General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAt almost age 60, there were certain things I could always count on.
One of them being that we would not get into some huge public hassle with our friends to the north and south, Canada and Mexico. I'm not saying that everything was always completely copacetic with these countries...it probably wasn't, but I don't know that for a fact.
However, these spats about the wall and trade policies?
Personal insults to the leaders of these countries?
Not so subtle threats about paying for a wall?
Gee, I guess elections actually do have consequences.
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)LuckyCharms
(17,458 posts)unblock
(52,318 posts)Garrett78
(10,721 posts)Those of us who are sane will be stuck inside the asylum that's being run by the inmates, but we must sacrifice for the sake of the other 7 billion people on this planet.
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)bdamomma
(63,922 posts)be isolated and hated by all, but then walls can be torn down.
PJMcK
(22,048 posts)There's an expression that a "Special Relationship" exists between Great Britain and the United States. I've always thought that was weird because we had to fight England for our independence. Then, in the War of 1812, English forces burned down the White House. That's pretty "special." Nevertheless, Great Britain has been a good and reliable ally of the United States and, at the very least, we sort of speak the same language!
On the other hand, Canada has been a wonderful and peaceful neighbor that shares our continent and maritime areas. During the Iranian hostage crisis in the late 1970s, Canadians helped to smuggle a number of American diplomats out of the country at great risk to themselves. The Canadians have been good neighbors and friends and Trump is repaying them with his stupid tariffs and attitudes.
Mexico is more complicated but in modern times, they have never posed an existential threat to the U.S. We should welcome their relationship with us. Shunning them, as Trump has done, does not advance our country or our ideals.
Trump always makes the wrong choice or picks the wrong person or backs the wrong policy.
Golden Raisin
(4,613 posts)The 24/7 chaos of this regime, the traditional norms overturned and unending abnormalities are simultaneously scary as hell and difficult to process. I've lived through assassinations, the Vietnam War, Watergate, recessions, 9/11 and much, much more but the lying, openly grifting, Russian-connected Trump regime coupled with the complicit Republican Congress openly attacking our democratic foundations is unprecedented in my lifetime.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)Pass the Soma.
Leith
(7,813 posts)I grew up close enough to Canada to get Windsor Channel 9 on a clear day (Sesame Street does French instead of Spanish!) and I've gone to Sarnia, Ontario, for lunch (Tang's downtown - is it still there?). I remember when vending machines would take Canadian coins and nobody thought anything of it.
Canadian people were wonderfully nice and welcoming. Less a foreign country than a good neighbor. What chumpy is doing is criminal.