OPINION: Happy birthday, America. Shall we talk?

My friend Glenn from Seattle sent a group email to some of his Canadian pals on Canada Day.

“Raising a glass to all my Canadian friends from below the 49th parallel,” he wrote. “Y’know, I used to live in a great country, too.”

Glenn seemed so wistful. So, I wrote back assuring him he still lived in a great country. It’s just that most of us Canadians had a bit of a problem with his president. Except I may have expressed that a little more forcefully. And maybe with a touch of profanity too.

Glenn appreciated that but added that he was still having a lot of trouble reconciling the fact that so many of his fellow Americans returned Trump to the Oval Office, despite experiencing his first term a decade ago. I let the issue drop at that point but did have more questions. Were Americans really that enamoured with Trump when they re-elected him? I know many people who voted for Trump. I’m not sure I know any who say they actually like him or think he’s a role model for anything. But they voted for him anyway because they thought the Democrats were worse — they perceived the party as too focused on identity politics and wokeism, with too little focus on people who didn’t have university degrees.

Take that for what you will.  

Having seen America celebrate its 250th birthday this past weekend, many of us on this side of the border are wondering whether our […] This is an excerpt. Read the full article at TVO.org.