Regardless of who wins the U.S. presidential election on Tuesday, that country鈥檚 political foundations have been shaken to the core. One of the ugliest campaigns in American history might finally be ending, but the fallout is likely to continue.
Much has been written about the astonishing rise of the Republican candidate, Donald Trump, a man in every way unfit to be president. There was also the spectacle of Hillary Clinton facing tough competition for the Democratic nomination from an obscure senator, Bernie Sanders.
Among voters on both sides of the aisle, there is a level of discontent, rising to near fury, that hasn鈥檛 been seen in generations. Simply put, Americans of all stripes believe their government is a mess, their leaders have let them down and no one in Washington is listening to them.
One indication of this ferment is a popular uprising against two of the pillars America was built on 鈥� free trade and immigration. This might be due, in part, to the collapse of the middle class 鈥� traditionally the demographic majority and now reduced to a minority by job loss and continuing economic malaise.
Where things go from here is unclear. Trump has intimated he might not take a defeat lying down. Clinton and her family鈥檚 foundation are the subject of continuing investigations by the FBI. How the country is to be governed for the next four years is anyone鈥檚 guess.
However, there is a broader issue that must be faced. We take it for granted that representative government is the pinnacle of a political enlightenment that took several centuries to evolve.
But when you reach the summit, all paths lead downward. If our neighbours to the south are sufficiently disgusted, might they turn their backs on Washington and look elsewhere for solutions?
Two years ago, one in four Americans polled wanted their states to secede from the union. Today, that number is almost certainly higher.
Now consider our own political institutions. The 91原创 Senate is morally bankrupt, historically a retirement home for party bagmen and political hangers-on.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to end this by selecting nonpartisan nominees. But while he might have succeeded, almost all of his appointees are senior lawyers, top-ranking public servants, business and community leaders and the like. A cross-section of the community they are not.
Where is the single mother who raised three children on minimum wage, or the long-distance truck driver, or the prairie grain farmer? Some of them must have the skills, leadership qualities and record of service to become senators.
And what of the House of Commons? The prime minister has promised to introduce a form of proportional representation that would likely ensure frequent minority governments.
And he has hinted he might do so without holding a referendum to give 91原创s a voice. Is this government by the people or government by fiat?
Part of the problem is that many of today鈥檚 politicians have done little else with their lives but run for office. The emergence of a professional political class, rewarding itself with unseemly salaries and extravagant pensions, has opened a divide between the voters and those they elect.
This distancing effect can be seen in the declining turnout at elections. There was a small uptick in the 2013 B.C. provincial election and the 2015 federal contest, but overall, the trend line has been consistently downward. Only a third of British Columbians go to the polls in municipal elections.
Term limits might help. But there is a message for Canada鈥檚 politicians. Americans have lost faith in Washington because public patience has its limits.
The same could happen here. Parliamentary government is indeed a blessing. But our confidence must continually be re-earned.
