible to get over the notion that most poor people choose poverty because they're lazy and just looking for government handouts? For one, financial/food/housing security is demonstrably beneficial to helping people, families & children raise themselves out of poverty…
April 8, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Is it ever going to be possible to get over the notion that most poor people choose poverty because they're lazy and just looking for government handouts? For one, financial/food/housing security is demonstrably beneficial to helping people, families & children raise themselves out of poverty…
Reposted by Stephen Hodge 🇨🇦
People are calling the recent markets turbulent, unstable, tumultuous - none of which is accurate. These descriptions work if things are down and up, but they're not. They're just down and looking to go down further still. The markets are tanking, that should be how it's getting reported.
April 7, 2025 at 12:15 AM
People are calling the recent markets turbulent, unstable, tumultuous - none of which is accurate. These descriptions work if things are down and up, but they're not. They're just down and looking to go down further still. The markets are tanking, that should be how it's getting reported.
The American economy can't fail… US billionaires won't let that happen.
Reality check: billionaires are stateless. They and their private jets and mega-yachts can live anywhere. If crashing the economy is profitable they'll do it. If it's no longer a country worth living in, they'll leave.
Reality check: billionaires are stateless. They and their private jets and mega-yachts can live anywhere. If crashing the economy is profitable they'll do it. If it's no longer a country worth living in, they'll leave.
April 6, 2025 at 4:42 PM
The American economy can't fail… US billionaires won't let that happen.
Reality check: billionaires are stateless. They and their private jets and mega-yachts can live anywhere. If crashing the economy is profitable they'll do it. If it's no longer a country worth living in, they'll leave.
Reality check: billionaires are stateless. They and their private jets and mega-yachts can live anywhere. If crashing the economy is profitable they'll do it. If it's no longer a country worth living in, they'll leave.
American multinationals are going to be faced with a quandary. Cave to tariff threats, move production to US production and face international backlash or… defend the current system in the hopes today's tariffs will be removed before new US factories could be built. Eight billion vs. 350 million.
April 6, 2025 at 4:03 PM
American multinationals are going to be faced with a quandary. Cave to tariff threats, move production to US production and face international backlash or… defend the current system in the hopes today's tariffs will be removed before new US factories could be built. Eight billion vs. 350 million.