According to numerous public opinion surveys, about 85% of Canadians, an overwhelming majority, do not want their country to join the United States.
Yet, the narcissist Donald Trump, who has threatened to annex Canada by economic force and in blatant denial of all evidence to the contrary, claims in his own words that "the people of Canada like" his unification effort.
They do not, and Trump should be ashamed of himself.
Canadians are our friends and were our trusted allies in both world wars and in Korea and Afghanistan. No nation in the world has a better neighbor, and we should be grateful and appreciative.
Canada does not deserve to be insulted and treated like trash.
On a related subject, stock exchanges throughout the world have been traumatized by Trump's seemingly whimsical and incoherent tariff policies.
This has devastated confidence in the economy and scalped financial nest eggs and retirement accounts.
But this is what is known in mobspeak as a "shakedown." Exemptions to tariffs will be issued by Trump in return for payoffs of one kind or another. Unless Congress and the courts reassert themselves, this evident criminality will be impossible to stop.
This country has faced many previous crises with resilience and success. But it is not certain that we can survive four more years of this farcical government with our honor and prosperity intact.
A huge improvement would be if Trump lost his very narrow congressional majorities in next year's elections. An aroused electorate can accomplish this essential goal. The sooner this administration ends, the better.
Joseph Tipler
Centralia
