The sombre mien—that’s what stayed with me. On Saturday, Mark Carney looked less like a prime minister briefing media on trade negotiations than a wartime leader telling his country a feared turn had finally arrived and preparing them for a long ordeal. The intense, all-out effort to stop crushing new tariffs had failed, with Carney grimly explaining that the United States insists on “short-term transactions” rather than “long-term partnerships” and that its commitments could no longer be assumed to hold.

American demands reportedly went well beyond tariffs, market access, and sectoral protections. They targeted Canada’s freedom to set domestic cultural policy, interpret agreements it had already signed, and conduct trade relations with third countries. The loss of our sovereignty was too high a price for preserving economic integration. What prime minister would accept Canada becoming a vassal state on his watch? With the collapse of talks, and Carney describing the country as being “attacked,” it’s hard not to feel like we have crossed into a different moment—that we are living in a slightly darker reality.

Throughout the weekend, The Walrus spoke to economists, policy experts, and political observers about what exactly has changed and what this new period might demand of Canada.

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[–] DMCMNFIBFFF@lemmy.ca 1 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago) (1 children)

As I posted elsewhere:

https://lemmy.ca/comment/25032971

The last time a GOP VP became President was in 1988—38 years ago, and Papa Bush served 2 terms with a popular US president who in his 2nd election won 49 states, 68.8% of the popular vote, and 213 more Electoral College votes than Trump did in his 2nd.

*I should have not posted 68.8% but rather 58.8%.

Presumably both Houses will go Democrat or they won't.

If they do, Vance needs to do little because if Trump's (successfully) impeached, Vance will get his job: though I suppose Vance could also get impeached too, and the (new) House Speaker becomes acting President.

As I think the Democrats won't win both Houses, Trump will putter along. If Vance wants to strike, he will have to do in Trump's 2nd half of the term to be able to be elected twice.

This is possible, but similar happened when Gerald Ford took office from Nixon in 1974, but he lost to Carter 2 years later—and like Reagan in 1984, Nixon in 1972 won bigger than Trump did in 2024.

	%	Electroral College votes	# of states
Nixon 1972	60.7%	520	49
Reagan 1984	58.8%	525	49
Trump 2024	49.8%[2]	312	31 + ME-02

and when Nixon won in November 1972, he wasn't even 60 years old (unlike Kamala Harris who was 60 in November 2024).

Btw, how will this coup happen?

Will Vance assassinate Trump?

Invoke the wp:Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution?

The wp:Second cabinet of Donald Trump seems to have 16 members. How many of them would rather have Trump finish to 2028 than Vance? Either way, they won't be secretaries for long, but at least they might get more of their agendas more completed by 2028 with Trump than with Vance—Trump being the devil they know (or at least know more).

and, boy, what a ruckus will that turn into.

Could we have MAGAts field 3rd party candidates in 2028? Maybe some former Cabinet Secretary who stayed loyal to Trump? Maybe a Hegseth, Rubio, RFK Jr, even Bessent?

[–] ProudCanadianCitizen@lemmy.ca 2 points 14 hours ago

Through a 'forced resignation' - making Trump an offer he can not refuse. Resign or be impeached. Vance only needs a few Republicans to turn, as it is a certainty that every Democrat would vote for his impeachment. All Vance needs to do is to convince the Democrats that it was their idea. The 'treason' angle is still very much able to return front-and-center. I am sure Vance has had the time to dig up the really incriminating stuff. Really juicy stuff like a scandal of Trump Corp. making huge inside gains based on intel Kushner fed Trump Corp operatives - take down both Trump AND Kushner. Doesn't have to be the truth - doesn't even have to be believable. With an approval rating in the 30's, no one will want to go down with a sinking ship. Vance has to act before Rubio gets a toe-hold. But Vance needs at least a year as POTUS in order for him to get entrenched. As a narcissist, Vance out-Trumps Trump.

Incidentally, it is obvious that whatever occurred in the past will have absolutely no predictive vale today. America is in a free-for-all spiral down with nothing but knee-jerk reactions, and a clear-headed Vance to steer his way through the morass.