Down we go

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NOTE TO READERS

Yesterday afternoon someone posted a threat on the blog. Anon, of course. “You’re going to swallow your own BS and die, you Mother*****r,” it said. Pretty routine stuff. Deleted.

But this was new – the post included my home address in Ontario, “so those ISIS criminals you love to let in can come and kill you both. But they’ll have to line up.”

No, I did not tell Dorothy. And, no, she doesn’t read this site any longer.

This is our world seven days before an election, not even in our own country, which is chasing public morality, civility and ethics into the sewer. A sane person would retreat, stop writing, understanding you might reason with a person, but a mob is a lost cause. Even worse is a cult. Trump’s one.

The blog posted a day ago analyzed the abrupt, politically-motivated 20% chop in Canadian immigration targets. It quoted senior economists of two banks warning of the financial, GDP and stock market implications. The post brought forth comments from the head of Canada’s independent business sector about the negative disruptions to the labour market. It referenced the university sector, warning of billion-dollar losses. All this because of the hurried and consequential actions regarding permanent residents, temporary foreign workers and international students.

The Cons are ahead in the polls and breathing down Trudeau’s neck. Poilievre has demanded immigration curbs. The Libs caved. And this has happened against the background of Trump saying migrants are ‘animals’ and ‘vermin’ who are ‘poisoning the blood of America’, who are ‘eating the pets’ in Ohio, who are ‘disposed to being criminals’ and will be rounded up and deported. Mayne 11 million of them.

Trump’s words are extreme. Threatening. And so are those of his followers on this blog. They’re unable to challenge the economists, business leaders or academics, so they lash out at the source of the information itself.

Maybe you read some of this: “I’ll sink to Garth’s level. Garth wants massive immigration so he can have lots of cheap labour to maintain his no doubt sizeable home.” And this: “This far-left marxist blog only repeats Trump talking points from fake news liberal media CNBC, CNN, the Atlantic et al to serve Garth’s ideological bias for which he was famously kicked out of Canada’s Conservative Party.”

This isn’t debate. It’s verbal abuse, designed to intimidate and shut down another person rather than comment on or challenge ideas. The reason is simple. The cultists can’t. Logic has been supplanted by emotion – playing out as hate (for newcomers), anger (for house prices) and fear (of the future). Confident people don’t talk like this. It’s those who know they’re now on the losing end of society – and want to turn the clock back – who use such words and tactics.

As Trump and Canadian polling numbers show, there are millions of them. Bitter people with entitlements unmet who’d be happy to burn the place down. They will tolerate much to get change.

So the polarization deepens. Left v right. Now it’s mucked up with Christian Nationalism, the abortion debate, racism, protectionism, isolationism, the guy with the turban at McD’s, the cost of townhouses in Lesleyville and this gender nonsense.

The political divide is cleaving along with the wealth divide. Obviously. Many are feeling left behind, abandoned and helpless. Ironically, this is a reason GreaterFool came along. To provide 365-day-per-year original content with advice and guidance on investing, saving, housing and succeeding. No ads. No clickbait. No sponsors. No sell. No ask.

If you no longer want it, say so. Trust me, that would be fine.

As for coming to my house, forget the machete. Bring good scotch. We’ll talk.

About the picture: “This photo was taken three weeks ago as my wife and I were walking the dog on the Trans Canada Trail in Summerland,” writes Ron from the Okanagan. “We watched this pig for about five minutes and he never pulled his head out of that pumpkin. I thought you might want to use it on the day of your Halloween blog.’

To be in touch or send a picture of your beast, email to ‘garth@garth.ca’.

Source: https://www.greaterfool.ca/2024/10/29/down-we-go/