Canada US sign new NAFTA deal

NDPP wrote:

Oh please, give me a break. Malign US intentions towards Canada are a matter of historical record, long before Trump/Trudeau - as is the lickspittling subservience of the Canadian ruling class and those who parrot their views. What is truly pathetic is how this mentality of subservience has been normalized and widely inculcated as 'prudent' foreign policy.

I notice a theme in your posts which is generally a conflating of everything to be the same as if degrees of difference are not material.

This is found in your determination that all parties are the same -- even though some are clearly much worse and that historically the recent attacks on Canada are insignificant becuase the US has been hostile to Canada before.

At times this kind of argument looks rather like a combination between a straw man argument and what-aboutism and at times it looks like a genuine inability to recognize any degrees. I wonder if the rest of life is the same. If something is not good is it equal to a calamity every time? Do you not at times have to make personal decisions that are difficult becuae both are bad but one far worse or do you just throw your hands up and say all are bad and make no decision at all?

Certainly Canada has had a difficult relationship with the US and many, many negative things have happened. However, your suggestion that the present is insignificant (to the point of you asking for a "break") becuase of previous and ongoing issues, really denies the importance of what is happening.

Not everyone here subscribes to the complete black and white world view where everything gray has to be seen as an equal shade of black.

I find it depressing that someone would be interested as much as you are in politics, spend so much time in it, and yet consider almost all things equal. There are very few ideal situations, many things to complain about and I think that is all constructive -- with a potential to improve. But the idea that everything that is not good is equal to the worst ever is actually self-defeating. The agency of choice is important becuase with choice you can encourage more and better choices. It is true our choices and our power is small and many chocies really about picking the least bad option. But if you do not want to do that why engage in politics at all except to crap on other people's choices and complain and say it is all so hopeless? Why do this to yourself? What kind of vision of the future can you have when everything that is not great is equally catastrophic?

NDPP wrote:

'Battle' Over as Trudeau, Trump, Pena Nieto Sign 'New NAFTA

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/usmca-nieto-trudeau-trump-signing-1.492...

The picture's worth a thousand (CBC) words...but here's two more:

Sold. Out.

Look at first picture. Three podiums. All US seal nothing for the other two countries.

This was not so much a sell-out as a bullied result.