Theresa May, the British Prime Minister, is planning a meeting with the incoming president of the United States. She is following protocol. She has to do this.
But what choice has a ‘leader’ of a western country in indicating (or not) some kind of official support for an ally? Not much. She has to ‘recognize’ the new president. It’s part of her job. It’s part of her, too. She’s Thatcher in May clothing. So, it is not hard for her. She is steeped in the establishment. She believes and thinks that way. She IS the establishment. All leaders of countries in the first world are steeped in the establishment.
And the establishment reinforces itself – no matter who is at the helm. It is what institutions do: they survive by defending the larger ‘status quo’. The larger status quo is the BIG LIE.
Germany has not yet lined up to kiss Trump’s ring. Neither has France. Mind you, Germany and France remain in the EU and Trump dissed the EU and supported Brexit. So…they are caught like a deer in headlights. They may legitimately be reluctant to embrace the new POTUS because he seemingly did not act subservient to the status quo…and yet…isn’t the US the leader of the status quo?
Many are similarly confused. Do you support the office when you cannot support the occupant of that office? Will the job make the man or will the imbecile corrupt the office?
We don’t know the answer to the really big question yet (how long can they pretend the BIG LIE system is working?). But the other so-called leaders of countries will eventually come around to genuflecting to the USA. They have to. They have to so as to legitimize themselves and the offices they hold. It’s a matter of survival. It’s what they do. They support one another.
That is how the BIG LIE holds together.
Just-in Trudeau must be having heart palpitations. He is more than willing to sacrifice any semblance of ethics and morality (certainly he has NOT kept his word on the substantive issues) but……I am sure he is dithering on this one, too…….is this the place to sell your soul? At the altar of the Donald? His big dithering question is not whether to suck-hole or not. It is: will he get the best price?
He’s a lightweight. He’ll fold to corporate interests. Again.
They will all fall in line. Eventually. If they all don’t keep up the facade, it’s a crack in the foundation of the BIG LIE. And none of the establishment can have that. The King is Dead! Long Live the King! “Steady as she goes! Whose ring is next to kiss?”
But here’s the deal: Trump won because he was revolutionary. Symbolically, anyway. The American people wanted change. They wanted real change. And they got it. Sadly, they did not define the change they wanted but, in psychological terms, you cannot change your constructs using your own constructs. Change comes from without.
Trump is clearly very much without. And rarely has the old adage, ‘Be careful what you wish for’ been set up to be so proven true.
I think they will come to regret the change they have wrought but, to be fair, you cannot plan a revolution. When it comes, it comes. And what results is the result. They may very well regret this one but the old way of doing things was simply NOT working for them and so they voted for the dingbat from Hell. (And I think that is were this is heading).
But I don’t blame them. Not every decision comes from an enlightened place. Gut instincts aren’t always right. Even Jesus made mistakes. And clearly 150 million people CAN be wrong. I am pretty sure they are but I, too, have been wrong.
We’ll see.
I certainly don’t blame Americans. Not even the Bubbas. They voted for change with Obama and won the ring toss the first time around but got precious little in that petite revolution. Obama was just NOT enough.
So, this time, they more than doubled down …………..this time they bet the farm.
Our Off the Grid Home 
It would be interesting to go sit in a busy pub or bar in the States when he’s sworn in to see and hear the reactions of the locals.
I spoke with a guy from Calfirnia nad he was so embarassed that Trump will be sworn in , he looked physically uncomfortable, almost ill, at the prospect of Trump being POTUS.
Trump is not the change that his voters expect.
He’s a loud, boorish, child that has won “King of the Mountain” and when he continues down this road of belittlement, bragaddoccio, and bullshit he’s only going to make things worse.
If he thinks he’s seen protests before he’s grossly underestimating the power of the mob.
If he thinks he can ignore the Mainstream press, he’s grossly underestimated their power.
If he thinks he can ignore Congress, the Senate, the Courts he’s grossly overestimated his power of office.
He’s a self important property mogul who inheirited his money from his father and when the chips are down will prove he’s in this way, way over his head and the next 12 months will become embarrasingly apparent to all just how unprepared he is.
I expect he’ll be drummed out of office , impeached or resign before the 4 years is up.
All while China rattles their sabres over Taiwan and the South China Sea.
Russia plays “war games” in the Ukraine and looks nervously at NATO ramping up in Poland.
And the neverending Middle East shitstorm grinds on and on and on.
Trumps got a lot of work to do and not many friends foriegn or domestic to help him do it.
Interesting times.
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I agree. Except for the senate/congress part. They seem to be lining up. They, too, are ALL republicans but it remains to be seen how passive they are. How compliant. How loyal. So far, they have proven to be a pretty divided, corporate-toady, grossly stupid group as a whole…..we’ll see.
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Competing views of economies are placing their bets. Still too early in the game to know who will go all in. On the table and in the ethos from the recent bailouts of the banks and the auto industry and the auto parts industry are expectations of those who were helped and that they now owe loyalty and jobs to those who saved them. Who bailed them out, was it Mexico? No! Invest in Canada and America the guys who bailed you out. Globalization needs to work better.
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What I love is Trumps, minute grasp of the ramifications of turning his back on Globalization .
My 4wd toyota pickup truck was Manufactured in ………Texas.
Japan makes ALL its Tacomas in Texas for the N.A. market.
The ONLY way US car manufacturers can compete globally is to have either the parts made off shore and returned to the US for assembly( GM China outsold GM USA last year) or the parts made in the US and shipped elsewhere for assembly.
You cant make the parts AND the vehicle in the US when their dollar is one of the strongest currencies on the planet……unless you’re going to pay the USA factory workers “deplorable” wages.
Trump cant have it both ways.
Rock meet Hard Place.
Cant wait to hear what he says when no one else anywhere in the world can afford to buy a US car.
A simplistic buffoon pandering to the lowest common denominator can only bs his way for so long before people either stop listening, stop believing or turn on the messenger…….
Personally I hope for the latter.
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40% of US fuel comes from Canada. We pay C$5.00 + a gallon. They pay C$3.00 (I just filled up the 3/4 ton truck for $40.00 at US$1.99 a US gallon). So how is Trump figuring ‘Mericans are getting the short end of the stick? We pay more for everything from the US, of course, but get this: you can buy a propane freezer in Arizona cheaper than you can buy the same one in BC…AND THEY ARE MANUFACTURED IN CANADA!!!
That dickhead knows nothin’ about nothin’ and it seems his galactic ignorance is going to greatly influence my world n ways further aggravating than what already is.. Egads!
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You can thank those higher Canadian gas and manufactured goods prices to our “nanny state” that taxes us almost to death and then squanders our money on unecessary legacy projects a la Site C.
Sad if it wasnt so sickening.
Speaking of sick…….
I’m just curious what americans’ down there think of the deconstruction of Obamacare….
Americas first, and probably last, attempt at “affordable” medicare for all.
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Trump thinks that Mexicans are getting the best of free trade and America is on the gas pipe. Appliances made in Canada often are not offered for sale in the country of origin. And as you point out we pay more than Americans for something we make. I’ve hear many different justifications for such disparities in prices between the USA and Canada. But Canada has many advantages that the USA does not have.
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I agree. We have a lot of advantages. But the main one is this: we are few in a land of great potential. And we have more freedom because of it. It is simply harder to control sheep when they have so much room in which to roam. It is even easier to be a sheep but, sadly, sheep are herd animals and they tend to congregate and bunch up. It’s in their DNA. Canadians are sheep with so many options but we choose to bunch up and restrict ourselves instead. We follow, we do not lead.
It’s a minor tragedy.
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Sheep are not overly self directing. They stand looking when action is needed. They fall off things and get lost. But they are not as dim as they appear to be. They are able to pick out the faces of the other sheep from a line up and they can recognize the shepherd’s photograph. They do not take selfies and they love staycations. They are not out to fleece any one but are often fleeced themselves. They try to stand up to the herding dogs by getting into starring contests but a snip at the heels and they fold. They are loyal and make great sweaters.
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Great! Does that mean they can knit?
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They are not as handy as the Shmoo, and they do not hop into pan willingly but they do a good imitation of the human emotion of looking sheepish.
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Referencing Andy Capp makes you 60+. Sid?
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