This may be the last presidential election decided on these shores

Unfortunately, the world has gone to hell in a handcart. In hindsight Donald Trump, if at times a little bombastic, was essentially harmless compared to what came after. And that is to speak only of the US.

Across the Irish Sea, Scotland has seceded from the UK, while prime minister Jacob Rees-Mogg routinely sails gunboats up and down the English Channel to turn back illegal immigrants fleeing some autocrat or other in Eastern Europe. He has slashed the British government subsidy to Northern Ireland. The demands of Tánaiste Mary Lou MacDonald for a border poll are about to be implemented. Parts of East Belfast are no-go areas for the PSNI.