“Perceptions,” by Gerry Warner

Op-Ed Commentary

Whither goest politics these days in our overly politicized world?

After the pugnacious presidential debate last Tuesday, Justin Trudeau’s desperate Liberal policy meeting Thursday followed Friday by an angry pack of “independent” candidates sure to disrupt the B.C. election in October I’d have to say I’ve never seen such a bizarre electoral picture. It’s politics on steroids and who knows where it might lead? A better world or a world on the verge of Armageddon? Your guess is as good as mine.

But it was the presidential debate that really showed which way the wind is blowing. Kamala Harris used Donald Trump as a battered old punching bag, not allowing him to bully her like he did with Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton in their debates. She landed sharp blows of her own that reduced the former president to blustering idiocy, especially when he accused cross border migrants of eating dogs and cats belonging to American pet owners. Absurd claims like that is why some Trump supporters are leaving his rallies early because of “exhaustion and boredom,” Harris said while Trump grimaced.

But Harris is not out of the woods yet. Despite her devastating performance it will soon be mostly forgotten when the campaign resumes and an increasingly delusional Trump unleashes another barrage of lies and vitriol on his adoring MAGA followers.

Even if he loses the election – and I believe he will – Trump is likely to make another absurd “stolen election” claim and his adoring supporters will believe him and the result will be chaos initiated by his deranged followers who hang on to his every false word. If you don’t believe this, you’ve obviously forgotten the January 6 insurrection at Washington DC, where after listening to an ugly Trump rant, a mob of more than a thousand political crazies invaded the Capital destroying property and causing loss of life in an orgy of anarchy.

Trump denies responsibility for the riot but that’s just another lie.

Meanwhile, back in relatively sane Canada, we have our federal Liberal MPs meeting in Nanaimo to discuss new policies to save the country from the clutches of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. But I think it’s safe to say there’s only one policy that most Canadians are interested in – including more than a few Liberals – and that’s dumping Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. But the gullible Grits still remaining loyal to Trudeau apparently lack the intestinal fortitude to do it. Sophie Trudeau didn’t hesitate. Why can’t they? If you know the answer, let me know. I’m dying to find out.

And finally, the upcoming B.C. provincial election, which will have one big difference from any provincial election before it, the likely presence of several independents on the ballot. In fact, there could be as many as a dozen independents running Oct. 19, and depending on the number that get elected, they could easily hold the balance of power in our next provincial government.

On the surface, this situation looks good for the NDP because the right-of-centre vote will be split between the upcoming Conservatives, the Greens and the ship-jumping independents. However, the fact that most of the now defunct BC United members running as independents have been sitting MLAs before – some even cabinet members – makes it likely that some if not most of the independents will return to their old digs in Victoria.

What a dog’s breakfast that will be!

But keep in mind CBC says since 1949 only one B.C. independent has been elected by the people instead of being elected under a party banner and crossing the floor later to become a so-called “independent.” This fact really muddies the water and makes it very difficult to predict how independents will do in the upcoming election.

My prediction for all these elections is that when the smoke clears the majority of voters will remain dissatisfied as ever. But Mark Twain put it much better: “Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself.”

– Gerry Warner is a retired journalist who will not allow Trump near his cat.

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