EDITORIAL – If you think our system is messed up, look to the south of us
(Image: Heblo, Pixabay.com)
An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.
WHENEVER WE THINK our political system, and the politicians in it, are totally messed up, remember it could be worse.
Whenever we think our justice system is failing us, compare it to what happens elsewhere.
Remember and compare, for example, what’s going on in the country only 300 km. to the south of us. And imagine if a Canadian politician facing criminal charges were to warn of “death and destruction” if he’s indicted.
Or, if that man was to call on his political supporters to protest and “take our nation back!” And, if those supporters blindly believed in him regardless of evidence.
That, of course, is exactly what’s going on in the United States with former president Donald Trump, who’s being investigated in connection to allegations of paying hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
There are several other investigations involving Trump, but that one has gotten the most recent attention leading up to today.
If we thought the nightmare of the Trump presidency ended in his defeat by Joe Biden, we couldn’t have been more mistaken. If anything, it’s worse now than ever. And the truly frightening thing is that it’s within the realm of possibility he could once again make it into the White House.
Whether or not he’s convicted of any of the allegations against him in the Daniels case or others, legal experts say he might be eligible to run again, to win, and to sit as president. A convicted crook in the Oval office.
Meanwhile, Trump aims vicious verbal attacks at the prosecutor, and Trump’s Republican allies declare that the criminal justice system is corrupt. They insist the Democrats have somehow engineered the whole thing.
In truth, the lines between politics and the American justice system have become so blurred it’s
almost impossible to distinguish. That’s scary.
So maybe we should view our own Canadian system with a little more kindness as we compare.
I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.
Mel Rothenburger is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired newspaper editor. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.
ArmchairMayor.ca 
Besides “Trudeau Derangement Syndrome” (TDS) which is a mental condition in which a person has been driven effectively insane due to their dislike of our prime minister, to the point at which they will abandon all logic and reason, we are doing quite ok in Canada.
For sure though the woke-ism now in vogue is definitely worrisome.
Footnote:
Thanks Mr. Gagnon for the “seed” idea of TDS.
“the nightmare of the Trump presidency” — “America gained 7 million new jobs – more than three times government experts’ projections. Middle-Class family income increased nearly $6,000 – more than five times the gains during the entire previous administration. The unemployment rate reached 3.5%, the lowest in a half-century.” https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/trump-administration-accomplishments/
“Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) is a mental condition in which a person has been driven effectively insane due to their dislike of Donald Trump, to the point at which they will abandon all logic and reason.”
https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/19/politics/trump-derangement-syndrome/index.html
We’re not so much better here. In many respects we have lost our country to a variety of woke mostly Leftist cancel-culture and climate change-obsessed zealots. We have a corrupt PM and government that should have been forced to resign long ago. The SNC Lavalin affair is just one example of many that should have been enough, but apparently wasn’t, partially due to a leftist givernment-funded mainstream media that has coated the PM in Teflon and gives him a pass on even the most egregious conduct. A government propped up by a bogus “Confidence and Supply” agreement. A government that counts new government jobs in job-creation statistics, and believes that ballooning debt, and ever-increasing taxes on fewer and fewer private enterprise businesses and workers are the solution to everything. A government that crows about how much they are doing to fight inflation when they are the ones that caused it in the first place with out of control spending, and that raises taxes at a time when folks are already having trouble msking ends meet due to the aforementioned government-caused inflation. A government that breaks its arm patting itself on the back while essential services grind to a halt, despite huge increases in the size of the civil service. We’re not so much better, we have pretty significant problems here too. But Canadians just sit still and take it. Americans don’t.
Well, OK, I guess there’s that.
If I am one of the woke please let me stay that way: recognizing and
doing things no matter how small to fight social injustice and working against racism is something that every Canadian Citizen should be doing.
Trying to help stem climate change. We should be doing more. The residents affected by fire, floods and tornadoes would hopefully agree with me.
I am not a liberal and there are many policies in government that I would like changed. Probably not in the direction you want. But I am very concerned that your answer to your concerns would be
a Conservative government- I for one will be working to prevent that.
Sorry, but at 1.6% of global emissions, Canada will do nothing to change whatever climate change is happening. We can, however, disproportionately punish our economy and our citizens with climate change policies and more taxation that will have no effect. As to wokeism and social justice, I am now presumed to be racist/sexist/_______phobic, insert adjective, and subject to cancellation, simply because I woke up as a white middle-aged male this morning…
Dear Ken
Depends on what you do as a middle aged white male to have people see you differently. As a senior white female I watch what is happening in our country and – yes I am glad we are not the US.
But I also see that we have things to do in our country. I despair that our politicians bully each other in parliament rather than debate, discuss and assist with finding solutions. All for power.
I also abhor the fact that women of all races are still being abused and murdered and we may have to have another damned commission about it rather than do something.
If these are “woke” issues then lets wake up.
And as to anti – Trumpism. I do not absolutely comprehend how anybody in there right mind voted for him. Particularly women.