We Have To Be Truthful About This Mess

[Michie]

Our Civilization Is More Fragile Than We Think​

I have a short period of time to write an addendum to today’s earlier post. In that previous diary entry (subscriber-only), I led with an angry complaint about Donald Trump’s role in saving Canada’s odious Liberals from the political abyss, through his taunting and trolling of Canadians. (His tariffs no doubt had a big role too, but certainly his frequent mocking of the Canadian people played a role.) I’m seeing a lot of conservative Americans on social media this morning saying that the fault is 100 percent Canadian voters’. In a basic sense, that is true. But this position seems to be more about exonerating Trump from some of the blame than it is to explain what actually happened.

I don’t want to get into the ins and outs of the “Who lost Canada?” question, but I want to talk briefly about an ancillary but important issue. And it’s this: the urgent need for steady, wise government in this combustible time.

My basic point is that even though I supported the Trump candidacy, and am still grateful that he is president and not Kamala Harris, that does not absolve Trump of the responsibility to use his power wisely. That is a truism, I guess, about any politician. But it’s massively important at this juncture in history, for reasons that Prof. David Betz and Ralph Schoelhammer discuss in this must-listen podcast. If you listen to nothing else today, make it this one:

Continued below.

We Have To Be Truthful About This Mess

Our Civilization Is More Fragile Than We Think

open.substack.com

 

[iarwain]

I have to agree with this, Trump's bizarre bullying of Canada pushed them right into the hands of the liberals. The conservative candidate had been leading in the polls by a good margin until Trump started weighing in. What was the point of that business about annexing Canada, saying they would be our 51st state, and that they'd been ripping us off for years? He's taken a close ally and drove them into hating us and into the arms of China. Now mind you, I do not regret voting for Trump, to do otherwise would have been self destructive. But I am well aware that Trump is far from a perfect president, he has very definite flaws, and this is one of them.

 

[The Barbarian]

I don’t want to get into the ins and outs of the “Who lost Canada?” question, but I want to talk briefly about an ancillary but important issue. And it’s this: the urgent need for steady, wise government in this combustible time.

I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon. Trump learned from his last administration, when he hired capable, experienced people in key positions. And many of them repeatedly thwarted things he wanted to do. This time, he chose differently. This mess isn't an accident; it was carefully planned.

 

[dremnant]

Trump's America First strategy is a double-edged sword. While it is aimed for the good of American citizens, it is generally for the disadvantage or diminished advantage of the rest of the world. The effect varies depending on the country.

It is just normal for Canadians (and all other negatively affected countries) to hate on Trump.

 

[JustaPewFiller]

I have to agree with this, Trump's bizarre bullying of Canada pushed them right into the hands of the liberals. The conservative candidate had been leading in the polls by a good margin until Trump started weighing in. What was the point of that business about annexing Canada, saying they would be our 51st state, and that they'd been ripping us off for years? He's taken a close ally and drove them into hating us and into the arms of China. Now mind you, I do not regret voting for Trump, to do otherwise would have been self destructive. But I am well aware that Trump is far from a perfect president, he has very definite flaws, and this is one of them.

I cannot disagree with anything you said. But it begs the question, why do it? Was he just too blind to see it coming? Too much hubris to think it would happen? Or, was there some ulterior motive where he actually wanted to push them more to the left?

 

[iarwain]

I cannot disagree with anything you said. But it begs the question, why do it? Was he just too blind to see it coming? Too much hubris to think it would happen? Or, was there some ulterior motive where he actually wanted to push them more to the left?

I'm inclined to think it was hubris, because what possible benefit can there be from pushing them to the left? Maybe he actually thought they would jump at the chance to be our 51st state. I don't know why he would want that, it would just be another giant blue state like California or New York. Maybe he just enjoyed insulting them. I don't know, it's a strange situation.