The Summer of Our Discontent? Not on our collective watch.

With the summer upon us there are many, many things to do and enjoy rather than observe and comment on the steady stream of nonsense that spew forth from the American administration.  It is wearying, not to mention exasperating.

Justice and State Department purges of the principled officials who dared challenge past Trump transgressions continue unabated. For those of us who "remember" history, these moves parallel every authoritarian dictator, past and present. Aside from wearying it is exasperating that almost every clear thinking person with an ounce of morality has folded their cards and retreated to the safety of anonymity. The religious right in the United States seems blind to their own moral hypocrisy in supporting a unrepentant liar, felon and sexual as well as commercial predator. 

If any foreign government challenges the simpleton's tariff sledge hammer they are threatened with a bludgeoning from a bigger hammer. There is no challenge that can be met with a rational response, only more nonsense.

This is why, as time passes, even after four years of the practices employed by the current US administration, it will be very difficult for succeeding administrations, if they are so inclined, to undo all the damage.

Moreover, I fear that the current practices that are yielding continued support from the unthoughtful and narrow minded ideologues of the MAGA munchkins will remain after Trump is gone from power. It appears to me that as long as he is alive he will hold sway over a large segment of the US public and key minions will continue to carry the torch into subsequent political battles. J.D. Vance is the most likely minion to be the standard bearer of Trumpism. Tasting power tends to create an appetite for retaining that power.

There is absolutely no sense in waiting out a change in administration.  The US system of government is complex and this has been, in part, its undoing. There was (and is) a desire in many quarters for a slash and burn mentality to the institutions that rumbled on despite the costs and a belief that the checks and balances simply were road block to progress - which in current parlance meant, Making America Great. Whatever happens after four years of destruction, the complexity will remain.  The polarization will continue. America is, and will continue to be a failed State, emboldened by bullying the rest of the world.

Consequently, we, in Canada, must not lose sight of our purpose, which I am happy to say is advocated by our current government. The intent to build from within to strengthen our economy, to invest in and improve our security apparatus, to diversify our trading partners, capitalize on our strengths and remain true to our roots in a parliamentary democracy, which even with all of its warts is still far better than the American "system" of government. 

We will have our differences of direction but we must not gravitate to the kind of polarized politics and civic discourse that is a prominent feature of so-called "United" States. Our efforts on problematic files like resource development must be approached with a sense of "getting it done" with due consideration of the interests of affected parties, rather than road blocks thrown up by narrow self-interest. Bureaucratic lethargy  and needless, impractical regulation must be quickly reconsidered and removed where warranted to facilitate the changes needed to move forward rather than stand still or worse, move backward. We need to hold our politicians to account to do the right thing rather then descend into petty politics and self-aggrandizement.

Despite our favourable opportunities and sensible reputation in the world we complain far too much, rather than put our efforts to the relentless pursuit of common ground and solutions. I have always said that it does not take many brains to hang out a shingle that says "Professional Complainer".  We as a nation are better - and smarter - than that and we can, if we persevere, become even greater than our dysfunctional neighbour to the south.