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As a Canadian, I really can't express the amount of frustration and anger I feel towards the USA these days. More than a century of incredibly close partnershi

As a Canadian, I really can't express the amount of frustration and anger I feel towards the USA these days. More than a century of incredibly close partnership and interdependence thrown away for nothing more than stoking American egos, looking for an easy target to bully. The ugliest part of all of this is that if voters completely reject Trumpism in 2 or 4 years and go back to a sane path, they won't have done it because they were convinced of the gross immoral capriciousness of the Trump administration. The only reason American voters would reject Trumpism is if they decide he's bad for business, and caused serious economic harms.

adingus 2y ago
Many of us in New England share your feelings, along with frustration and anger about feeling powerless to stop it.
- sundaeofshock 2y ago
  It’s up to us in the US to stop it. No one else well. Don’t give into despair! We have power; we just need to use it. At a bare minimum, call your congress people at least once a week. It does make a difference. Here are some links that may give you some ideas: https://thewhitepages.net/p/thirty-lonely-but-beautiful-actions https://thewhitepages.net/p/thirty-lonely-but-beautiful-acti... https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/ https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/ https://handsoff2025.com/?SQF_SOURCE=indivisible https://handsoff2025.com/?SQF_SOURCE=indivisible
  - eigenspace 2y ago
    People not in the USA also have the power to affect this. The American electorate has decided that their wallets are the only thing they care about when voting, so we can hit them right there. I'll be doing everything I can to no longer purchase or support US products whenever possible. I've also sold all the stocks I hold in US corporations.
    - tim333 2y ago
      It maybe helps but as an outside observer the voting didn't seem to be that much about wallets.
JohnFen 2y ago
As an American, I agree with your sentiments entirely. I really think that the US is facing an existential threat here.
- eigenspace 2y ago
  From an outside perspective, it really looked like the US faced an existential threat and already lost. I really hope I'm wrong about that.
  - JohnFen 2y ago
    I think you're wrong about that. Things look pretty dire, but we're at the front end of this, not the back end.
    - eigenspace 2y ago
      The reason I'm so pessimistic is the thing I said higher up in the comment chain: > The ugliest part of all of this is that if voters completely reject Trumpism in 2 or 4 years and go back to a sane path, they won't have done it because they were convinced of the gross immoral capriciousness of the Trump administration. The only reason American voters would reject Trumpism is if they decide he's bad for business, and caused serious economic harms. If Trump did all this crap and it made the stock and job markets boom, he'd be home free. That alone is enough for me to lose all faith in the USA and hope for a future where I can isolate myself as well as possible from the USA's malign influences and capricious actions.
      - JohnFen 2y ago
        Most Americans aren't and never were on board with this stuff. Trump won the election by an incredibly slim margin, and that only happened because a lot of people didn't vote.
        verzali 2y ago
        I don't agree. More than seventy million people voted for him. He has been a politican for over a decade. It is not even like he was put forward by people in a smoke filled room, he was chosen through primaries. To me it's the same as above. It is too late.
verzali 2y ago
This is it really. The first time round it was ok, well mistakes can be made. The second time? No, something is fundamentally broken in the US. Electing someone else will not fix that. The rest of us need to recognise that and do whatever is necessary to protect ourselves.
swat535 2y ago
What really upsets me personally, as a Canadian, is that this feels like being backstabbed by your best friend. If it were China or Russia doing this, of course I’d be upset, but when it comes from the U.S., it feels like a much deeper betrayal. I’ve had countless interactions, friendships, and business ties with Americans. Heck, even my first girlfriend was American. We’ve always shared a close bond through love, friendship, and mutual respect, so actions like this strike on a very personal level. Some might say that is a naive perspective, and maybe it is. But I am not ready to throw away decades of relationship and shared history with our neighbors to the south. Despite the negativity, I remain hopeful.

adingus 2y ago

Many of us in New England share your feelings, along with frustration and anger about feeling powerless to stop it.

sundaeofshock 2y ago
It’s up to us in the US to stop it. No one else well. Don’t give into despair! We have power; we just need to use it. At a bare minimum, call your congress people at least once a week. It does make a difference. Here are some links that may give you some ideas: https://thewhitepages.net/p/thirty-lonely-but-beautiful-actions https://thewhitepages.net/p/thirty-lonely-but-beautiful-acti... https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/ https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/ https://handsoff2025.com/?SQF_SOURCE=indivisible https://handsoff2025.com/?SQF_SOURCE=indivisible
- eigenspace 2y ago
  People not in the USA also have the power to affect this. The American electorate has decided that their wallets are the only thing they care about when voting, so we can hit them right there. I'll be doing everything I can to no longer purchase or support US products whenever possible. I've also sold all the stocks I hold in US corporations.
  - tim333 2y ago
    It maybe helps but as an outside observer the voting didn't seem to be that much about wallets.

JohnFen 2y ago

As an American, I agree with your sentiments entirely. I really think that the US is facing an existential threat here.

eigenspace 2y ago
From an outside perspective, it really looked like the US faced an existential threat and already lost. I really hope I'm wrong about that.
- JohnFen 2y ago
  I think you're wrong about that. Things look pretty dire, but we're at the front end of this, not the back end.
  - eigenspace 2y ago
    The reason I'm so pessimistic is the thing I said higher up in the comment chain: > The ugliest part of all of this is that if voters completely reject Trumpism in 2 or 4 years and go back to a sane path, they won't have done it because they were convinced of the gross immoral capriciousness of the Trump administration. The only reason American voters would reject Trumpism is if they decide he's bad for business, and caused serious economic harms. If Trump did all this crap and it made the stock and job markets boom, he'd be home free. That alone is enough for me to lose all faith in the USA and hope for a future where I can isolate myself as well as possible from the USA's malign influences and capricious actions.
    - JohnFen 2y ago
      Most Americans aren't and never were on board with this stuff. Trump won the election by an incredibly slim margin, and that only happened because a lot of people didn't vote.
      - verzali 2y ago
        I don't agree. More than seventy million people voted for him. He has been a politican for over a decade. It is not even like he was put forward by people in a smoke filled room, he was chosen through primaries. To me it's the same as above. It is too late.

verzali 2y ago

This is it really. The first time round it was ok, well mistakes can be made. The second time? No, something is fundamentally broken in the US. Electing someone else will not fix that. The rest of us need to recognise that and do whatever is necessary to protect ourselves.

swat535 2y ago

What really upsets me personally, as a Canadian, is that this feels like being backstabbed by your best friend. If it were China or Russia doing this, of course I’d be upset, but when it comes from the U.S., it feels like a much deeper betrayal. I’ve had countless interactions, friendships, and business ties with Americans. Heck, even my first girlfriend was American. We’ve always shared a close bond through love, friendship, and mutual respect, so actions like this strike on a very personal level. Some might say that is a naive perspective, and maybe it is. But I am not ready to throw away decades of relationship and shared history with our neighbors to the south. Despite the negativity, I remain hopeful.