“Perceptions,” by Gerry Warner

Op-Ed Commentary

In a few days more than 200 million Americans will have cast their ballots for president with only hours remaining in what will probably be the most momentous election in American history, maybe even the world’s. This is not idle speculation. When Americans vote the world listens and what they’ve been listening to in this campaign is nothing short of alarming.

In past weeks, ballot boxes have been set on fire, shots fired and two assassination attempts made on Donald Trump, but this hasn’t stopped the extreme rhetoric coming from the Trump camp as he tries to smear his opponent Kamala Harris by calling her “crooked Kamala” and making false and abhorrent claims about her racial heritage. And he’s said worse. But we won’t go there.

Of course, a certain amount of nasty rhetoric accompanies most elections but not as vile as this. But we’re living now in a hateful era of extreme political polarization where it’s no longer to simply beat your opponent verbally on the podium but even better to denigrate, humiliate and destroy those we run against. Don’t just humiliate your opponent with superior logic and cogent arguments. Make them bleed.

Trump has elevated this attack method into an art form. And so far, it’s working for him. And he remains determined to make it work again Nov. 5. And what will happen if he succeeds?

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say it will change the entire world dangerously for the worst. This isn’t an election just to determine the next occupant of the Oval Office. This election is a referendum on whether world democracy lives or dies and right now things aren’t looking good.

Consider the fact that at $25.49 trillion, the American economy is far and away the biggest in the world. If Trump wins, a convicted felon will be in charge of that mammoth economy and the result will likely be chaos and trigger another Great Depression. Think of that for a moment.

In an already politically polarized world, a collapsing economy is the last thing the world needs because it will feed the economic collapse and boost the forces of authoritarianism now sweeping the world. And who will benefit from that? Donald J. Trump and other power-crazed authoritarians like Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un and Xi Jinping. Is that the kind of world you want to live in? I hope not.

In other words, there are solid economic reasons for keeping Trump out of office as well as moral and ethical ones.

Let’s cut to the chase. Trump is rightfully accused of being a tyrant, an authoritarian, and a fascist. He openly admires genuine fascists and once said, “I need a few generals like Hitler had.” He’s a remorseless bully, the world’s most prolific liar and his only loyalty is to himself. If elected, he will strip the US of all that is good in the country and impose a regime every bit as repressive as Russia and install hundreds of Putin-like oligarchs to divide the country into a corrupt kleptocracy of ill-gained wealth. And more than a few Americans believe he could trigger a civil war.

And what country will be most affected by a Trump takeover? Canada, of course. We’re their closest neighbour and they’re our biggest trading partner. A match made in heaven? I hardly think so.

More like a match made in hell.

Gerry Warner is a retired journalist, who will be looking for another planet to live on if Trump wins.

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