I like to idly game this out because it truly reflects how narcissistic and uninformed he is. So, he’s talking about admitting Canada as a single state. Lets assume somehow that happens, even though the Canadians themselves would undoubtedly push for as many states as possible if joining the US were the only option.
You’ve now got a new largest state by both population and area, and one that has ridiculous reserves of resources and a coast-to-coast infrastructure. It instantly becomes the most important state. It’s also full of millions of people who didn’t want to be Americans and who’ve had a hundred years of more progressive governance than the US. Congratulations, Republicans, you’ve just skewed the Senate and completely fucked yourself in the House for a generation or more. You’ve also got 8 or 9 million Francophones who weren’t even entirely sure they wanted to be CANADIANS, much less Americans, to say nothing of being Americans in a MAGA world. This is how real troubles begin.
So, in return for dubious “improvements” to the trade deficit, and certain (what?) administrative conveniences (I guess) for a military that already had basically all the access anyone would ever need, as well as a giant buffer territory you’re not politically committed to defending with the same gusto you would your own soil, you completely upset the balance of power in Congress to your own party’s detriment and add a huge population that hates their situation. Brilliant.
Although, I guess if you’re just done with free and fair elections then a lot of these concerns evaporate…
We’d be joined through the Puerto Rico route, as a territory. No representation. The 51 state is just a ruse to get the 17th territory, or whatever the number is.
I’m so fucking tired of Americans saying shit like “omg Canada as the 51st state would totally skew our elections Democrat, get owned Trump!”
The reality is, in any scenario where Canada gets annexed by the US, American democracy will not exist anymore by then. Even if there are fake elections, we’d most likely not be allowed to vote (à la Puerto Rico, as you point out).
I do appreciate someone pointing out how utterly enraged us Francophones would be if subjected to US rule.
Doesn’t matter. He wants Canada because it is big on the map and if America had it then America would look bigger on the map and if it was at its biggest when Trump was president that would mean Trump was the best US president ever in every history book for all time. Same thing with Greenland.
In school I remember them teaching us that it had a psychological effect that we think Northern countries are more important than Southern ones because they’re bigger and on top and I am totally 100% on board with that line of thought
You’re not wrong. It looks so much bigger than the 2.1m sq km that it is. In fact, it’s 100k smaller than the Democratic Republic of the Congo. When you look at a Mercator map, Greenland looks comparable to the entire continent of Africa.
It’s actually useful to note that Canada+USA together (19.8 sq km) is bigger than Russia (17m sq km) by about an India (3m sq km), but still short of the former USSR (22m sq km). But add in Greenland (2.3)? Now you’ve got the biggest country that ever existed.
You’re right, making an America that is the largest country on earth is precisely what his ego is after.
I like to idly game this out because it truly reflects how narcissistic and uninformed he is. So, he’s talking about admitting Canada as a single state. Lets assume somehow that happens, even though the Canadians themselves would undoubtedly push for as many states as possible if joining the US were the only option.
You’ve now got a new largest state by both population and area, and one that has ridiculous reserves of resources and a coast-to-coast infrastructure. It instantly becomes the most important state. It’s also full of millions of people who didn’t want to be Americans and who’ve had a hundred years of more progressive governance than the US. Congratulations, Republicans, you’ve just skewed the Senate and completely fucked yourself in the House for a generation or more. You’ve also got 8 or 9 million Francophones who weren’t even entirely sure they wanted to be CANADIANS, much less Americans, to say nothing of being Americans in a MAGA world. This is how real troubles begin.
So, in return for dubious “improvements” to the trade deficit, and certain (what?) administrative conveniences (I guess) for a military that already had basically all the access anyone would ever need, as well as a giant buffer territory you’re not politically committed to defending with the same gusto you would your own soil, you completely upset the balance of power in Congress to your own party’s detriment and add a huge population that hates their situation. Brilliant.
Although, I guess if you’re just done with free and fair elections then a lot of these concerns evaporate…
Echos of Ireland.
We’d be joined through the Puerto Rico route, as a territory. No representation. The 51 state is just a ruse to get the 17th territory, or whatever the number is.
I’m so fucking tired of Americans saying shit like “omg Canada as the 51st state would totally skew our elections Democrat, get owned Trump!”
The reality is, in any scenario where Canada gets annexed by the US, American democracy will not exist anymore by then. Even if there are fake elections, we’d most likely not be allowed to vote (à la Puerto Rico, as you point out).
I do appreciate someone pointing out how utterly enraged us Francophones would be if subjected to US rule.
Yeah, I guess just assuming ill intent and fascism makes it a simpler discussion that’s still perfectly reasonable.
Doesn’t matter. He wants Canada because it is big on the map and if America had it then America would look bigger on the map and if it was at its biggest when Trump was president that would mean Trump was the best US president ever in every history book for all time. Same thing with Greenland.
I have the incredible, uncontrollable urge to shout, “Gulf of Mexico!” suddenly.
I do unironically believe the Mercator projection has influenced how much he talks about Greenland.
In school I remember them teaching us that it had a psychological effect that we think Northern countries are more important than Southern ones because they’re bigger and on top and I am totally 100% on board with that line of thought
You’re not wrong. It looks so much bigger than the 2.1m sq km that it is. In fact, it’s 100k smaller than the Democratic Republic of the Congo. When you look at a Mercator map, Greenland looks comparable to the entire continent of Africa.
It’s actually useful to note that Canada+USA together (19.8 sq km) is bigger than Russia (17m sq km) by about an India (3m sq km), but still short of the former USSR (22m sq km). But add in Greenland (2.3)? Now you’ve got the biggest country that ever existed.
You’re right, making an America that is the largest country on earth is precisely what his ego is after.