The history of such confidence votes in Conservative leaders tells us that they almost always end up damaging both the leader and the party even when they support the incumbent. We have seen this happening on three successive occasions over the past 32 years.
The Conversation
Why the NRA Is So Successful at Stopping Gun-Safety Legislation
NRA has vigorously rejected any charge that its policies contribute to America’s gun problem, instead advancing proposals such as improving mental health responses, “hardening” schools with increased security, and potentially even arming teachers, which leaders claim, without evidence and against educators’ wishes, can serve as a deterrent.
‘Napalm Girl’ at 50: How Media Myths Distort an Image’s Reality and Exaggerate Its Impact
The Pulitzer Prize-winning “Napalm Girl” photograph by Nick Ut of terror-stricken Vietnamese children fleeing an aerial attack on their village, taken 50 years ago this month, has rightly been called “a picture that doesn’t rest.” But the image formally known as “The Terror of War” has also given rise to tenacious media-driven myths.
‘Severance’ and the Folly of the Work-Life Balance
Imagining work as separate from home life has its roots in the Anglo-American suburban model: drive along newly built highways to the downtown office in the morning and retreat home to family in the suburban idyll. But the TV show Severance’s dystopian message mimics today’s all-encompassing digital capitalism: there is no escape.
How Assault-Style Rifles and Ammunition Kill and Maim
The AR-15 usually fires a version of the ammunition used by many NATO soldiers to kill enemy troops. As shown in Texas, and many other mass shootings, that ammunition is also extremely effective at harming civilians. The Texas killer purchased 1,600 rounds of the ammunition.
Québec’s Dangerous Bill 32 on ‘Academic Freedom’
In addition to undermining the autonomy of universities and faculty, and creating myriad implementation problems, the bill blurs the important distinctions between free expression and academic freedom. Most troubling, it signals that politicians are turning academic freedom into a political weapon.
Why Are So Many Americans Fixated on England’s Monarchy?
In America, Elizabeth retains approval ratings that would leave most political leaders envious. No royal family from any other nation has induced the same level of scrutiny or celebration. But British royals have been eliciting similar responses on American shores for the past 150 years.
Mass Shootings Are a Boon to Firearms Stocks
A week on, and the market rally of gun stocks following the latest mass shooting hasn’t subsided. That’s been the case with recent mass shootings–but it contrasts with shootings a decade or more ago, when gun companies’ share prices would fall.
Memorial Day’s Forgotten History
Memorial Day was born in the former Confederate States in 1866 and adopted by the United States in 1868. Cities and towns across America have for more than a century claimed to be the holiday’s birthplace, but we have sifted through the myths and half-truths and uncovered the authentic story of how this holiday came into being.
Roadside Safety Messages Distract Drivers and Increase Crashes
A study showed there were two to three per cent more crashes within one to 10 kilometres downstream of each dynamic message sign during the week fatality messages were shown. This suggests that this specific behavioral intervention backfired.