I can only envy you that you're in Canada.

Post globalization the world has never been so interconnected. Your disaster can very easily be our disaster. And that's just speaking economically and in terms of the environment. There are many other spill over effects I worry about too. Canada and the US are so culturally close that much of what happens to the south has a bleed over effect up here. The increase in gun related crimes and mass shootings over the years has leaked northwards for example. We have nothing like the gun culture you have but it's become more of an issue with time. Similarly we have our own right wing wingnuts up here. Steven Harper was in power here for a good part of a decade and did a lot of damage to our social safety nets. We still of course have maintained most of the structures that are vital but much erosion has taken place. The right wing up here take their ques from what happens south of the border. Already there are rumblings here of a famous prominent TV right wing populist running for the conservative party. You guys may know of him too, a guy by the name of Kevin O'Leary, he was a prominent member of Dragon's Den, I believe Shark Tank in the US? Famous for being an ass hole on TV. I could see him winning post Trump.

I have no idea how to resolve our current situation. I'm not sure if a solution is even possible as it seems like the 2010s in America have now become the 1850s in America.

People who do not listen do not realize what power those brainwashing personalities on the right have. I honestly think that if instructions went out to silence the left a good many would try and carry out the order. I listen all the time and some of the preachers are the worst. My husband & I listened to one on the radio about a week before the election that was repeating the lies about Hillary and the sex ring and it was so gruesome we were sick. Even the ones that come on after local news are ridiculous. That jack Van Impe and his wife are so biased and they repeat so many lies but it is a reputable tv station and people believe. How can one fight back against lies from the mouth of a person using God to brainwash?

especially so-called 'progressives' and 'liberals.' It really has been in front of our faces.

A 'few' have recognized the problems, but too many of 'us,' and others, fail and refuse to do so.

I'm scared too, Locut0s, and I haven't gone inquiring as you have.

and an aberration of our republican form of government, made worse by conservatives’ contempt for the rule of law.

Needless to say, these rightwing miscreants are not representative of the majority of the American people.