Tag Archives: USA
Quote of the Week
In 2022, Stephen Marche, a keen observer of American society and politics, published the scariest book I have read in years, The Next Civil War. It was so unsettling I couldn’t write about it here. On Monday I read an essay he published in the New York Times with his thoughts on the Canada-US trade […]
What Benefits?
Donald Trump says Canada: “wants the benefits” of being a U.S. state “without being one.” But he forgot to tell us what those benefits would be. Would it be a country with no universal health care, which Canada has and the US doesn’t? Would it be an electoral system where political parties control district boundaries […]
Winning The War
Friday midnight came and went with no deal. The US is imposing what it hopes will be crippling tariffs on Canadian industry. Canada will retaliate. It is an article of faith in America’s civil religion that no-one can beat them in a trade war. Donald Trump has made it very clear to other countries that […]
Friday’s Question
Deal or no deal? The latest deadline for Canada and the USA to come to a trade agreement is tonight at midnight. What do you think will happen? I suspect that for most people trade talks are deadly boring, so I have not been spending much time here on the ongoing trade dispute. It mostly […]
Signs of our Times
Do they do any good? The rallies, the protests, the signs? Driving through North Conway, New Hampshire, I noted a demonstration against ICE (that’s US Immigration and Customs Enforcement), probably a protest over the recent shooting of an immigrant. Not the first time ICE has killed someone who had committed no crime. i thought about […]
The Power of Money
If Americans want to fix their democracy, they might begin with looking at election financing, When a candidate can receive millions from an individual donor or an organization, you have to wider if there is some influence being purchased. I know the arguments and the court cases that have allowed the system to devolve to […]
Building Bridges
The Gordie Howe International Bridge officially opens today between Windsor (Ontario and Detroit (Michigan). It is perhaps a symbol of all that is wrong with the United States today. There has been a need for a new bridge for years at the busiest border crossing between Canada and the USA. The existing Ambassador Bridge can […]
The Candidate
Graham Platner was the Democratic Party’s white knight in the Maine Senate race. Until he wasn’t. Platner has stepped down, “suspended” his campaign – not that anyone expects it to ever be unsuspended) – after allegations of rape (which he denies). As shocking as the allegations were, it isn’t as if questions hadn’t already been […]
No Sense of History
At least she spelled it right. A member of the US House of Representatives has introduced the CANADA Act. She is upset that sales of American alcohol have plummeted in Canada. She wants US federal government action. The Combating Attacks on our National Alcoholic Drinks by Allies Act calls for Canada to be punished because […]
American Booze
The US Ambassador to Canada seems to have a liquor fixation. He’s been in the news he is talking about American alcohol on Canadian store shelves. Or, more accurately, the lack thereof. You can’t buy American wine, beer or spirits in most places in Canada. Most of the booze trade in Canada is government controlled. […]
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