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Category: American Politics

The troubled trials of Trudeau and Trump.

August 21, 2018 by Peter Lowry

It’s embarrassing. Our prime minister cannot handle Donald Trump. We might as well admit it. It is doing less and less good to keep hoping Justin Trudeau will grow into the job. He does not have the gonads of his father. He lacks the wit and gumption to put the American president in his place.

And he is hardly solving the problem with our half-pint foreign affairs minister. Her problems with the Saudis are a perfect example of our failed foreign affairs situation. If Trudeau had the American president under control, do you think the Saudis would have the nerve to complain about her?

If Trudeau could manage Trump do you think we would be undergoing all this crap about the North American Free Trade Agreement? Do you think Mexico would dare negotiate separately—not having Canada at the table—if Trudeau was managing the file properly? Donald Trump is going around saying Canada has some unfair advantage. That is nothing but horse manure and we are letting him get away with it.

Canada has all its foreign affairs resources going around telling American underlings that President Trump might be incorrect. What needs to happen is that some one has to take Donald Trump to the woodshed. It is like the way President Johnson addressed Prime Minister Pearson about his speech at Temple University in 1965. Better that a friend shouts at you, instead of someone who really dislikes you.

The problem is that Canada’s relations with the United States of America are at their lowest point in over 150 years. And this is not what the saner members of either congregation want. And president Trump has been the cause. He has to clean up his act.

And what is really annoying about this situation is that the Conservatives and the NDP are all encouraging the PM to be a wus! Why? Do they also lack the intestinal fortitude?

What nobody seems to understand north of the U.S. border is that Trump is laughing at us. This guy negotiates by telling lies. He bluffs his way through life. If nobody calls his bluffs, he wins.

Some people think Trump is a bully. That is true.

But inside every bully is a coward. Donald Trump is a coward. He needs to be treated accordingly. And Trudeau better get off the dime or we will get somebody else to do it.

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Copyright 2018 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to  [email protected]

Trump trumpets truth?

August 8, 2018 by Peter Lowry

Every time you see president Trump at one of his campaign rallies, the people around him are all too busy with their cell phones to pay any attention to him. It makes you wonder what the point is of these rallies. Oh sure, it feeds his ego and serves to reinforce the image of his support. It is also an opportunity for him to harangue the news media.

And the media do not dare not go. They are penned in as prisoners—for protection, we guess. Trump points at them as a prosecutor making his case. The audience roars its approval. There is no judge to call for quiet.

But is there not a small bit of unctuous truth to what Trump says? Every media outlet that accepts paid advertising is guilty of hypocrisy at some level. It has to, to survive. And surprise, surprise, reporters, rewrites, editors and publishers have their own view of the truth. Truth is not an absolute. You have supreme court judges for that!

But this does not give Donald Trump carte blanche to call the media ‘disgusting.’ It makes him the fool and his claque with him.

But Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Donald Trump’s hillbilly press secretary appears proud that she needs Secret Service protection for standing up for Mr. Trump’s (and her) version of the truth.

And is Donald Trump not entitled to a little annoyance with the news media when they question the value of his meetings with Kim Jong Un of North Korea? Frankly, this observer thinks Kim Jong Un did a better job of representing his military handlers than Donald Trump did in representing the American people. Of course, that is opinion—and is not presented as fact.

But how in hell can Trump say one thing for the cameras in Helsinki at his meeting with Vladimir Putin of Russia and then two days later tell us he misspoke? The man said what he said. He denied the information given to him by the American security agencies and alibied the Russian president who poisons and imprisons his opposition. So where does the truth begin?

Somebody paid for that ridiculous rally for Trump in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania last week. It was all in aid of the embarrassing republican candidate for senate in Pennsylvania this November’s mid-term election. Maybe Donald Trump should let nature take its course and let the voters decide. They could hardly all be as ignorant as those people with their cell phones at this recent Trump rally.

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Copyright 2018 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to  [email protected]

Trump rides the Tiger.

August 1, 2018 by Peter Lowry

When you choose to ride the tiger, there is no option but to stay aboard. This situation with Donald Trump is increasingly serious. It was emphasized and underlined the other day when the publisher of the New York Times warned the American president that he was endangering lives with his inflammatory rhetoric. While the publisher was obviously more concerned about the safety of members of the news media, the problem can have an equal and opposite impact on the safety of the president.

When the president of the United States so blatantly chooses to lie with the cretins of the National Rifle Association (NRA) can he be safe from the crazies within the organization? We would hardly expect that anybody has to send a note from their analyst along with their membership dues.

And the American Secret Service can hardly be expected to admonish the person they are supposed to protect. Could they catch him sending twits in the middle of the night and take his iPhone away from him? Maybe they could just turn off the White House Wi-fi at night and let everyone get a decent night’s sleep?

Trump seems terrified of letting the news media do their job. If the information is about his administration, it is obviously ‘fake news’ to the president. The New York Times publisher was also very concerned that the president’s claims about the negative coverage are endangering journalists. The publisher does not want his employees shot just for doing their job.

But is the situation worse than that? Is America heading towards another civil war? If California and New York cannot be divided into six states, will federal elections in America continue to be dominated by the red states?

Or will the blue states rise again?

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Copyright 2018 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to  [email protected]

Trump’s Divide and Conquest.

July 24, 2018 by Peter Lowry

It has been worrisome lately that Justin Trudeau was heading off on a track that would take him too far from the liberalism we shared with his father. It is therefore important to note that he has done something with which a liberal can easily concur.

The younger Trudeau has made it clear to all that he stands for a three-country North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Both Trump and his agriculture secretary have stated that they would prefer to close a deal with Mexico before trying to resolve the remaining problems they say they have with Canada.

It would seem that the Americans are seeing Mexico as more desperate to maintain any level of trade agreement and Canada as the problem. They think they can bully the Mexicans to bring them on side and then, with Mexico locked in, they can strong-arm Canada to roll back some of the terms of the initial auto-pact that predated the Canada-U.S. NAFTA.

But when Donald Trump admits that he dreamed up the supposed deficits in trade with his country’s North American neighbours, he is not helping make his case for changes. His demand for a sunset clause coming every five years in the agreement would cause permanent instability. Companies dealing in major trade deals need to make long-term commitments to trading partners.

As things stand at this time, Mexico has a regime change in process that will take until December 1 to be completed. The incoming president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has already said that he stands with Canada on it being a three-country agreement. What the Trump negotiators are going to offer to change his mind, we will likely learn the seriousness of his commitment on that this coming week.

The strategy was obvious when the Mexican negotiators were invited to Washington this week and Canada’s lead negotiator foreign minister Chrystia Freeland is staying in Ottawa.

It was originally the intent to put NAFTA on the back burner for the three countries during the period of the Mexican presidential election that took place July 1, and then through the American mid-term elections in November. Should the American House of Representatives and the Senate come under the control of the Democratic Party at that time there could be a concerted effort to take control of trade away from President Trump.

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Copyright 2018 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to  [email protected]

Division in the Land of Lincoln.

July 19, 2018 by Peter Lowry

Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves:

Donald Trump freed the truth.

America is a nation divided as never before. It is increasingly vulnerable to its enemies. It has heaped scorn on its friends. Its inner anger is spilling over its borders to the north and south.

Those betrayed are its own people. They have been used. They been told egregious lies. They have brought a spoiled man-child into the White House and he has betrayed all of what America once stood for.

Donald Trump has turned the welcome of Miss Liberty in New York Harbor into hatred. He authorizes the destruction of the mountains of Appalachia for the coal to choke an uncaring nation. He builds walls that discriminate. He cheats the disadvantaged of health care. He robs the poor to please the rich.

He is a willing tool of the wealthy, a foil of America’s enemies, golfs while the gullible go to Mass, postures and preens for his followers and twits confusion.

In a time of #MeToo, he grabs women by their privates and displays his trophy wife and in vanity uses his progeny.

Trump’s triumph is power. Would that he knew how to use it.

Trump trails trouble wherever he goes. He confounds other world leaders with his combination of confusion and lack of concern or knowledge. He says one thing and tweets another. He is busy destroying the Internet tools that could have meant much to the world and to understanding.

Donald Trump fails the great leaders of America who came before. He is without the intellect of a Coolidge or the energy of a Teddy Roosevelt, he besmirches the honours earned by an FDR, JFK or LBJ. He stands so insignificant in comparison to a giant of an advocate such as Abraham Lincoln or a statesman such as James Monroe.

And an economist, he is not. His arguments on trade are based on lies and false premises. He hurts America more each day he remains at the helm of state. He continues to tear down the belief in America that others before him gave their all to build.

We know that Mr. Trump can never make America great again. While posing as a builder, we find he is a destroyer.

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Copyright 2018 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to  [email protected]

Trump versus Trump-Lite.

July 17, 2018 by Peter Lowry

It seems that we have spent enough time by now to have taken off our sackcloth over Doug Ford and the conservatives winning the Ontario election in June. Yes, I pooh-poohed the outrageous idea that Doug Ford could lead anybody anywhere. And we have certainly had enough recriminations about Kathleen Wynne handing the conservatives the election on a platter.

But the hardest part of this has been the realization that we had learned so little from the Trump fiasco in the United States. We were still in denial when Doug Ford won the Surprise Follies—otherwise known as the unexpected Ontario conservative leadership race of 2018. In denying Ford his due as Trump-Lite, we were whistling past the graveyard.

I admit that we were terrified that Doug Ford was likely to win. And he really is Trump-Lite, despite our earlier denials.

There is no longer any reason to deny it: Canadian voters can be just as stupid as American voters. The same frustrations and anger that fueled the Trump win in the United States were present in Ontario.

Our boy Ford might not be as rich as Trump but you do not buy Canadian elections the same way you buy elections in America. And you can be sure that there was no way that Trump intended to spend much of his own money. People who manage to accumulate a lot of money are usually very reluctant to part with any of it. It is after they die that the money starts to flow back into the economy.

Donald Trump’s real skill is in typing with his little thumbs. He is best when twitting. This all started by dumbing down what you want to say to less than 140 characters and then convincing people to read what you said. The most effective way to do this is to say more outrageous things about people than the next guy. Donald Trump is the winner. Trump-Lite still has to learn how to do that.

But other than that, our pony in Ontario is just as incompetent as the horse in the White House. Both are busy tearing down the accomplishments of their predecessors. Both are embarrassing us over their ignorance about global warming. Both recharge themselves with the adoration of their acolytes. Both tell us outrageous lies. Both are accumulating anger against them.

Damn, we really do live in interesting times.

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Copyright 2018 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to  [email protected]

The Trumps do Europe this summer.

July 15, 2018 by Peter Lowry

Donald Trump and his lovely wife Melania are doing Europe this summer. Distaining the very pedestrian bus tours, the Trumps are using Air Force One and helicopters to speed their European journey. God forbid that they should have to meet and communicate with any of the lower classes.

It was bad enough in Brussels when Donald got into it with the Germans. In his typical ignorance of anything economic, he accused the Germans of supporting Russian natural gas sales. He could not understand the Germans buying natural gas from Russia. Maybe he can get his friend Vladimir Putin to explain it when they meet in Helsinki. The gas sales to Germany are the main source of hard currency to Russia. It would be crazy for the Europeans to cut off this critical trade with Russia.

Back aboard Air Force One, the Trump’s rested during their 30-minute trip to London. Nobody else would come to the airport to meet them in London so they were met by the American Ambassador. The London streets were already crowded with protestors, so they helicoptered to the American Embassy. The Trumps missed the fun in the streets. You really must admit that the Brits do good protests.

The Trump baby balloon was a big hit with the news media in London but they were throwing a party for the Trumps at Blenheim Palace out in Oxfordshire. It was a chance for the Brits to show that they also do good ceremony. Donald was not allowed to hold hands with PM Theresa May.

He held her hand the next day when he tried to explain an American reporter had got it wrong about what he said. He had complained that there would be no deal with the U.S. because May was trying to negotiate a soft Brexit instead of a clear cut off.

Later in the day, he was met formally by the Queen and 400 red-coated Grenadier Guards—complete with brass bands and pomp and ceremony. And if he could not get it right that, as a commoner, he was to walk behind the queen, they were going to load those Grenadiers’ rifles.

But before he got into any more trouble, the Trumps left for a weekend in Scotland playing at Trump golf courses. Donald would feel at home there.

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Copyright 2018 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to  [email protected]

The threats of Trump’s thugs.

July 11, 2018 by Peter Lowry

You would think you had heard it all. It is as though President Trump and his followers in the United States are proud of their ignorance. The other day, it was reliably reported that Trump appointees were threatening other countries over mothers’ milk. It seems they went to the World Health Assembly in Geneva and voted against a resolution supporting the use of mothers’ milk over the use of manufactured substitutes.

It seems that over the past 40 years, the assembly has stood firmly in favour of the qualities of mothers’ milk for initial feeding of infants. It seems some American substitute powder manufacturers disagree with the rest of the world. They have products to sell.

We have known for a long time that powdered substitutes were a very bad idea in third world countries where clean water is hard for the mothers to acquire. Infants in third world countries really need the immunities that can be fed to them in their mother’s milk. For supplement manufacturers to promote their products in the third world is ludicrous.

But the stupidity did not end with a single vote in Geneva. The American delegation at first tried to amend the resolution. This was annoying. And then they started to threaten other delegations if they did not support the American position. This made more delegates angry.

But it also meant that some delegations caved into the U.S. demands. Their countries could not afford to lose support programs from America. The assembly in Geneva, makes the rules for the World Health Organization (WHO) and for the past 40 years, it has recommended the use of mothers’ milk as the safest and healthiest for babies. Why the American delegates had suddenly embraced the stand of American infant formula manufacturers was not clear.

But it certainly serves to show us how far President Trump and his troops will go in pursuit of lobbyist supporters. They are available at a reasonable price to any and all with the money to pay them.

All we can say further to this is that the Trump troops were not successful. It was actually Russia that carried the flag for mothers’ milk and presented the resolution. We have no doubt that the Canadian delegation was among those who were pleased to support it.

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Copyright 2018 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to  [email protected]

 

Trump, America’s problem.

July 6, 2018 by Peter Lowry

The rest of the world is just annoyed. Canadians are thoroughly pissed. If Donald Trump is America’s problem, why are the rest of us having to deal with it? We never wanted Trump, we never asked for Trump. Why is he spending so much time telling us alternately that he loves us and then that he hates us?

It is simply not fair. Pierre Trudeau once explained that living next to America is like sleeping with an elephant. He explained that no matter how friendly and even-tempered the beast, one is affected by every twitch and grunt. While Mr. Trump might not be a beast, he is definitely not always friendly nor is he even tempered.

In fact, Trump is erratic. His mood swings are down-right dangerous.

Over my lifetime to-date, I have spent a great deal of time in the United States. I have relatives in the U.S.A. and have worked with American companies and clients and government agencies. I have even enjoyed driving holidays through many states. I mention this not to ingratiate myself but to explain that it has not been just a few times that I have heard that particular American mantra: It’s not my problem.

I have heard that said in many ways and in different accents from the Black Hills to the Bayou, from Independence Hall to the Hollywood Hills. Sure, I have heard it in many other countries but it is endemic in America.

Well, Trump bloody well is America’s problem. And they had better do something about it. At one point the silly ass was going to sling intercontinental missiles across the Pacific with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. He was poking a strange snake with a stick to see if it was dangerous.

And I do not care if he does not like Mexicans or Muslims. If he cannot be civil to people, cut off his tweeting privileges. We teach children not to bully. How did dumb Donald get missed? Despite his wife’s stupid coat, people do care. Not all Americans are the ignorant trash that travel the Trump trail.

Americans can vote this November for a new House of Representatives and a third of the Senate. Get rid of the gun-loving yahoos and holy hypocrites and you might have a chance to control the idiot in the White House.

You cannot continue to let Trump trash the reputation of America around the world.

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Copyright 2018 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to  [email protected]

“A Little Child Shall Lead Them.”

June 20, 2018 by Peter Lowry

Yes, that quote from Isaiah in the Christian bible is out of context. It still seems appropriate. It is used in Isaiah to set the scene of the beasts of the forest lying with farmers’ domesticated animals—and a little child shall lead them. In this case it sets the scene of a two-year old Honduran child crying as her refugee mother is arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol. It is images such as this one, that has gone around the world, that can bring about change.

It is ongoing agony to the caring of America that no matter how many older children are killed each year by the country’s love for guns, a picture of one two-year old can matter. Like the picture of a dead child on a beach in Lebanon could change the attitude of Europe on the crushing waves of illegal migration, the image of one crying child in Texas could be what brings down an American president.

And the man with the golden hair has to be brought down. This hypocrite, this disgusting person is using his crimes against children to try to force Congress to build his wall of fear.

President Trump has brought America into disrepute around the world. He has replaced caring with bigotry, compassion with racism, truth with falsehoods and the wealth of knowledge available to him with impulsiveness. His selection of advisors and cabinet appointees rides a slippery downhill slope into ignorance and apostacy.

The inexcusable ignorance of attorney general Jeff Sessions the other day, inadvertently calling up images of Nazi Germany to explain Donald Trump’s actions, explained a great deal to Americans—at least those who could bring themselves to listen. This man who claims to be a servant of God, only serves the Anti-Christ.

Even former first lady Laura Bush who has rarely given an opinion on anything, wrote for the Washington Post that president Trump’s separating of parents and children is immoral and heartbreaking.

And yet when Texas Republican senator Ted Cruz said the other day that Congress must meet to stop this practice. No such legislation is needed. Mr. Trump could end the practice with one more swipe at writing his signature. It appears that many federal border patrol officers know the practice of using children as pawns is not covered by any law—and that is why we are finding out about it.

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Copyright 2018 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to  [email protected]

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