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The phrase, “divide and conquer,” was, I’ve read, first attributed to Phillip II of Macedon, Alexander the Great’s father and later adapted and coined by Julius Caesar and Napoleon.

We’re coming up to elections in Canada and our southern neighbours will be heading for the polls for the mid-terms in November. I cannot recall seeing the U.S. so divided and its enemies must be gleeful at the chaos as the nation’s people turn on one another.

The art of the populist is to sew simple messages. Usually one or a stream of oft repeated one liners that appeal to their base. Some of it will make sense at a simple level. Simple premises often prove to be far from simple to enact. Some of it may be designed to divide, antagonise, bully and sometimes much worse. Sloganising making something great, strong, whatever, is easy to sell, not so easy to do, once in office.

Unfortunately, immigration is an easy topic to stoke the fires of unease, mistrust and hate. It’s not a new tactic. Yet, most, if not all economies, including Canada and the U.S. would have long ago come unstuck without immigration boosting and building the economies. At the top end of the power tree, nations know this very well. In ancient and not so ancient times slaves propped up the economies. Maybe robots will do the same?

There is a world of difference between legal immigration, illegal immigration and refugees. We have laws to cover them all. It is also easy to vilify a noticeably different immigrant. Yet, we are mostly all in this nation either an immigrant or descended from them, including the U.S. President. Yet, we have nothing like the problems of Europe, which I believe are set to grow worse, as migration on an enormous scale due to climate change could be next.

I’ve said before that the times that we live in now remind me of the 1930s. Fringe groups, once vilified are getting their message out. And, regretfully, some, not all politicians, and political parties have and will pick up on the hate message and ramp it up and down to suit their ends. It saddens me that things are thus.

As a journalist, I will continue to do my job the best way that I can and look for answers from all sides and provide a balance. Hopefully, politicians will not just play to their bases but will encourage others to lend them their vote for an election by displaying leadership, honour, respect, persuasive and engaging debate, politeness and set a fine example for our younger generation. I say hopefully, because although some will, I suspect that the prize of power is just too alluring. The wedges of division amongst the electorate I expect to be driven hard and deep sewing a bitter seed.