Today's News: America decides the Midterms, and Canada decides between Europe and Trump

Waiting for the Midterm Results

If you think Trump hates America now, just wait till Nov 4th.

— Tea Pain (@teapainusa.bsky.social) November 2, 2026 at 4:26 PM

Scott Reid: "What Canada needs from these midterms is an absolute, complete drumming of the idea that you can go to economic war with Canada and have it work out well. We need that to be permanently politically radioactive."

- Scott Robertson

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Some cartoons I saw about the Midterm mood

 

And a poem

‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE MIDTERMS ’Twas the night before midterms, and all through the land, The Republicans trembled, their fate close at hand. The ballots were printed, the polling sites prepped, While Trump rehearsed excuses for losses not suffered yet. – The Democrats nestled with cautious delight, While Republicans hoped for a miracle overnight. Their pollsters were studying numbers with dread, And visions of subpoenas danced in their heads. – And Trump in his palace, surrounded by gold, Was busy retelling the lies he constantly told. His hair dyed and thin, his weight off the scale, His intellect somewhere below a crushed snail. – He promised us greatness, a golden new day, Then watched as the economy crumbled away. As prices soared and the war kept raging, His family got richer, their fortunes inflating. – And somewhere in Congress, Republicans prayed That voters would overlook the mess they had made. The healthcare, the tariffs, the deficits, the lies, The creeping authoritarianism right before our eyes. – Then what to my wondering ears should I hear, But a familiar old threat growing louder and clear: “If we lose, it's a fraud! If we win, it's divine! And anyone who doubts is an enemy of mine!” – He sprang to his Truth Social, typing with speed, And summoned his loyalists to do what he'd need. "Now, Johnson! Now, Thune! Get the ballots in line! Now, judges! Now, lawyers! Declare the votes mine! – "To the courts! To the states! To the Capitol walls! Now challenge them! Challenge them! Challenge them all! And if the results aren't the ones that I seek, Let's call it stolen by the radical freaks!" – The Republicans trembled, the Democrats sighed, And somewhere a poll worker just wanted to hide. The clerks checked their scanners, the volunteers stayed, While the republic's future was counted and weighed. – He dreamed of his face on the moon and the sun, Of monuments built to the greatness he'd won. He'd rewrite the past, put his name on the nation, And crown himself king of his own fabrication. – He'd rewritten the rules, made the truth disappear, And demanded the nation applaud and cheer. But beneath all the bluster, the threats, and the noise, Still millions of voters retained their own voice. – You can vote for the chaos, the grift, and the lies, For a government built through a demagogue's eyes. But the country is ours, not his to command, And democracy dies when we surrender our stand. – It won’t come by sleigh in the dead of the night, Or survive just because we insist we are right. It lives in the choices we make and defend, And the courage to act till that long arc bends. – Then he clutched at his crown, but it slipped from his head, As the voters delivered their verdict instead. He stamped and he shouted, then vanished from sight— “THE ELECTION WAS STOLEN! THIS CAN'T BE RIGHT!” – But this time the voters had tired of his shtick, And sent him packing, that miserable prick. So rise up, America, let your voices ring, For this land answers to no tyrant or king. – Now go cast your ballots with all of your might. Happy midterms to all, and to all a good night! • • • Subscribe to Open Letters by Mersault: https://substack.com/home/post/p-221481254

- Open Letters by Mersault

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I'm expecting a total shitstorm in the United States from Nov 4 to Jan 3, as Trump and his minions try to invalidate the elections of democrats any way they can. 

Having failed with gerrymandering and disenfranchisement, it is now predicted that Trump will try to weaponize the courts to prevent the Democratic wave from being elected, certified and seated in Congress. His captive DOJ has started this project already, but at least one attempt crashed and burned on Monday in the Supreme Court - that's a good sign

BREAKING: The Supreme Court just dealt Trump a major election-eve defeat, swiftly rejecting his regime's attempt to force California to set aside ballots allegedly cast by noncitizens. The justices didn't even ask California to respond. No dissents.

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— MeidasTouch (@meidastouch.com) November 2, 2026 at 5:22 PM

Thinking about the longer term

I must say that one thing that has emerged from the chaos of the last 10 years is the vast differences in leadership between those who have relentlessly striven to return the world to its familiar, comfortable normal, and those who have looked clear-eyed on the upheaval and have set forth to move us past it. Over and over, we have watched as those attempting to ‘put it all behind us and get back to normal’ have inevitably buried the world deeper in the carnage. We watched those who dithered, who thought they could forgive and forget and move past. Those who thought they could just persevere with discourse and the conventions of diplomacy to reach a manageable and not-too-costly outcome. Those who believed history and relationships and agreements held power. Those who clung to the old order in blind belief it would stand us in good stead. Those who hoped we could abase ourselves to a solution. Those who believed we could just pay the bully his price. Then we have seen those who have been clear-eyed and fearless in the onslaught, who have eschewed nostalgia and the enticement of the past and said resolutely, “there is no going back.” Thank heavens for the fighters! Thank heavens for those who refused to cower, to hesitate, to try to curry favour, to pay the bully. If we are to survive, it is the fighters we must follow because in looking back, we are doomed.

- Joanne Pettis 🇨🇦

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Finally, to interpret the early results on Tuesday night, here are two useful charts from Bruce Mehlman's Age of Disruption. Click the link if you need more detail.

Canada's hockey test - will we stand with Europe or with Trump?

So the Court for Arbitration in Sport has decided to knuckle under to Trump and Putin, and allow Russian teams back in international hockey tournaments. 

The CAS press release said: 

...This year, CAS has received three separate appeals by the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF) against the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) concerning the participation of Russian teams in IIHF competitions and participation of the RIHF in an IIHF Congress. Today, CAS upheld one of these appeals, and the IIHF are ordered to allow the participation of Russian teams in the following competitions:
• World Junior Championship, Canada, 26 December 2026 – 5 January 2027
• U18 Women’s World Championship, Czech Republic, 8 – 16 January 2027
• U18 Men’s World Championship, USA, 22 April – 2 May 2027
• Men’s World Championship, Germany, 14 – 30 May 2027
• Women’s World Championship, Canada, November 2027

Europe is furious.

🇫🇮🇩🇪🇨🇿🇦🇹 Russia‘s potential return to international hockey faces strong opposition from four European federations following the latest Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling. www.thebiglead.com/russia-iihf-...

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— Russia-Ukraine Daily News (@rvps2001.bsky.social) October 30, 2026 at 1:12 PM

Following a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling to reinstate Russia in International Ice Hockey Federation events, the Finnish Ice Hockey Association is coordinating with other nations to ensure they do not compete against Russia. www.reuters.com/sports/finni...

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— Mina Hanse (@mina-hanse.bsky.social) November 2, 2026 at 8:00 PM

👏 AJ Products, the Swedish furniture company that has sponsored the Ice Hockey World Championship since 1989, will not sponsor next year's tournament after ‌the Court of Arbitration for Sport decided that #Russia could participate in it, the company said on Monday. 🧵 www.reuters.com/sports/aj-pr...

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— Russia-Ukraine Daily News (@rvps2001.bsky.social) November 2, 2026 at 10:23 AM

Ukraine ended a 20-year drought to qualify for the men's ice hockey world championship. Now that a sports court has cleared Russia to return, organizers face a dilemma: expand the 16-team event in Germany or potentially displace a qualifier — maybe even Ukraine itself. www.cbc.ca/sports/hocke...

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— Kevin Rothrock (@kevinrothrock.me) October 30, 2026 at 12:00 PM

⚡Foreign Minister Sybiha calls for Russian athlete travel ban as Moscow's ice hockey return risks forcing Ukraine out. "I call on governments that have not lost their moral compass to deny Russian players entry to their territory," said Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

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— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) November 1, 2026 at 9:57 AM

Now Canada has to decide whether to issue visas to Russia's junior hockey team for the juniors tourney starting in less than eight weeks.  Will the Carney government allow Russia to participate in the tournament? 

If we don't, Trump will flip out. 

But if we do, Europe will no longer trust Canada to create an association with the EU.

We need to prevent hockey teams from Nazi 🇷🇺Russia playing here in 🇨🇦Canada. The Court of Arbitration for Sport can take a hike. That is all. 🇨🇦😠🇨🇦 www.thestar.com/sports/hocke...

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— David Hamer (@davidhamer1951.bsky.social) October 31, 2026 at 4:12 AM

And of course Alberta Queen of Stupid says right out of the gate that she’ll allow Russian teams to compete there. No problem: the feds can deny their players visas. www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/artic... 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦

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— David Hamer (@davidhamer1951.bsky.social) October 31, 2026 at 4:19 AM

In the end, this ruling could shatter all of the international hockey federations. And invalidate the court too:

Now that the Court of Arbitration for Sport has ruled that Russia must be allowed to compete in IIHF events, all IIHF events should be suspended. Let Hockey Canada host replacement events, by invite only, and invite all the other qualifying teams, subbing Ukraine for Russia.

— (Dr) James Fraser (@jamesefraser.bsky.social) October 30, 2026 at 9:09 AM

Turku says it will not host 2027-28 World Juniors if Russia is allowed to compete Turku will not host the 2027–2028 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships if Russia is allowed to participate, the Finnish city writes on its website.

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— UM LEGACY PRESS LTD (@umlegacypress.com) November 2, 2026 at 11:21 AM

Miller is a TSN commentator

I asked an official with a European federation what the chances are of seeing the Russians at tournaments like the World Junior and the Men’s World Championship this year: “Almost none,” he said.

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— Gord Miller 🇨🇦 🇺🇦 (@gmillertsn.bsky.social) October 30, 2026 at 5:19 PM

The question for Canada is what to do about the World Junior Championships. It's a binary choice - there is no middle ground. 

I hope Canada will make the right decision. I think our future alliance with Europe depends on it. And our morality as a nation.

Canada’s Secretary of Sport who says despite the court ruling, Ottawa will maintain restrictions on Russian players at publicly funded events hosted in Canada like the upcoming World Juniors in Edmonton and Red Deer. globalnews.ca/news/1212731...

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— Global News (@globalnews.ca) November 2, 2026 at 7:17 AM

What is wrong with the Court of Arbitration for Sport !!?? Decision clearing path for Russia to join world juniors in Alberta is 'very unwelcome,' minister says. Anita Anand says 'all options are on the table' for Canada before hockey championship. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

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— JeffTrnka (@jefftrnka.bsky.social) October 30, 2026 at 7:34 PM