Years ago, when I was a kid, there was a popular toothpaste commercial circulating with a catchy tune. I can’t replicate the tune here, but the lyrics were: “You’ll wonder where the yellow went when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent.”
There must have been something political going on at the time because some wag changed the words, with the same tune, to read, “You’ll wonder where your father went when you talk against the government.” It caught on.
I hadn’t considered that revised version for decades until recently when it has played over and over in my head for the last few weeks. I think I know why.
We are dangerously close to the real possibility that Donald Trump, committed to locking up his enemies and getting even with those who disagree with him and who is quite prepared to use the military against Americans, will again become President of the United States. Why should we care, many Canadians ask. It won’t affect us. Well, I beg to differ.
Canada, being right next door to the United States, is in no better position to protect its sovereignty against the United States than Austria, being next to Germany, was during the Second World War, or Ukraine, being next door to Russia, is to this very day.
An overstatement? That will never happen, you say. Well, maybe not. But as we draw near to the American presidential election, let’s take another hard look at the man who could be president.
Donald Trump makes no bones about admiring despots and dictators. He praises leaders like Vladimir Putin, President Xi Jinping of China, and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. He is soft on NATO and has encouraged Putin to invade some of those nations. He has boldly told Americans that if they vote for him now, they will never have to vote again. What kind of a message does that send?
He believes that if he becomes President, he will have total immunity and can do whatever he wants with impunity. He has never been a friend of Canada.
Trump denigrates his generals. He has little or no respect for soldiers who were wounded on active duty. He once said, “No one wants to see them.” He stained the memory of former Senator John McCain, one of America’s war heroes.
Trump is convinced that he won the presidential election in 2020. I don’t think he is lying about that. Sadly, I think he really believes it, in spite of every state in the Union and all of the courts of law that were consulted saying he didn’t win.
Trump has no trouble with lying. He really believes that the more you lie, the more people believe you. He actually said that in a book he wrote a number of years ago.
Donald Trump has said that people who don’t vote for him should have their heads examined. He has vowed to get rid of “the enemy within” and labelled the left on the political spectrum as “evil”. His favourite and most used letter in the alphabet is the ninth one. He only cares about himself.
To top all of this off, Donald Trump is a convicted felon, sanctioned for tax evasion, and found to be guilty of sexual abuse.
Wow. And this is a man within a hair’s breadth of again becoming President of The United States.
Bob Costa, a prominent American broadcaster, summed it up like this: “You have to be in a toxic cult to believe that Trump has ever been emotionally, psychologically, intellectually or ethically fit to be President.”
More than two dozen people, all Republicans, who worked in senior positions for Donald Trump when he was President have since turned against him and said he should never be near the White House again. Here are just a few of them:
Former Vice President Mike Pence. “Anyone who puts himself over the Constitution should never be president of the United States.”
John Kelly, a retired U.S. Marine Corps general who was the longest-serving Chief of Staff under Trump. He was also Secretary of Home Security. He said this about Trump: “A person who has nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions, our constitution and the rule of law, should never be President of the United States. There is nothing more to be said. God help us all.”
Former Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Miley: “He (Trump) is the most dangerous person ever—a total fascist.”
John Bolton, former National Security Advisor under Trump: “I believe foreign leaders believe he is a laughing fool.”
Nickey Haley, former Ambassador to the United Nations, who challenged Donald Trump in the primaries: “A terrible thing happened on January 6th and he (Trump) called it a great day.”
James Mattis, Secretary of Defense under Trump: “Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite American people, does not even pretend to try, instead he tries to divide us.”
Bill Barr, attorney general under Trump: “Someone (Trump) who engaged in that kind of bullying about a process that is fundamental to our system, shouldn’t be anywhere near the Oval Office.”
And on and on…
Finally, there is the question of Donald Trump’s mental acuity. Anyone who has watched the American election campaign in recent weeks will have seen signs of concern: rambling answers, sometimes no answers at all, confusion, and an inability to recall names and events. Ridiculous and racist statements like saying refugees in Springfield, Ohio, are eating dogs and cats, consistently denying reality. Swaying to music on stage at a rally and staring at the audience but not saying a word for over half an hour. Saying nice things about Hanibal Lector, the movie character who ate humans. And again, on and on…
It is hard for me to understand how so many people believe that a man with Trump’s flawed record, character, and demeanor is fit to be president of one of the world’s superpowers, where the nuclear code is at his fingertips. But there you go—that is where we are.
I know some Republicans are so concerned about what they believe to be left-wing policies of the Democratic Party that they will hold their nose and vote for Trump and damn the consequences. I tend to agree with Republican Liz Cheney that you can live with bad policy for four years, but you cannot survive four years with someone who plays fast and loose with the Constitution and seeks power for the sake of power and an opportunity to get revenge on those who have not supported him.
I have spoken to other Republicans who fully understand who Trump is but believe once he is elected, it will not be long before his own people will find him incompetent and invoke the 25th amendment to make JD Vance the new president. That will allow them, conspiracy theory or not, to vote for Donald Trump in the upcoming election.
If anyone thinks that Vance would be a better choice for President than Donald Trump, they should listen to what he said on CBS News recently. The commenter said, “Hungary’s Viktor Orbán seized control of universities, rewrote the Constitution, and neutered the courts. Is that what you are advocating for the United States?” Vance: “I think Orbán made smart decisions that we could learn from in the United States.” Enough said.
A former confidant of Donald Trump recently said that the concept of Donald Trump back in the White House “scares the hell out of me.” As a Canadian, it scares me, too.
Former President Jimmy Carter said some months ago that he wanted to live long enough to vote against Donald Trump. Days ago, after he celebrated his 100th birthday, he voted. He can now go in peace. Others will just have to hold their breath.
I echo the words of General John Kelly. God help us all.
Hugh Mackenzie
Hugh Mackenzie has held elected office as a trustee on the Muskoka Board of Education, a Huntsville councillor, a District councillor, and mayor of Huntsville. He has also served as chairman of the District of Muskoka and as chief of staff to former premier of Ontario, Frank Miller.
Hugh has also served on a number of provincial, federal and local boards, including chair of the Ontario Health Disciplines Board, vice-chair of the Ontario Family Health Network, vice-chair of the Ontario Election Finance Commission, and board member of Roy Thomson Hall, the National Theatre School of Canada, and the Anglican Church of Canada. Locally, he has served as president of the Huntsville Rotary Club, chair of Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, chair of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, president of Huntsville Festival of the Arts, and board member of Community Living Huntsville.
In business, Hugh Mackenzie has a background in radio and newspaper publishing. He was also a founding partner and CEO of Enterprise Canada, a national public affairs and strategic communications firm established in 1986.
Currently, Hugh is president of C3 Digital Media Inc., the parent company of Doppler Online, and he enjoys writing commentary for Huntsville Doppler and South Muskoka Doppler.
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The Real Person!
The Real Person!
How do you vote for a party that threatens social media companies if they do not suppress messages that
disagree with government policy. ( on vaccine safety , for example ). ?
How do you vote for a V P that claims. “misinformation ” is not protected by the first amendment ?
How do you vote for a government that takes in $4 trillion and spends $6 trillion ? With a debt to GDP ratio of 135%.
How do you vote for a government that mandates medical treatment with unproven vaccines ? I understood that the Nuremberg trials had put an end to government forced medical treatment.
Bill Beaty says
World peace in peril if this Nut wins. Add M.T.-G. , Boebert, Goetz et al….Disgusting!
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
I remember the first time around there was a saying “elect a clown expect a circus” – Will it be a more bizarre and scary clown empire if Trump wins again?
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
I agree completely with your rationale on Trump. However, he has a big strong cult of followers that gives him a 50-50 chance of winning. Three weeks away from election, Harris has a 2% lead in the polls, but the all-important electoral college numbers are in a dead heat. There are likely to be weeks of recounts and and sometimes violent demonstrations, with the Trump-packed supreme court having the final say.
All of this tells us that Canada and the world must be prepared for any outcome. This is no time for Canada to bring in an inexperienced cabinet with a mini-Trump leader who for some bizarre reason refuses to get security clearance, insults all his imagined competitors, and shows no respect for well-qualified global experts.
The Federal Liberals are not perfect, but they are the closest we have to a moderate middle-ground party with a reasonable list of accomplishments, including four years of brutal experience and insults dealing and successfully negotiating with Trump and his band of appointed shysters. As you said, they are likely to be much more difficult next time around. Its time for serious thinking.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Donald Trump is a disgusting, lecherous grifter in no way fit for any public office, but isn’t it interesting that of his many offensive acts, he’s never worn blackface. Not even once, let alone four times
Mary Flowers says
Do you put this much effort into exposing the political corruption and looming TERRIFYING censorship the LPC is shoving thru our houses of gvnmt?? Canada is in far worse tyrannical trouble than the USA. Do you even listen to podcasts & gather evidence from the thousands of American voices who want DJT as their president? Because reiterating msm & comments from the lawfare minded election interfering left, & compromised RINOs …many of which have already been proven false (did you know the fraud case was dropped & the prosecution lawyers left begging not to have their licenses suspended?) is outstandingly rotten journalism. There’s nothing terrifying about the MAGA movement & the people involved in it truly love their country. Trumps last 4 years in the White House brought the world the Abraham Accords & 4 years without ANY war. I do business stateside & have family and many friends there & find this kind of negative anti American fear mongering post to be totally out of touch with reality. A childish rant based on one sided tripe. I hope Trump wins so people like yourself can watch USA rise back into prosperity & peace. But at this point I suggest you turn your energy toward fixing the rot & filthy corruption the ‘progressive’ coalition has inflicted on Canada.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Well said Mary Flowers.
Open borders (illegals) are destroying both countries, & Europe.
Forced Vax’s destroying our health care system
Enforced gender confusion destroying children’s mental health.
How can any sane system endorse/enforce/allow men into women’s/children’s bathrooms/change rooms!!!
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
I suggest the bankruptcy-prone (?5 businesses and counting) businessman DT will soon boast of the same for the US nation.
Another suggestion is for DT supporters to practice due diligence in study of cult phenomenon. He is conman extraordinaire! His cognitive decline add to his inane rhetoric.
Recently watched a YouTube clip, conducted by Anglican Priest Ed Trevor from one of our maritime provinces in his quest to understand the challenges of DT followers and the Christian gospel.
He is learning from followers and commentors that DT unites those who identify and Hate the same enemies – it is not about policy, behaviour, competence in governing. It is about being stirred up to hate the same people/”enemy”.
They want the barbarian (who spews unfiltered garbage) who emotionally incites (and entertains). This is populism (emotional abuse of the electorate) at its worst. Social media bubbles, misinformation, and the laziness to avoid further thinking/questioning. We are watching good, ordinary people turn into their zombie selves over this man, his grievances, his hate born of the developmental injustices he may have experienced, and the deep hole of his psyche -on full display.
What is deeply sad is the loss of a sense of common humanity (e.g. vaccinations to protect self and others in family and community). We have one world, one earth to share.
An illustration of capitalism mixed into this brew (I cannot adequately credit the source of this, it is not my illustration):
3 men sat at a table, each with a plate in front of them. The man in the middle was white, had a mound of delicious cookies on his plate. The white man to his left had a plate with one cookie. The immigrant man on his right had a plate with nothing on it. The man in the middle whispered to the one on his left, “Watch out, be careful, that other fellow wants to steal your cookie”!
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Although I agree with everything Hugh has to say here, he continues to support Doug Ford who has praise and admiration for Trump.
Ford uses the same process in this province to ignore and dismiss process.
Mr. Ford has been a devoted follower of Trump since 2016 and continues to do so, all you need to do is Google Doug Ford’s support of Donald Trump.
Is this the man we want running out province?
All I ask is we put this in prospective.
You can’t beat down one and support the other.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
When Donald Trump said that if he wins that voters will never have to vote again, I was puzzled until I read a bit about Project 2025, developed by his former administration and the ultra -right wing Koch connected super rich, Heritage Foundation. The plan is to essentially do away with freedom of press and expression of dissent, enable mass deportations and warrantless surveillance, limit voting access, censor classroom discussions about race, gender and systemic oppression, roll back trans rights and attack reproductive freedom. The Koch brothers networks have already been successful in stacking the U.S. Supreme Court supporting a presidential Trump’s immunity. Forget health care and environmental or any regulation inconvenient to the fossil fuel industry. Please read the American Civil Liberties Union outline on Project 2025.