POORER, SICKER, DUMBER

What the hell is going on in the USA?

Let’s get one thing clear.

I love the USA.
I know it’s not cool to say that currently, but I do.

As a proud Canadian — as I’ve said many times before — going to the USA is like going to Disney World.
It’s fun, it’s larger than life, and I’m always happy to leave.

There is a can-do attitude that is evident in most Americans.
A hustle that is very much a US trait.
Probably because of the lack of universal healthcare and good social safety nets, you know, a real sink or swim vibe that looks noble if you only pay attention to the ones who haven’t drowned.

Which brings me to my main thought here…

Why does the US’s current government want to make Americans poorer, sicker, and dumber?

A global tariff war will damage everyone involved.
The key word there being ‘everyone’, meaning Americans too. Probably the most.
And by damage, of course, I mean make poorer.

Toying with anti-vax sentiment is going to lead to more sick people.
Kids will needlessly suffer.
Americans will get sicker.

Attempting to scuttle the Department of Education?
I mean, if you’re reading this I’m going to assume that you know that means Americans will just get dumber.
(Maybe we should do a version of this essay with finger puppets.)

I don’t get it.

Soften the USA up for Russia?
Maybe… but why would American oligarchs invite the competition from Russian oligarchs who have decades more experience and a real lock on the shoddy window installation market?

Personal Enrichment?
Maybe… but when you destroy a market you’re left with a finite, if not dwindling, pile of cash.
There’s less to own each day because the people who will give you money are poorer, sicker, and dumber every day.

I have a theory.

They’re stupid.
Stupid people think they don’t need smart people to run things.
So they get rid of the smart people and are shocked to find out that running things effectively, smoothly, and well is really quite boring and you kinda need to be smart.

You’d think a global market would welcome the demise of the USA.
Think of all that money and power slipping out of their sick, poor, dumb hands.

But no.

America is like a big fancy house on your block.
They won’t shut up about how exceptional it is.
A claim that could be argued but *sigh*.
If that house catches fire there’s a brief moment of schadenfreude amongst the neighbours who are tired of the braggadocios pontificating about how much better it is than the other houses… followed immediately by worry…. you know, because there’s a huge house on fire on your block that might just spread to your own house.

As annoying as some/most/all (you pick) Americans are, it doesn’t benefit the world for them to get poorer, sicker, and dumber.

As a friend and relative to many Americans, I want them to get wealthier, healthier, and smarter.

Over the past few weeks I’ve run through a gamut of emotions.
I was fearful when Trump started his annexation of Canada talk.
I still take that very seriously but I’m no longer fearful.
In the same way I don’t fear when North Korea’s Kim Jong Un utters threats of war.
Both dudes are nuts.

I now feel, as a calmer version of myself from last autumn predicted, I can see the wheels coming off this mad desire to drive the USA into the ground.

Will it be totally okay?
No.
Will it be catastrophic?
I feel optimistic that it won’t be.

To paraphrase myself, as long as someone smart grabs the wheel, we’ll all be okay.

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