Some of our neighbours to the south are starting to find their heads again.
It’s a little late, maybe even too late, but as the saying goes, better late than never.
I guess.
They’re starting to wake up to the fact that they’ve elected a monster as president for all the wrong reasons. Many of them wanted a firmer border. Some wanted to stop the flow of fentanyl, others the flow of immigrants, many the flow of both. Some others wanted a crackdown on crime. And then there was the business of chasing the woke and DEI — Diversity/Equality/Inclusion — crowd out of town.
Instead they’re getting the sellout of Ukraine, the sellout of NATO, musings of takeovers of Greenland, Canada, Gaza and Panama, and tariff wars with major allies and trade partners.
But that’s not what’s got them really mad, although any number of those listed things could cause some serious discomfort for the average American.
No, they’re seriously pissed at Elon Musk and DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency.
They’re also plenty pissed at an American congress willing to pass multi-trillion dollar tax breaks for billionaires, while the medicaid budget has been slashed, and by slashed I mean cut down to zero. As in “poof,” no more Medicaid.
But it’s that freak Elon and his chainsaw that really has them hopping mad, because Elon is brandishing that thing in a heavy and reckless manner, treating the administration of the United States government as if it was the workforce of Twitter when he bought the place and changed it to X.
Just recently, Elon has issued an edict to challenge the entirety of the workforce of the U.S. Government. Basically, tell me what you’ve done that’s of any value in your last week of work. If you fail to respond to that email, the government will take that as your resignation.
And so, after slapping American voters around for the past couple of weeks, many of those voters are turning out to Republican town hall meetings and giving their elected representatives proper hell.
When I see a Republican town hall in Georgia, a Deep South red state if there ever was one, lustily booing their congressman for what’s happening in Washington, and showing their extreme displeasure at massive layoffs in areas that are important to Georgia and Georgia workers, then I feel encouraged somewhat at what could turn out to be a bit of an uprising.
Another American Revolution.
Just like the last time when they wanted to remove a tyrannical king from ruling their shores. Back then, like now, they rose up against that tyrant, and after a protracted struggle, founded the United States of America, the world’s most important democracy. And arguably changed the world.
It’s time, America, to throw the tea in the harbour. Sorry, harbor.
It’s happening with ever-increasing frequency, and playing out in the most surprising of places, like Georgia, Nebrasks, Iowa, all states that went overwhelmingly to Trump. All states that traditionally identify as solidly Republican.
Every day there are more and more examples of irate constituents pummelling their Republican congress-people (mostly men) at Republican town halls. And by irate, I mean hopping mad. I mean the kind of meetings where the police and security types are on edge because they don’t know if a constituent is going to rush the stage and throttle the guy they voted for not ten weeks ago. Throttling him because, as the popular sentiment seems to be going, he’s betrayed them.
These are the people who voted for the stronger rhetoric on the border and the against the Pride movement and what they refer to as “wokeism.” But now as they lose their jobs to Elon’s chainsaw, and as they lose their medical coverage and Medicaid supports at the same time, and as they watch their former hero reward his billionaire buddies with tax breaks, they’ve had what many might feel qualifies for “just about enough.”
And they’re, as I say, hopping mad.
Republican crowds in Republican districts outraged at Republican politicians that they, themselves, elected.
It almost makes me wonder if there are going to be a whole bunch of mini-January 6s about to break out across the land, only this time there won’t be any moose antlers leading the charge but rather Mae and Tony from next door and all the folks that play bridge with them. It’s Aunt Bev going over the top. It’s Irene from the library, yelling “Cover me, I’m going in!” It’s nervous children wondering “Why the f**k is mom so mad all the time?” and “Why is she rag-dolling that man up there?”
Bernie Sanders has sought the Democratic nomination for president and he’s also offered himself up as a possible independent candidate. Although a good football field away from being a serious contender, more about his age than anything else, this demon socialist of a human being is drawing large crowds again down in the United States. Except this time his audience aren’t a bunch of left-leaning whackos looking to install communism in America. Rather they are jammed-packed rooms full of Republicans, in deeply red Republican states, places where socialists dare not tread. And he’s got a lot of people liking what he has to say now, people who not long ago would have dismissed him as some old kook who somehow eluded security to get out of his retirement living home.
It’s really something to behold when you see Bernie pounding out a speech to former MAGA adherents, or maybe non-MAGA types who voted for Trump because of the border and woke-ism. And to have them eating up everything he has to offer.
The people Bernie is speaking to are the people who are most responsible for what’s happening to Canada right now at the hands of the American president. These are the voters who put Carrot-Top over the top. They didn’t vote for Elon Musk, and they sure as hell didn’t vote to strip themselves of employment and health care benefits. Not a one of them is a billionaire.
Bernie has a message that provides hope, both to those Nebraskans and Iowans, and also to us. And it’s a simple one.
Sanders points out that the Republicans hold a three-seat majority in the American House of Representatives. He tells his audience that only two Republicans are needed to go against the president’s policy regime of layoffs and tax cuts for the wealthy. Any two Republicans will do, he tells them. And then he continues by telling them that he’s in town to see what he can do about convincing people like them to ensure that their own representative be one of them.
That remark is met with big applause.
Two people. Two ordinary people, subject to full range of human emotion and feeling. Two people afraid enough of losing their own jobs or scuttling their own political ambitions that they do what their constituents demand, and that is to stand up to Trump, to Musk, and to all the other idiots that now control the playground equipment.
Again, Republican congressmen and women standing up for their constituents doesn’t necessarily mean that we Canadians are going to catch a break as well. But it’s important to note that many Americans face losing their jobs as a result of those tariffs against Canada. Those people all have congressmen to yell at as well, and we can only hope that they yell as loud as they do in Nebraska, Iowa, and Georgia.
Many Americans are actually apologetic about what their vote has done to Canada-U.S. relations. They give interviews in border towns expressing thanks and support to Canada and Canadians, and in towns further afield where jobs depend upon a positive economic relationship between the two countries. Places like Kentucky, where they make famous American bourbon brands. Evidently, a lot of Canadians drink a lot of Kentucky bourbon.
Perhaps the greatest story I’ve come across recently is the American couple from Ann Arbor, Michigan who had a routine of crossing into Windsor every morning to have breakfast. I don’t know what this says about American breakfast eateries in the Detroit area, but to me, if you’re willing to go through customs twice for your eggs and bacon, there must be something really good about this place in Windsor.
This couple crossed over again not long ago, earlier this week, and went to their favourite breakfast spot. And then proceeded to buy every other patron’s breakfast for them, as a gesture of thanks and appreciation for Canada and Canadians.
The bill was $1800.00.
Talk about putting your money where your mouth is
The most compelling argument for anything was made by Illinois governor J.B. Pritzger, who looks like he could attend any Halloween event as Fred Flintstone.
Pritzger was addressing the Illinois legislature, and he offered up one of the more effective counterpoints yet to Trump’s reckless first few weeks in office.
We need more Americans like this to have the courage to speak out.