Doug Rogers

I am sitting here as a Canadian, watching the political storm raging south of our border, and I am frustrated beyond words.

Every time I scroll through the news or social media, I see Americans saying “Impeach Trump” or “Impeach whoever breaks the law.” I read posts about how “illegal” everything is, the power grabs, the bending of rules, the blatant disregard for the very system that was supposed to keep any one person from holding too much control. Yet it keeps happening. Again and again. Nothing seems to stop it.

Impeachment was supposed to be the ultimate check on presidential power. Trump was impeached twice. Twice. What changed? Nothing. No real consequence. No removal from office. No meaningful punishment. The word has become hollow. It feels more like a political game piece than a safeguard of democracy. The system that was designed to protect the people now feels like a stage prop.

What makes this worse is how much power has shifted to presidential orders and executive actions. The American Constitution was created to build a balance of powers. Congress makes laws. The House represents the people. The Senate debates and refines. The courts interpret. Yet somehow one man has learned how to twist the levers of power so his will overrides those foundations. He signs an order and there it is, policy. He fires those who oppose him and fills roles with loyalists. He bullies, threatens, and spins until the idea of checks and balances feels laughable.

The courts were supposed to be the last firewall. Justice should not bend to politics. Yet what we have seen from the Supreme Court feels anything but neutral. Decisions are handed down that seem tailored to the ideology of the far right rather than the spirit of the Constitution. Once an institution loses trust, it is hard to get it back. Watching the highest court appear to drink the Trump Family Sauce full strength is a chilling sight. Whatever happened to decency and people from either politcal party, who were strong in spirit and truly there to help and defend the American public.

That is what scares me most. There is a growing feeling that nothing, not law, not precedent, not tradition, can stop this authoritarian drift once it gains speed. The rules are only as strong as the willingness to enforce them. What happens when those who are supposed to enforce them are either compromised or complicit? And, it appears that literally everyone attached to this government is complicit.

People say, “Just protest.” Protest alone does not seem to move the needle. Millions marched before. Nothing changed. Courts overturned. Leaders ignored. People say, “Vote.” Voting matters more than ever, but what happens if the vote itself is undermined? What if elections are delayed, corrupted, or manipulated beyond recognition? What if those in power simply refuse to accept the results? These are questions that no democracy should ever have to ask, yet here we are.

As a Canadian, I know it is not my country. America is not just any country though. It has long claimed to lead the free democratic world. When the self proclaimed leader of the free world slips toward authoritarianism, it affects everyone. Trade, security, and global stability do not stop at the border. More than that, ideals cross borders too. When a democracy shows that rules can be ignored, other nations take note. Other strongmen learn new tricks.

So what can be done? Honestly, I am not sure. That is what makes this so frustrating. The normal levers, impeachment, the courts, Congress, have been tested and seem broken. Citizens can protest, but protests get dismissed or vilified. The media reports, but the media is now painted as fake news to anyone who does not want to hear it. Allies abroad can condemn, but condemnation means little when someone thrives on chaos.

It feels as though the only true hope left lies in elections that are still free and fair. That is a thin hope, but perhaps the last one standing. The upcoming election will decide far more than who sits in the Oval Office. It will decide if America still believes in the system it created. It will decide whether power belongs to the people or to one man and his circle of loyalists.

Yet that hope is fragile. Trump has shown he will test every boundary. If he tries to corrupt the election process or cancel it or claim victory no matter the outcome, what then? Will people rise up? Will institutions finally stand firm? Or will the slide into authoritarianism become a free fall?

I do not write this to offer a solution. I wish I had one. I write it because the world is watching and wondering how the United States, the country so many grew up believing was the gold standard of democracy, has arrived at this point. I write it because frustration has turned to worry and worry to fear. Not fear of one man, but fear of a system that seems unable to stop him.

I hope Americans who believe in democracy are paying attention. I hope they vote in numbers so overwhelming that even manipulation cannot erase it. I hope they demand integrity from every level of power, local, state, and federal. I hope they refuse to accept authoritarianism as normal. For the rest of us watching, perhaps all we can do is speak up, stay informed, and support those who are trying to preserve democratic norms. Maybe that feels small. Silence is smaller.

America’s struggle with Trump and the far right is America’s fight to have. Yet its outcome matters to the world. If the United States cannot hold the line on democracy, who will? That question should unsettle us all.

For more of my commentary on Canada’s reaction and some of our challenges being American’s next door neighbour – grab a copy of my book; NORTH of OPINION here: https://shorturl.fm/w6Aio