Wednesday Night #2225

‘Trump’s America’: Comeback Victory Signals a Different Kind of Country

In the end, Donald J. Trump is not the historical aberration some thought he was, but instead a transformational force reshaping the modern United States in his own image.

Word of the Day: recrudescence a sudden new appearance and growth, especially of something dangerous and unpleasant

Like many others, I never expected such a huge win for Trump, and am dreading the impact it will have on US institutions and policy.
The Supreme Court is particularly worrisome.

Mr. Trump clinched the presidency just after 5:30 a.m. with a victory in Wisconsin. He added a win in Michigan, shattering the so-called blue wall as Republicans also secured control of the Senate.
…the Republican majority will not be the historically large margin that it appeared it could be. Senator Tammy Baldwin, Democrat of Wisconsin, eked out a victory over her Trump-backed opponent, Eric Hovde. And Representative Elissa Slotkin, Democrat of Michigan, won her race to replace the retiring Senator Debbie Stabenow, keeping the seat in Democratic hands. Swing-state Senate contests in Pennsylvania, Nevada and Arizona remain uncalled.

We are very happy that Wednesday Night’s favorite North Carolina political figure, Jeff Jackson, won his race to become North Carolina’s Attorney General, replacing Josh Stein, who will be the first Jewish governor of North Carolina.

In Trump’s Stunning Victory,  Jeremy Kinsman reminds us that Trump “is unstable, unpredictable, and is now dangerously unchained, with many more institutional and organizational advantages than he had in 2016.
“America will become a cauldron of dissent if he pushes the limits and doubles down on the nation’s divisions that won him the White House again. Turning to the world and to Canada, there is nothing good in his election, unless you are Benjamin Netanyahu, Viktor Orbàn, or Vladimir Putin.”
We often deplore the midterm elections , held every two years for all members of the US House of Representatives and one-third of the Senators. But, for once , let us view them as a blessing, as does Jeremy.
“Despite losing the Senate, and at the point of writing, also probably the House of Representatives, Democrats and civil liberties will need to climb back in public support. Their agenda will be less driven by progressives’ insistent reform agenda, and the party will drive toward the 2026 congressional mid-term elections where, if they keep their unity and communicate effectively, the Democrats should reap a massive haul of seats in the House, assuming that the President is still an agent of chaos.”

Setting a good example
Kamala Harris: ‘We must accept the results’ of the election
The vice president delivered her first public remarks since Donald Trump won the White House.
Harris, in Concession Speech, Says ‘Sometimes the Fight Takes a While’
“This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves.”

Economic outlook
The Dow soars, Tesla and Trump Media gain, and what Trump’s win means:
Markets and Bitcoin are soaring. So are some specific stocks that are very much tied to President-elect Donald Trump. And a trade war looms. What Trump’s election win means for stocks, the economy, trade, and more. Plus, business leaders react, and Wells Fargo sees a “regulatory game changer” for bank
The warning sign for Trump in Wall Street’s big rally
There appear to be open questions among investors about what a Trump administration might mean for the economy and markets.
Even as stock prices soared on Wednesday, U.S. government debt sold off following Trump’s stunning win over Kamala Harris, pushing the 10-year Treasury yield to its highest level since July. It’s an indication that investors in the world’s biggest bond market fear the incoming administration could trigger inflation and larger federal deficits. Higher yields suggest that bond buyers are demanding greater returns to protect their investments — making it more expensive for the government to finance its debt.
“The bond markets [are] nervous,” Interactive Brokers Chief Strategist Steve Sosnick said.

Despite our preoccupation with and concerns regarding the outcome of the U.S. election,
other events in the rest of the world –including Canada- deserve some attention

Top of our list is the Shocking, distressing news affecting our good friends Kyle Matthews and Marie Lamensch as well as Romeo Dallaire and Irwin Cotler, not to mention founder Frank Chalk.
Another blow to Montreal’s international standing and, in our opinion, a short-sighted move by Concordia
Concordia shuts institute of genocide and human rights studies to cut costs
The MIGS, founded in 1986 by Concordia professors Frank Chalk and the late Kurt Jonassohn, operated as a policy think tank that worked to inform public policy in Canada and abroad about genocide and mass atrocities, according to its website.
Concordia University concludes operations of the Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (MIGS)
Concordia University has concluded the operations of the…MIGS due to budgetary constraints. The institute became known for its pivotal work, including the Will to Intervene project, which sought to prevent mass atrocities through education and policy advocacy. Additionally, MIGS led initiatives such as the Digital Mass Atrocity Prevention Lab contributed to the global conversation on combating online hate and extremism. We deeply appreciate the efforts of everyone involved and remain committed to supporting initiatives that promote human rights.
We are confident that MIGS will rise from the ashes in a somewhat modified guise and know that Many Wednesday Nighters are eager to lend a hand.

Terry Mosher: John Little was beloved Montreal artist, sports fan and a great friend
John Little’s growing reputation as a chronicler of Montreal’s urban landscape soon drew the attention of several prestigious galleries that sell his work even today.

Israel/Middle East
Israel’s Netanyahu Fires Defense Minister, Citing ‘Gaps’ in Approach to War
The minister, Yoav Gallant, differed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the conduct of the war in Gaza and domestic political issues.

Russia-North Korea
North Korea’s involvement in Ukraine draws China into a delicate balancing act
The entry of North Korean troops risks a dangerous escalation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It also puts Beijing in a tight spot
Inexperienced, poorly trained and underfed: the North Korean troops heading to Ukraine
Kim Jong-un has called his army the ‘strongest in the world’ but they are vulnerable to malnutrition, and none have seen combat or know the terrain in Russia’s war
(The Guardian) Depending on whom you ask, they are the boost that Russian forces need to make a significant breakthrough in Ukraine, or they are simple cannon fodder, destined for repatriation in body bags.

UK
‘High energy, high risk’: Tories already wonder if Kemi Badenoch will last until the next election
She says virtually nothing on policy, but this is no cautious ‘Ming vase’ strategy. Her appetite for chaos will make or break her
Kemi Badenoch Becomes First Black Woman to Lead Britain’s Conservative Party
Ms. Badenoch is expected to move the party, now in the opposition, further to the right.

Biodiversity COP16
COP16 fizzles out as rich countries block global nature fund
The outcome left African and Latin American nations furious and prompted some to refuse to engage on other biodiversity issues.
Biodiversity is the least understood and most under-appreciated of all the UNEP entities. The COPs always disappoint, either dragging out for extra days before wringing out highly compromised agreement, or ending in a squabble… thus ensuring that important advances are neglected as appears to be the case this time:
At U.N. summit, historic agreement to give Indigenous groups voice on nature conservation decisions  After two weeks of negotiations, delegates on Saturday agreed at the United Nations conference on biodiversity to establish a subsidiary body that will include Indigenous peoples in future decisions on nature conservation, a development that builds on a growing movement to recognize the role of the descendants of some regions’ original inhabitants in protecting land and combating climate change.

Moldova votes for president in runoff election as Russia hovers
Pro-EU president Maia Sandu faces Alexandr Stoianoglo in polls marred by accusations of Kremlin vote-buying

Quebec College of Physicians wants expanded private medical care halted
The group warns that accessibility to health care and services, guaranteed by law, is being compromised.
The request is one of six guiding principles established by the College during a regular meeting of its board of directors Oct. 25. The principle aim is to rethink the role of the private sector in health care to ensure the sustainability of an accessible and universal public system.

A gentle smile
Shetland man’s bond with otter becomes subject of award-winning film
Documentary about Billy Mail’s connection with orphaned pup Molly airs on National Geographic next week