One-way voyage to a galaxy far, far away

THE EDITOR, Madam:

What the well-known television personality Kevin O’Leary told a CNN talking-heads panel five days before the US presidential inauguration had a ring of truth to it, from someone not always associated with unblemished veracity.

The billionaire investor, who refers to himself as ‘Mr Wonderful’, is a close confidant of Donald Trump, and claimed the ceasefire-hostage agreement in Gaza only came about because Hamas was afraid of his good friend’s unpredictability. He acknowledged that groundwork for the long-overdue agreement was laid by President Biden’s negotiating team, but it took Trump’s bluster to get acceptance from Hamas.

O’Leary stated that Middle Eastern adversaries believe President Trump is crazy enough to follow through on a recent threat that “all hell would break loose” if the hostages were not freed before he returns to the Oval Office. He also dismissed several other threats or promises made by Mr Trump that were discussed on the show as “campaign rhetoric”. Mr Trump’s rhetoric about trade tariffs has caused much consternation in several parts of the world. Here in Canada, knobbly knotted knickers are worn by many political leaders at federal and provincial levels. Radio talk-show hosts, newspaper editors and online pundits are busy dealing with suggestions for responses should Mr Trump impose a 25 per cent trade tariff on Canadian goods crossing the US border.

My own jaded vision has long viewed politics with all its colourful participants as an intriguing form of entertainment. We are simply entering another chapter of the bitter-sweet comedy-drama that is played on a continuous loop in Washington, DC.

We should consider the US capital as the ‘centre of the entertainment universe’, where politicians can be equated with circus clowns or stand-up performers in a comedy club, as there is always something really absurd, or funny, or peculiar, or downright ridiculous in whatever they say or do. Overbearing efforts by the wealthy hoity-toity to play the hoi polloi like a Stradivarius were very apparent with campaign promises from Mr Trump.

His new best buddy, Elon Musk, is also issuing threats to political leaders in United Kingdom, France, Germany and elsewhere. He seems to think that having a vast wealth and a presidential friendship entitles him to insert himself in other country’s affairs that he erroneously thinks he knows something about. Since ancient times, scholars and playwrights have produced dramas and comedies that resonate with what we witness today in these political whims and fancies.

Musk owns a company called Space X, with rockets that can travel to unknown corners of our universe. If and when his well-publicised bromance with Mr Trump reaches its inevitable conclusion, maybe the stars will align so they could both board one of his space vehicles and embark on a one-way voyage to a galaxy far, far away.

BERNIE SMITH

Parksville, BC

Canada