Wish I could brighten your day

I have tried mightily to buoy up myself and countless friends, family and associates who feel swamped by the U.S. election results. 

I have failed miserably.

You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear and I can find not a smidge of comfort in Donald Trump’s victory and what lies ahead for Canada as the Americans’ kissing cousin of longstanding.

With Trump’s appointment of a “mass deportations czar” and close colleagues of the incoming president calling him a “fascist,” it’s hard to avoid the stench of 1930s Europe wafting from south of the border. 

Non-Trumpers have nothing to celebrate and our own leaders who try to reassure us are doing us no favour. If they were truly honest they would be telling us to hope for the best and assure us they are prepared for the worst.

Trump supporters are shameless in their euphoria. Check out Elon Musk, the world’s richest person who became Trump’s biggest fan and has become almost glued to his side. Musk’s personal fortune has soared by millions since the election and that’s just for starters.

Trump says Musk will play a major role in his presidency---a ticking time bomb of conflict of interest as his companies already hold billions in contracts from the U.S. government.

Any joy over the election outcome in the media is limited to rightwing outlets like FOX News where Trump disciples have helped spread his lies and praise for years and are exuberant over his return to the White House.

Some negative reaction to Trump’s victory has been downright hostile.

Professor Christopher Robichaud, a senior lecturer in ethics and public policy at Harvard, says Trump’s Republican Party has evolved into a party of rage, lies and revenge and it correctly diagnosed that there was and is a large appetite for that among the electorate.

“The America I knew and loved is gone,” says Robichaud, warning that with the Republicans controlling all branches of federal government and the courts, they will ensure that mechanisms are in place to keep them in power long after their popularity has waned.” 

Furthermore, says Robichaud, America’s rightward lurch is just part of a burgeoning trend that will embolden others in other countries. (Hello, Canada, are you ready?)

“And we need not speculate what happens when countries become mired in lies, embrace resentment, and savour bullying. We know exactly what happens. Bloody conflict and global destabilization.”

Closer to home, veteran Globe and Mail columnist Andrew Coyne has also weighed in with little to offer by way of optimism and hope.

“There is no sense in understating the depth of the disaster. This is a crisis like no other in our lifetimes. The government of the United States has been delivered into the hands of a gangster, whose sole purpose in running, besides staying out of jail, is to seek revenge on his enemies.

“The damage Donald Trump and his nihilist cronies can do –to America, but also to its democratic allies, and to peace and security of the world is incalculable. “

Coyne says the perils facing the U.S. will “wash over Canada in various ways—some predictable, like the flood of refugees seeking escape from the camps (for deportees); some less so, like the coarsening of our own politics, the debasement of morals and norms by politicians who have discovered there is no political price to be paid for it. And who will have the backing of their patron in Washington.

“All my life I have been an admirer of the United States and its people. But I am frightened of it now, and I am even more frightened of them.”

Perhaps Mr. Coyne is having trouble sleeping these nights—just like many of the rest of us.

Meanwhile, if you believe our political leaders, they are sleeping quite well, thank you.

Government spokespeople would have us believe that there is little to worry about thanks to the professional and personal contacts they have developed running shoulders with U.S. government politicians, staff and consultants over the years.

Despite a sometimes rocky relationship with Trump over the years, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says they had a cordial discussion following the election. Trudeau staff do admit, however, that Ottawa was one of the last international calls to be returned.

We may feel anxiety about the future but “Canadians will be absolutely fine,” declared Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland in her typical lecturing fashion.   

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said she and Trump understand each other. ”I’m a businesswoman, he’s a businessman,” she explained. 

Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said after nine years in office, our Liberal government has gained experience working with three U.S. administrations under Presidents Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

“We have all the phone numbers we need to manage the relationship,” said the minister, calling for calm in our time.

Truth to tell, those phone numbers will quickly change as Trump keeps his promise to purge the government and courts for replacements by Trump loyalists. Those formerly in high places will find themselves in no place at all.

Like everything else in U.S. politics, the media’s role has changed. The legacy media---traditional newspapers and other media outlets---have lost much of their clout. Many credit the Republicans’ skillful use of social media and smaller, independent media as a major contributor to their election success.

During the campaign there were accusations that some large newspapers withheld their traditional endorsement of Democratic candidate Kamala Harris for fear by their owners of reprisals from Trump during and after the campaign.    

It probably didn’t matter because the Trump camp was busy shunning antagonistic media and kissing up to friendly outlets that cater to ordinary people—specifically young men-- who never read the New York Times or watch 60 Minutes. 

For example, Trump had a lengthy session with popular host Joe Rogan on a podcast that is the biggest in the world and his vice-presidential running mate JD Vance got rave reviews on comedian Theo Von’s broadcast with an audience of over five million.

Mass media has portrayed Vance as a right-wing extremist long groomed for his mission to root out depravity in society and mandate his own view of morality.

Vance shone in his appearance with Von. No extremism to see here. Just two cool dudes in running shoes and jeans laughing at each other’s jokes about sports and politics. Could have been at any bar in the nation or over the back fence. The young, male-dominated audience lapped it up.

I lost count how many times both of them used the F-word and other terms not heard in more traditional, boring interviews with politicians.

Things have changed, folks. Get used to it. 

The world has seen this movie before. But this time it’s being produced right in our own backyard.