SAUL BOTTCHER

…is a writer, researcher, musician, and activist. I publish a regular newsletter here on my website. You can follow me (free and ad-free) to receive my latest posts, which I send about twice per month. Or, just scroll down to see what’s new.

The Latest

  • Signs Your Organization is Authoritarian (Part 1: Deflecting Criticism)

    Authoritarianism isn’t always obvious. Sometimes, it infects an organization slowly, progressing for years before members realize (or admit) what has happened. If you’ve ever had a gut feeling that something just isn’t right with your organization’s leadership, think back to the last time a member…

    Read more…

  • Efficiency and the Road-Trip Economy

    When we talk about the economy, the subject of efficiency seems guaranteed to come up. People are constantly concerned about efficiency, and being perceived as “inefficient” or “wasteful” can be a deadly blow to a politician or a policy idea. In this environment, it’s easy…

    Read more…

  • Why ballot box commentary cannot work

    Why ballot box commentary cannot work

    This is a follow-up to my report yesterday that the Green Party of Canada has added partisan messaging to their ballots for this year’s convention. It’s not necessary to read that post first, but it provides a real-world example of this phenomenon, if you would like…

    Read more…

  • Green Party of Canada Includes Partisan Comments on Internal Ballots

    Green Party of Canada Includes Partisan Comments on Internal Ballots

    (Update August 22: For a follow-up comparing the outcome of the vote to the ballot comments, see Green Party vote result mirrors partisan ballot comments.) (Update June 21: For a follow-up post explaining in detail the problems with ballot-box commentary, see Why ballot box commentary cannot work.)…

    Read more…

  • Signpost: Start of Blog

    The purpose of this post is to let you know there aren’t any other posts before this one. Enjoy!

    Read more…