Canadians don't appreciate being bullied or having their existence as a country mocked and threatened (something Trump has, for the most part, not done to Mexico). Trump's attitude gives Carney a lot of support at the moment among Canadians in pursuing any contra-America policy he chooses to pursue, however detrimental in the end it might be. If Trump switches from his current schoolyard bully approach to something more respectful and conciliatory (and Trump is nothing if not flexible, when he chooses to be), Canada will reciprocate, and a deal will be made, to both countries' mutual benefit. If not, the dispute will be treated as an existential thing for Canada, not just an economic thing. Americans are not the only people who are proud of their country and who will defend it when attacked.
The difference is that Americans haven't been playing games with our dairy industry or failing to live up to our agreements when it comes to defense spending. Trump can be very nice if you at least understand what your side has been getting out of the existing arrangements. But if you elect a spoiled globalist that lies to you while keeping most of his own investments in the US, you get Trump the bully.
Fundamentally, that's what "America first" means. It means we're no longer rolling over and giving away billions in trade deficits so you can use various rules to undermine our industries even while you sign other agreements on defense that amount to nothing more then lies when you fail to live up to them year after year.
Somehow the European get this. Then is again, that might be because after ignoring our warnings and just calling us "warmonger cowboys", Russia showed them who's word they could really trust.
Don't pretend that Trump is motivated by anything other than self-interest. As for Canada, you are right in that there are things Canada can do to improve the relationship, including in defense; it is certainly not only for the US to give way, Canada has to give way too. The details need to be worked out in honest negotiation based on mutual respect, not bullying. Canada does not respond well to bullying, even to the point where Canada may very well choose things not in its own self-interest to spite the US, to the detriment of both countries. As for the so-called trade deficit, take energy (oil, gas, electricity) out of the equation and the so-called trade deficit with Canada disappears completely. In fact, ex-energy, the US enjoys a huge trade surplus with Canada. The truth is, there is plenty of material in the US/Canada trade relationship for a solid, honest discussion between two sovereign nations, leading to a beneficial and workable trade agreement. Canada doesn't expect the US to "roll over", but to act like grownups, not bullies. Nonsense like 51st state or "Governor" Carney is not helping.
You keep saying honest as if most of America's allies haven't spent the last thirty years signing agreements to spend more on defense and failing year after year to meet their commitments. At what point does signing yet another agreement you have no intention of living up become an outright lie.
Same goes for trade, where again and again, countries sign deals knowing the US will reasonably try to live up our side to while they play games with their regulation and other non-tariff trade barriers to cheat. At which point does that also become an outright lie.
Don't get me wrong. I feel for the regular Canadians. They have sacrificed their own blood and treasure to help us fight terrorist in the middle east, pirates off the coast of Somalia, and even sent their navy to conduct freedom of navigation patrols in the South China Sea. Their reward for this sacrifice was to watch Mexico get the same free trade despite aiding and abetting drug smugglers, human traffickers and even terrorist flooding our southern border.
Trumps reward for pushing back against the failing 'rules based order' was to have his reputation destroyed, have to fight to keep himself out of prison, and even a narrowly avoided being killed. That should tell you something. That should tell you how ruthless those that are profiting off the failing order are willing to go to stop anyone from challenging their profits.
So I really do feel for Canadians. Not because Mark Carney is obviously selling them out. He was always nothing more then a smooth talking globalist. But because Pierre Poilievre is nothing more then an un-reformed NeoCon that keeps preaching the gospel of free trade and welfare cuts. This even as its increasingly apparent that what free trade really means for Canada, is to keep using what's left of their military to protect and defend the foreign supply chains feeding their former factories that have since been moved to Mexico.
I do appreciate the passion you've put into your reply. My suggestion here is to distinguish political stories (such as the sordid tale of selfish countries taking advantage of generous Americans) from the actual facts. Political stories are told by politicians to justify themselves to their support base. In this case, the story you have told here is the one Trump tells to his support base to justify the use of tariffs. There is a bit of truth in these stories: yes, many US allies haven't spent as much on defense as they should have, Canada included. But the true story is the not the political version but the factual one, and for that you need to look at real numbers, like here for example: https://economics.td.com/ca-canada-us-trade-balance Anyway, my point is not that there are no issues of real substance to discuss: there are. My point is that Canada and Canadians will be willing to sit down and work out those issues at the negotiating table if treated with decency and respect, as potential partners. That isn't happening at the moment, and so Canada may very well choose a strategy that is bad for both it and the US, which would be a real shame.
History has proven you wrong. I don't like it either, but that's the current reality. So as much as I want to agree with your "point", and I really would prefer that, history says otherwise.
Let me see if I can give you an idea of just how ugly things are going to get. What we've created is a series of poverty traps. A good example of this can be found by comparing Belgium to Ireland. Belgium is a NATO ally, Ireland is not. Both are in the EU.
Belgium has agreed to spend 3.5% on defense, and another 1.5% a year on defense related infrastructure. What this means in practice is that Ireland can have lower taxes and yet still have more money to spend on education, healthcare, and regular infrastructure.
So year after year Irish businesses are going to grow faster. More of Belgium's wealthy or young and healthy are going to move to Ireland. Belgium businesses are going to either move to Ireland, go bankrupt or get bought out by faster growing Irish firms.
The politics are nothing but ugly. The more Belgium tries to meet it's commitments, the faster they go bankrupt. Being an ally is all pain and no gain. Belgium's only real option is to pull out of NATO and slash defense spending. That will make for some ugly politics with it's fellow NATO/EU members.
Take a step back and things keep getting uglier. The only ways to fix this are change/reform the EU into the United States of Europe. Blow up the EU and try to make NATO into a trade/defense alliance. Blow up the EU and create a half dozen smaller unions that can federalize.
I know this sounds crazy but it's very similar to how the Soviet Union collapsed, or how the French, British, Dutch and Belgium empires collapsed. It comes down to perverse incentive. The rules based order we created rewards corrupt, irresponsible, and even adversarial nations. Until a lot more people figure this out, the politics stay ugly. In part this is because articles like the one you linked. People keep trying to separate trade from things like protecting the environment or mutual defense. You really can't do that.
P.S. Don't focus on Belgium or Ireland. France can't spend 4-5% when Spain refuses to spend more then 2%. Germany can't spend 4-5% when Austria is not an ally and spends only 1%. As mentioned, Canada can't spend 4-5% when Mexico is not an ally and yet be in the same free trade agreement. All that before you get to how America and all our allies have become too dependent on China for rare earths. That's because of the much lower standards when is comes to workers right and pollution control.
When I look at how Canada has squandered Alberta's hydrocarbon royalties while incessantly lecturing, I think: "Beverly Hillbillies with an attitude." Poor babies are mad at Trump. If anything, he's been far too gentle. If Canadians are looking for a pack of stupid, irresponsible, wastrel fools, they should look no farther than Ottawa, and then have a glance in the mirror at those who indulge them.
No one ever whined their way to prosperity, but plenty have whined their way to poverty. 50 years ago, Canada's per capita GDP was >95% of the U.S.; today, it's 62%. In 1981, Canada's per capita GDP was #6 in the OECD; today it's #16. Since 2014, Canada's economic growth was in last place in the G-7, and third from the bottom in the OECD. The OECD's projection through 2060 expects Canada to be in last place. Why? Because Canada's net investment has been, is, and will be ZERO.
Nominal median wages are $68,000 in both countries. But Canadians are paid in Snow Pesos that buy 70 American cents. For every two ounces of gold (or Euros, since you actually think it's a good idea to join the EU) the average American has three.
No one outside of Canada did this to Canada. Nope, Canada did this to itself. By all means, keep whining. Everyone knows you will.
Ah, here we have classic bully talk: Stop whining, I'm better than you, you're pathetic, etc. Sadly, bullies end up hated. The irony of it is that I mostly agree with Jim in his claims of fact: Canada's leadership decisions have left something to be desired, and the country has not been the better for it. My point is that Canada's decision-making is not likely to improve in response to bullying. Carney's approval rating in Canada hit 66% earlier this month, and the Canadian government is polling at 70% approval in September because of his willingness to stand up to Trump, whose approval rating just hit a record low of 32%. Who is benefiting from the bullying? Certainly not the bully! If the substantive issues between Canada and the US are going to be successfully resolved, a different tactic from the US is needed. How about some civility instead?
Canadians will fall for it again. P.T. Barnum got it right. This time, a whole country full of suckers. How does one politely deal with a country run by idiots and supported by clueless voters? Asking for a friend.
Canadian "leadership" decisions have booted away a mountain of wealth. It's a lot more than "left something to be desired." The "leadership" has squandered the returns on Alberta's wealth. "Left something to be desired" on steroids. By all means, ignore that because Trump is a meanie. It's pathetic.
When politics trump common sense the only people who suffer are the citizens who are not connected to the ruling class.
It might bring kudos to Carney and a ton of platitudes from the left who will never know the real effects of there actions but the common man will never realize the pain of the elites decisions which obviously is sad.
Make no mistake that President Trump is correct in highlighting our decision to make trade deals that are favorable for the American men and women who have been sold out by the elites in both the republican and Democratic parties,President Trump treats these negotiations as if he is selling a trump tower in Manhattan.
It’s disgraceful and arrogant and that is what he is.Always putting himself as the only person that matters.
Watch him now realizing that he is in deep Trouble and suddenly trying to fix his mistakes.
There is no one Trump as it’s Farrrrr too late to change at this point in the race.
You have finally found out that you ARE human and it’s impossible to find a way out.
Canada has two problems. First, Carney is the essence of globalist. Central banker of two countries, one of which is not Canada. Second, Canadians define themselves as not the US. No positive sense of nationhood, just a negative one.
That makes the condescension even worse. MAGA's America Alone strategy is now being stress tested with their disastrous Middle East war. How's it going Richard?
Trumps gotta go, Vance will be a much more disciplined and consistent candidate.
Trump is a walking talking disaster machine.The left will rue the day when he is no longer in politics bc that’s all they need.
When the clown 🤡 in chief leaves the people will not vote for pregnant 🫃 men in women’s locker rooms, transvestites in kindergarten libraries,and Illegal Somalians eating their neighbors dogs.
And to think people thought black peoples are afraid 😱 of dogs I. Pffft
Oh Canada. Trump may well be insane but so are the leaders of the EU with their abandonment of free speech, their economically suicidal energy policies (Germany shutting down their carbon free nukes) and their equally suicidal import of Islamic crazies. Canada is jumping from the frying pan directly into the fire.
Canada has no synergies with Europe. The majority of their trade with the US is hard to transport resources like oil, minerals, potash and lumber along with car parts destined for US carmakers. Their oil can only flow through pipelines to the USA unless they spend $hunreds of Billions to build east coast pipleines that do no exist. Europe will gladly sell them their defense products and systems and then when Canada tries to sell Europe their products - Europeans will say that they are too pricey because of transportation costs. European exporters will try to pounce on substituting their goods for Canadian goods that get heavily tariffed in the trade dispute. This is simple economics - economics and trade are based off of peoples mutual needs and price - its not based on whether one party likes or dislikes the other.
"economics and trade are based off of peoples mutual needs and price - its not based on whether one party likes or dislikes the other."
And this is exactly why America has run up a massive trade deficit with China. Commonplace basically exists to counter that. If your statement is true, then Commonplace might as well close up shop, because its goal is next to impossible. (It would require convincing GOP voters to stop buying cheap Chinese junk at Wal-Mart, when American consumers have always discriminated on price rather than on quality. Good luck!)
you know, maybe it is just a fuck you to the US. And doesn't that say something about the status of the US in the world right now? Maybe it is not a good thing for them long term, but Trump is a disaster for them short term (and most of us Americans, fyi), and so they respond to his vitriol and degrading behavior with a middle finger. good for them.
Trump is screwing us over so bad that we just hit a record low for people in poverty. Manufacturing is rising and so are working class incomes. In fact, once again trump is seeing in faster gains in lower income brackets then in the higher income brackets.
Meanwhile, yes it's been bad for Canada. But that has as much to do with the longer running issues of their internal tariffs and trade restriction between the provinces. Add on the higher cost thanks to the government micromanagement of their dairy industry. Cap it all off with an imploding housing bubble that would stall out their economy even in the best of times.
That's one of the true head scratchers. For most of my life it was the Mexican politicians that railed about America while ignoring all their own problems. Now Mexico is getting on board with cutting off China from our markets while increasingly being willing to go after the corruption that keeps them poor. Yet, Canadian politicians seem to have found blaming America an easy way to get a free pass for hollowing out Canada's industrial base, flooding the country with cheap foreign labor that is fracturing Canadian society, and piling more and more Canadians in debt for houses well beyond what their actual salaries can afford.
Sometimes it feels really good to say "fuck you" to someone and to move on to something that appears better in your emotional state. Sometimes it is also a huge mistake.
Your counter arguments re Mark Carney are too ad hominem. How about waking up to the fact that he's building valuable bridges to the EU and other players while he outwaits Trump. When the stupid bombast stops, serious trade negotiations can have a new start.
In reality, just like how ten years on, Canada's free trade deal with the EU still hasn't been ratified, He's building sand castles on the beach. Most of what Canada want's to sell to Europe is blocked by various regulations that will cost an arm and a leg to comply with.
Have you ever been to Europe much. I say this because I've been watching various Canadians on YouTube. Your housing products are made for American style construction. Most people wouldn't spot those kinds of thing but that's what I do for living. That means even trying to sell interior doors to the EU will require a Canadian company to completely retool. But that means they could no longer sell many doors in Canada.
Those are the things most people miss. There was a good short dive into the real issues this would cause done by VisualEconomiks on YouTube. Canada did a deal to sell beef to the EU. They even accept a quota limiting Canada to 65,000 tons a year. Last year they sold just over 1,500 tons. The issue is that Canada regulates it's beef industry similar to America. In fact they are even more permissive of some practices that have been banned in the US. Yet we haven't let that stop Canadian Beef. Which makes it too expensive for most Canadian beef producers to set up completely different and much more costly compliance systems for export to Europe.
It's fine to belittle Carney, though given our new position that Canada is irrelevant I'm not sure why we'd waste the time. But let's look inward and consider our own prez's actions, since the leader of the free world should matter. This week he accused Democrats of plotting his assassination. In a normal world, we take a president’s words seriously. Far more seriously than Carney's, the mere leader of our 51st state...
One of two things is true. One, Don's accusations are true, and would represent the biggest political scandal in the nation’s history. Investigations should commence, justice should be pursued. Two, the president is either mentally incapacitated or lied intentionally. This of course raises other issues that must be confronted, and action should be taken.
But of course, this will pass as just "Don being Don". Similar to when he called his Chairman of the Joint Chiefs "treasonous", and worthy of execution. Or when he called a video from US senators seditious behavior punishable by death.
It's stunning actually. Imagine Ronald Reagan calling for the execution of Tip O'Neill for plotting the attempted assassination he endured. Imagine the reaction of the "new" right/MAGA if President Pritzker uttered such dangerous slop. It seems like it would be a news story that would generate just a little attention, and action...
But not in today's America. Establishment elites like Oren fixate on Carney, fictional trans kids, brown people, whatever. Anything to change the subject and preserve their own position. Even though they know the truth. It's shameful.
Understandably, I am not an economist. But there is something fundamental about integrity, truth, service and compassion…that defy the” bottom line” While I can’t argue policy, I will always support the man or woman who is in the crucible trying to do what is right.
I'll make it easy to understand. We have already debated free trade a number of times over the last couple hundred years and it always fails. That's literally why we have things like the EPA, Social Security, and Food stamps.
Let's start with defense. It was the failure during the Spanish American war that convinced us that you couldn't rely on the state militias. The individual states could be relied on to properly train and equip the solders and regularly promoted officers for nepotistic and political reasons. We're running into the exact same problem with NATO. Our defense alliances and policies could be tied to our trade policies and then include enforceable minimums. Yet because as of now you can underfund your own defenses, use ships made in China to transport your goods around the world, we're actually rewarding the countries that aren't allies or underfund their defenses. This is what has been screwing over Canada. Joining the EU would only make Canada's problem worse in this respect.
Moving on. As we became more industrialized and realized we needed to better regulate pollution and emissions, we had a problem. How could your state create and enforce laws if the companies could move production over the state line then keep flooding your state's market with their goods. We had to create the Environmental Protection Agency at the Federal level. Individual states would still have some control over how that met the federal standards but ultimately they would have to find a way to meet those standards. You run into the same thing with OSHA. Now companies can just move production overseas, to get around those regulations. Again, part of the problem with Canada is that while we're trying to start correcting for this, they have proven willing to be a trans-shipment nation for Chinese steal and other products.
Last but not least, and this is more about the failures of immigration, how could any state take care of it's poor when they would be flooded with the poor, disabled, and desperate from all the surrounding states. Hence the need to create federal programs like Medicaid, welfare, rental assistance.
So despite his crude nature and bombastic style, Trump is trying to do what's right. On the opposite side, despite his polished nature and poetic style, Carney is lying to his own people to increase his power and prestige.
"We have already debated free trade a number of times over the last couple hundred years and it always fails."
Right, it's not like America was pushing free markets and free trade on the world for a century, which was in its national interest for the 20th century, until Trump came along.
Are you one of those believers in the post war world order? A short history lesson and then feel free to rebut.
In the first half of the cold war, there was no free trade. England, France, Belgium and the Netherlands were still colonial powers. Spain and Portugal were fascist dictatorships. Greece was under a military Junta. More then half of the current EU member states were behind the Iron curtain. China, North Korea, eventually Vietnam and Cambodia fell to the communists as well.
The second half of the cold war saw the end of colonization, Spain, Portugal and eventually Greece would become democratic. We normalized relations with China but still had very limited trade. In fact the only free trade going on was the ECC in Europe that was limited to basics like coal and steel. There was the beginning of free trade in the automotive sector between Canada and the US.
What you seem to believe is over a hundred years old, is only about thirty years old. The current era kicks off in the mid 90s with the creation of the EU, the WTO, expansion of NATO, and NAFTA. The high water mark came in the early 00s with China accepting Hong Kong as a democracy, Mexico beginning to reform it's justice system by switching from presumed guilty to presume innocent, and eventually Putin voluntarily stepping down from the Russian precedency.
Things started to go downhill from there. Russia invaded Georgia without UN authorization. China stole it's neighbors territorial waters. Mexico went back to aiding and abetting the cartels and human traffickers. The cracks turned to fissures in 2012 when Russian annexed Crimea.
Form the outside it seems crazy that Germany would try to make itself more reliant on Russian oil and gas while underfunding it's defenses. In reality, forced to compete against China and companies getting their parts from China and assembling their products in places like Mexico and Vietnam, Germany had to find the cheapest source of energy. Meanwhile in a union with non-allied fellow EU member states who spend far less on defense, Germany has to keep it's taxes low and can't afford to properly fund it's defenses.
That is where things really stand. Free trade is a poverty trap. It rewards the corrupt, irresponsible and even adversarial nations. Even once Trump is gone, we will still be facing record levels of debt, a hollowed out industrial base, and still be somewhat reliant on China for essential materials and goods. Our best allies like France and England will increasingly lack the resources to help protect the global supply chains feeding all those foreign factories.
The current world order was already collapsing before Trump was elected the first time. It sped up when Biden was in office. It will continue collapsing after Trump's second term.
The idea of Canada embracing the EU as a matter of sovereignty is so ridiculous, the mind boggles. Carney the ambitious globalist is really playing his country for suckers.
Perhaps they don't want to become a part of a corrupt, capricious, incompetent country that is dismantling its democracy, supporting Russia against Ukraine, thinking it can get its way by bullying its former allies, and demonstrating its much vaunted armed forces to be a paper tiger in Iran. The EU has many, many faults but it is far superior to the US at the moment. I can't decide whether Commonplace is propaganda for MAGA trying to give it a veneer of intellectual credibility or just incredibly naive about the depths of Trump's corruption and the contempt the rest of the world now has for the US.
You mean like how France got run out of North Africa, or was it how the Germans, when trying to help Biden with the Houthis, had to abandon the effort as one of their best frigates lack the air defense to handle the missiles and drones the Houthis we're throwing at them.
You mean the way the Europeans have long used endless non-tariff regulations to protect their markets while still expecting complete access to ours.
Or were you referring to how all but two of our NATO allies signed multiple agreements to spend at least 2% a year on defense but failed year after year until we could only see their signature on those agreements as an outright lie.
Possibly it is was how after warning Germany not to make itself even more reliant on Russian oil and gas. This even after France got burned by Russia's invasion of Georgia and had to sell a couple warships it had built for the Russians to the Egyptians at a loss. And again, even after Russia had annexed Crimea, Germany's responses was to call us a bunch of warmongers and accuse us of just wanting to sell more American oil and gas.
Oh, and with French relatives and a better understanding of how the EU actually functions, at least then the average American, the whole thing is screwed. They will keep falling behind for a long list of reasons. I truly do wish all they needed were a couple of reforms but the issues killing the EU are foundational.
It's both. I always thought electing a demagogue was inevitable. But, I never thought the capitulation of elites was possible. It's mind numbing to watch.
What cracks me up the most about Canada becoming an associate member of the EU is that they would never have been just 'one' state. If Canada really did join the US, it would do so as 10 or 11 states and a couple of territories. That would have given them 16% of the senate, and 10% of the house. The prairie states and the Maritimes would have finally gotten the ability, along with our existing smaller states, to block the harmful legislation coming out of Washington that Ottawa will never give them.
So rather then getting real seats at the table that would give them some real control over what regulations and trade agreements they would be subject to, now they are going to try and give away even more control over the regulations their provincial government have to contend with. Not just to Ottawa. Now Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia will start to know what it feels like to live in Alberta, Manitoba and Nova Scotia.
Even there, while already facing a bit of a lost decade style zombification thanks to an overly inflated housing bubble, now you can add investor paralysis as anyone investing in long term projects will have to wait many years to see what happens. Negotiating and getting something ratified by the EU makes watching snails race exciting by comparison.
P.S. With a high school senior who will soon be going to college, assuming she doesn't stay local, is there a 'rent a dad' service out there. I'm less worried about doctors appointments and balloons on her birthday but could use someone that makes sure she changes the oil in her truck and knows some good mechanics if the need arises.
I wouldn't want Canada to be the 51st state. Nationally, it's a basket case. I'd be happy with Alberta, and I think Alberta would be happy as State #51. The rest? Not only no, but "Hell No."
It’s fascinating that MAGA is so insecure and defensive. It’s all grievance, anger, whining, and diversions, never a positive, future-oriented message. The self-proclaimed all-powerful tough guy is forever the victim.
Why not spend your time advancing the agenda of your leader instead of gratuitously attacking a friendly neighbor you claim is irrelevant? What’s the point of the condescension? Could it be the MAGA agenda of record deficits, random taco tariffing, a disastrous Middle East war, bizarre incoherent bleats, crypto corruption, rising inflation/interest rates, election lies, insurrections, measles outbreaks, seizing brown moms outta school pick up lines, and Trump/Epstein file coverups is too embarrassing to defend? Time to change the subject away from the stale act of an aging, sad, angry man?
PS, you might wanna research Canada’s role in fighting shoulder to shoulder with us when it really counted-defending democracy. It’s beyond offensive to belittle such sacrifice from Canada’s finest.
Do people here not understand that being the 28th EU state means still being a sovereign state, while being the 51st US state does not?
Do people think that EU member states don't have their own armies?
(Yes, I know I'm setting up somebody for a snide comment about "well, have you seen their militaries lately? They basically don't have armies." And that person will think, genuinely think, that they've thereby actually proven that being the 51st state is no greater relinquishment of sovereignty than being the 28th EU member state.)
And I say this all as a critic of the EU! America, stop driving me to defend the EU.
Here's the fundamental political fact on which all US-Canada discourse turns:
The Canadian Conservatives were leading 47-17 in the polls. Donald Trump started talking about the 51st state. Three months later, the Liberals won the election.
You get angry about the slightest hint of foreign interference in your own elections, and then you cause Liberal support to increase by 150%.
You could have had a friendlier Canada, if your President would have shut his damn mouth, including on Canadian election day. But you all voted for him, fully aware that he was incapable of doing so. It felt so good to get under the skin of liberals, didn't it?
But now you'll say that anything we do to stand up for ourselves is completely our fault.
You turned almost all Canadians against you, including those of us who appreciate America and consider America a friend.
If the tables were turned, there is no way in hell you would do what you are demanding that we do.
Look, I'm philosophically sympathetic to Commonplace, which is why I subscribe. I think you generally act in good faith. But when it comes to other countries, your American exceptionalism trumps everything. And it bring with the same inability to understand other countries that has led to many foreign policy misadventures, of which Iran is a glaring example. Even if you're going to treat us as Athens treated Melos, rather than as the America that we want to respect, you might consider how the Peloponnesian War ended for Athens.
Fine. Get in a snit and keep screwing yourselves. Canada is an economic basket case and it's getting worse, but your hurt feelings count more. Good luck with that. Self righteous lectures + 4.65 USD are worth an iced grande cold brew at the Starbucks 10 miles from me. Think you'll get a discount for that angst? LOL
Did you not expect that attempting to bully Canada, by for example, seeking to crush its entire domestic auto industry, would lead Canada to diversify its trade? Aren't American conservatives supposed to understand incentives?
"There is no economic future for Canada in a free-trade zone unable to protect itself from China"
This assumes that the United States can bludgeon all of its trade partners into trading less with China.
The worst time to try to vassalize allies is during the declining phase of empire. That is the phase, of course, when empires most want to vassalize allies. It usually ends badly for everybody.
Canadians don't appreciate being bullied or having their existence as a country mocked and threatened (something Trump has, for the most part, not done to Mexico). Trump's attitude gives Carney a lot of support at the moment among Canadians in pursuing any contra-America policy he chooses to pursue, however detrimental in the end it might be. If Trump switches from his current schoolyard bully approach to something more respectful and conciliatory (and Trump is nothing if not flexible, when he chooses to be), Canada will reciprocate, and a deal will be made, to both countries' mutual benefit. If not, the dispute will be treated as an existential thing for Canada, not just an economic thing. Americans are not the only people who are proud of their country and who will defend it when attacked.
The difference is that Americans haven't been playing games with our dairy industry or failing to live up to our agreements when it comes to defense spending. Trump can be very nice if you at least understand what your side has been getting out of the existing arrangements. But if you elect a spoiled globalist that lies to you while keeping most of his own investments in the US, you get Trump the bully.
Fundamentally, that's what "America first" means. It means we're no longer rolling over and giving away billions in trade deficits so you can use various rules to undermine our industries even while you sign other agreements on defense that amount to nothing more then lies when you fail to live up to them year after year.
Somehow the European get this. Then is again, that might be because after ignoring our warnings and just calling us "warmonger cowboys", Russia showed them who's word they could really trust.
Don't pretend that Trump is motivated by anything other than self-interest. As for Canada, you are right in that there are things Canada can do to improve the relationship, including in defense; it is certainly not only for the US to give way, Canada has to give way too. The details need to be worked out in honest negotiation based on mutual respect, not bullying. Canada does not respond well to bullying, even to the point where Canada may very well choose things not in its own self-interest to spite the US, to the detriment of both countries. As for the so-called trade deficit, take energy (oil, gas, electricity) out of the equation and the so-called trade deficit with Canada disappears completely. In fact, ex-energy, the US enjoys a huge trade surplus with Canada. The truth is, there is plenty of material in the US/Canada trade relationship for a solid, honest discussion between two sovereign nations, leading to a beneficial and workable trade agreement. Canada doesn't expect the US to "roll over", but to act like grownups, not bullies. Nonsense like 51st state or "Governor" Carney is not helping.
You keep saying honest as if most of America's allies haven't spent the last thirty years signing agreements to spend more on defense and failing year after year to meet their commitments. At what point does signing yet another agreement you have no intention of living up become an outright lie.
Same goes for trade, where again and again, countries sign deals knowing the US will reasonably try to live up our side to while they play games with their regulation and other non-tariff trade barriers to cheat. At which point does that also become an outright lie.
Don't get me wrong. I feel for the regular Canadians. They have sacrificed their own blood and treasure to help us fight terrorist in the middle east, pirates off the coast of Somalia, and even sent their navy to conduct freedom of navigation patrols in the South China Sea. Their reward for this sacrifice was to watch Mexico get the same free trade despite aiding and abetting drug smugglers, human traffickers and even terrorist flooding our southern border.
Trumps reward for pushing back against the failing 'rules based order' was to have his reputation destroyed, have to fight to keep himself out of prison, and even a narrowly avoided being killed. That should tell you something. That should tell you how ruthless those that are profiting off the failing order are willing to go to stop anyone from challenging their profits.
So I really do feel for Canadians. Not because Mark Carney is obviously selling them out. He was always nothing more then a smooth talking globalist. But because Pierre Poilievre is nothing more then an un-reformed NeoCon that keeps preaching the gospel of free trade and welfare cuts. This even as its increasingly apparent that what free trade really means for Canada, is to keep using what's left of their military to protect and defend the foreign supply chains feeding their former factories that have since been moved to Mexico.
I do appreciate the passion you've put into your reply. My suggestion here is to distinguish political stories (such as the sordid tale of selfish countries taking advantage of generous Americans) from the actual facts. Political stories are told by politicians to justify themselves to their support base. In this case, the story you have told here is the one Trump tells to his support base to justify the use of tariffs. There is a bit of truth in these stories: yes, many US allies haven't spent as much on defense as they should have, Canada included. But the true story is the not the political version but the factual one, and for that you need to look at real numbers, like here for example: https://economics.td.com/ca-canada-us-trade-balance Anyway, my point is not that there are no issues of real substance to discuss: there are. My point is that Canada and Canadians will be willing to sit down and work out those issues at the negotiating table if treated with decency and respect, as potential partners. That isn't happening at the moment, and so Canada may very well choose a strategy that is bad for both it and the US, which would be a real shame.
History has proven you wrong. I don't like it either, but that's the current reality. So as much as I want to agree with your "point", and I really would prefer that, history says otherwise.
Let me see if I can give you an idea of just how ugly things are going to get. What we've created is a series of poverty traps. A good example of this can be found by comparing Belgium to Ireland. Belgium is a NATO ally, Ireland is not. Both are in the EU.
Belgium has agreed to spend 3.5% on defense, and another 1.5% a year on defense related infrastructure. What this means in practice is that Ireland can have lower taxes and yet still have more money to spend on education, healthcare, and regular infrastructure.
So year after year Irish businesses are going to grow faster. More of Belgium's wealthy or young and healthy are going to move to Ireland. Belgium businesses are going to either move to Ireland, go bankrupt or get bought out by faster growing Irish firms.
The politics are nothing but ugly. The more Belgium tries to meet it's commitments, the faster they go bankrupt. Being an ally is all pain and no gain. Belgium's only real option is to pull out of NATO and slash defense spending. That will make for some ugly politics with it's fellow NATO/EU members.
Take a step back and things keep getting uglier. The only ways to fix this are change/reform the EU into the United States of Europe. Blow up the EU and try to make NATO into a trade/defense alliance. Blow up the EU and create a half dozen smaller unions that can federalize.
I know this sounds crazy but it's very similar to how the Soviet Union collapsed, or how the French, British, Dutch and Belgium empires collapsed. It comes down to perverse incentive. The rules based order we created rewards corrupt, irresponsible, and even adversarial nations. Until a lot more people figure this out, the politics stay ugly. In part this is because articles like the one you linked. People keep trying to separate trade from things like protecting the environment or mutual defense. You really can't do that.
P.S. Don't focus on Belgium or Ireland. France can't spend 4-5% when Spain refuses to spend more then 2%. Germany can't spend 4-5% when Austria is not an ally and spends only 1%. As mentioned, Canada can't spend 4-5% when Mexico is not an ally and yet be in the same free trade agreement. All that before you get to how America and all our allies have become too dependent on China for rare earths. That's because of the much lower standards when is comes to workers right and pollution control.
Somehow I don't think you're actually reading anything I'm writing. I'll stop now as there doesn't seem to be much point in continuing.
Well, then, you deserve what you get…
Daniel, John brought up Trump's name in his response. I thought that always wins the debate?
When I look at how Canada has squandered Alberta's hydrocarbon royalties while incessantly lecturing, I think: "Beverly Hillbillies with an attitude." Poor babies are mad at Trump. If anything, he's been far too gentle. If Canadians are looking for a pack of stupid, irresponsible, wastrel fools, they should look no farther than Ottawa, and then have a glance in the mirror at those who indulge them.
No one ever whined their way to prosperity, but plenty have whined their way to poverty. 50 years ago, Canada's per capita GDP was >95% of the U.S.; today, it's 62%. In 1981, Canada's per capita GDP was #6 in the OECD; today it's #16. Since 2014, Canada's economic growth was in last place in the G-7, and third from the bottom in the OECD. The OECD's projection through 2060 expects Canada to be in last place. Why? Because Canada's net investment has been, is, and will be ZERO.
Nominal median wages are $68,000 in both countries. But Canadians are paid in Snow Pesos that buy 70 American cents. For every two ounces of gold (or Euros, since you actually think it's a good idea to join the EU) the average American has three.
No one outside of Canada did this to Canada. Nope, Canada did this to itself. By all means, keep whining. Everyone knows you will.
Ah, here we have classic bully talk: Stop whining, I'm better than you, you're pathetic, etc. Sadly, bullies end up hated. The irony of it is that I mostly agree with Jim in his claims of fact: Canada's leadership decisions have left something to be desired, and the country has not been the better for it. My point is that Canada's decision-making is not likely to improve in response to bullying. Carney's approval rating in Canada hit 66% earlier this month, and the Canadian government is polling at 70% approval in September because of his willingness to stand up to Trump, whose approval rating just hit a record low of 32%. Who is benefiting from the bullying? Certainly not the bully! If the substantive issues between Canada and the US are going to be successfully resolved, a different tactic from the US is needed. How about some civility instead?
Canadians will fall for it again. P.T. Barnum got it right. This time, a whole country full of suckers. How does one politely deal with a country run by idiots and supported by clueless voters? Asking for a friend.
Canadian "leadership" decisions have booted away a mountain of wealth. It's a lot more than "left something to be desired." The "leadership" has squandered the returns on Alberta's wealth. "Left something to be desired" on steroids. By all means, ignore that because Trump is a meanie. It's pathetic.
When politics trump common sense the only people who suffer are the citizens who are not connected to the ruling class.
It might bring kudos to Carney and a ton of platitudes from the left who will never know the real effects of there actions but the common man will never realize the pain of the elites decisions which obviously is sad.
Make no mistake that President Trump is correct in highlighting our decision to make trade deals that are favorable for the American men and women who have been sold out by the elites in both the republican and Democratic parties,President Trump treats these negotiations as if he is selling a trump tower in Manhattan.
It’s disgraceful and arrogant and that is what he is.Always putting himself as the only person that matters.
Watch him now realizing that he is in deep Trouble and suddenly trying to fix his mistakes.
There is no one Trump as it’s Farrrrr too late to change at this point in the race.
You have finally found out that you ARE human and it’s impossible to find a way out.
Canada has two problems. First, Carney is the essence of globalist. Central banker of two countries, one of which is not Canada. Second, Canadians define themselves as not the US. No positive sense of nationhood, just a negative one.
That “Canadian Identity” is 10% “free” healthcare and 90% “we’re not Americans” is a sad fact of life up here, and has been for decades.
I have family who live near TO, my aunt was not feeling well for more or less about 18 months.
They stonewalled her until she said
What is wrong with me,
Diagnosis which they knew much sooner was
We are sorry but terminal cancer, 4 weeks to live.
For all of the smoke from the free healthcare care, this is the reality of it.😳
Point taken but TANSTAFL. I can't recall ever having an unpleasant encounter with an individual Canadian but the collective is another story.
You haven’t actually been to Canada clearly 😂
Quite a bit
Plus dealing with Canadians down here. Nice try.
That makes the condescension even worse. MAGA's America Alone strategy is now being stress tested with their disastrous Middle East war. How's it going Richard?
Trumps gotta go, Vance will be a much more disciplined and consistent candidate.
Trump is a walking talking disaster machine.The left will rue the day when he is no longer in politics bc that’s all they need.
When the clown 🤡 in chief leaves the people will not vote for pregnant 🫃 men in women’s locker rooms, transvestites in kindergarten libraries,and Illegal Somalians eating their neighbors dogs.
And to think people thought black peoples are afraid 😱 of dogs I. Pffft
Oh Canada. Trump may well be insane but so are the leaders of the EU with their abandonment of free speech, their economically suicidal energy policies (Germany shutting down their carbon free nukes) and their equally suicidal import of Islamic crazies. Canada is jumping from the frying pan directly into the fire.
Canada has no synergies with Europe. The majority of their trade with the US is hard to transport resources like oil, minerals, potash and lumber along with car parts destined for US carmakers. Their oil can only flow through pipelines to the USA unless they spend $hunreds of Billions to build east coast pipleines that do no exist. Europe will gladly sell them their defense products and systems and then when Canada tries to sell Europe their products - Europeans will say that they are too pricey because of transportation costs. European exporters will try to pounce on substituting their goods for Canadian goods that get heavily tariffed in the trade dispute. This is simple economics - economics and trade are based off of peoples mutual needs and price - its not based on whether one party likes or dislikes the other.
"economics and trade are based off of peoples mutual needs and price - its not based on whether one party likes or dislikes the other."
And this is exactly why America has run up a massive trade deficit with China. Commonplace basically exists to counter that. If your statement is true, then Commonplace might as well close up shop, because its goal is next to impossible. (It would require convincing GOP voters to stop buying cheap Chinese junk at Wal-Mart, when American consumers have always discriminated on price rather than on quality. Good luck!)
you know, maybe it is just a fuck you to the US. And doesn't that say something about the status of the US in the world right now? Maybe it is not a good thing for them long term, but Trump is a disaster for them short term (and most of us Americans, fyi), and so they respond to his vitriol and degrading behavior with a middle finger. good for them.
Trump is screwing us over so bad that we just hit a record low for people in poverty. Manufacturing is rising and so are working class incomes. In fact, once again trump is seeing in faster gains in lower income brackets then in the higher income brackets.
Meanwhile, yes it's been bad for Canada. But that has as much to do with the longer running issues of their internal tariffs and trade restriction between the provinces. Add on the higher cost thanks to the government micromanagement of their dairy industry. Cap it all off with an imploding housing bubble that would stall out their economy even in the best of times.
That's one of the true head scratchers. For most of my life it was the Mexican politicians that railed about America while ignoring all their own problems. Now Mexico is getting on board with cutting off China from our markets while increasingly being willing to go after the corruption that keeps them poor. Yet, Canadian politicians seem to have found blaming America an easy way to get a free pass for hollowing out Canada's industrial base, flooding the country with cheap foreign labor that is fracturing Canadian society, and piling more and more Canadians in debt for houses well beyond what their actual salaries can afford.
"we just hit a record low for people in poverty."
That must be why Trump's approval rating has just fallen to a career-low 32%.
"government micromanagement of their dairy industry."
Right or wrong (it's perfectly legit to criticize supply management), this is a drop in the bucket. It costs Canadian consumers $2.6B per year.
But while we're on the subject of agricultural market manipulation, maybe we can talk about government subsidies to American farmers? $55B in direct subsidies alone, not to mention indirect ones? https://www.aei.org/research-products/report/ad-hockery-supplemental-subsidy-payments-for-agriculture/
So the poverty rate hits a record low, and you don't care. You must be a left winger.
Sometimes it feels really good to say "fuck you" to someone and to move on to something that appears better in your emotional state. Sometimes it is also a huge mistake.
Canada had better be careful what it wishes for.
Your counter arguments re Mark Carney are too ad hominem. How about waking up to the fact that he's building valuable bridges to the EU and other players while he outwaits Trump. When the stupid bombast stops, serious trade negotiations can have a new start.
In reality, just like how ten years on, Canada's free trade deal with the EU still hasn't been ratified, He's building sand castles on the beach. Most of what Canada want's to sell to Europe is blocked by various regulations that will cost an arm and a leg to comply with.
Have you ever been to Europe much. I say this because I've been watching various Canadians on YouTube. Your housing products are made for American style construction. Most people wouldn't spot those kinds of thing but that's what I do for living. That means even trying to sell interior doors to the EU will require a Canadian company to completely retool. But that means they could no longer sell many doors in Canada.
Those are the things most people miss. There was a good short dive into the real issues this would cause done by VisualEconomiks on YouTube. Canada did a deal to sell beef to the EU. They even accept a quota limiting Canada to 65,000 tons a year. Last year they sold just over 1,500 tons. The issue is that Canada regulates it's beef industry similar to America. In fact they are even more permissive of some practices that have been banned in the US. Yet we haven't let that stop Canadian Beef. Which makes it too expensive for most Canadian beef producers to set up completely different and much more costly compliance systems for export to Europe.
True he’s at least trying to defend himself and the Europe from the obvious threat of Russia
It's fine to belittle Carney, though given our new position that Canada is irrelevant I'm not sure why we'd waste the time. But let's look inward and consider our own prez's actions, since the leader of the free world should matter. This week he accused Democrats of plotting his assassination. In a normal world, we take a president’s words seriously. Far more seriously than Carney's, the mere leader of our 51st state...
One of two things is true. One, Don's accusations are true, and would represent the biggest political scandal in the nation’s history. Investigations should commence, justice should be pursued. Two, the president is either mentally incapacitated or lied intentionally. This of course raises other issues that must be confronted, and action should be taken.
But of course, this will pass as just "Don being Don". Similar to when he called his Chairman of the Joint Chiefs "treasonous", and worthy of execution. Or when he called a video from US senators seditious behavior punishable by death.
It's stunning actually. Imagine Ronald Reagan calling for the execution of Tip O'Neill for plotting the attempted assassination he endured. Imagine the reaction of the "new" right/MAGA if President Pritzker uttered such dangerous slop. It seems like it would be a news story that would generate just a little attention, and action...
But not in today's America. Establishment elites like Oren fixate on Carney, fictional trans kids, brown people, whatever. Anything to change the subject and preserve their own position. Even though they know the truth. It's shameful.
Good luck America.
Understandably, I am not an economist. But there is something fundamental about integrity, truth, service and compassion…that defy the” bottom line” While I can’t argue policy, I will always support the man or woman who is in the crucible trying to do what is right.
I'll make it easy to understand. We have already debated free trade a number of times over the last couple hundred years and it always fails. That's literally why we have things like the EPA, Social Security, and Food stamps.
Let's start with defense. It was the failure during the Spanish American war that convinced us that you couldn't rely on the state militias. The individual states could be relied on to properly train and equip the solders and regularly promoted officers for nepotistic and political reasons. We're running into the exact same problem with NATO. Our defense alliances and policies could be tied to our trade policies and then include enforceable minimums. Yet because as of now you can underfund your own defenses, use ships made in China to transport your goods around the world, we're actually rewarding the countries that aren't allies or underfund their defenses. This is what has been screwing over Canada. Joining the EU would only make Canada's problem worse in this respect.
Moving on. As we became more industrialized and realized we needed to better regulate pollution and emissions, we had a problem. How could your state create and enforce laws if the companies could move production over the state line then keep flooding your state's market with their goods. We had to create the Environmental Protection Agency at the Federal level. Individual states would still have some control over how that met the federal standards but ultimately they would have to find a way to meet those standards. You run into the same thing with OSHA. Now companies can just move production overseas, to get around those regulations. Again, part of the problem with Canada is that while we're trying to start correcting for this, they have proven willing to be a trans-shipment nation for Chinese steal and other products.
Last but not least, and this is more about the failures of immigration, how could any state take care of it's poor when they would be flooded with the poor, disabled, and desperate from all the surrounding states. Hence the need to create federal programs like Medicaid, welfare, rental assistance.
So despite his crude nature and bombastic style, Trump is trying to do what's right. On the opposite side, despite his polished nature and poetic style, Carney is lying to his own people to increase his power and prestige.
"We have already debated free trade a number of times over the last couple hundred years and it always fails."
Right, it's not like America was pushing free markets and free trade on the world for a century, which was in its national interest for the 20th century, until Trump came along.
Are you one of those believers in the post war world order? A short history lesson and then feel free to rebut.
In the first half of the cold war, there was no free trade. England, France, Belgium and the Netherlands were still colonial powers. Spain and Portugal were fascist dictatorships. Greece was under a military Junta. More then half of the current EU member states were behind the Iron curtain. China, North Korea, eventually Vietnam and Cambodia fell to the communists as well.
The second half of the cold war saw the end of colonization, Spain, Portugal and eventually Greece would become democratic. We normalized relations with China but still had very limited trade. In fact the only free trade going on was the ECC in Europe that was limited to basics like coal and steel. There was the beginning of free trade in the automotive sector between Canada and the US.
What you seem to believe is over a hundred years old, is only about thirty years old. The current era kicks off in the mid 90s with the creation of the EU, the WTO, expansion of NATO, and NAFTA. The high water mark came in the early 00s with China accepting Hong Kong as a democracy, Mexico beginning to reform it's justice system by switching from presumed guilty to presume innocent, and eventually Putin voluntarily stepping down from the Russian precedency.
Things started to go downhill from there. Russia invaded Georgia without UN authorization. China stole it's neighbors territorial waters. Mexico went back to aiding and abetting the cartels and human traffickers. The cracks turned to fissures in 2012 when Russian annexed Crimea.
Form the outside it seems crazy that Germany would try to make itself more reliant on Russian oil and gas while underfunding it's defenses. In reality, forced to compete against China and companies getting their parts from China and assembling their products in places like Mexico and Vietnam, Germany had to find the cheapest source of energy. Meanwhile in a union with non-allied fellow EU member states who spend far less on defense, Germany has to keep it's taxes low and can't afford to properly fund it's defenses.
That is where things really stand. Free trade is a poverty trap. It rewards the corrupt, irresponsible and even adversarial nations. Even once Trump is gone, we will still be facing record levels of debt, a hollowed out industrial base, and still be somewhat reliant on China for essential materials and goods. Our best allies like France and England will increasingly lack the resources to help protect the global supply chains feeding all those foreign factories.
The current world order was already collapsing before Trump was elected the first time. It sped up when Biden was in office. It will continue collapsing after Trump's second term.
The idea of Canada embracing the EU as a matter of sovereignty is so ridiculous, the mind boggles. Carney the ambitious globalist is really playing his country for suckers.
The USA needs to be the 50 new provinces of Canada 🇨🇦 except for Alabama because Neil young doesn’t want them 😡🤔😎🇪🇸😆🙂🤮😄
Perhaps they don't want to become a part of a corrupt, capricious, incompetent country that is dismantling its democracy, supporting Russia against Ukraine, thinking it can get its way by bullying its former allies, and demonstrating its much vaunted armed forces to be a paper tiger in Iran. The EU has many, many faults but it is far superior to the US at the moment. I can't decide whether Commonplace is propaganda for MAGA trying to give it a veneer of intellectual credibility or just incredibly naive about the depths of Trump's corruption and the contempt the rest of the world now has for the US.
You mean like how France got run out of North Africa, or was it how the Germans, when trying to help Biden with the Houthis, had to abandon the effort as one of their best frigates lack the air defense to handle the missiles and drones the Houthis we're throwing at them.
You mean the way the Europeans have long used endless non-tariff regulations to protect their markets while still expecting complete access to ours.
Or were you referring to how all but two of our NATO allies signed multiple agreements to spend at least 2% a year on defense but failed year after year until we could only see their signature on those agreements as an outright lie.
Possibly it is was how after warning Germany not to make itself even more reliant on Russian oil and gas. This even after France got burned by Russia's invasion of Georgia and had to sell a couple warships it had built for the Russians to the Egyptians at a loss. And again, even after Russia had annexed Crimea, Germany's responses was to call us a bunch of warmongers and accuse us of just wanting to sell more American oil and gas.
Oh, and with French relatives and a better understanding of how the EU actually functions, at least then the average American, the whole thing is screwed. They will keep falling behind for a long list of reasons. I truly do wish all they needed were a couple of reforms but the issues killing the EU are foundational.
Dan, what's your analysis of how Don's America Alone strategery is unspooling as he prosecutes MAGA's Middle East war?
It's both. I always thought electing a demagogue was inevitable. But, I never thought the capitulation of elites was possible. It's mind numbing to watch.
What cracks me up the most about Canada becoming an associate member of the EU is that they would never have been just 'one' state. If Canada really did join the US, it would do so as 10 or 11 states and a couple of territories. That would have given them 16% of the senate, and 10% of the house. The prairie states and the Maritimes would have finally gotten the ability, along with our existing smaller states, to block the harmful legislation coming out of Washington that Ottawa will never give them.
So rather then getting real seats at the table that would give them some real control over what regulations and trade agreements they would be subject to, now they are going to try and give away even more control over the regulations their provincial government have to contend with. Not just to Ottawa. Now Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia will start to know what it feels like to live in Alberta, Manitoba and Nova Scotia.
Even there, while already facing a bit of a lost decade style zombification thanks to an overly inflated housing bubble, now you can add investor paralysis as anyone investing in long term projects will have to wait many years to see what happens. Negotiating and getting something ratified by the EU makes watching snails race exciting by comparison.
P.S. With a high school senior who will soon be going to college, assuming she doesn't stay local, is there a 'rent a dad' service out there. I'm less worried about doctors appointments and balloons on her birthday but could use someone that makes sure she changes the oil in her truck and knows some good mechanics if the need arises.
I wouldn't want Canada to be the 51st state. Nationally, it's a basket case. I'd be happy with Alberta, and I think Alberta would be happy as State #51. The rest? Not only no, but "Hell No."
It’s fascinating that MAGA is so insecure and defensive. It’s all grievance, anger, whining, and diversions, never a positive, future-oriented message. The self-proclaimed all-powerful tough guy is forever the victim.
Why not spend your time advancing the agenda of your leader instead of gratuitously attacking a friendly neighbor you claim is irrelevant? What’s the point of the condescension? Could it be the MAGA agenda of record deficits, random taco tariffing, a disastrous Middle East war, bizarre incoherent bleats, crypto corruption, rising inflation/interest rates, election lies, insurrections, measles outbreaks, seizing brown moms outta school pick up lines, and Trump/Epstein file coverups is too embarrassing to defend? Time to change the subject away from the stale act of an aging, sad, angry man?
PS, you might wanna research Canada’s role in fighting shoulder to shoulder with us when it really counted-defending democracy. It’s beyond offensive to belittle such sacrifice from Canada’s finest.
Do people here not understand that being the 28th EU state means still being a sovereign state, while being the 51st US state does not?
Do people think that EU member states don't have their own armies?
(Yes, I know I'm setting up somebody for a snide comment about "well, have you seen their militaries lately? They basically don't have armies." And that person will think, genuinely think, that they've thereby actually proven that being the 51st state is no greater relinquishment of sovereignty than being the 28th EU member state.)
And I say this all as a critic of the EU! America, stop driving me to defend the EU.
Here's the fundamental political fact on which all US-Canada discourse turns:
The Canadian Conservatives were leading 47-17 in the polls. Donald Trump started talking about the 51st state. Three months later, the Liberals won the election.
You get angry about the slightest hint of foreign interference in your own elections, and then you cause Liberal support to increase by 150%.
You could have had a friendlier Canada, if your President would have shut his damn mouth, including on Canadian election day. But you all voted for him, fully aware that he was incapable of doing so. It felt so good to get under the skin of liberals, didn't it?
But now you'll say that anything we do to stand up for ourselves is completely our fault.
You turned almost all Canadians against you, including those of us who appreciate America and consider America a friend.
If the tables were turned, there is no way in hell you would do what you are demanding that we do.
Look, I'm philosophically sympathetic to Commonplace, which is why I subscribe. I think you generally act in good faith. But when it comes to other countries, your American exceptionalism trumps everything. And it bring with the same inability to understand other countries that has led to many foreign policy misadventures, of which Iran is a glaring example. Even if you're going to treat us as Athens treated Melos, rather than as the America that we want to respect, you might consider how the Peloponnesian War ended for Athens.
Fine. Get in a snit and keep screwing yourselves. Canada is an economic basket case and it's getting worse, but your hurt feelings count more. Good luck with that. Self righteous lectures + 4.65 USD are worth an iced grande cold brew at the Starbucks 10 miles from me. Think you'll get a discount for that angst? LOL
Did you not expect that attempting to bully Canada, by for example, seeking to crush its entire domestic auto industry, would lead Canada to diversify its trade? Aren't American conservatives supposed to understand incentives?
"There is no economic future for Canada in a free-trade zone unable to protect itself from China"
This assumes that the United States can bludgeon all of its trade partners into trading less with China.
The worst time to try to vassalize allies is during the declining phase of empire. That is the phase, of course, when empires most want to vassalize allies. It usually ends badly for everybody.