Wednesday Night #2227

APEC, G20, Climate Change COP29 … Multilateralism is everywhere. As the assorted leaders huddle while their sherpas craft anodyne communiqués that might just be acceptable to all, anxiety over the Donald Trump 2.0 regime -and promised trade wars– dominates the conversation. Not much has been resolved either on or off stage.
APEC‘s Machu Picchu Declaration stressed the importance of maintaining a predictable trade and investment environment [Not bloody likely]; the G20 was distinguished by squabbles while progress has been slow among the nearly 200 governments gathered in Azerbaijan for the second week of COP29; developed nations have been reluctant to put forward the cash needed to give poor countries access to the $1tn a year they need to cut greenhouse gas emissions and cope with the impacts of extreme weather, and rows have erupted over the global commitment to “transition away from fossil fuels”
A reminder to our friends who are skeptical about climate change: Tens of thousands without power, ferries cancelled after ‘bomb cyclone’ batters B.C. coast -Gusts up to 170 km/h recorded off Vancouver Island. We are thinking of our BC friends and hope that George has power.

What I Mean to Say: Remaking Conversation In Our Time
In light of the disarray in international meetings, the less-than-civil discourse in the parliaments and governing bodies around the world, the hourly news of more and more outrageous proposals from the President-elect, and the anxiety that dominates our thoughts and actions, it is fitting that 2024 Massey lecturer Ian Williams wants to start a conversation about conversations. He says we need to address how civic and civil discourse has deteriorated. This is of course a topic dear to the hearts of Wednesday Night and 1880.
‘I believe in multiplicity’: Why Massey lecturer Ian Williams stays open to all perspectives
The celebrated novelist says listening is integral in understanding others with different points of view

Dare we hope?
‘Positive progress’ made in Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire talks, US envoy says
Amos Hochstein to meet Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday after Beirut discussions over deal to end fighting

More about the closing of MIGS from The Canadian Jewish News
Concordia closes its Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies citing ‘budgetary constraints’ …the esteemed MIGS, founded by Frank Chalk and the late Kurt Jonassohn in 1986, which had become a widely renowned think-tank working to inform public policy at the intersection of human rights, conflict prevention and emerging technologies.
The institute had achieved global recognition for its work with policymakers, academics, UN officials, students, civil society organizations and journalists, including the much-lauded Will to Intervene Project which sought to prevent mass atrocities through education and policy advocacy. …

Another Russian defenestration?
Vladimir Shklyarov, Russian ballet star, dies aged 39 after falling from building
St Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre says dancer was taking painkillers for an injury and fell from fifth floor
Shklyarov condemned Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in a now-deleted Instagram post from March 2022, declaring his opposition to “all kinds of military actions.”
“It is impossible to watch everything that is happening today without tears,” Shklyarov wrote.
In contrast to Olga Smirnova, a star ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet who fled Russia and moved to Europe, Shklyarov continued performing in Russia and refrained from further commenting on the war.

YES!
Quebec adopts consumer bill, setting rules for tips and grocery prices
Suggested tips must be calculated based on pre-tax bills, and grocery stores must show which products are subject to sales taxes.
Tabled by Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette on Sept. 12, Bill 72 is intended to “protect consumers against abusive commercial practices and to offer better transparency with respect to prices and credit.”
Changes include clarifying grocery and gas prices, giving a framework for tipping practices, and limiting door-to-door HVAC sales.

Ford says all premiers aligned on push for Canada to have bilateral trade deal with U.S.
Premiers calling for meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to discuss the idea
Ford, who is the current chair of the Council of the Federation, the group of Canada’s 13 premiers, says they had a call Wednesday and there is a clear consensus that the country needs separate agreements with the U.S. and Mexico.
“All the premiers, we know Mexico is bringing in cheap Chinese parts, slapping made-in-Mexico stickers on, shipping it up through the U.S. and Canada, causing American jobs to be lost, and Canadian jobs,” he said after the call wrapped up. “We want fair trade.”

Inevitably, talk of a revised trade agreement leads us to news of Trump -and Musk.
Our new favorite description of the Trump nominees:  “Star Wars cantina of idiots”

In line with the Massey Lectures’ topic, Ritchie Torres, a gay, Afro Latino Democratic congressman representing the South Bronx, and a self-described “pragmatic progressive” proposes the Trump opposition cheer on Musk’s ideas that they like and criticize the ones they don’t? He asks, what if Democrats, in particular, gave Musk credit for an accomplishment every now and then? Wouldn’t that make criticism of his other moves all the more credible and compelling? A Democrat shows how to deal with Musk beyond reflexive criticism Go ahead, admit it. Elon Musk has done some amazing things. If you hate other stuff he does, say that too.

Whoever thought we would be applauding John Bolton in this life -or the next? His reaction to Trump’s choices of Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence and Matt Gaetz as attorney general changed that. ‘Worst in history’: Ex-Trump adviser challenges GOP to ‘stand up’ against cabinet picks

A most disturbing analysis from Russian journalist Mikhail Zygar
Putin Sees America Hurtling to Disaster, With Trump at the Wheel …to many in the Kremlin, a Trump presidency might bring about the collapse of the American state. The idea that the United States is entering the final stage of its history has been kicking around Russia for some time. For years, it was confined to fringe voices. But since around 2020, figures from the Kremlin have been making the argument, too.

This could be a positive development for a while.
Ian Bremmer explains why foreign leaders are already falling in line behind Donald Trump
World leaders are doing everything they can to avoid becoming a target of his wrath, using flattery and favor to appeal to Trump’s ego and transactional nature in the hopes of getting in his good graces. After all, they know Trump is nothing if not willing to sit down with anyone – whether a longstanding democratic ally or a brutal dictator – to try to cut a deal that makes him look good at home.
The upshot is that at least in the early days of his presidency, Donald Trump is poised to rack up far more foreign policy wins than many people appreciate. Not because he’s a “stable genius” or a particularly gifted negotiator, but because he’ll be running the world’s largest economy and most powerful military, with leverage over virtually every country and less aversion to wielding it than any US president that came before him.

Long reads
Decapitation Strike
Preserving America from Trump’s Appointments
Timothy Snyder
It is not they will do a bad job in their assigned posts. It is that they will do a good job using those assigned posts to destroy our country.
However and by whomever this was organized, the intention of these appointments is clear: to create American horror. Elected officials should see this for what it is. Senators, regardless of party, should understand that the United States Senate will not outlast the United States, insist on voting, and vote accordingly.

Heather Cox Richardson November 16 2024
One of President-elect Trump’s campaign pledges was to eliminate the Department of Education. He claimed that the department pushes “woke” ideology on America’s schoolchildren and that its employees “hate our children.” He promised to “return” education to the states.
In fact, the Department of Education does not set curriculum; states and local governments do. The Department of Education collects statistics about schools to monitor student performance and promote practices based in evidence. It provides about 10% of funding for K–12 schools through federal grants of about $19.1 billion to high-poverty schools and of $15.5 billion to help cover the cost of educating students with disabilities.

Capitalism Is Driving Democracy’s Death Spiral
The post-election blame game in the United States will not only tear apart the Democratic Party, but will also distract from the elephant in the room. Democracy has been eroded by a socioeconomic regime that puts price signals above people’s needs, undermining the capacity for consensus and collective decision-making.

Crypto becomes a DC powerhouse
At the White House, digital currency also has a stalwart ally. After early skepticism, President-elect Donald Trump himself is now a strong backer. He accepted donations to his campaign through cryptocurrency and in September unveiled his own crypto project along with his sons Eric and Don Jr. called World Liberty Financial. On Monday, Trump met with Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, whose company poured money into the Fairshake super PACs. The Financial Times reported earlier this week that Trump’s media company, which runs Truth Social, is in advanced talks to buy the crypto trading firm Bakkt.
Trump has already pledged to fire Gary Gensler, the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, on day one. Perhaps crypto’s chief antagonist in Washington, Gensler’s efforts to police the digital currency — which is not controlled by a central authority and is instead traded through crypto exchanges such as Coinbase — has led to $400 million in legal defense costs alone.

VERY LONG READ/PODCAST
Ezra Klein: Trump Kicks Down the Guardrails
Anne Applebaum on how to think about autocracy and authoritarianism in a second Trump term.
-edited transcript of an episode of The Ezra Klein Show.