Saturday, February 20, 2021

A Little Easier

 


Yesterday, the G7 nations held a virtual summit. Susan Delacourt writes:

It was only 14 or so months ago that Justin Trudeau, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron were caught on camera at a NATO summit reception, appearing to have some fun at Trump’s expense.

Joe Biden, Trump’s successor, enjoyed that moment so much that he put it in one of his campaign videos. “We need a leader the world respects,” proclaimed the ad. He promised to be that leader.

The world changed during the Trump years -- something Biden stressed in his remarks at the summit:

“The challenges we face today are different. We’re at an inflection point,” the new president said. “We are in the midst of a fundamental debate about the future and direction of our world. We’re at an inflection point between those who argue that, given all the challenges we face — from the fourth Industrial Revolution to a global pandemic — that autocracy is the best way forward, they argue, and those who understand that democracy is essential — essential to meeting those challenges.”

The problems we face are not any easier to solve than they were during Trump's tenure. But, with Trump sulking in Mar-a-Lago instead of the White House, it may be a little easier to craft solutions to them.

Image: The Toronto Star

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

The US will never again be able to take the lead in world affairs the way it did. It can not longer be trusted, if it ever could, to do act intelligently in the world's interest or even its own. The Biden administration is one dead senator away from being unable to get anything done. And who can guarantee that in three years the country won't elect the next corrupt and incompetent Republican president who will overturn any good that was accomplished?

More importantly, US ideas are archaic and obsolete, and have been proven bad in practice. Its vaunted system of constitutional checks and balances is unable to constrain an authoritarian president and leads to legislative paralysis. Its reliance on unbridled free-market capitalism as the solution to all problems has been disastrous, resulting in obscene wealth inequality, the destruction of the middle class, and, unique among developed countries, declining life expectancy. Its championing of extended patent protections and unwillingness to break up monopolies stifles innovation and leads to rent-seeking. Its commitment to freedom has become nothing more than the freedumb to have ignorant, archaic, conspiratorial and racist ideas validated, rather than the freedom to pursue happiness in a society that provides decent and affordable healthcare, childcare, education and retirement for all.

The US is a failing state. As an effective oligarchy, it will not be democracy's champion, regardless of what Biden might promise.

Cap

Owen Gray said...

You might be right, Cap. But I hope that Biden is the man for the moment.

jrkrideau said...

it may be a little easier to craft solutions to them.

Well, in many ways Trump's departure is a blessing but given Biden's record in the US Senate and as US Vice-President I am not particularly encouraged on the international front. It looks like he and his advisors are making some (minor?) changes internally that should help the population a bit. Any hint of sanity at the federal level in dealing with the pandemic is to be welcomed.

We may not be quite as exposed to mad decrees from the White House which is probably better for Canada, at least in the short run, but I am not seeing any indication of an overall improvement in US behaviour in the world.

A return to the Paris Accord and WHO plus some advance on a New Start Treaty extension are nice but a bit trivial. What seems to be unreasonable demands on Iran for the US to rejoin the JCPOA is not encouraging. At last report, the USA is constructing a new military base in Syria.

Biden's major cabinet, etc., appointments---I can never tell who is what in US appointments---seem more or less a matter of digging out a dubious bunch of Obama retreads[1]. It suggests a continuance of crazy opposition to China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria, Venezuela and I am sure I am missing a mob of other countries. US foreign policy continues to be a case of "Well, that did not work, let's try it again".


[1] Admittedly not as horrible as some of Trump's resuscitations from earlier Republication administrations

jrkrideau said...


@ Anon 10:49 am (Cap)

it will not be democracy's champion
I have been racking my brains---well slightly--- and trying to recall when, in the last 6o or 70 years, the USA has championed democracy and failing.

Owen Gray said...

The American Empire wants to re-establish itself, jrk. But, as Biden says, the world has changed. The Pax American is a thing of the past. His job will be to navigate his country's altered circumstances.

Owen Gray said...

That arc began with the Vietnam War, jrk. The United States has never recovered from that experience.

jrkrideau said...

That arc began with the Vietnam War

I'd argue earlier. Maybe back to 1785 but in my 60--70 time period, the 1953 Iranian coup d'état, that overthrew Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh stands out.

Owen Gray said...

That's an interesting suggestion, jrk. Failed CIA operations have had a lot to do with failed American policies.

The Disaffected Lib said...

You can go back well before Mossadegh. The US helped topple the government of Syria in 1949 and nudged Farouk out of Egypt in 52. Arbenz was given the boot in 53 and they tried but failed to dispatch Sukarno in 58.

After that the US has meddled in Lebanon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic (at least twice), Haiti, Br. Guyana; South Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia; Chile 63-73, Iraq (Kurds 72-75), Afghanistan during Soviet occupation, Nicaragua, el Salvador, Panama and Grenada, followed by the perma-wars post 9/11.

That's an awful lot of "carrier deck democracy" Owen since the defeat of the Axis powers. And there's much, much more over the century prior to the outbreak of WWII. Since its founding the US has been at peace just 17 years.

Owen Gray said...

They call it Manifest Destiny down there, Mound. The United States has a messianic mission to mold the world in its self-image.

Trailblazer said...

The United States has a messianic mission to mold the world in its self-image.

About a year go I listened to Rush Limbaugh praising the 'virtues' of the USA on the world scene.
He said that it would do the world good to have McDonald's etc in every city of the world.
Such is the mindset of Americans and other nationalistic nations.

TB


the salamander said...

.. I was fortunate to see a fair bit of the USA via freelance photography.. A Canadian with camera gear & the Maple Leaf was a gold standard passport back in the day. But realistically I was shooting Tourism, Hospitality.. and thus Americans putting their best foot forward, their brightest smiles. As a very young prolific reader from age 3 or so.. I knew much of the historic lore - the glamorous or the valiant, the nice n shiny stuff with bits of the 'tar baby', dust bowl, Jim Crow. So yes I had a vision of the US of A & walking on the moon, but I never in person met a black person till age 19. He was 6' 10" 260 lbs and an All Canadian college basketball player. I needed approx 10 more years to actually speak with a First Nations person.

Flash Forward - I now read & see on TV, in feature film, TV, in literature a contemporary series of snapshots.. Police violence upon suspect black persons, the residue of Trumpism, food stamp lineups, children in cages, open carry assault rifles, obvious political corruption, Kentucky mountaintop removal & orange lake 'ponds' under our wings as we fly to the haven of the Turks n Caicos marine preserve.

The real gift has been Canada - Coast to Coast.. It's doubtful I will ever set foot in the USA again. my 'focus' - my 'lens' is Canada & mebbe can afford a splash or two more in the Turks @ $ 1,800 each - all in. the Boss needs this. I miss Banff & the Rockies, Vancouver Island & Tofino's clam chowder - I miss Nova Scotia's tides, old lower town Quebec City & the funiculaire, the Plains of Abraham, Tobermory, rippling wheat fields & pronghorn, moose near Wawa.. Hell's Gate, Swan Hills, Saskatoon, the Peg, PEI oysters, fresh caught Erie Perch & fiddlehead.. I have no need of the USA.. that myth is fading.. being wiped away.. Mucho sad. Boss will still fly to Detroit to see Tigers & Pirates & visit her small town mom upon return.. I may take the dogs and seek out snakes or salamanders at the secret ponds of my youth near The Forks of the Credit or sally forth to see the fireflies dance at dusk near Scarborough Bluffs. We pick our spots eh.. It's the Canadian Way

Owen Gray said...

The man saw McDonald's as the summit of American culture, TB. It's easy to understand why he was a university dropout.

Owen Gray said...

Your catalogue of Canadian places -- many of which my wife and I share with you, sal -- reminds me of why I am so glad we live here.

the salamander said...

.. As you would know then.. I was barely scratching the surface of what a gift we have as Canadians.. ie the land we live in. Of course when that is threatened or attacked by political animals.. I erupt & become truly blunt. I wish every Canadian, young, old, in between or not even born.. or those who went before.. might revel in what we have here ! How we stand up for it.. & try in humble ways to enhance the 'Canadian Experience'.. If it was there for me.. so I must ensure it is there for others. It's that 'dirt simple' ! Rather then 'Grow the Economy' we need to 'Grow & Stimulate Awareness' .. a recognition of what we have

Owen Gray said...

We have been given a country and a legacy, sal. We can see the country. But we're blind to the legacy.