Alvin Finkel
@alvinfinkel.bsky.social
Socialist historian; author of Humans: The 300,000 Year Struggle for Equality; president, Alberta Labour History Institute
The US "while developing an international public relations exercise that presented their country as a paragon of democracy, were busily overthrowing governments, elected or otherwise, that they regarded as unwilling to let US companies invest and trade as if they were nationals." (My book, "Humans")
November 23, 2025 at 5:45 AM
The US "while developing an international public relations exercise that presented their country as a paragon of democracy, were busily overthrowing governments, elected or otherwise, that they regarded as unwilling to let US companies invest and trade as if they were nationals." (My book, "Humans")
They'll claim that it's because Maduro is a dictator. But many a time they have deposed clearly elected leaders in Latin America and replaced them with fascist puppets of US capital. For the US imperialists it's all about the oil in Venezuela and Machado is part of the group loyal to US capital.
November 23, 2025 at 5:35 AM
They'll claim that it's because Maduro is a dictator. But many a time they have deposed clearly elected leaders in Latin America and replaced them with fascist puppets of US capital. For the US imperialists it's all about the oil in Venezuela and Machado is part of the group loyal to US capital.
Conclusion of my book, "Humans":
"[Successful] societies judge themselves in terms of how equally their residents participate in societal decision-making and in sharing the fruits of what the society produces... such societies...are produced only by conscious action by the 99 per cent...."
"[Successful] societies judge themselves in terms of how equally their residents participate in societal decision-making and in sharing the fruits of what the society produces... such societies...are produced only by conscious action by the 99 per cent...."
November 23, 2025 at 5:31 AM
Conclusion of my book, "Humans":
"[Successful] societies judge themselves in terms of how equally their residents participate in societal decision-making and in sharing the fruits of what the society produces... such societies...are produced only by conscious action by the 99 per cent...."
"[Successful] societies judge themselves in terms of how equally their residents participate in societal decision-making and in sharing the fruits of what the society produces... such societies...are produced only by conscious action by the 99 per cent...."
I'm sure that Donald Trump will tell you to blame "Sleepy Joe" Biden for that. Because of his dementia, he doesn't remember that he's been president for 10 months now.
November 23, 2025 at 5:22 AM
I'm sure that Donald Trump will tell you to blame "Sleepy Joe" Biden for that. Because of his dementia, he doesn't remember that he's been president for 10 months now.
Exactly. I'm a social policy historian. The bottom half of Canadians live better than the bottom half of Americans who on average received 0% of the 70% increase in productivity of the US from 1980 to 2015. And who cares that the top 10% of Americans are even wealthier than Canada's top 10%?
November 23, 2025 at 5:20 AM
Exactly. I'm a social policy historian. The bottom half of Canadians live better than the bottom half of Americans who on average received 0% of the 70% increase in productivity of the US from 1980 to 2015. And who cares that the top 10% of Americans are even wealthier than Canada's top 10%?
That exercise would be helpful in combating my asthma even if it meant having to use my Ventolin before I exercised. My allergist told me to treat myself like glass. I only realized that he was very wrong when I began jogging daily in my 20s.
November 23, 2025 at 5:15 AM
That exercise would be helpful in combating my asthma even if it meant having to use my Ventolin before I exercised. My allergist told me to treat myself like glass. I only realized that he was very wrong when I began jogging daily in my 20s.
At this point AI can't even summarize my emails without making content errors. And I'm a very careful author with both journalism and a long academic career, that included editing, as my background. I can't see how it can be trusted to find citations, even if one views such an effort as ethical.
November 23, 2025 at 5:12 AM
At this point AI can't even summarize my emails without making content errors. And I'm a very careful author with both journalism and a long academic career, that included editing, as my background. I can't see how it can be trusted to find citations, even if one views such an effort as ethical.
Some truth here but the numbers don't lie. The poor got poorer during every admin from Reagan onwards, R or D. While some poor white bigots will always vote R no matter what, there are many who do vote D when it actually offers them something. Harris needed an affordability agenda but had none.
November 23, 2025 at 5:06 AM
Some truth here but the numbers don't lie. The poor got poorer during every admin from Reagan onwards, R or D. While some poor white bigots will always vote R no matter what, there are many who do vote D when it actually offers them something. Harris needed an affordability agenda but had none.
It goes beyond lying. Stuff he says, including this bs about a grad cancellation to punish his family, is unhinged. He should be in a mental health hospital ward getting treatment, not sitting with the keys to start a nuclear war.
November 22, 2025 at 8:35 AM
It goes beyond lying. Stuff he says, including this bs about a grad cancellation to punish his family, is unhinged. He should be in a mental health hospital ward getting treatment, not sitting with the keys to start a nuclear war.
His words are always a stream of unconsciousness, linking real things--like a grad cancellation and COVID--with lies--his daughter being top of her class--with narcissistic nonsense like the grad cancellation being a planned stab in the back of the Trumps. He has a minimal connection to reality.
November 22, 2025 at 8:33 AM
His words are always a stream of unconsciousness, linking real things--like a grad cancellation and COVID--with lies--his daughter being top of her class--with narcissistic nonsense like the grad cancellation being a planned stab in the back of the Trumps. He has a minimal connection to reality.
All true, but there's always been another America. The America of slaves who revolted collectively, the America of working people who looked after each other when the state would not, the America of trade unions, the America of feminists. That America needs to rise up to marginalize Trump America.
November 21, 2025 at 5:50 PM
All true, but there's always been another America. The America of slaves who revolted collectively, the America of working people who looked after each other when the state would not, the America of trade unions, the America of feminists. That America needs to rise up to marginalize Trump America.
Well, he is a convicted rapist and is on record as saying "grab them by the pussy."
November 21, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Well, he is a convicted rapist and is on record as saying "grab them by the pussy."
Yes, pigs, like whales, have high IQs, something we know the "stable genius" does not. He shouldn't be compared to pigs. Maybe he should be compared to gnats.
November 21, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Yes, pigs, like whales, have high IQs, something we know the "stable genius" does not. He shouldn't be compared to pigs. Maybe he should be compared to gnats.
That's true for the past several thousand years but wasn't true for most of the 300,000 years of human history. In my book, Humans: The 300,000 Year Struggle for Equality, I open with the story of Johanna Ferrour who organized the English revolt of 1381. But we call it the Wat Tyler revolt.
November 21, 2025 at 5:42 PM
That's true for the past several thousand years but wasn't true for most of the 300,000 years of human history. In my book, Humans: The 300,000 Year Struggle for Equality, I open with the story of Johanna Ferrour who organized the English revolt of 1381. But we call it the Wat Tyler revolt.
In Canada, "uttering threats" is a criminal action. I assume that is the case in the US as well. I'd ask "why has Trump not been arrested for this?" But I realize that he has also not been arrested for rape, treason, murder, fraud, and other crimes that he has committed.
November 21, 2025 at 5:31 PM
In Canada, "uttering threats" is a criminal action. I assume that is the case in the US as well. I'd ask "why has Trump not been arrested for this?" But I realize that he has also not been arrested for rape, treason, murder, fraud, and other crimes that he has committed.
It speaks to the American psyche that lying, demented Trump is believed by 1/2 the population because he's rich. He's a caricature con artist: bsing with made-up numbers, telling obvious lies, contradicting himself, exposing his narcissism. People have to park their brains to believe his shit.
November 21, 2025 at 8:20 AM
It speaks to the American psyche that lying, demented Trump is believed by 1/2 the population because he's rich. He's a caricature con artist: bsing with made-up numbers, telling obvious lies, contradicting himself, exposing his narcissism. People have to park their brains to believe his shit.
Trump has always been a Russian asset. They saved him from bankruptcy several times and they no doubt have proof that he's a pedophile that is even clearer than what may not have been sifted out of the Epstein records.
November 21, 2025 at 8:06 AM
Trump has always been a Russian asset. They saved him from bankruptcy several times and they no doubt have proof that he's a pedophile that is even clearer than what may not have been sifted out of the Epstein records.
Giving Trump a Nobel Peace Prize would be as welcome as giving such a prize to Adolf Hitler or Vladimir Putin. He's a vile, demented shithead who couldn't be elected dogcatcher in most countries.
November 21, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Giving Trump a Nobel Peace Prize would be as welcome as giving such a prize to Adolf Hitler or Vladimir Putin. He's a vile, demented shithead who couldn't be elected dogcatcher in most countries.
Good on you for reminding us of Trump's family's involvement in events leading to the savage murder of a conscientious journalist. When Trump says the murdered journalist was not very popular, what he means is that his crooked family didn't like the guy because he was exposing their crookedness.
November 21, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Good on you for reminding us of Trump's family's involvement in events leading to the savage murder of a conscientious journalist. When Trump says the murdered journalist was not very popular, what he means is that his crooked family didn't like the guy because he was exposing their crookedness.
Good. No need to reinvent the wheel. Just copy our Canadian model. Single-payer reduces admin costs by 25% & removing profit and advertising another 20% or more. Doctors having to negotiate collectively with gov't further reduces costs associated with doctors controlling private insurance.
November 20, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Good. No need to reinvent the wheel. Just copy our Canadian model. Single-payer reduces admin costs by 25% & removing profit and advertising another 20% or more. Doctors having to negotiate collectively with gov't further reduces costs associated with doctors controlling private insurance.
Could they? Yes. Canada dealt with that situation in 1957 when universal hospital insurance was introduced and 1968 when universal physician visit insurance was introduced. It happened smoothly and while most physicians nominally continue in private practice, they negotiate collectively with gov't.
November 20, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Could they? Yes. Canada dealt with that situation in 1957 when universal hospital insurance was introduced and 1968 when universal physician visit insurance was introduced. It happened smoothly and while most physicians nominally continue in private practice, they negotiate collectively with gov't.
Better idea: get rid of private healthcare in favor of universal, comprehensive healthcare. We managed to get that in Canada in 1968 for all physician visits and hospital stays. We're expanding that to other parts of healthcare at a snail's pace, but the US is 67 years behind us in basic services.
November 20, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Better idea: get rid of private healthcare in favor of universal, comprehensive healthcare. We managed to get that in Canada in 1968 for all physician visits and hospital stays. We're expanding that to other parts of healthcare at a snail's pace, but the US is 67 years behind us in basic services.
"Private insurance" and "premiums" for healthcare are obscene. While our public health insurance in Canada should expand to include pharmaceuticals, dentistry, homecare, and long-term care, income tax covers doctors' visits and hospital stays. Your health care, not credit card, guarantees service.
November 20, 2025 at 7:03 PM
"Private insurance" and "premiums" for healthcare are obscene. While our public health insurance in Canada should expand to include pharmaceuticals, dentistry, homecare, and long-term care, income tax covers doctors' visits and hospital stays. Your health care, not credit card, guarantees service.