Should Canada Be Preparing for a Destabilized USA?

[Traveling Band]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I mean, Corporate America is still pissed that their holdings on the island were seized by Castro in 1959, but Corporate America is not exactly a credible human rights watchdog.

I don't see how this has anything to do with francophones ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[OutOfTowner]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I have to say I do find the consumerism and corporatism in the U.S. a bit over the top when I am down there.

Thank god there's none of that here in Canada!

[The Macallan]

I think it is simple minded to be willing to see only one side of life in Cuba. There were remarkable improvements in health care and education for the Cuban people, especially the poor, because of the Revolution. Moreover, nobody should romanticize the Batista regime which preceded Castro. Even the victims of repression I met acknowledged the accomplishments.

But it would also be blind not to recgnize the violence and repression that took place. Moreover, the economic model was unsustainable once the subsidies from the old USSR disappeared.

By the way, a very prominent leader said privately to our group that Raul Castr was better to deal with than Fidel. Times are changing for sure

[Stryker]

Originally Posted by OutOfTowner

Keep in mind that, due to your unlimited access to toilet paper, you have the feeedom to take a dump AFTER you shower!

TRue story in many countries that we take in immigrants from, using your hand is the norm.


Keep that in mind next time you wonder what the difference in sanitation standards mean.

[Stryker]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I have to say I do find the consumerism and corporatism in the U.S. a bit over the top when I am down there.

It puts me in a frame of mind that reminds me of the subtext to Dr. Strangelove: "Acajack, you just need to stop worrying and love the bomb".

Yeah well I absolutely despise corporatism which is exactly why i give trump credit as a trail blazer. Even if its slash and burn tactics.

[Stryker]

Originally Posted by Aylmer

I agree. It's definitely not perfect, but growing up in Canada, I've never had to worry about sepsis or famine, unlike like 99% of humans throughout history. Even a lot of the less desirable elements of our social-capitalist system (wastefulness, unsustainability, stress, etc.) could be fixed within the current system.

Things could be better, but in the grand scheme of human history, we'd do well to remember that things are pretty damn good.

This is a product of technological advancement, not automatically capitalism.

Capitalism is also the biggest cause of famine.

There a strong held belief by many that socialism means anti technology or luddite populism, which it often is.

The reality is most of our history of communism goes directly along side extreme warfare and or some form of populism/luddite beliefs.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by OutOfTowner

Thank god there's none of that here in Canada!

Yeah. Canada would rank 8 out of 10 on this front, but the U.S. is like 12 out of 10.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Traveling Band

I don't see how this has anything to do with francophones ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I love it how every time I start to let my guard down and think that I might have it wrong, guys like you come of the woodwork to prove me right!

[OutOfTowner]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Yeah. Canada would rank 8 out of 10 on this front, but the U.S. is like 12 out of 10.

The U.S. is 10, we're around 9.5, the next closest nation is maybe 6.

It's funny how Canadians define themselves as being 'not American' yet we're almost more American than Americans are themselves!

Why is it so easy for us to stand in for the U.S. in movies? Just change the flags and mailboxes et voila! Same stores, same fast food joints - all American. It's so easy!

Canadians are loathe to talk about this.

[jmt18325]

Yet here you are, talking about it. Funny that.

Seriously - yes, Canada and the US are similar. They (largely) share a history, a language, and a geographic space. They also share a cultural space. They are also different from eachother (and within eacother, but that's for another thread). It's easy to spot the differences. If they didn't exist, we wouldn't exist at this point in history.

[OutOfTowner]

Just to add to that last bit:

Think if we were to make a Canadian move in the U.S. (I know, hilarious proposition! We don't even make Canadian movies in Canada - other than in QC) We too would only have to change the flags and the mail boxes, throw a CG Tim Horton's in somewhere and.. Any Canadian city! All the American stuff would be just like here, no need to change anything! We're all-American! North AMERICAN monoculture woo hoo!

We're awesome.

[OutOfTowner]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

Yet here you are, talking about it. Funny that.

Seriously - yes, Canada and the US are similar. They (largely) share a history, a language, and a geographic space. They also share a cultural space. They are also different from eachother (and within eacother, but that's for another thread). It's easy to spot the differences. If they didn't exist, we wouldn't exist at this point in history.

Yeah, well I've brought it up at least 20 times and you're the first one to have ever addressed the issue - in your strange little 'not really addressing the issue' way.

But I'll take what I can get.

What do you think about our 1,500 MacDonalds, 1,4000 Starbucks, 400 Walmarts, 100 Costcos? etc.,etc.,etc.,... more than anywhere else in the world, including - in many cases, the United States itself!

Sticking a little maple leaf in their sign somewhere.. does that make you proud?

[jmt18325]

A country and shared culture is far more than retail and fast food. McDonald's and Subway are pervasive throughout the world, after all.

There are still rather significant differences, as Macleans illustrated in 2013 (ignore the better than bs, I'm more interested in the contrasts):

http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/9...o-be-canadian/

[Stryker]

Originally Posted by OutOfTowner

Yeah, well I've brought it up at least 20 times and you're the first one to have ever addressed the issue - in your strange little 'not really addressing the issue' way.

But I'll take what I can get.

What do you think about our 1,500 MacDonalds, 1,4000 Starbucks, 400 Walmarts, 100 Costcos? etc.,etc.,etc.,... more than anywhere else in the world, including - in many cases, the United States itself!

Sticking a little maple leaf in their sign somewhere.. does that make you proud?

Canada to me means the federated states of america.

I take pride in being in the federation versus the union.

That really all there is to it.

[ue]

Originally Posted by OutOfTowner

Just to add to that last bit:

Think if we were to make a Canadian move in the U.S. (I know, hilarious proposition! We don't even make Canadian movies in Canada - other than in QC) We too would only have to change the flags and the mail boxes, throw a CG Tim Horton's in somewhere and.. Any Canadian city! All the American stuff would be just like here, no need to change anything! We're all-American! North AMERICAN monoculture woo hoo!

We're awesome.

I don't think it's quite that simple. There are differences in vernacular between the two countries. Something like the Chateau Frontenac doesn't really exist in the US and the 1920s skyscrapers which are dime a dozen down south are rare here. Eastern US suburbs tend to be more sprawling, in wooded areas. Big box stores tend to be more gargantuan. Historical grandeur is more apparent, though so is the decay. Condos and homes often take on subtly different forms in the US and Canada. Our differences, though nuanced, cannot simply be summed up as Tim Hortons.

That's not to say that we aren't extremely similar. We are. But as jmt noted, if there weren't differences, Canada wouldn't exist. Canada gives off a different vibe that is sort of like an alternate universe or slightly off kilter USA. There are little things you notice that make you aware that this isn't just the 51st state. I'm aware of it every time I cross the border.

[OutOfTowner]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

A country and shared culture is far more than retail and fast food. McDonald's and Subway are pervasive throughout the world, after all.

There are still rather significant differences, as Macleans illustrated in 2013 (ignore the better than bs, I'm more interested in the contrasts):

http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/9...o-be-canadian/

Well there's pervasive and then there's PERVASIVE!!

But I agree. More than just retail and fast food.

But what if you throw in movies, TV, media.. all the morning water cooler talk? What if that is 99% North AMERICAN?

Does that make you proud?

[Stryker]

I think this is relavant as it seems to me this really is a issue.

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.b644fe722f03

Smart move the longer the left keep up this temper tantrum the longer its gonna take for them to get ready for an actual election.

People are gonna burn out from all the whining at some point.

The left are sounding more and more like the worst losers in the history of competition.

Trump is a very easy candidate to beat in a reelection and I fear the democrats have already sunk their chances.


Trumps whole campaign was based around "Fuck em all to death" and he still won.

It reminds me quite ironically of a louis ck joke.



Maybe if you loose against someone who is truly not likeable, is hated by members of his own party, is "unstable", and lacked a large degree of funds your entire parties might be running on a pile of shit.

Seriously there's talk that Hilary might make a third attempt to become president.

[jmt18325]

Originally Posted by OutOfTowner

Well there's pervasive and then there's PERVASIVE!!

But I agree. More than just retail and fast food.

But what if you throw in movies, TV, media.. all the morning water cooler talk? What if that is 99% North AMERICAN?

If you threw all of that in you'd actually be wrong. Canadians have similar in some ways and yet very disparate cultural choices from most Americans. The talk would be similar as would the habits - they wouldn't be the same.

[ssiguy]

The US is NOT destabilizing in anyway, shape, or form. The Republicans have the Presidency, Senate, and Congress so if anything the US has, politically at least, become more stable. Just because the Democrats still can't handle the fact they lost the election or that the left-wing {and yes the vast majority of MSM is left leaning} media got everything wrong on their election predictions or what THEY believed the American people thought does not mean the country is destabilizing. There is certainly a huge division in the US right now be it political, social, or economic but that division would be just as large if Hillary had won.

Is Trump a buffoon?.........yes but Trump is not the US government nor does he represent all Republicans and in the US, unlike dictatorial Canada, the members of the Senate & House can vote as they please and vote in a way that reflects the views of their constituents and not the political party.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

There is certainly a huge division in the US right now be it political, social, or economic but that division would be just as large if Hillary had won.

This times several million. Although a more diplomatic speaker might be able to quiet some of the channels of screaming. Although I would add that Trump is close to making it seem like going against him is a ruinous path for one's career at this point. I'm not sure, but someone should be able to run with this and probably win the greatest margin of victory in any presidential election ever. Even in rigged elections in banana states.

But America doesn't seem like an overly rational place right now on either side.