Mr. Wildmouth or Mrs. Crooked

I try not to discuss politics in too much detail when I write these columns, because I firmly believe that everyone’s opinion matters, and we should all be entitled to have one. The election south of the border, however, has taken an irregular step away from politics, and has entered the entertainment circus, therefore offering a new perspective on reporting.

I am grateful for living in Canada, where I can comment on the absurdity of what is happening below the 49th, without having to actually vote. I have never been a Bohemian Liberal and have always appreciated the opportunity to live in a democratic country, where socialism is kept at bay and capitalism still flourishes. This deep-rooted ideal tears me in half, when looking at the current candidates running for President of the US.

First off, any promises made by candidates should be taken with a grain of salt. Election assurances are seldom followed through. I recall vividly Chrétien’s promise to eliminate the GST once elected, but alas, he couldn’t do it. McGuinty and his progeny broke so many promises that it became blatant deceitfulness. The end result, of course, is an increase in taxes or decrease in services.

Let’s eliminate a few of the ludicrous ideals being broadcast and see if we can get to the root of the situation. Let’s assume the US will not build a wall, as the Donald says, and they will not give amnesty to every felon accused of a crime, as Mrs. Clinton suggests, but let us look at what goes into the makeup of these candidates.

There is no doubt in my mind that Donald has difficulty controlling his innuendos, and on a global stage that could bring some major issues. Hillary, of course, tends to lie and deceive the public with constant wrongdoings, which continue to surface.

Yes, I admit, the Donald, although he has gone bankrupt several times, has been able to amass four and a half billion dollars, without having been caught doing anything illegal. Hillary, who has a lifetime of political training, seems to get caught constantly. Her latest enigma is the Clinton Foundation, which has been accused and convicted of granting favours for contributions. It has to be obvious that the Foundation has one purpose, and that is to ensure Chelsea can become president. Bill, although he won’t be around at the time, desperately wants three or maybe four Clintons to run the country.

I heard an interesting comment on the news last week, which stated that if Trump is elected, he will ruin America. If Clinton is elected, she will ruin the world. It doesn’t matter who you think should win, but the sheer thought of the future under either of these so called leaders, is extremely frightening. The US is more than 20 trillion dollars in debt; a staggering number that I have difficulty fathoming. It has risen significantly in the past six years because of annual deficits, and a fear of government to slam down the hammer.

Canada, on the other hand, has been conservative in its spending, keeping our debt to a minimum 1.3 trillion, which is only $17,000 per person, instead of the $65,000 south of the border. I am not an analyst, but I don’t understand how this can possibly continue.

Governments need to take responsibility for their actions, instead of laying blame and only worrying about the next term. We (both Canada and the US) are heading for another major housing crisis. In fact, the economies of both countries are in a critical position where millions of dollars of debt has been amassed through mortgages, the majority of which have staggeringly low equity. We are now in a position where the Feds cannot allow interest rates to go up, as it would cripple the economy, much worse than it did 8 years ago. Low interest rates means low investment, which will lead to a downward trend in the economy, which none of us really want.

So who to vote for? Both the negatives of each candidate are so high that neither should run the country. My hope is that enough conservatives lean away from Donald and vote for Hillary, however, Congress has to remain republican. That way, very little will be accomplished and very little damage will be done. Clinton can only run one term, as she will be too old to run for re-election in 2020. Maybe by then a new, more responsible leader will have surfaced, providing we are all still here.

I am grateful that Canadians do not share in the seemingly unimportant issues facing other governments, allowing us to focus on what really matters: the legalization of marijuana.