Editorial
Between Friends
Dear Canada,
I’m writing on behalf of perhaps a few people who feel similarly to me. We’re Americans feeling a lot of big emotions right now. We are angry, sad, scared, frustrated, annoyed…did I say angry? Oh yes. I see it’s the first thing that came out in my stream of consciousness of emotions.
Here’s the thing, *most* of us didn’t choose this. We didn’t choose to be associated with this so-called “leadership,” its obnoxious executive orders, and the “hell yeah brother” mentality that comes with admiring a power-hungry, authoritarian-sympathizing president. Let’s do some math: In 2024 roughly 245 million people are eligible to vote in the United States. (Citizens, 18+, no felonies) Of those 245 million, about 162 million are actually registered voters. The 2024 election saw about 155 million ballots cast, which means nearly 90 million Americans who *could* have voted didn’t. Of the 155 million who did, over 77 million people voted for Donald Trump and around 75 million voted for Kamala Harris. That means that 165 million voting-eligible Americans did not choose this.
And yet, here we are.
You might be thinking that NSMB isn’t the place for political discussion and you might be right, but here’s the thing. Everyone who writes for this site has big feelings about this. Our Whatsapp chat has been blowing up daily since Trump took office. The potential tariffs in Canada are making us all scratch our heads. The Canadians on the chat (the vast majority of participants) are pissed off, like, what the fuck did they do to deserve this? Why should their friends who own businesses that export to America have to feel the brunt of Trump’s dick-measuring contest?
The US/Canada trading business was worth over 900 billion dollars in 2024. We are each other’s biggest trading partner. We are supposed to be allies. To me, Canada has always felt like an unwavering place of friendship and harmony. Like the neighbor next door who has your back when you need flour or coffee. Canada is there to provide the best trails, sushi, and kind-hearted people. America has always felt like Canada’s sometimes dickish-but mostly good-natured older sibling. (Yes, physically Canada is way bigger, but you catch my drift.) We might poke a little fun at you guys when you come clog up our Trader Joe's parking lots, but ultimately, we really love you and would be lost without you. To quote Hansel, we freaking worship you, man!
So, this fracture of kinship that I’m feeling cuts deep. A few weeks ago a girlfriend of mine went skiing near Squamish. When she returned to her car there was a note on it saying something like “Yankees aren’t welcome here.” Damn. Is that what we’ve come to? We don’t all have to love each other but the US and Canada have had what felt to me like a healthy relationship for a long time, and that armor is starting to crack. Those of us who are fans of Canada don’t want to lose you.
We want you to keep coming down and riding our trails. We want to be humbled each time we try to climb Good Sir Martin (seriously, WTF is that climb). We want to be gobsmacked by your slabs. We want you to love our big easy fire road climbs and big, long descents. We want to wave to you from our summits and know that you’re hopefully waving back. We can see the lights of Cypress and Grouse at night and it brings us joy knowing you’re up there. We want you to keep being stoked on deep Mt. Baker pow and lift tickets that don’t cost $300.
Us pointing at how awesome you are from a trip to Port Angeles a few weekends ago.
We aren’t all like him, in fact, Washington State was the only state in the Union that went further to the left this election. Every other state either made some kind of right concession or stayed where they were. But us? Naw man. We see through the bullshit, hatred, and bigotry of the current regime. And no, not everyone here feels the same way, but for the majority of the population, Washington is a deeply anti-red state.
The majority of us want to have a kinship with you and with each other. We want people to live their lives, have their rights, and love how they want to love. We want to ensure our democracy isn’t threatened, our voices are heard, and our communities have an opportunity to thrive. We share a big border, two oceans, the same air, sun, moon, and stars with you.
Please don’t lose faith in us. We’re going to keep showing up and loving on you. We’re going to keep visiting and contributing to your economy. I’ll bring the weird snacks you can only get at Trader Joe's for you if you snag me a bag of Cheezies.
Sincerely,
An American who hates what’s happening right now
We all share the same sky.
Comments
Couch_Surfer
1 month ago
> We want you to keep coming down and riding our trails.
Nope.
If your President wants an economic war and the annexation of Sovereign countries, then the least we can do is boycott USA product and services.
Was planning a trip to Moab this spring. It’s off. Williams Lake or Yukon probably want my tourist dollars.
Hawaii? Nah, Mexico or some other “shithole country” (to quote your dear leader) is on the map and also happy to take our cash.
Good luck with the isolationism America. If you don’t like it, start calling your representatives daily and tell them what you think (especially if you live in a red district). Get the people who represent you to stand up and be counted.
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jhtopilko
1 month ago (below threshold) log in to show
Shithole countries usually have something going for them other than living in them.
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Merwinn
1 month ago
A fitting description of America in the last 3 weeks. Well done.
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Pete Roggeman
1 month ago
Are you...ok?
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shenzhe
1 month ago
As someone from the US, this take makes me sad but feels valid. I've been steeped in the capitalist tradition and "vote with your wallet" is a common refrain. As a Canadian (or anyone outside of the US) it's the only vote an individual really gets on our policies.
All I ask is that if (when, I hope) we change our behavior that you change yours as well and stop boycotting our industries and our locations. We've earned this response, but I hope we can earn a more positive response in the future.
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Kenny
1 month ago
Yeah, no more US MTB trips for me, for a while anyways.
Not because I hate Americans, but because my country needs my money.
That's what the "good" Americans don't understand - their nation is literally threatening our very existence, wether they agree with it or not, so I have to support my own country first. It's nothing against them.
I generally hit Galbraith a half dozen times a year, sometimes staying overnight, and try to go to tiger as well. I buy coffee at camber every trip and bike parts at fanatik regularly, and generally go to a brewery with my buddies as well.
Just not happening now. We will replace those trips by going out to the valley for a weekend and riding bear/red/sumas, trips to sunshine coast, the island a couple times, and squamish more.
It was a fun novelty but it's easy enough to replace it for a few years in support of our own economy.
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Curveball
1 month ago
And on the other end of things, I'll travel to Canada and spend as much as I can on my trips. I'll also buy Canadian products wherever possible. This situation is a complete nightmare to me.
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The Chez
1 month ago
Agreed here. I'm only two hours from the border of interior BC and I will go on trips up there and support their needs rather than go to the red areas surrounding me in the USA. It's sad that a lot of idiots voted for this administration and are surprised when they are affected by their bigoted policies. They deserve that. But, for those of us who didn't vote for it, we have to suffer the consequences and vote with the pocketbook. Less spending and when we do spend it's going to be more conscious until (hopefully) this passes. It's lunacy.
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Onawalk
1 month ago
Hate and division has never created peaceful alliances, it only creates more hate and drives us further apart.
DumDum Dons trying to drive a wedge here, he wants an excuse, or justification to swoop in. Hes a maniac let loose with the keys to the asylum. I will note, doing nothing is still doing something, if you chose not to vote, you need to take some responsibility for the outcome you've allowed to happen.
I applaud everyone to support as much local as they can, no matter what side of any border you're on, but I don't condone the "boycott" of American products, but supporting those that didn't vote/stand/lean towards the big orange dog is a great idea.
Help expose the companies that donated, and find better solutions to using those products. If you use Twitter/X, I gotta say why the fuck are you still doing that? NSMB, why is there still a Twitter logo on your page, close that shit down, and run that Musk out of business.....
Williams Lake will love your tourism dollars, if you're never ridden Desous mountain, buckle up, its no joke, and it'll have you coming back for more. Unreal camping, incredible views, and some of the most sphincter clenching riding you'll ever do!
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Pete Roggeman
1 month ago
That's an oversight on our part - we have never used Twitter meaningfully - but you're absolutely right. Time we cleaned house a little bit. Would honestly like to nuke IG/FB as well.
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Mark
1 month ago
Pete FWIW I think NSMB totally underutilizes IG as a tool for building its presence/profile.
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Couch_Surfer
1 month ago
yep - should be driving traffic via reels to Cam's OF page
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Onawalk
1 month ago
The Ol Twatter logo is still there Pete,
Maybe a red circle with a line crossed through it over the logo, or a Maple leaf over the logo?
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Nick Meulemans
1 month ago
Take it down! Take it down!
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Onawalk
2 weeks, 5 days ago
Well done good sir, well done!
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dbozman
1 month ago
As much as this attitude saddens me, I totally get it. I’d feel the same if the situation was reversed. As the editorial states, most of us didn’t vote for this and don’t support it.
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Lucky Legs
1 month ago (below threshold) log in to show
https://youtu.be/j50mME_pBVU?si=99njlmOK2Iutdo39
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Skooks
1 month ago
Thanks for that Lacy. You and any other American who didn't vote for that clown are welcome up here anytime. Just don't call us the PNW.
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emeginnes
1 month ago
Not that it really matters, PNW is not a USA term. It does include BC. Being an American who became a Canadian citizen some time ago, I was initially thinking PNW was incorrect outside of the USA. However, it is actually a broader geographic description of the Northwest USA and BC, also referred to as Cascadia. I am not trying to be antagonistic, just thought interesting at the time.
I will refrain from the political conversation.
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rolly
1 month ago
Many of us prefer Cascadia. But I get the PNW reference.
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4Runner1
1 month ago
It is an American POV term. Wikipedia uses PNW, Canadians don’t.
In the spirit of good will, Cascadia has a nice ring to it.
But I’ve NEVER heard a Canadian refer to our home as the PNW.
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Skooks
1 month ago
PNW is a very US-centric term, and one that most Canadians do not use to refer to any part of Canada. It's also factually incorrect in terms of cardinal directions.
The correct terms are: 'South Coast', 'Lower Mainland', or 'Sea-to-Sky'.
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Curveball
1 month ago
I've seen Canadians call it the PNW and then I relate that wouldn't it be the Pacific Southwest to you?
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Merwinn
1 month ago
America,
Cascadia, I can get behind. The P in PNW, I get, but the NW part is from the American POV. For BCers, it's the Lower Mainland, the Island, the Interior, etc. PNW doesn't work north of the 49th parallel, and to be direct, it never will.
Miss you guys, and remember it's easier to keep friends, than to stab them in the back. It's precisely why no one respects the Mango Moron.
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danimaniac
1 month ago
wikipedia shows this as the region known as PNW or simultaniously Cascadia:
I mean, there's a Seattle based company called PNW components, so maybe the concept of PNW is more inclusive than most folks using the term seem to be able to comprehend ;-)
But then it's really funny listening to some of you overseas-guys talking about european vacation and lifestyle after visiting some small coastal town in italy for a mountainbiking trip ;-)
love and respect! and a big hug to everyone who's stressed out and afraid right now. And to all those actively fighting against all the stupid §H!T happening right now
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Pete Roggeman
1 month ago
That's wikipedia at its finest (ie. worst). I promise you no one in Idaho considers themselves part of the PNW or Cascadia. Ditto Alaska. Same for anyone in BC North of Pemberton, to say nothing of the sliver of the Yukon Territory included in that map drawn by a drunk child.
Look, it's not hard. The part that makes no sense is the 'North' - that only works if your perspective is American. For Americans, the area we're talking about IS in the North West, bordering on the Pacific. If you're Canadian, it's the SW Coastal region, or just about anything that doesn't use 'North' in it. We all know what it means and grudgingly let it go, but if you're being accurate - not even pedantic - it's a USA-centric term.
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shenzhe
1 month ago
In trying to wrap my head around this I can't disagree that it's an US-centric term. My first thought was that from a euro-centric view (which is how all my maps are drawn) all of the Americas are in the west (as opposed to the global east), and PNW/Cascadia is very west. It's also around the 49* north parallel which is in the upper half of the northern hemisphere. So that feels north.
Having said all that, I feel like Alaska, northern BC and Yukon are really the "PNW" in a global sense (hence why I come down on your side).
I'd also like to note that I've heard the southern part of BC called "PNW" and it was "let go" so I thought it was a reasonably general term for Cascadia so I appreciate the knowledge.
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taprider
1 month ago
My view is that Alaska, BC, Washington to Costa Rica are on the NorthEast Coast of the Pacific Ocean
David S
1 month ago
Yes, but geographically speaking, its basically the Columbia/Fraser river watersheds they are calling the PNW.
Also, fun fact, the Columbia river watershed is about the same size as France!
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Mark
1 month ago
A simple way to look at this PNW debate is something that can be used just about any time a debate around location names or other terms come up is to use the old adage of "When in Rome...".
This is one of the things that makes it difficult living next to an 800lb gorilla; they tend to think the world revolves around them and their view of it. This of course isn't to say that everyone in the US has a US first world view, but on the whole the US tends to view everyone else as second class citizens in relation to themselves. Trump, Trumpists, and their antics are just exponentially amplifying this view and along with it many Canadians disdain for that attitude.
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Curveball
3 weeks, 5 days ago
Thank you for the invitation Skooks. I'll visit BC, listen to everyone I can, buy (Canadian) beer for everyone I can, and be as nice as I possibly can to everyone I meet.
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Moritz Haager
1 month ago
I do think it’s sad to see the rift current politics is creating amongst like minded people. I also think leaving a note on someone’s car telling them they are not welcome here is a chickenshit low life thing to do. Also, you don’t get to speak on behalf of the rest of us Canadians. I think trying to avoid an us vs them mentality is very important. As the world has become more polarized, those stoking these ideas would have us believe we are all totally different but in fact we usually have more in common than we have differences with most people on the other side of the political spectrum. Finding the common ground is more important now than ever. So on an individual level I think we should remain true to ourselves, as welcoming, and friendly people.
As a nation it’s a bit different. As someone who was born in Germany, and immigrated to Canada at the age of 9, knowing the history is very important to me. The parallels between the rise of the Nazi regime, and the MAGA movement are too similar to ignore. The failed Munich Putsch and Jan 6. Convicted of felonies, yet subsequently being elected. Scapegoating minorities. Whipping up Nationalist sentiment. Collaboration with the billionaires controlling the economy. Rounding up and deporting unwanted people. Restricting civil rights in the name of freedom. Controlling the media. Overtly stating expansionist goals. The list goes on. Truth is I would be REALLY scared if I lived in the US right now, and I am also scared living next door. I would also call out voter apathy as others have done here. After the dust settled at the end of WW2 a lot of Germans claimed they never supported the Nazis or did not know what was happening. That is not good enough. Knowing what is going on and voting are your most important duties as a citizen in a democracy, as is speaking out against things that are wrong. The US has deeply serious problems that have allowed the MAGA movement to rise to power, and I think Americans need to take a good long hard look in the mirror and ask themselves what they are going to do about it. “Most of us didn’t not want this” is not good enough I am afraid to say.
I think a good relationship has a semblance of equality and balance of power. I do think that definitely Canada, and probably most of the Western world, is guilty of having become too dependent on America. It has always driven me nuts that we don’t have more diversification in our economy, and that we have not lived up to the NATO spending standards. This became evident during Covid, and I think this has left us more exposed at a time like this when the US suddenly becomes unreliable. So as a country I do think we need to do a better job of getting our house in order. It has made me immensely happy to see the bike industry lead the way here with companies like We Are One for example. I think buying Canadian when possible is important to support this. I also will not be travelling to the US, or buying American products whenever possible. I am not doing it to punish like minded individual Americans. I am doing it to push Canada to become a bit more self-reliant, re-establish some balance in the relationship, and to send a message to all American voters that, to quote a former US president, “this aggression will not stand”.
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Curveball
1 month ago
I am terrified of what's happening here. Are you open to Canada-loving immigrants?
Speaking of NATO, wouldn't an invasion of Canada by the US trigger Article 5?
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Merwinn
1 month ago
Perhaps. However, I like to hope that the Sr. gov't is smarter than that and would likely strip Hegseth and Dump of their powers before that by reason of mental incapacity... which is not a stretch. Some would say, that could never happen and would be a coup, but we all can hope there are much more principled Sr members of gov't than these effing morons.
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mnihiser
1 month ago
They will probably need to fall off a balcony in Moscow. No one here is standing up to them.
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Bryce Borlick
3 weeks, 5 days ago
If the US just ignores NATO, then what? There’s only diplomacy protecting Canada and that’s what is so troubling.
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Curveball
3 weeks, 5 days ago
Not exactly. Any military action against Canada would get the US kicked out of NATO and trigger Article 5. In that case, every other NATO member would defend Canada.
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Lee Lau
3 weeks, 3 days ago
Canada is across an ocean. Most of the Euros (Nordic and Baltics and Poland exempted) have underfunded militaries; just like Canada's I might add.
At this point the US government could care less about NATO falling apart and would hardly tremble at the idea of other NATO members coming to Canada's defence.
I'm with Bryce but even less sanguine about diplomacy doing anything to protect Canada. Let's face it, Canada made a choice to abdicate security to the US and now we're right proper screwed as the US is showing itself to be the greatest threat to Canadian security.
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Curveball
3 weeks, 3 days ago
Canada would have NATO, which is likely nowhere nearly enough to defend the country. I suspect that the Great Shithead would likely align with Russia, making everything exponentially worse.
Shmarv
2 weeks, 1 day ago
Let's be honest -- Donald is the greatest threat to Canadian Security by virtue of his allegiance to Putin (dating back to '87), and unfortunately, the flaws in the American electoral system (probably compounded by a chronic underfunding of its education system is particular states) have given him that power.
I'd like to -- I want to -- believe in the leadership that the US armed forces have built over the years, including the indoctrination of holding strong to particular "American" values. Hopefully, somebody with enough clout stops Trump before he irreperably changes history.
David S
1 month ago
This whole thing is such a bummer, and I'm not going to lie and say that we American's don't deserve the malice and the side eye because we as a collective totally do.
I'd say that America as a whole is growing increasingly spiteful, dark, and resentful. The level of spite, distrust, and hate towards fellow humans feels like rapidly growing day by day. While I have plenty of ideas why, they are irrelevant in the fact that America today seems to be marred by a sense of "spite thy neighbor."
I have been fortunate enough to travel to Canada every year (save COVID) for over a decade, and every year I find myself spending more time. In fact this year I have almost two months planned in BC across various trips/races. I have always found my time in Canada (BC in particular) to be an amazing refreshing reminder that people don't need to be dicks to each other. That you can talk to people in a trailhead parking lot. And that gravy on fries is delicious. I've wanted to make BC my home for a while because it's felt like home every time I've come back, but the door seems shut on that front. I feel so lucky to have good friends and great memories from my time in Canada, and I hope those doesn't sour.
However, I won't lie that I feel that my reception the next time I'm north will not be so heartfelt. I am not shocked someone wrote a letter and left it on someone's car, and I expect probably much worse when I come through. And as a collective group of people we probably deserve it. Just know that there is a large swath of us that also disagree with the current political climate, and most of us didn't plan on being born American when we were in the womb.
I just hope we can still be friends.
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Pete Roggeman
1 month ago
That's well said, David. Lacy's anecdote about the letter is a reminder to all of us to be understanding, and compassionate.
And that divisive actions only cause more division and risk turning friendly neighbours into suspicious bystanders.
Canadians need to remember that not all Americans chose their president. Americans need to remember they'll have to prove that for awhile before they're made to feel welcome up here.
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rolly
1 month ago
You are welcome here. Maybe put a sign in your vehicle window "I come in peace," lol. First beer's on me.
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David S
1 month ago
I think I'm just going to keep a case of beer in my cooler to give away at the trailhead the entire time I'm in BC.
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Shmarv
2 weeks, 2 days ago
That should work, so long as you come by Victoria. Probably a little too sketchy everywhere else, can't take chances!
(P.S. please let me know when and where you plan on riding Jordie Lunn Bike Park, and I can fire up my itsy bitsy tiny weber Q for some snausages afterwards)
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Cr4w
1 month ago
This comment has been removed.
Curveball
1 month ago
David, hell yeah! The worst part of visiting Canada is saying goodbye and returning home.
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Kerry Williams
1 month ago
I'm not a rocket surgeon, but, as a Canadian, here is my 2 cents:
-Anyone who thinks all Americans are the same is very very mistaken. Are all Canadians the same? No. So, anyone who thinks being unwelcome towards Americans helps the cause is just plain wrong.
-I love traveling to all parts of the USA, and have had nothing but good memories of the people and places. This doesn't change because I don't like the current Potus.
-In my 20's, I did the mandatory Canadian thing, and backpacked around Europe, and guess what? Some countries had horrible leaders, but all the countries had awesome people. Let's keep in mind that most countries, whether you agree with their leadership or not, are filled with people that just want to get along, and enjoy time with family and friends.
Being unwelcome to visitors just because their leader isn't favourable doesn't help anyone.
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4Runner1
1 month ago
I get the feeling that the average American doesn’t appreciate how pissed off us Canadians, are.
Your country is threatening our sovereignty, security, and economy. The idea that our (historically) closest ally wants to annex us? This is the shit dictators and fascists dream of.
I won’t set foot back in the US. Won’t be buying that Crestline next year. Canceling our California family vacation that we have planned for next summer.
Protectionism begets protectionism. Enjoy your self-inflicted isolation. The US is no longer the beacon of freedom it once was.
Take care, America. Maybe one day we can be friends again.
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Lucky Legs
1 month ago (below threshold) log in to show
https://frankvaughan.ca/
check out this site and become educated on the Canadian dilemma from a source other than main strea media.
this site dispenses the facts, not the emotional manipulation energies
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Merwinn
1 month ago
The MSM is required by law to fact check and corroborate all statements made by a third party. That's why we periodically see retractions and corrections. Pod casts and YT videos do not have that legal requirement (other than libel) because they are considered to be opinions. Note the difference.
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Lee Lau
3 weeks, 3 days ago
Frank Vaughan is a separatist, collaborationist Quisling Petain traitor. He is also economically illiterate. But at least he has the guts to put his real name to what he says. How about it lucky legs. Put your real name here
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Curveball
1 month ago
You might be surprised just how extremely pissed off a lot of us are at the POTUS. I love Canada more than the US at this point.
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Lucky Legs
1 month ago (below threshold) log in to show
https://youtu.be/j50mME_pBVU?si=99njlmOK2Iutdo39
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Cam McRae
1 month ago
You already posted that.
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Znarf
3 weeks, 4 days ago
As a German (and a European) I can absolutely relate. I knew that a second Trump term was going to be bad. But that he actually and undisguised would mimic and repeat Putins propaganda and actions, alienate Americas closest allies with this speed and disregard blows my mind.
Trump blew up Americas rather good standing as a superpower / force of values and democracy and I don’t know how that can be repaired in a reasonable time span.
There seems to be little resistance inside the US so far, I sincerely hope that the reasonable Americans find a way!!!
I have many American friends and the US was a place of dreams and positive feelings for me all my life, but I have to confess that I have to work hard against developing quite negative feelings. (It is a country with many residents, with different opinions. As a German, educated in history and first hand stories of my own family, the US is on the brink of something truly dark right now. I hope good will prevail somehow, without a big war first.)
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Curveball
3 weeks, 3 days ago
I'm terrified every day here. Two impeachments, two federal criminal cases, and one big state case against the Great Shithead failed to stop him. I'm not sure what we can do at this point.
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Cr4w
1 month ago
As someone who is visibly non-white I won't ever be crossing that border again. I have a package sitting in Point Roberts and that will be my last ever trip to the US. Never again. No more layovers or connections. I'd rather pay the occasional outrageous shipping charge than risk a traffic stop that ends with me getting a warning shot to the back of the head. I never cared that much for Trader Joe's.
I know most of the readers on this site have never considered the risk that many of us would face in a routine US traffic stop but that's only going to get worse from now on.
Our big take-away is to address voter apathy at every level: we can't let the same thing happen in Canada.
edit: Also, would anyone feel good flying into a US airport at this point? There's been what, 4 major plane collisions in the last three weeks (including Vince Neil's plane today)?
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jhtopilko
1 month ago (below threshold) log in to show
Voter apathy happened in Canada a long time ago. Trump in the white house is more a positive than a negative. He was the first time and odds are he will do even more this time. All government is bad, no matter what.
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Jerry Willows
1 month ago
he didn't do much the first time other than cut taxes for the uber rich and he didn't build the wall like he said he would.
How do tariffs help either country? How does a non elected person have carte blanche to everything a good thing?
His MO is to try to do what he wants and deal with the consequences at another time or not.
What he is doing is exactly how fascists get in power and the smooth brainers (mostly the uneducated) are fully along for the ride.
Sad.
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Jotegir
1 month ago
This is a remarkably poor take in response to someone's post heavily implying they feel less safe than they used to going into the states as someone who isn't white. It isn't my call to assess whether something is more positive than negative for an individual when personal safety is on the line and it certainly isn't yours. Feel free to maintain the all government bad view but acknowledge that if all government is bad, it's gone to "worse" when that government has started to round up non-whites.
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Lucky Legs
1 month ago (below threshold) log in to show
the facts on Canada from other than MSM
https://frankvaughan.ca/
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Merwinn
1 month ago
Opinions are not facts. Notably when correlation and causation are completely confused.
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JT
1 month ago
Trader Joe's never seemed worth it to me regardless of skin tone.
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Skooks
1 month ago
Years ago I visited Hawaii with my wife and kids. We drove to the beach one day, and as we were getting out of our car we said 'good morning' to the person in the car next to us. His response was "you guys aren't americans are you?". I thought it might be our Canadian accents or pasty white skin that gave it away, but he said "No, you just talked to a Black man". That was a real eye-opener for me.
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ultimatist
1 month ago
Well damn, but that's the experience in some parts of America. In others, either everybody or nobody gets a "hello".
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Curveball
3 weeks, 6 days ago
It appears that there may be substantial cuts to the FAA. That should scare anyone considering flying into or within the US.
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Trogdor
1 month ago
I wish more people on this site would differentiate between Americans and republicans. I see a lot of blanket anger/hatred towards Americans.
No Democrats support the trade war, let alone the annexation of Canada. This is all coming from Republicans. Tucker Carlson advocated for the “liberation” of Canada on Fox News years ago. This is where it started, and Trump is running with it because his base is full of bloodthirsty, hateful troglodytes. They hate Canada and democrats for the same reason, we’re the enemy, “liberal communist marxists” as they call us.
Poilievre is still the favourite to win the next federal election. He’s the Canadian version of Trump, he’s part of the same inner circle of far-right fascists. We shouldn’t point fingers at the USA for electing a populist fraud, while we’re trying to do the same thing.
Also Trump can’t invade us, at least for now. Democrats passed a bill so the USA cannot withdraw from NATO without the support of 2/3rds of the senate. Trump only has 53% support, all from his fellow Republicans.
We are NATO allies. Trump would need a loyal fascist in charge of the army to implement an invasion plan. At the moment Bidens pick is still in charge of the army, despite trumps promise to purge the army on day one. Trump couldn’t force him out, and he couldn’t force out Mark Milley (Obamas pick) during his first term. The army doesn’t like or trust Trump.
Members of the U.S. army swear an oath to the constitution, not to a president or political party. Even if Trump orders the army to invade, they would have to ignore his illegal and unconstitutional order. Like when they refused to attack BLM/george Floyd protestors for Trump.
During Trumps first term, General Mark Milley was chairman of the joint chief of staffs. The highest ranking member of the U.S. military. Milley called Trump a fascist and refused his illegal orders (during Trumps first term).
Biden and the military / pentagon officials met before Trump took over. They discussed worst case scenarios. They made plans to protect Americans and their NATO allies. If Trump cannot purge the top army brass, he can’t invade us.
Trump and the republicans deserve all the hate they get. But the democrats and the third of Americans that voted for them aren’t to blame, imho.
When cheetolini chokes on a cheeseburger and leaves us the world will be a better place.
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rolly
1 month ago
I get what you're saying, but imo, this is an example of the problem. When any one "side" demonizes the other, you polarize both. This has been increasingly the case south of the 49th. If I was a Democrat, I would desperately be trying to dialogue and find common ground with my Republican compatriots, and vice versa. This weakens the extremists on either side of the spectrum.
We are definitely not without our flaws in Canada, but I'm forever grateful that most of us don't identify ourselves as Liberal, Conservative, NDP, Bloc, or Green, regardless of how we vote. We (Canadians) need to actively pursue dialogue with those on the "other side" to continue to protect this valued part of our democracy.
As for this trade fight (let's leave the term war where it belongs), let's hope saner heads prevail sooner rather than later.
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JT
1 month ago
"They hate Canada and democrats for the same reason, we’re the enemy, “liberal communist marxists” as they call us."
Correction, they hate all Americans. North, Central, or South. They love cash and power. Everything/one else is a step between their lusts.
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Lucky Legs
1 month ago (below threshold) log in to show
what a load of bullshit. no democrats. who elevated USAID?
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Pete Roggeman
1 month ago
USAID needs reform just like most gov't institutions, but shuttering it was, like so many of this administration's other actions, both short-sighted and facile, and will have the unintended consequence of strengthening US rivals that are all too happy to fill the void and curry favour all over the world.
When your toolbox only consists of a blunt hammer and a larger blunt hammer, you're only going to end up with a workshop full of smashed toys.
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The Chez
1 month ago
It's like they all got drunk one night and started on their soap boxes about what agencies piss them off. FIRE EM ALL! Yes, do that. Then you'll find out about the consequences of that action. MAGA doesn't have critical thinking skills and thus will find out after their actions. It's a load of nut jobs in the show at the moment and the only thing we can hope is that the USA doesn't screw itself up beyond all recognition. I'd hate to think it was somebody like Frump who took down the USA. Then again, he's just a proxy.
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Pete Roggeman
3 weeks, 4 days ago
David Brooks is one of the best columnists at the NYT, and this article is one of the best I've read about what's going on right now:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/13/opinion/trump-populism-elites.html
Here's an excerpt, but definitely go read the whole thing:
Many of them are not pro-conservative; they are anti-left. There’s a big difference. They do not focus on building and reforming the civic institutions that conservatives believe are crucial to any healthy society. They focus on tearing down whatever institutions the left occupies.
Conservatives believe in constant and incremental change. Nihilists believe in sudden and chaotic disruption. Conservatism came into being opposing the arrogant radicalism of the French Revolution. The Trump people are basically the French revolutionaries in red hats — there are the same crude distinctions between good and evil, the same contempt for existing arrangements, the same descent into fanaticism, the same tendency to let the revolution devour its own.
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Lucky Legs
1 month ago (below threshold) log in to show
https://youtu.be/j50mME_pBVU?si=99njlmOK2Iutdo39
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Cam McRae
1 month ago
Seriously? The same video three times?
The facts are that less than 1% of the fentanyl that enters the US comes from Canada. And those are US figures. And guess who is in charge of what comes into the US? American border guards.
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Curveball
3 weeks, 6 days ago
That's a good cautionary tale about voting for autocrats. Don't let it happen to you!
Also, consider that a US attack on either Greenland or Canada would immediately trigger Article 5 of the NATO charter. Europe would come to your defence. Who ever would have contemplated using NATO for protection from the USA?
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bde1024
2 weeks, 4 days ago
As of last Friday, your worst case scenario happened: Hegseth fired the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Vice Chief of the Air Force, and maybe the most disturbing, all of the service JAGs. I expect he and Trump will try to find people to replace them who will carry out any order, legal or illegal. We can only hope that they will struggle to find such people
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BC_Nuggets
1 month ago
I would die for Canada and I would guess the majority of our population would as well. When I hear a bag of shit criminal talk casually about annexing us I think to myself you’re going to have a lot of blood on your hands Orange man.
Lacy I commend you for expressing your feelings and hopefully some good comes out of this.
We love Americans that aren’t brainwashed by evil billionaires.
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Curveball
1 month ago
It's come to the point where I would die for Canada too. I'd be compelled to jump the border and join my best friends in the fight against the tyrant. The best times of my life and the best people that I've met have all been in Canada. I practically blew a gasket when I heard the annexation quip.
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GrundleJ
1 month ago
Not voting is very much making a choice.
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SixZeroSixOne
1 month ago
Spoiling the ballot paper is making a choice. "Not voting" is just apathy
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ultimatist
1 month ago
This is a simplistic take that doesn't recognize the system is broken. In WA, CA, and other blue states, it doesn't matter how many extra anti-Trump votes you stack up. The Electoral College and swing states determine who wins.
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Flatted-again
1 month ago
I’ve been trying to think of a way to write this because overall I agree with your sentiment. I just don’t think the 90 million who didn’t vote should be lumped into a group that didn’t choose. Personal circumstances etc etc, but I deeply feel that not engaging is a choice for the outcome, whatever it is.
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4Runner1
1 month ago
Agreed.
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JT
1 month ago
Failure to make a choice is still a choice.
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Todd Hellinga
1 month ago
"If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice" -Rush
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Curveball
1 month ago
Beat me to it.
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Lucky Legs
1 month ago (below threshold) log in to show
sums of the majority of voters in Canada
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Matthias Wasmer
1 month ago
This comment has been removed.
Ripbro
1 month ago
I have similar feelings as an Albertan in Canada. Our premier truly doesn’t represent my values or the values of most of my family and friends. It sucks being painted with the same brush. I’m hoping those who didn’t vote, start taking notice and become more politically active. For those who vote for characters like Trump and Smith, do these ‘leaders’ really represent your values? Are they making life better for you, your family, friends or the general population?
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shapethings
1 month ago
I could type a novel in response, but to TLDR it, Americans are notoriously guilty of voting against their own interests. From birth, people in the US are heavily propagandized and misinformed. There are so many factors to overcome — economic, social, regional, educational, historical — that prevent people from simply "waking up." I'm not making an excuse, but the "system" is definitely constructed to make it harder for people to easily do it. I'm deeply ashamed the harm the US has and is causing globally. Unfortunately, looking at the trajectory, I don't see things improving. On the bright side, empires last 250 years on average, the US will be 249 this year…
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Lucky Legs
1 month ago (below threshold) log in to show
because your are going to heat your house at -40 with solar power at night, right?
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Pete Roggeman
1 month ago
Based on your other comments in here, it's unlikely you know how a power grid system works but as a conspiracy wonk, if you actually thought through the philosophies of the wackos you endorse, you'd be all over solar as a decentralized tool that homesteaders and doomsday preppers should all be embracing. Instead, over reliance on fossil fuels is a huge vulnerability that will lead to overpaying to compensate for an improperly planned grid that can't meet the demands of a growing, power-hungry society.
No one - even people who sell solar - pretends it's a solution all on its own. Smart power networks employ a diversified portfolio as a hedge against various factors, including but certainly not limited to environmental ones. Solar's unique benefits are many but the ability to use it as a de facto mini power plant at the individual household level makes it a powerful tool and enables grid administrators to be more flexible and nimble in maintaining their networks. If America goes backwards and starts to increase reliance on fossil fuels like coal, and provinces like Alberta follow suit, they're gonna get dummied by the places that save their ass every time their primary or secondary choice for power generation springs a leak.
But sure, stick to stupid comments like using solar to heat houses at night. That might buy the odd dumb vote but it doesn't inform good infrastructure planning and policy. You probably also don't realize that you need power to operate a gas pump.
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Mark
1 month ago
LOL @ luckylegs
This is exactly the type of ignorant comment that tells me there is zero point in checking out that link you’ve been spamming the discussion with.
An analogy for your comment would be someone saying that there’s no point in turning on the tap for a drink of water cause it’s not raining at the moment.
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Pete Roggeman
3 weeks, 4 days ago
I have liberated us from having to hear or read any more of his BS. Comment history said it all - not a positive addition to this community. Banished to live under the bridge with their kind.
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Curveball
3 weeks, 3 days ago
Yay! Thank you Pete.
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Merwinn
1 month ago
The new generation of PV cells has the ability to capture IR. Google it, if it fits in with your blatant inherent bias.
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Curveball
1 month ago
What on Earth does this have to do with US - Canada relations?
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DirtSnow
1 month ago
It just sucks you know, when our families lose their jobs in manufacturing, automotives, forestry and many other industries because a bunch of you didn’t vote. I feel the “we didn’t choose this” sediment to be almost a free pass for apathy where as we can’t have chosen this and now some of us can’t afford groceries, energy and a place to live. Tell you what, we will share some eggs, if ya’ll choose to ensure that America remains our dickish-but mostly good-natured older sibling.
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Grinder
1 month ago
With the heightened friction between our countries we need to keep the dialogue going. The note on your friend’s car was unfortunate and unacceptable. I imagine they didn’t vote for T and if they did they weren’t voting for a trade war with Canada. If these tariffs go into full force I won’t be visiting the US or buying American until the situation is resolved. It’s not personal it’s just business although for some people losing their livelihoods (potentially on both sides of the border) it’s going to feel personal. Let’s do our best to stay civil, your article helps, thanks for this Lacy.
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Pete Roggeman
1 month ago
'It's not personal, it's business' is a pretty good way to describe people's feelings about boycotts and how to respond to US tariffs. I understand why Americans sympathetic to the Canadian situation might take boycotts personally, but business is what the US administration understands, so business tactics it is.
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shapethings
1 month ago
Pete, you're making a fatal argument. No one in the current administration understands business — at all. That's the dangerous part. They're all amoral nepo babies, oppurtunists, egotists, lunatics, racists, kleptocrats, or grifters. He has run every business of his into bankruptcy. He lives on credit and loans. No legitimate company not bearing his name would hire him as a CEO.
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Pete Roggeman
1 month ago
Oh yes, of course I agree. Maybe I should have said 'money' instead of business as far as comprehension is concerned.
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Mark
1 month ago
I christen you to now be known as Pete Moneyman from this point forward.
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Merwinn
1 month ago
If it was Harris, yes. But Dump typically makes it 'personal' by adding insult to (prospective) injury, accurately reflecting his true moral fiber. As they say, "no man is an island". It will take time before reality sets in for the Trump Administration and America, but it will set in and likely from an internal perspective.
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Curveball
3 weeks, 5 days ago
I won't be taking any boycotts personally. I'd do the same thing in your shoes.
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Curveball
3 weeks, 5 days ago
I don't blame you in the least for trying not to buy US goods. However, that will be quite difficult to do since so much is made here. I'll try to buy Canadian goods when and wherever I can, but there may not be as many options as I'd like.
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Kevin Bond
1 month ago
I don't blame Canadians for being angry, I'm angry too. Threatening Canadian sovereignty is yet another page from the fascism playbook. We were in DC during the Inauguration, and felt like the Von Trapp family trying to scurry through the streets without drawing too much attention. They are celebrating. Trump and his supporters feel like they have a mandate to do whatever they please, but hopefully fail safes like US and International law will keep the MAGA agenda in check.
As an American I'm sorry for what Trump has said and done, but I hope you take some solace in knowing Trump has the attention span of a 6 year old with a toy he couldn't touch for 4 years. He'll get bored and go back to playing golf soon. Also fwiw not all Americans voted for this.
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Pete Roggeman
1 month ago
I hope you're right but there's an urgency and agenda to these first few weeks, and unfortunately an efficacy to many of these early moves, that make me doubt it. Perhaps the people around him just want to get full value before his age and decline run their course. The vacuum left behind if he doesn't make it to the end of the term could be worse than the present reality if everything keeps going in this direction. Rather than a democracy that feels defenceless, America may be left in anarchy, which is when the real chaos would begin.
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Kevin Bond
1 month ago
The courts have already stepped in blocking several executive orders. No doubt damage will and has already been done, but anarchy seems a bit far fetched considering how much Control and surveillance the Government already exercises. The real danger long term is Totalitarianism, but that's another topic all together.
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Pete Roggeman
1 month ago
They want the court challenges. They want to lose the first round, and the second. They want to escalate all of these principles all the way to SCOTUS, so they can win at that level and apply those precedents as policy. Trump would never have come up with something so clever, but others did.
The moves they made to secure a super majority in the Supreme Court were always the real power moves. Almost everything else is either a Hail Mary that works, outright theft, or just noise.
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Curveball
1 month ago
Alternatively, they will simply ignore court orders. The Justice Department will likely not enforce any orders against them.
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Curveball
1 month ago
The "end of his term" will be dying of old age. He'll successfully cling to power by either cancelling or ignoring the next election. It's been shown time and again that nobody seems to be able to hold him to account and he would simply ignore the constitution. Imagine living in 1930's Germany and that's how it's shaping up here.
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Mark
1 month ago
I mentioned this a little ways back in the forums, that I wouldn’t be surprised if he cooks up some plan to stay in power.
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Curveball
1 month ago
There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that he will try to remain in power as long as he's alive. He proved his intentions in the last election.
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Kevin Bond
1 month ago
Fortunately he's old.
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Couch_Surfer
1 month ago
His kids aren”t
Curveball
3 weeks, 5 days ago
And when he kicks it, I suspect that Elon will take control.
Dave Smith
1 month ago
There's so much that could be said or added to this conversation but I'll just leave it at -
Lacy, I hate that you felt you had to write this to remind us all that there are folks on either side of the border pulling for each other. It wasn't until a short time ago that it went without saying and it was just understood that we had each other's backs. But then again, maybe a little reminder was just what we needed.
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PowellRiviera
1 month ago
Half of my family is American. Some of my relatives are Republican and some are Democrat. I love them all.
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Offrhodes42
1 month ago
Thank you for this article. We currently have exchange students from Japan and Germany in our house for the school year. This shit sow of politics has brought up some good conversations. They are both happy to be in a household were we do not support this administration.
P.S. I love Canada. MSA is a yearly trip for us for the World Cup. Crepes and poutine just make me happy.
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babyzhendo
1 month ago
Thanks for this article, Lacy. I'm also a Bellinghamster and aside from circling the bowl about all of the horrible acts happening on a daily basis and trying to figure out how to crawl out from this, I've been thinking about how this bright orange turd could possibly have put Canada in his crosshairs. I find myself clinging to what you mentioned — that our state was the only one that moved left — but I'd also love to know the why behind it, because my sense is that the Democratic party has very much lost its way and doesn't seem capable of messaging plans and a vision that stand to bring real benefits to the average American.
I fully respect any Canadian's choice to no longer buy any American goods or travel here — if the world simply turns as normal, the orange turd is only emboldened. The world can and should expect better of us, but know that a lot of us sunk a whole lot of money, time, and emotional capital in striving for anything but this outcome, yet here we are. Any grace given is appreciated, as we sure as hell need some adults in the room.
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Jerry Willows
1 month ago
he's targeted Canada for 2 reasons (top of my head):
1. Natural Resources: Trump and his billionaires want it all to compete with China and Russia
2. Trade Deficit: he's getting wrong information on the actual numbers but this goes for all countries.
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Dave Tolnai
1 month ago
This whole trade deficit thing is so bizarre to me. First, it's "trade", not "we forced you to take this stuff". Next...we gave you stuff, you gave us money. Isn't that the whole point of this capitalism thing? Why is this bad now?
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Jerry Willows
1 month ago
what's really funny is that Trump doesn't like the trade deals HE did in his first term. You really can't make this batshit up.
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Pete Roggeman
1 month ago
It's just as strange as his assertion that it's Canada's fault that fentanyl is crossing into the US. It's your border too, dumb fella, figure it out.
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Skooks
1 month ago
Yup. Everything that goes into the US needs to get through US border control, not Canadian.
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Curveball
1 month ago
The vast majority of the fentanyl is coming through the border with Mexico. I'm going to assert that the rest of it is coming out of his ass.
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JT
1 month ago
3. The cartels in Mexico are way too heavily armed with US weaponry.
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WheelNut
1 month ago
I highly doubt he's getting incorrect information about the economics of trade with Canada. He just chooses to lie about it. Remember in 2003 when the US invaded Iraq on completely bogus grounds. No reason to believe the blood thirsty Americans wouldn't do something similar again- they're overdue for another war. Trump's hero Putin invaded Ukraine so I'm sure he's itching to get his own.
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Curveball
3 weeks, 5 days ago
Beware, he's coming for your golf courses.
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babyzhendo
1 month ago
It's the lack of knock-on considerations that baffle me. Canadian exports are critical to most major US outputs, or at least companies based here — even ignoring oil and gas, you've got metals as inputs to many things, cars and their components, machinery...the list goes on. Our economies have become so intertwined, many of those capacities simply don't exist in the US anymore. I heard a whole lot of anecdotes from misinformed voters saying "cars are too expensive under Biden, I want Trump"...well, guess what he's doing? Making the goods you want way more expensive and maiming both economies.
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Skooks
1 month ago
Add our water to that list
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earle.b
1 month ago
Trump doesn't even know how to see the UP side of their trade deficit with Canada.
We sell them WCS at a discount because it's kinda crappy heavy oil and we have limited market options. They then sell their own extracted WTI oil that is worth more on the international market at a higher price.
It's a form of price arbitrage that nets out to US$19 billion a year.
But none of this is about numbers, drugs, or national security. It's about one guy's fragile ego.
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Mark
1 month ago
I’ve started using fragile ego a lot in referring to people that can’t accept anything different from their own preferences. It does a beautiful job of highlighting someone’s inability to perception.
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Colin Lindberg
1 month ago
I’d like to invite any Canadians here to come ride and visit and drink beers at my house and we can rip all the trails around together and I hope that will be reciprocal for me and my crew when we head across the border for riding and racing. The mouthpiece that was elected does not represent me or most people from the United States and I hope we can all just ride bikes and be friends with each other.
Bikes are common ground for me since I was just a few years old I hope that always can be a unifier, not a divider
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XXX_er
1 month ago
All I got is an E-bike and there is no way I would take it down there
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cursive_bearing
1 month ago
Won’t be travelling to the US for a long damn time after your country threaten the sovereignty of mine.
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Curveball
1 month ago
No worries. I'll travel up to BC to ride with you and buy as many Canadian beers as I can. If you're outraged by these threats, then I'm at least as angry as you may be.
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XXX_er
1 month ago
You know Tarrifs come and go altho this one is especaily stupid given he just signed it 4 yrs ago we will get thru it
but what has Canada pissed is some arrogant fascist who think he can make Canada the 51state
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Curveball
1 month ago
One of your MP's jokingly suggested making CA, OR, and WA part of Canada. I e-mailed her and said, please take us!!!
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MaxRockatansky
3 weeks, 4 days ago
Absolutely this.
Retaliatory Tariffs on US goods would make US goods & services expensive enough not to buy, especially if my income is reduced due the US's tariffs on us.
His 51st state bullshit is the reason I (and everyone i know to be honest) are boycotting US owned and manufactured products.
We, and a number of our clients, are looking at contracts we have with US based companies and exit options. US based companies are off the table for new RFP's. For both Services and Materials.
Personally we canceled two large vacations down there and won't be considering them again for a long time.
...And not that i support it, It is the reason the anthem is booed at the hockey and notes are left on cars.
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Lacy Kemp
3 weeks, 3 days ago
I just want to thank everyone in this comment section for the thoughtful discussion. This topic is not fun—for either side. I wholeheartedly understand and support the Canadian ire towards America and its people. But I do still have hope that those of us who are actively writing our senators, leaving voicemails for federal department heads, and rallying what movement we can still find common ground with our Canadian friends.
I get booing the American National Anthem.
I understand boycotting travel and US-made products.
I get the fear that comes from a dictator saying they want to make Canada America's 51st state. It all sounds INSANE.
Just know that many of us are fighting this. It takes time. It takes a lot of yelling into the void. It takes a lot of convincing others that these phone calls and emails DO matter.
I'll still plan to come to Canada, buy my Cheezies and Maple Syrup, eat sushi, race Go Karts and give those of you hugs that are willing to receive them.
-Lacy
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Znarf
3 weeks, 3 days ago
Keep it up! We will try and do our best from Europe as well. There is always hope :)
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fartymarty
1 month ago
Feels similar to what happened a few years back here in the UK with Brexit. At least your nightmare has an end in 4 years....
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shapethings
1 month ago
Way things are going, he might just anoint himself permanent god emperor.
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fartymarty
1 month ago
You'll just have to use your Second Amendment Rights if that happens.
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Mike Ferrentino
1 month ago
Kinda funny how quiet the 2A folk get when it comes to that. Makes one wonder if maybe it wasn't about "standing up to tyranny" all along, and was maybe just some clever wording about tools needed to maintain situational states of oppression...
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jhtopilko
1 month ago (below threshold) log in to show
Doesn't the 2A apply to all Americans?
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chacou
1 month ago
bingo.
> “We have two enemies,” Donald Trump declared last October. “We have the outside enemy, and then we have the enemy from within, and the enemy from within, in my opinion, is more dangerous than China, Russia and all these countries.”
> The enemy, in this paradigm, is Democrats, liberals and everyone left of center, expanding beyond ideology to encompass huge swaths of the federal government and of the immigrant population, legal and illegal.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/11/opinion/trump-vought-musk-second-term.html
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Merwinn
1 month ago
Mussolini would be proud.
chacou
1 month ago
That's exactly what the GOP and MAGAcult are priming for amendments to allow a third term. They'd rather have their king than have a Democratic Republic, granted they'll frame it all as some twisted "true" Republic intended by the framers...it's really sad.
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Curveball
3 weeks, 5 days ago
I have a very worrying suspicion that Elon will be his successor, constitution be damned.
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Jerry Willows
1 month ago
Trump is going to have one of his sons take over.... not a joke.
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Curveball
1 month ago
I think you're correct, Jerry. Democracy in the US is dead.
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SixZeroSixOne
1 month ago
My anger is directed at the Democrats and those who didn't vote.
I'm another who would have had multiple US road trips planned for the next few years, but that's definitely off the cards until Trump, Musk and the MAGA movement is gone.
At a dual UK-Canadian citizen, at least I've got an escape route should Trump invade Canada* , though post-Brexit, my choice seems devil-or-the-deep-blue-sea.
(*not that I consider his treats credible)
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Curveball
1 month ago
The Democrats failed to emphasize the extreme threat that the Republicans embody.
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ShawMac
1 month ago
Thanks for this article Lacy, but unfortunately the wounds have been created, and Canada needs the help of Canadians and that means spending our precious dollars locally. No one should be threatening Washington plates; objectively, those American plates in Canada are helping with Canada's tourism exports (economically, foreign tourists are considered Canadian exports). But I can understand, as misguided as it is, how some Canadians are feeling the need to do something, ANYTHING, to express their hurt right now.
I hate clichés, but I am going to use one here and turn the conversation away from Republican/MAGA/America bashing... "turn challenge into opportunities" (OMG I am sorry now that I have said it). Sure, we need to respond to the school yard Bully, but equally Canada needs to look itself in the mirror, and create the opportunity for change (that will be painful in the short term). Decades ago in my university economics classes we were already discussing how we were far FAR too dependent in trade with the USA for long term security. Our productivity suffers as a result, and we take far too little risk in business by our nature. That has only gotten worse since. It is really hard for political and business leaders to make through tough changes to improve the overall health of the economy when it is easier to keep sucking on the teat of the easy cash cow. Well, now that teat has an ugly infection, so tearing ourselves from the addiction is important but its going to come with some withdrawal. We need a few more cows to feed from, and we need to do more internally.
I think it's time for some patriotic nation building, albeit carefully and strategically without the mistakes made in the past (like running roughshod over indigenous peoples and the environment). Investments in the Forces, investments in the North, and strengthening small and mid size municipalities to stem the migration to urban life.
This won't be easy, but while described as humble, Canadians are ferociously proud deep down and we can do a lot of shit we put our collective mind to.
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Mbcracken
1 month ago
Thank you Lucy for the great article from another lifelong Washingtonian. This Orange Mussolini is only here to create chaos to further divide so he can control "his" group. This division has lead to lost friendships and troubling family strains going all the way back to 2016. I really hope to keep an open invitation to this great MTB'ing border family. The Mrs and I had a great time for a short getaway to Vancouver just two weekends ago and had a great time. Hope to make it up to ride some this next summer and just know that all Canadians are welcome down here too.
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D4nderson
1 month ago
Nope. Threaten me and my families sovereignty and then go around making life generally harder by putting on obnoxious tariffs (on their closest fucking allies no less). Sorry, not sorry, now we cancelled our trip to Montana and will no longer be buying US goods as much as possible. What a shit hole of a country.
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mnihiser
1 month ago
No, what an asshole of a President.
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Nick Meulemans
1 month ago
To be fair, Montana is as red as it gets - you're practically funnelling money directly to the GOP by vacationing there
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justwan naride
1 month ago
Scary times when so many leaders around the globe are little more than dystopic caricatures...
@fartymarty: As a long time fan of UK mtb brands (esp.hardtails) I was not very happy about Brexit. I loved my Whyte 905.
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Mic
1 month ago
For sure, living in Germany I really feel what you are saying - populist ideas and promises of "There is a simple fix to your issues, trust us" makes me cringe and kind of despair. If someone had told me twenty years ago that these right wing, anti-democratic ideas would one day be en vogue again, I would have cracked up laughing. Now, not so much.
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fartymarty
1 month ago
If it's any consequence we've just got a left wing government in UK after 15 years of right. Lets hope you guys are just lagging behind us.
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Mic
1 month ago
Thank you, and yes, there is hope, and the demonstrations are a good sign, democracy and a cosmopolitical view point, openness and kindness and all that are not dead. It is just annoying and more than frustrating that such stupidity is popping up everywhere around me.
In current polls, the right wingers are at 20% - twenty percent of the voters seem to think that ideas very similar to that one Austrian and his entourage and all that are a good idea in 2024. The ideas these people have are truly scary, like a neo-liberal, xenophobic and homophobic tyranny with a twist.
The Nazis and people who loked their ideas or parts of the ideology were never truly away, I know but this is just a WTF moment for quite a lot of people.
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XXX_er
1 month ago
when it comes to becoming the 51st state that ain't gona happen, I will boycott with my wallet, I'm not going down there any time soon
the tarrifs are going to screw up both countries
the level of FO america I see is off the charts,
trump has united a country ... against him
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XXX_er
1 month ago
Notice Trump doesnt really talk about Fugees or fentynal anymore, thats cuz he doesnt care, the whole declare an emergency thing was just so he didnt have to go thru Congress where he holds a slim margin to declare a 25% Tarrif. It would not have passed becuz congress men have to answer to their constituents so he is just trying to screw with Canada and Mexico but about 95% of Canadians don't wana be American. I would suggest if you depend on Canadians for business forget it,
Even tho its been explained to him in simple terms trump is so stupid he doesnt understand how a tarrif works, the tarrif he sets is an import tarrif SO the American importer pays, the American oil industry doesnt wana drill-baby-drill cuz its not in their best interest and besides the oil they do find is exported becuse the refinerys are not configured to run anything but alberta crude to make gasoline SO the only way for America to make RUG is with alberta crude which is gona have an import tarrifso prepare to pay MORE
I don't see how is america gona make weapons to go exotic places and kill people without steel and aluminium ?
I predict a recession on both sides of the border a-la-covid but Americans should be willing to suck it up and pay more,
hand on heart cue the national anthem & unfurl the flag
OR maybe you wana tell your congress man this is all bogus cuz it is and they do pay attention
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PowellRiviera
1 month ago
Lack of tolerance and passing judgement entrenches all sides to their respective silos.
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Suns_PSD
1 month ago
Trump concerns me greatly and when it comes to voting Americans, a majority doesn't seem to mind the strong Authoritarian tendencies, or simply aren't aware of them due to the well polished cable news they consume exclusively. Look, people are really not that smart nor that informed, and this is true everywhere and not exclusive to the USA.
Here is what I'll say, inflation is already climbing since he came back in to office and if his tariffs occur, serious damage will be done to the very strong US economy. This is the one thing that will in fact swing the mid-terms and the next POTUS election. Probably the only thing. If Dems can gain back the legislative branch, Trump will not be able to successfully subvert a democratically held election.
Regarding the Democrats, of which I am one, well you can only eff up terribly and still win elections for so long, even against an idiot. Men playing women's sports and taking scholarships and opportunities from actual women, an absolutely out of control southern border situation (2.8 million illegal crossings in 2024 alone!) leading to crime with little penalties and the use of limited resources, a well meaning but clearly past his prime president with a turn over 6 weeks from the election to a poorly vetted and not popular candidate, essentially had no real campaign message that should have shown in chart form the very real difference between the last 50 years of Dem vs. Rep US economies (hint, the economy is like 2x as good by most measures under Dems).
I'm concerned for my Canadian friends and saddened to be associated with Trump in any way. Sadly, it's likely too late for the poor Ukrainians who will almost certainly be sold out to Putin. Hopefully the Germans and the rest of the European Union chooses to do the right thing for Democracy, but also just for Human Beings. But the European Union has shown time and time again that they want America to foot the bill for the world's defense.
Lastly, I'd point out that if Trump really wants to sow his Imperialistic tendencies, Russia is the obvious target. It's strategically ideal, they are in fact an enemy and they are incredibly weakened at the moment. But he won't, because he respects and desires to be an Authoritarian leader himself.
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Mark
1 month ago
@Suns_PSD for someone talking about people not being smart and then saying “men playing women’s sports and taking scholarships” has me asking how smart are you in terms of seeing a bigger picture? Have you ever stopped to asked how often that happens? Have you ever stepped back to consider hiw humans can show orhers who are different from them live and compassion in an effort to build connection?
My ethos starts with how do humans connect with each other and other organisms on the planet. When we stray from that and start acting in ways that create disconnection then we need to pause and ask ourselves how can we do things differently? Right now far too much of our society is focused on what’s best for me and who cares about everyone else.
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Suns_PSD
1 month ago
I'm not going to clog up this comment section giving you a thorough response to your point, except to say that you should google the facts about Lia Thomas to get some actual facts about an admittedly extreme case. Or some of the Trans-women, that are mediocre middle aged male athletes that have shown up in cycling and absolutely dominated the top female athletes at their peak causing many of them, to just retire. Penis in place and all.
My own child identifies as Trans, I'm not anti-Trans. But I am Pro-women's sports, and I find it amazing that white men (trans women athletes are almost exclusively white men, just another example of 'white privilege' and I truly doubt if it was black men stealing opportunities from women in mass, it would be as widely accepted) have found yet another way to denigrate actual women in one of the few zones that they had to themselves. The irony that this has become a Liberal calling card, is not lost on me.
Generally, I would not care except in the context of women's rights (as I consider myself a feminist) and the recent US election; only Liberals could be so over the top insane with many of their policies that they actually made DJT look, well, sane. So good job Liberals swaying racial minorities, women, Muslims & the youth to choose DJT over whacky liberal policies. Seriously, good fucking job.
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Mark
1 month ago
It's always possible to find extreme/fringe cases on any issue, but it's faulty to try and hold them up as typical or the norm. Likewise I don't doubt there are non-trans persons taking advantage of the situation, but that doesn't mean we should use that as justification for excluding people who are legitimately trans from participating in sport. The onus should be on organizations to establish rules and policies that work instead of taking the reverse option of just banning trans participation altogether.
Some of the strongest advocates for trans rights have been black. Yes typically white people are more likely to identify as trans, and privilege plays into that, but I feel not in the manner you seem to be hinting at. However, black or white, being trans is not widely accepted. You may see it as a liberal/left calling card, but part of core liberal/left values are standing up for people society discriminates against. Were the liberal policies/ideas of gay rights considered whacky when they first appeared. What about now? And what are all these whacky liberal policies that you seem to think drove all these minorities to Trump? The data says the main shifts towards Trump were mainly among male voters (misogyny?) and mostly with Hispanic men (49% Harris, 50% Trump), as Harris still won overwhelmingly with black men (71% Harris, 24%).
I'm sure you're aware of this but the bulk of the pushback against LGBTQ+ rights and freedoms comes from the right, particularly the religious right, and those with lower levels of education. I can maybe agree that maybe those advocating for trans rights haven't carried this out the push in the most effective manner in some circumstances, but considering the hate and threat to life they face I think we (society) need to give them some space. I'd say the same thing for any group that is not part of the dominant society (white, christian, male). I feel that using the fringe cases as pushback against the trans rights movements is a trap designed to split reasonable people away from the idea that being trans is a legitimate thing and that trans people are entitled to the same rights and freedoms as everyone else.
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Mark
1 month ago
@Suns_PSD, one other thing that's important to note is that as a percentage of their population, persons of colour identify as trans at a higher rate than white people. So while it's true that black people for example represent a smaller percentage of the total population of the trans community than white people, they seem to be more open to identifying as trans than white people. That doesn't support your argument of privilege as you stated it.
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Curveball
3 weeks, 5 days ago
The trans thing is a smokescreen that being used to rile up the electorate on both sides and drive more division.
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Mark
3 weeks, 5 days ago
Smokescreen? As in like what, that it's a fake narrative?
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Curveball
3 weeks, 5 days ago
No, it's not fake. I think it's being focused on to smokescreen over much bigger shit going on.
Mark
3 weeks, 3 days ago
@Curveball thanks for the clarification. I don't know if I'd agree with you fully WRT to a smokescreen on the left/Dems side of thing, but I also wouldn't dismiss that out of hand. My bias is in supporting LGBTQ+ rights and lacking a deep understanding of American politics.
Ned
1 month ago
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Shmarv
2 weeks, 2 days ago
Lacy, given how long this comment thread has grown, it's obviously a topic that's stirring many an emotion. I hear you -- you're not a fan of the cheetoh yourself, nor are the vast majority of your neighbors. I'm not going say my neighbours are wrong in the "anything but MUSA" sentiment, because I understand it. I instinctively feel it myself. But... it's complicated...
Nevertheless... while I won't be visiting any red states in the next 3.8692 years, I will try to catch up with my buddy in Lake Stevens, and hopefully finally go riding with him at Galbraith, Chuckanut, or Stevens Pass. And yes, while you were in Port Angeles, I was probably waving back in spirit from Mt. Quimper.
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C_Drago
1 month ago
How about that new Vala?
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Cam McRae
1 month ago
Pon, a family business founded and based in the Netherlands, owns Santa Cruz. The Santa Cruz office is in Santa Cruz, CA, a cool left-leaning town filled with many friendly mountain bikers and surfers,* and not the most appropriate target of our anger and frustration.
*at least they are friendly if you are out of the water
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C_Drago
1 month ago
Santa Cruz is my hometown, and I own a Vala. Was making a point that I come here to read great pieces about MTB, not politics. But I did make the move to B'ham, and I love my frequent trips to BC. And yes, the SC locals are more friendly out of the water than in.
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XXX_er
1 month ago (below threshold) log in to show
You realize everytime someone powers one of them things up a kitten dies, yer almost here !
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C_Drago
1 month ago
I'm more of a dog person.
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silverbansheebike
1 month ago
The "we didn't choose this" argument doesn't fly up here when it's land-back vs "settlers", it isn't going to fly with Americans.
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cursive_bearing
1 month ago
Americans don’t discriminate between people who support / don’t support leadership in any country they war in, bomb, or destabilize. I show no mercy here either.
All Americans are responsible for this chaos.
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Nick Meulemans
1 month ago
I didn't vote the cheeto, your "all Americans are bad" rhetoric is no better than the other assumptions you're blindly making - including how we feel our current foreign affairs.
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Shmarv
2 weeks, 2 days ago
Cmon now... I wasn't a fan of many of Harper's policies, and I wouldn't expect Americans to hold me responsible for them. Just like I may not be a fan of many of the things Trudeau has done, but again, you can't pin that on me.
Don't try to shame Americans who also hate Trump into feeling like they're to blame for the mess down south... I'd like to think my neighbours are better than that.
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MisterDan
1 month ago
The best sushi? How did I not know about this?
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Curveball
3 weeks, 5 days ago
This comment has been removed.
Curveball
3 weeks, 5 days ago
I think I've figured out that luckylegs is actually Sheriff Boomer. He, Honey, and their bar friends are plotting their invasion of Canada.
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cursive_bearing
1 month ago (below threshold)
All Americans are complicit. Even if you didn’t vote, or voted against it, you are still responsible. Your nation’s leader threatened my nations sovereignty. I will “never forget”.
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ackshunW
1 month ago
Well written piece, and a good way to spark some worthwhile dialogue. To the folks who label all Americans as complicit in this administration—- many of us tried and tried!! Cold comfort to a Canadian (or Mexican, or Greenlander, or Panamanian, or..), but I’ll say —- don’t underestimate the power of billionaire-controlled media with an agenda. Not far-fetched to say if Musk, Bezos, and Murdoch got a bee in their bonnet, any country’s next leader could be their moron puppet as well.
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Curveball
1 month ago
Please tell me how I'm responsible for this shitshow. What could/should I have done to prevent this?
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JK47
1 month ago (below threshold)
On behalf of all Canadians I hereby formally apologize for the Justin's, both Trudeau and Bieber...
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XXX_er
1 month ago
Sure JT is a goof but actualy the JT telling canadains there is something besides becoming an american 51st under harper means it was put off for 9 yrs
but yeah sorry for Bieber
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JK47
1 month ago
Huhhhh, Main and Hastings must be bustling today and the free wifi's bandwith is overloaded
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Merwinn
1 month ago
Use facts, we know you can. Try it, it's easy.
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JK47
1 month ago (below threshold)
Just lost a ton of respect for my hometown MTB site..
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Flatted-again
1 month ago
And I gained a lot of respect for it. Good job Lacy taking this on.
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JSW07
1 month ago (below threshold)
Let’s keep politics out of Mountain Biking ok? This is NOT the place to rally the troops for political opinion. I’m VERY disappointed to see this post on this site.
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Jotegir
1 month ago
Yeah, first they start posting ebike reviews, now this?? If this keeps up I might cancel my subscription. Vote with your wallets people!!
--------------
The "Keep politics out of my [activity/interest/hobby/event]" refrain is pretty funny from a group notoriously bad at both keeping politics out of various activities, interests, hobbies and events as well as identifying what is political and what isn't.
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David S
1 month ago
As a mountain biker that crosses the border often, this is a very reasonable place to post this. Sorry, but you don't get to recreate in a bubble.
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Cam McRae
1 month ago
Maybe you are new here JSW, but we have never shied away from controversial issues. It's one of the benefits of being independently owned; we can engage in any topic we want, in the manner we see fit, without a board to give us shit. (maybe next time we'll write a diss track)
I'm sorry you don't like it, but it will almost certainly happen again.
Nice work Lacy!
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cursive_bearing
1 month ago
Everything is politics and politics are everywhere.
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kfowler100
1 month ago (below threshold)
This is sad. Why is ok to spread this hate when you're on the left? Why such anger and vitriol toward people that have a different view point? The President has such a small bearing on your daily life. Choose to be the light not to buy into the darkness.
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Mike Ferrentino
1 month ago
"Spread this hate?"
Care to explain what you perceived as hateful in Lacy's piece? Okay, she used the word "regime" at one point, but going straight to hatemongering is a real stretch.
I just spent the past four years living in California, that bastion of libtard snowflake cucks, if you choose to align with certain media narratives, and EVERY DAY had to drive past massive flags that said "Trump 2024: Enough of this bullshit", and garage wall size banners that showed images of shirtless Rambo holding a machine gun, with Trump's head superimposed on it, saying "Time to take America back", or big "Let's go Brandon" flags. Or stickers of Joe Biden pasted to gas pumps next to the price with little speech bubbles that read "I did that."
Maybe not all conservatives are into name calling, but the narrative of the party that now controls the house, the senate, and the judiciary, has been one of division and, yep, hatred. And while I can empathize with the frustration of voters who feel that they have not been heard, I do not in any way think that things in the United States were anywhere near bad enough to warrant this kind of toxicity. But then again, this is the United States, and toxic is something we do real well.
I didn't read anger and vitriol in Lacy's piece. I read frustration and sadness that political maneuvering has caused a new rift, and created tensions and complexities in what used to be a more friendly existence across a border, between neighbors. I am writing this from Mexico, on the other side of the southern border. Maybe you are only seeing light at your end, but maybe you are in a well-insulated environment that is free from real world repercussions. Things are getting a bit messy in other places.
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Bikeryder85
1 month ago (below threshold) log in to show
Agree with some of your points Mike, but you have to see the hypocrisy in in that the Democrats have been doing the same name calling and using the same divisive vitrol that has (unfortunately) taken over BOTH parties.
It is extremely short sighted to see this as a right/left issue and not a degradation of society as a whole.
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Couch_Surfer
1 month ago
Bothsidesism is absurdly stupid.
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Mike Ferrentino
1 month ago
Not sure I agree with you on the balance of who does more name calling, but I will concede that the dems haven't exactly done any bridge building either. But I do blame the death of bipartisan work and across the aisle consideration on Newt Gingrich.
Pointing fingers and assigning blame is pretty useless at this point. Being better human beings and learning to listen to each other without reflexively going straight for the reductive binary of "my team is better than your team" would be a nice thing for us to collectively try to do. I'm not gonna hold my breath on that front.
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Bikeryder85
1 month ago
Mike, point to you...I appreciate your reply...I am also not holding my breath.
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Dave Tolnai
1 month ago
I mean...Kamala did talk about bridge building and appointing moderate Republicans. It didn't seem to matter.
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Bikeryder85
1 month ago (below threshold) log in to show
Talk is cheap, her record is certainly not one of bipartisanship. The Democrats could have (and both sides should have) done much better.
I fear our choices will only get worse without major societal change.
Hawkinsdad
1 month ago
Lacy, thanks for your courageous and timely post. As a Canadian, I admit that I easily get angered and uncontrollably profane with the divisive and insulting daily rants from the orange criminal buffoon and his soulless sycophants. I'm more than dismayed that this travesty was allowed to happen. Trip to Hawaii is off. For now. I am buying Canadian wherever I can. My partner was born in California and has deep roots there. I am not anti-American. We all need to vote, to protest, and to hold our elected leaders to account and to uphold the law. The Democrats withered and are out of touch with working stiffs. The American people who didn't vote or who chose Trump will have a reckoning. My glimmer of hope is that mountain biking brings people of all stripes together. Most mountain bikers are helpful, friendly, and cooperative, regardless of nationality, age, gender, ability, culture, etc. I will happily buy an American rider a cold craft BC beer. Just don't mention the 51rst state bullshit, the benefits of tariffs, or promulgate any of the hatred spewed by MAGA to me or we're done conversing. Once the tariffs have put the U.S. into recession and average people can't access longstanding government programs, perhaps we'll see the inevitable blowback and the pendulum swing to some political sanity.
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Curveball
1 month ago
No way that you're going to buy me a cold craft BC beer. I'll buy you the BC beer!
Graham Mattingly
1 month ago
We do not have to see the hypocrisy. Instead, we see this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox_of_tolerance
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JT
1 month ago
What got us here in the first damn place.
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araz
1 month ago
People in my life are losing access to medical treatments, are terrified of being hassled by ICE, are not sure if their government jobs are going to hold -- I don't know how they are supposed to "choose the light." If you don't think there are real life consequences to what this convicted felon and rapist is doing to the country, then I don't know what reality you're living in.
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Bikeryder85
1 month ago (below threshold) log in to show
Not against the article, and not sure I'd label it hate....but to answer your question...the general problem with the left is that they can't see their Stalin for the right's Hitler....but alas we as a society have lost our ability to have civil discourse
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Mike Ferrentino
1 month ago
My general problem with the perception of "the left" in the US these days is that it is about in line with Reagan era Republican policies... The Liberal Threat sure doesn't seem very liberal, or very threatening to me. At least I share that sentiment with the conservatives - I am also disappointed in the left.
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Bikeryder85
1 month ago (below threshold) log in to show
That's the problem with the Stalin thinking, it's more of a slow boil to death ideology vs the bravado of Hitler's nationalism...but make no mistake, they both have the same end.
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Dave Tolnai
1 month ago
Who do you view as the current "Stalin" of the left?
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Bikeryder85
1 month ago (below threshold) log in to show
It's really the natural end of the entire political philosophy.... America is no different than Spain in the lead up to WW2 sadly. Socialism lead to death, Nazism leads to death, we are doomed to repeat history it appears.
Jotegir
1 month ago
@Bikeryder85
Ok I'll bite. What do you think happened in Spain in the lead up to WW2 and what was the result?
Graham Mattingly
1 month ago
You'd probably have to look outside North America to find this. Stalin, like some of the more right-leaning autocrats mentioned, rose to power and destroyed the mechanism that could oust him. He also used the government to persecute perceived enemies, both as groups and individually. Right now there's one politician whose behavior patterns resemble Stalin's overwhelmingly more than any other, regardless of their claimed political leanings, and unfortunately my countrymen elected him to high office.
When someone is dismantling their government, I think the ideology becomes less salient, as it will not matter if that person is successful. The outcomes seem about the same, from a historical perspective.
Pete Roggeman
1 month ago
I can certainly agree there is a theoretical line that is 'too far left' but I do not see Stalin standing guard there. That's a fictional headline-maker. Democratic actions have not signalled Stalin's methods or MO, whereas it's all too easy to draw parallels between the decline of the GOP's method of governance and what their party leader and admin is up to now.
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HeyBaumeister
1 month ago
"Socialism lead to death" - perfect example of how propagandized you Americans are. Unbelievable. You might want to read some history books because there was nothing "socialist" about what Hitler and the Nazis did. Signed, a German
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Nick Meulemans
1 month ago
Funny how you spelled, "American Republican";
Please don't clump us all together with them, please - I didn't vote for the cheeto (along with the other 75M people who chose to be on the correct side of history)
Signed, an American
shapethings
1 month ago
Agree with Mike, today's Democrats are just Reagan conservatives. One (very small) perk of being old is that you have a wider pool of memories to pull from. Republicans and Democrats are two sides to the same coin with different surface packaging and the same paymaster class. "Resist!" Give me a f-ing break. That spineless worm Jeffries and Dem leadership was out here last week begging Silicon Valley donors for money and how best they can appease them.
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JT
1 month ago
My problems are 1. folx who equate Stalin=Left. Stalin was a communist dictator. He ditched his socialist leanings for absolute control right before WW2 and cemented his control during the war. 2. Spain prior to WW2 was run by Franco, a Fascist, not a socialist, until his death in the 70s at which time Spain transitioned into a democracy.
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Mike Ferrentino
1 month ago
I used to shoot guns with my neighbors, who were all pretty far right in their politics. When I first met the larger group of ranchers and cowboys and heavy equipment operators at the gun range on one of the ranches, my nearest neighbor Fenwick introduced me as "the communist." He followed that up with "but he's more of a Marxist than a Stalinist." Nobody but Fenwick and I got it, and the nickname stuck. Most of the neighbors stopped being too dickish when they realized that the barefoot hippie with the girly gun was a pretty good shot and willing to share his beer.
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JT
1 month ago
There's usually one that has read more than a few books of differing opinion to their own. And that's a positive. In some circles having an understanding of how to operate firearms is surprising in how it quells suspicion and encourages conversation. It somehow takes the sting out of telling someone they're fuckin crazy in a way few things can.
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Mike Ferrentino
1 month ago
The saying in our neighborhood was; "We don't argue too much out here. We all have guns and backhoes." Could be seen as a threat, or a statement of fact. People were generally very polite with each other as a result.
The irony being that in spite of our deep, deep political differences, we all got along very well, respected each other as humans, had each others backs in a way that I have never really encountered before. AND with the added bonus of local pork and venison year round (traded for my tomatoes and peppers) as well as never really having to pay much for trenching work.
4Runner1
1 month ago (below threshold) log in to show
Keep burying your head in the sand.
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Pete Roggeman
1 month ago
Why is it hate when someone challenges ideas with calm rhetoric, and 'free speech' when rhetoric appears calm, but is actually challenging people to hurt others using thinly veiled methods?
Every president's actions reverberate to people outside the US. Good presidents recognize that power and seek to improve the world around them. This president seeks only to improve his own world, with no regard for the world around him.
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Ben Pye
1 month ago
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Cooper Quinn
1 month ago
"The President has such a small bearing on your daily life."
Tell that to trangender Americans and see what the response is.
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mnihiser
1 month ago
He's trying to dismantle the NLRB. That could potentially harm anyone who has a job.
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Bikeryder85
1 month ago
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Dave Tolnai
1 month ago
Oof.
I think you need to go talk to some actual people and stop believing everything you read on the internet.
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Bikeryder85
1 month ago (below threshold) log in to show
Agree to disagree there, but I digress ...not the place for this, hence the removal of my comment.
My focus is more on political philosophies and how demonizing either view, or being wholly dissmisive (as you just were) is not helpful.
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Dave Tolnai
1 month ago
You spouted transphobic nonsense. I challenged it. If that's dismissive, okay, sure.
Bikeryder85
1 month ago (below threshold) log in to show
Removed my comment as this is not the place for that discussion.
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Tim Coleman
1 month ago
Or any transgender person with a Gender X passport who can no longer enter the US due to Trump's executive order signed a few weeks ago.
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Merwinn
1 month ago
The Right must be exhausted from all the self-manufactured fear mongering around trans people.
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Todd Hellinga
1 month ago
they're exhausted from the fear mongering about EVERYTHING
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bishopsmike
1 month ago
"The President has such a small bearing on your daily life."
Really? Tell that to anyone who was recently shackled and flown to a foreign country, to anyone who uses products that are made with steel or aluminum, or to any Canadian who just saw billions of their tax dollars (that could have been used for healthcare, housing, food programs) get dedicated to dumb-ass Blackhawk helicopters patrolling the border.
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Curveball
1 month ago
Or a president making threats against your best friends to the north.
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Mark
1 month ago
For kfowler100, Bikeryder85 and others with the same thoughts you are unfortunately missing a critical element in the left/right or lib/con debate. Many right side policies and ideologies either have direct negative consequences to minorities and marginalized peoples or they work to uphold the inequities that in some cases have existed for hundreds of years. So when one group's ideologies are a threat to "life and liberty" then you have to expect that there is going to be significant pushback. There is a big difference between what the right is being hateful about and how the left is reacting with hate to oppression they feel and live with from the right. You're drawing a false equivalency with what you're trying to say.
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