Through The Looking Glass: A Canadian’s Take On The 2020 American Elections

And subsequent impeachment trial

Much has been said and continues to be said about the 2020 American elections. It was a hot mess of drama, suspense, spectacle and in true American fashion, concluded with a happy ending; for 51.3% of the American population that is.

I was one of many Canadians who literally lived and breathed these elections for the better part of 4 days, alternating between CNN and Fox News to get a balanced view. As the drama unfolded, the question that kept popping up in my mind was: Are we witnessing the demise of the American empire? To a Canadian, it would appear that information bubbles and the corrosive effects of money in the electoral process (and media), have eroded the capacity for American introspection and sapped any desire for profound and meaningful change. One merely has to question the relevance of the Electoral College, gerrymandering of districts, or examine the opaque areas in the Constitution to conclude that changes to the various American institutions of government would be beneficial if not, essential. Empires do not spontaneously implode but rather erode over time as the institutions upon which they are built crumble.

We can all agree that the Trump experiment provided an unnerving stress test for American institutions and for those who would boast that the institutions held up, I would argue that they were also, considerably diminished. The future of America is murkier; a victim possibly of its own sacrosanct freedom.

Ironically, the very virtues of freedom and individuality which America has espoused and symbolized may be its undoing if they are used as justifications for deregulation. One merely has to look to China and its head-spinning ascension to world superpower to consider the “effectiveness” of a quasi-absolute control of institutions and its people. That being said, in no way should China’s methods be endorsed or condoned as they have come at a great cost to many, and the ultimate outcome still unclear.

The question then becomes: Is there a better way? The answer may be: the Canadian way, eh? Canada enjoys a multi-party system with checks and balances guiding its institutions (money in the electoral process is controlled), which allows long term party rule if a majority of the Canadian people agree. Naturally, our Canadian parliamentary system is not immune to corruption and influence but I would argue that the system itself can better resist the temptations to drift in the wrong directions.

To many Canadians, America is the big brother we love to hate. Bold, brash, inventive, and ostentatious but those qualities can also have a dark side if left unchecked. And while it is easy for some Americans to dismiss Canada as a small, meek country, it would be in America’s interest to learn a thing or two from us Canadians because we are worried. We worry that America, the land of the free, is less so; a prisoner of its intelligence agencies, information bubbles, and actual prisons (the US has the highest incarceration rates in the world).

The 2nd Impeachment Trial

As if the 2020 elections were not enough, we were treated to an encore in the form of a 2nd Trump impeachment trial. Following the jaw-dropping events that unfolded on January 6th, 2021, many believed this would be the end of Trumpism. Apparently not. What was painfully clear to some was not so clear to others and Trump was acquitted (the Senate falling short of the 2/3 majority necessary to impeach). Apparently, some still have an appetite for Trump.

So to the question: Is the American empire weakening? Given the evidence of the 2020 elections and the events that ensued, I would be inclined to say yes. It is difficult to see how the American people and their political class will come together to become stronger. President-elect Joe Biden has offered a more unifying and coherent message which seemed to resonate across the political spectrum. Will momentum build or be thwarted by ideology and partisanship? As we wait to exhale, we hope the next couple of years in Washington will be more interesting than entertaining.

Politically yours.