Canadians are interested spectators in things American. Americans, in turn, do not care as much about what is happening north of their border. As a former Canadian ambassador to Washington put it: there appears to be a one-way mirror along the border. Canadians look into it and see America; Americans look into it from their side and see America. With five months to go before the U.S. elections, both sides of the border are becoming more concerned about the winners and losers in November.
What is distinctive about this coming American election is it becoming class warfare. It is that intense, it is that all or nothing, visceral type of hatred in America that has not been seen since the War Between the States. The Obama versus Romney campaigns are splitting America down the middle. It is the capitalist billionaires against the hordes at the gates. It is unions taking a final stand. It is religious fanatics against the antichrist. It is the abortionists against purity. It is ghettos against gated communities.
This will also be the most corrupt election Americans have ever endured. No state is safe in the blue or red camp. The election will be mixed martial arts at its bloodiest, as all controls are removed from spending by ‘person or persons unknown.’ President Obama will remain guileless as Romney talks down to the masses and neither will address or take responsibility for the depths to which America is sinking.
This is Barack Obama’s election to lose. Even if by some strange happenstance that the Democrats win a majority in the House of Representatives, he cannot win a 60 per cent majority in the Senate. The American government will remain deadlocked. It will thwart Obama’s every attempt at solutions. It will be a government of revenge and animosities. It will offer no solace for America.
Mitt Romney can only lose in November. Even by winning the election, he can only lose in office. Sure, he is smarter than George W. Bush but most Americans are smarter than George W. Bush. What he cannot resolve is the conflicting wants of his supporters. He cannot combine the fanatical religious right with those who would destroy the environment for monetary gain. He cannot convince the right-wing landowners associations that oil and gas fracking is safe. He would force through the Keystone XL pipeline for Alberta tar sands crude and find there is no profit in it for America.
All Canadians can do is watch in horror as our neighbours work to destroy a country built on ideals of liberty, opportunity and justice for all.
-30-
Copyright 2012 © Peter Lowry
Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to [email protected]