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TheyCallMeMitch

@hobbitlover.bsky.social

Rebels was better than Andor.

created November 14, 2024

500 followers 61 following 3,268 posts

view profile on Bluesky

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Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

The TFW program can be improved and shouldn't be available to fast food franchise owners who don't want to pay a living wage. But pretending it can be scrapped entirely is beyond ridiculous. And PP knows this, he just wanted to get his name back in the media and to look tough before his review.

3/9/2025, 5:59:33 PM | 2 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

More proof that Poilievre is a moron who is more concerned with rage farming than running the country. Who do Canadians think work on our farms? It's not the university students complaining that they can't find jobs. Who works in slaughterhouses?

3/9/2025, 5:59:33 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

The fact he won't get his security clearance is a massive red flag and should concern anyone. Nobody should be making excuses for him or buying his senseless reasons. The world is entering a dangerous phase and security is critical.

3/9/2025, 5:39:25 PM | 3 2 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

My bad. It still seems like it's a bad idea. Identity politics are killing the NDP.

3/9/2025, 5:36:52 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

If racism and exclusion is bad, then it's bad for everyone - there's no one group it's okay to blacklist because other members of their racial group had it good for a long time. The NDP used to be rural - farmers, resource workers, blue collars, etc. Rural areas are not as diverse as cities.

2/9/2025, 11:29:17 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

And there's nothing wrong with that, that's how the game is played - any organized constituency can effectively hack the candidate and leadership selection process if they sign up enough members. I get that diversity is important but if the NDP is serious then they need to stop excluding people.

2/9/2025, 11:27:19 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

CIS white men are a big constituency in this country and many will be offended by this. We have more Sikhs in Parliament in Canada than we do in India. Why? Because they understand the party process and are great at going out and getting signatures and donations from the Sikh community.

2/9/2025, 11:27:19 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

The National Post is running a story claiming that the NDP is limiting the number of nominations you can get from cis white men. Turned out it was true (Page 6): www.ndp.ca/sites/defaul...

2/9/2025, 11:23:18 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

He won't, Canadian conservatives and seniors support Ukraine. A lot of voters in the prairies are Ukrainian in origin. I don't think Poilievre cares about Ukraine personally, he's too MAGA for that, but he cares about votes and winning the next election.

2/9/2025, 10:00:07 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

I'm sure the Heritage Foundation/Project 2025 zealots are already working on that, and preparing to stage something with Don Jr. or Vance or someone else. It will be like the fist-pump-after-getting-maybe-shot-in-the-ear staged photo, like Don Jr. fighting off ANTIFA home invaders with a handgun.

2/9/2025, 9:26:00 PM | 2 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

That would end the hacking, the ransomware attacks, the honeypots and compromising attacks, the disinformation, the election interference, the attacks on infrastructure, and more. Obviously they'd still find a way to get information through at a trickle, but good luck with that.

2/9/2025, 6:43:23 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

NATO and the EU must respond in kind. Immediately cut all hard-line Internet connections in and out of Russia, and block Russian IPs using wireless or satellite communications. Extend that response to any country that aids Russia by sharing their pipeline.

2/9/2025, 6:43:23 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

The war has started - hacking, assassinations on foreign soil, cutting communication lines, attempts to subvert democracy and elections and spread disinformation, social media psy-ops, etc. Russia has been on the attack for years and nobody is responding.

2/9/2025, 6:43:23 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

"That can't happen here," is such an empty statement, as we've seen in the U.S. The phrase should be "We can't let that happen here," because it takes constant vigilance and action to stay one step ahead of fascists and enemies of democracy.

2/9/2025, 6:32:37 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Conservatives today always take the side of corporations over the public because they believe that it's in the public interest, that what's good for business is inherently good. And if they personally benefit, even better. They condemn any criticism of capitalism as communism, there's no middle.

2/9/2025, 6:27:14 PM | 2 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

You know that old saying, "If at first Trump doesn't succeed, he was only joking when he said he'd try."

30/8/2025, 5:26:49 AM | 8 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

I wonder if there's some sinister eugenics aspect to everything RFK Jr. is doing - like he's part of a secret conspiracy to rid the world of stupid and gullible people. I know that sounds crazy, but the Trump admin's reasoning - if they're sincere - sounds even crazier.

29/8/2025, 11:03:43 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

America? Not a lot of Americans faced any kind of penalties for actions in Afghanistan, Iraq or elsewhere. Only whistleblowers were prosecuted within America.

29/8/2025, 10:58:01 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

I mean, they kind of got a pass?

29/8/2025, 10:34:49 PM | 2 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social)

@mark-carney.bsky.social Can we spare a water bomber? x.com/GovPressOffi...

29/8/2025, 10:23:06 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social)

We should send a water bomber (obviously when we have one to spare). Not only would that be funny, it would make a point about climate change, and reinforce our longstanding friendship with reasonable states and Americans. x.com/GovPressOffi...

29/8/2025, 10:21:46 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

You can't cry "Second Amendment!" if you're okay ignoring the first, fifth, sixth, fourteenth and probably others.

29/8/2025, 8:48:21 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

I don't think the goal here is to own the Libs, it's to make his political enemies afraid and get enough of them killed that they stop opposing him.

29/8/2025, 6:22:11 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

It seems like we're going to get that overhaul, pulling closer to the EU than the US. Really, if Ukraine has taught us anything in holding Russia to a virtual stalemate, it's that defence doesn't need to be expensive. In fact, it gets better when it's cheap like drones - quantity over quality.

29/8/2025, 4:40:35 PM | 2 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

So basically red-pilled and crazy. A lot of recent mass shooters haven't fit neatly into any kind of box but are a mess of sometimes contradictory conspiracies and beliefs. We can talk about guns, mental illness, etc., but we really need to look at the internet and social media as well.

29/8/2025, 4:05:02 PM | 15 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

It's the most basic level of diplomacy. Without it, people can't travel, trade, or have any relations between countries, even if it's telling those countries not to assassinate political enemies on Canadian soil.

28/8/2025, 6:59:32 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

All I can say is that we have normalized relations with a lot of disappointing countries. It doesn't mean we're friends. It's not an endorsement or acceptance of those countries and the things they do. It's more a recognition of trade, mutual interests, migration, and other considerations.

28/8/2025, 6:59:32 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

The same pro-Palestinian groups that are hijacking Pride events also represent a constituency of Muslims that hate Pride and are stoutly anti-LGBT. It's insane. And we have relations with Muslim countries. So why them and not India?

28/8/2025, 6:59:32 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Diversity has issues. Some cultures and religions are hateful of Jews, the LGBT community, different races and castes, or view women as lesser and children as possessions they can trade as they wish. Calling out that hate as un-Canadian is somehow considered intolerant and hateful, which is insane.

28/8/2025, 6:59:32 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

We're being sucked into a growing number of foreign conflicts and controversies that have nothing to do with us and that are having huge impacts on trade, our reputation, our role in organizations, and our international relationships.

28/8/2025, 6:59:32 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

We've let this country become become a safe harbour for warlords, terror groups, global crime syndicates, criminals, and political, cultural and religious extremism on all sides. Our free speech and other rights are being cynically taken advantage of, betraying their original intent.

28/8/2025, 6:59:32 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

A lot of people are considered about foreign interference in our elections, including from India, and we need to act on that - but can you blame a country for getting involved when another country is sheltering a group you consider to be terrorists?

28/8/2025, 6:59:32 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Maybe we need to start taking action against people in Canada that are actively organizing rebellions in other democracies. That has to be illegal. We're a country of immigrants that needs migrants to cut ties with the politics and violent movements in their home countries.

28/8/2025, 6:59:32 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

I know people will wonder why we're normalizing relations with a country that ordered the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil. I don't have a good answer for that. The individual was calling for the violent separation of Khalistan from India, but was also a Canadian.

28/8/2025, 6:59:32 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Canada needs defence more than offence, which means this money could probably be better spent on drones, SAMs, mid-range missile systems and trained personnel.

27/8/2025, 8:13:59 PM | 2 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

My guess is tens of millions of Americans who'd rather live in a dictatorship than have a woman or black person as president, or any kind of Democrat for reasons too stupid to articulate.

26/8/2025, 8:36:16 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

For sure, but we tend to get into trouble any time we try to build something in-house rather than adapting existing solutions - it always costs more. I'd argue that our past experience with this hurts us because politicians get hammered over every cost overrun and are now culturally risk averse.

26/8/2025, 5:56:48 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

My understanding is that we've outgrown them, and also that they were built for secure storage rather than cloud operations where there's a lot of data going in and out. But I'm only going by memory of articles. Also not sure how upgraded the hardware is.

26/8/2025, 3:09:52 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Fair enough, I appreciate the sentiment and I also apologize for my childish comment in reply.

25/8/2025, 8:51:27 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

And I thought I was speaking to a grown up. My mistake.

25/8/2025, 8:27:48 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

I'd pick a Canadian IT company that has been around for a while, buy a stake in the company and then hire them to build it, giving them the long-term contract for hosting based on the condition that they can't sell the company or data.

25/8/2025, 8:26:49 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

It's more problematic for government for obvious reasons, and there are a lot of good reasons to build capacity by building this in house, but I don't trust that we have the skills to do this affordably.

25/8/2025, 8:26:49 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Most Canadians already willingly share all their information on foreign-owned social media anyway, and use American-based email clients like Outlook and Gmail, cloud services like OneDrive and DropBox, etc.

25/8/2025, 8:26:49 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Canada has a terrible history building IT infrastructure. Look at ArriveCan. Look at Phoenix. Look at the old Long Gun Registry. I agree we should build, but the honest question is can we? Or does it make more sense to use an affordable, already functioning system?

25/8/2025, 8:26:49 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

...that immigration isn't affecting housing prices when it objectively is, that we should defund police, that all drugs should be decriminalized, that homeowners are evil, etc. I think of myself as progressive, but I find myself having bigger arguments with people on the left than conservatives.

25/8/2025, 8:15:30 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Educated people who pay attention know the right is the real threat, but it doesn't help when people go online online and see the left arguing insane things like Israel deserved October 7, that trans women don't need to meet a scientific standard to compete in women's sports...

25/8/2025, 8:15:30 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

I agree, but they also own the narrative and have convinced the middle that the real threat is immigrants, trans kids, liberal democrats who are soft on crime, socialists, EVs, windmills, Ukrainian aggression, Hamas, wokeism, the media, universities, Big Bird and Elmo, the debt, vaccines, etc.

25/8/2025, 8:15:30 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

The far right represented by MAGA is obviously a huge turnoff to owners as well. I just feel like most voters are in the middle because they're turned off by the extremes on both sides. Our move the centre-right is a natural response to the times and threats we face.

25/8/2025, 6:09:54 PM | 3 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Canada is already behind in the transition to renewables and sustainability, electing a regressive will just put us deeper into the hole. And why? Don't like paper straws? You can literally suck it up you freaking crybabies. We've become a nation of whiners.

25/8/2025, 6:07:41 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

The world is moving centre-right politically, which in my opinion reflects corporate ownership of media as well as some pushback against some extreme far-left ideas that the mainstream isn't comfortable with.

25/8/2025, 5:45:28 PM | 2 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

In that sense I think Carney is doing the right thing - moving slowly, giving Trump a few small wins, and keeping the worst at bay until Trump can be defanged - if he can be, the GOP seems hellbent on stealing the midterms. In a year we'll know if America exists any more and where we stand.

25/8/2025, 5:26:49 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Carney's role has always been to get the best deal possible in the status quot of the moment, which changes like Trump's diapers, for Canada and all the Canadians who depend on trade with the U.S. for their livelihoods.

25/8/2025, 5:26:49 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

We have to change the way we talk about this trade dispute, Trump isn't a rational person or president and "elbows up / bend the knee" rhetoric doesn't really mean anything. "Elbows up" was always a consumer call to action anyway, a call to buy less and travel less - and it's working.

25/8/2025, 5:26:49 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Everyone loses muscle over time and through disuse, but if you start off with more muscle then you have more to start with. It's also easier to get that muscle back - the guys at my high school who did steroids are still big 30 years later. They've lost definition but are still bigger than avg.

23/8/2025, 7:38:30 AM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

No I didn't. Read my comments.

23/8/2025, 7:36:03 AM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

My point isn't that trans women should never play elite sports, just that there should be a recognized standard test and waiting period after starting HRT to ensure the field is level.

23/8/2025, 7:25:52 AM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

There may never be a consensus, it's up to individual sports organizations to decide what they will accept. Some already do, others have standards and testing, and others have taken a precautionary "wait and see" approach and are watching the science evolve.

23/8/2025, 7:25:52 AM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

At least Democrats campaign on platforms and policies, and disclose their tax returns and conflicts of interest - unlike Trump, who never complied by sharing his returns, never stepped down from his companies, never put his investments in a blind trust.

22/8/2025, 10:49:28 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Roughly half of voters always vote Republican and roughly half always vote Democrat. Elections are decided by probably less than 20% of voters who do look at policies as well as values and issues that are important to them.

22/8/2025, 10:49:28 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

I really hope this is the last long ballot protest. It's the wrong way to go about electoral reform because, if anything, it shows how annoying and chaotic our system would be if we actually brought in a system that would result in longer ballots. It defeats its own purpose.

22/8/2025, 6:03:00 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

The biggest mistake that the CPC could make would be to keep him.

22/8/2025, 6:00:32 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

When a bunch of dumbass truckers hepped up on conspiracy theories and Russian propaganda showed up in Ottawa to make a bunch of stupid demands based on stupidity, Poilievre was there. He's refused to disavow the worst white nationalists who support him, or say anything to alienate the dumbass base.

22/8/2025, 6:00:32 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

He has no accomplishments from over 20 years in Parliament, unless you count gaffes and being the biggest asshole in the house for eight consecutive terms. He's a malignant narcissist at the very least, utterly incapable of showing true empathy.

22/8/2025, 6:00:32 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Scheer won the election, pop vote and his seat and was booted. O'Toole won the pop vote and his seat and was booted. Poilievre lost the election, pop vote and his seat and is being handled with kid gloves. Why?

22/8/2025, 6:00:32 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

He's the wrong guy. The wrongest guy. His insistence on defunding the CBC, which 78% of Canadians oppose. His refusal to get a security clearance for reasons that are senseless. His MAGA-lite populist rhetoric. His non-stop attacks and calls for people to resign.

22/8/2025, 6:00:32 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

This is not an either/or scenario - we can have safe gun laws AND go after illegal weapons and criminals. I believe there's a $400M, 3-year program to crack down on illegal weapon smuggling that started in 2024. We should be getting reports soon.

22/8/2025, 5:08:23 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

At least wait for the press conference on this, Carney had a phone call with Trump and then made this move - things are happening, deals are being made, etc. The "elbows up" thing is for us, boycotting US products and travel. Carney is supposed to negotiate trade agreements.

22/8/2025, 5:03:32 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Because if you don't it may be the last vote you get to cast. Don't vote for the party, vote to protect the system and the status quo because you can work within that system to create change - join the party, champion progressives, get involved at the local level, etc. The alternative is fascism.

22/8/2025, 5:02:04 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

The UCP is closer to MAGA than any other political entity in Canada right now, and this is right out of the MAGA playbook - as we can see in Texas and maybe Florida and other states. There's no reason to withdraw the map like this or to use a politicized process to set boundaries.

21/8/2025, 10:57:15 PM | 2 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

I hope I'm wrong, but this really feels like the beginning of the end for America, freedom and democracy. A bad business-as-usual democrat is far better than a fascist. They're not remotely the same or equal in terms of choices.

21/8/2025, 10:55:16 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Democrats aren't perfect. But they're not fascists authoritarians in bed with oligarchs and the likes of Putin. There are degrees of bad, and if you can't discern between them - even just to buy time to promote and vote for more progressive candidates like Sanders and AOC - then you own the result.

21/8/2025, 10:55:16 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Because he's the lesser evil? There may be a lot of things you don't like about him, but he wouldn't be doing any of the insane things that Trump and his cronies are doing. We wouldn't be defunding Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, the CDC, NPR and PBS, etc. It would be a normal government.

21/8/2025, 8:47:02 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

You mean in the primary? If he became the candidate despite your objections and preferences, you'd vote for him in the general over Trump III, Vance, or whoever Project 2025 anoints? Right? Like if the choices were between more Trump and an imperfect democrat, you'd pick the democrat?

21/8/2025, 6:44:26 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Retaliate for what? China is a bad actor, but right now they're not threatening our sovereignty (a little in the Arctic). Meanwhile they're launching Maglev trains that go faster than planes, installing giant solar farms, killing us in EV development and adoption, etc. We could learn from them.

21/8/2025, 4:26:07 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Meanwhile... Costco: We're sticking with DEI. Customers: We're sticking with Costco! Costco: Revenues are up 6%!

21/8/2025, 4:22:24 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

We're sacrificing the future to appease and placate yesterday's robber barons in oil, gas and automotive industries. On a lot of fronts we're actually moving backwards.

21/8/2025, 5:10:49 AM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

The left needs to stop putting the rights of troubled individuals over the needs of society to feel safe, or thinking it's compassionate to let people destroy their bodies and brains. People need help and some tough love. The laws already exist they just need to be resourced and enforced.

21/8/2025, 12:04:57 AM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Not to boost Poilievre in any way, but this is something all parties need to take seriously - our downtowns don't feel safe anymore with addicts and the mentally ill everywhere, and the general decay related to homelessness. There is also a lot of intimidating gang activity.

21/8/2025, 12:04:57 AM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Umm... If anything, this is doubling down by using crime instead of housing as the pretext.

20/8/2025, 9:31:45 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

It's been such a nice break not to have to listen to Poilievre slagging the country, echoing MAGA, and demanding the ruling party resign every 10 minutes.

19/8/2025, 9:02:11 PM | 3 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

If he's including Old Age Security, where you can get $734.95/month even if your income is $148,000, then I'm with him.

19/8/2025, 6:00:16 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

He's saying the same as all of the other Euro leaders, they obviously planned this response. They're stoking Trump's ego, getting his hopes up about the Nobel prize, etc. I think the endgame is for Trump to be betrayed by Russia, which he eventually will be, so he increases military aid.

19/8/2025, 5:54:53 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

With all due respect we've yet to see Trump hit any limits to his power in this term, his takeover of government and the courts is more or less complete. I hope I'm wrong and there are some checks and balances left, but right now it seems he can do anything he wants.

19/8/2025, 5:42:33 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Flight attendants should be paid from the minute they have to be at the airport to the minute they walk out airport doors. I hope they get everything they're asking for. But I do worry that people will use this strike to push for US carriers operating in Canada.

18/8/2025, 8:11:54 PM | 2 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

I know people are trying to make the police seem fragile, but this has always been a thing - you don't throw anything at cops, they will arrest you. They always have and they always will. It was a stupid thing to do.

17/8/2025, 3:33:22 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

You can block me or close replies to people who aren't followers. Or just be an asshole to people who disagree with you.

15/8/2025, 11:07:44 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

I've been doing nothing but taking your opinions for the last half hour, I've been civil, I've responded quickly. But I get called a nazi and fascist for my troubles. I'm done with this.

15/8/2025, 10:42:14 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Yeah, I'm clearly incapable of thinking independently about this subject that's been in the public debate for 20 years, I'm just a tool of fascist republicans because I don't think trans women should play elite women's sports without a scientific standard to guarantee fairness. What a dick I am.

15/8/2025, 10:40:10 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Not the gotcha you think. I'm fully supportive of trans women and their right to exist and receive therapies they need at a young age. My only objection applies to ELITE sports and being able to accurately determine at which point in HRT a trans woman no longer has the advantage of male genes.

15/8/2025, 10:38:46 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

People differ in size and shape, I agree. But there is a difference in the bell curve between sexes, men are generally taller and bigger. Look at the average height of the NBA and WNBA. I'd argue averages matter more than extremes.

15/8/2025, 10:36:45 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

I'm not the biggest guy, I didn't think it was unfair that some guys were naturally bigger or stronger than I was - I just had to work harder to make teams. Women feel the same way about other women with natural advantages. Adding trans women is not the same.

15/8/2025, 10:32:20 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

The public was ALWAYS skeptical of trans women in elite women's sports since East Germany in the Olympics. Near where I live, a trans woman won the national downhill MTB title 20 years ago and the other racers were not happy. If you're calling me a nazi in a roundabout way, kindly go fuck yourself.

15/8/2025, 10:28:47 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

You know what - answer, don't answer, your call. This is exhausting and I'm not going to win. You think my mind is closed on this, I think the same of you.

15/8/2025, 10:26:17 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

You're the arbiter? How am I holding trans women to any kind of standard? Do you really believe a biological male can just decide to become female and enter elite sports immediately, or do you agree that there has to be a standard - which doesn't exist - that determines when it's fair?

15/8/2025, 10:26:17 PM | 1 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

You keep some of the gains - muscle mass, longer bones, larger heart, changes to the bone structure, etc. I myself have argued in this thread that there's a point during HRT where advantages from puberty go away, but there's no scientific consensus of exactly when that is or how to measure it.

15/8/2025, 10:22:24 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

I wish nothing but health and happiness and acceptance for the trans population, but elite sports - with what we know now - are a bridge too far for a lot of people. Maybe it will happen one day when we have more science and research, but I don't think we're there yet.

15/8/2025, 10:19:46 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

You can absolutely use cis men as a baseline, the whole argument is that trans women have an advantage in sports because of their male origins. There have been countless studies and there's no consensus of exactly when that evolutionary advantage goes away due to hormone replacement therapy.

15/8/2025, 10:19:46 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

Really? You never had "the talk?" Testosterone takes over. Testosterone, referred to as a human growth hormone, is a banned substance in sports for a reason. cces.ca/banned-subst...

15/8/2025, 10:12:24 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

That's your opinion.

15/8/2025, 10:10:18 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view

Profile picture TheyCallMeMitch (@hobbitlover.bsky.social) reply parent

That's why it's so difficult. There are tall women but men are taller on average. There are broad-shouldered women but men are wider on average. Most sports organizations banned trans women in sports - not governments - because they couldn't account for all of the factors and ensure a level field.

15/8/2025, 10:10:04 PM | 0 0 | View on Bluesky | view