A Donald Trump Presidency.
Why a Donald Trump Presidency is a symptom of a much larger problem? (2017) by Mohammed Hasan
Source: Unsplash.com (Royalty free)
Disclaimer: The objective of this article is not to criticise or shame any individuals that voted for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton nor is it to argue that one political ideology or worldview is more correct or moral than the other. The objective of this post is to discuss the polarisation of our political discourse and suggest ways in which we can move forward.
On November 9th, Donald Trump (a.k.a "The Donald"), was elected to become the President of the United States of America squashing Hillary Clinton's dreams of becoming the first female American president (hopefully, we won't have to wait another 45 presidencies). It was also on November 9th (1989) that the Berlin wallfell ending the separation between East and West Germany signalling a new era fuelled by collaboration, unity and hope.Although Donald Trump may not turn out to be as extreme as "the media" and his political opponents suggest, his campaign which was often characterised by xenophobia, sexism and racism - received the support of 60 million U.S. citizens.
The fact that the pollsters and pundits failed to contemplate a Trump presidency shows just "how out of touch" they've become.This video captures why Trump's election victory concerns many people (not just those on "the left"):
It is unfair to label all Trump supporters as being racist or stupid; they have the same concerns (unemployment, healthcare, housing, the rising cost of education, etc.) as people across the political spectrum. They are equally fed up with politicians remaining subservient to large institutions that finance election campaigns in return for political favours at the expense of the public.Globalisation has led to international trade giving us the opportunity to travel, work abroad, experience the food and music of other cultures, but not everybody has had the chance to enjoy these privileges. The arguments 'for' international trade such as lowering costs of production do not resonate with families having to choose between paying bills or buying food. The marginalisation of the "working classes" that feel outcompeted by immigrants or resent the unemployment created by large firms outsourcing their services has created the conditions for xenophobia and isolationism.Instead of engaging with people's concerns about immigration, we have labelled them as misinformed, uneducated, ignorant and racist. We have not spent enough time inquiring why & how we can address the fact that many people have not experienced the benefits of greater integration nor are we critically assessing the claim that "they are taking our jobs!"; by "they" I mean immigrants, but isn't the U.S. primarily built on a nation of immigrants? It is but it tends to be the most recent immigrants that are scapegoated for the deepening levels of inequality and an inability to make ends meet.During the United Kingdom's referendum on its membership of the European Union, EU-migrants (mainly Polish and Romanian EU citizens) were often characterised as "stealing jobs" or unnecessarily queuing for social housing; these are the same migrants that make up a large contingent of staff supporting the NHS. (Data compiled by the Guardian on the nationality of NHS workers can be found here.)
Trump managed to offer his supporters some semblance of "HOPE" i.e. the feeling that "real change" is on the way. While Hillary was arguably more experienced - she was depicted as a member of the establishment. Trump, a multi-billionaire, has effectively positioned himself as an anti-establishment figure that will alleviate the profound inequality and job insecurity faced by blue-collar workers particularly America's "White Working Class". A large part of Trump's appeal is that his policies offer simple solutions:
Building a wall along the border between the USA and Mexico;
Repealing the Affordable Care Act (most commonly referred to as 'Obama Care');
Deporting approximately 11 million undocumented citizens;
Cutting Corporation Tax to prevent large domestic companies from outsourcing their headquarters and manufacturing plants abroad.
These "policies" provide reassurance for those who feel ignored and insecure. Trump doesn't emphasise the complexity of issues such as climate change, national debt, implementing counter-terrorism strategies without ruining diplomatic relations and much more. He does the very opposite by directly appealing to the individuals that feel powerless and marginalised - the same individuals that have been bullied into publicly withdrawing their views such as: immigration has put too much pressure on public services and reduced a shrinking pool of jobs. Although it is important not to portray racists and bigots as victims, Trump has successfully captured the attention and support of America's "working class" that are tired of being patronised or excluded from political debates.Here are some of the coal miners from West Virginia that voted for Trump:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3l2e0hPL-MWe have failed to convincingly argue a case for deeper integration without relying on macroeconomic models and historical examples which don't resonate with sections of society that are not experiencing the same benefits the "Metropolitan elite" currently enjoy. While combating intolerance against minorities, we've drowned out the voices of views that clash with our "progressive" agenda; simply demonising or shaming people that hold homophobic or racist views doesn't help change attitudes - it is lazy and creates a false sense of security. This could be seen during the UK's referendum on EU membership: the "remain campaign" largely focused on the interests of upper-quartile of society; the residents of Sunderland weren't concerned about how the potential loss of "passporting rights" would affect international banks or whether university students were no longer entitled to an Erasmus grant to study abroad.The comedian Jonathan Pie cleverly sums up this problem in this 6 minute rant:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLG9g7BcjKs"Trump represented change, a terrifying change, but a palpable change nonetheless...The left has now decided that any other opinion [or] other way of looking at the world is unacceptable. We don't debate anymore because the left won the cultural war....when has anyone ever been persuaded by being insulted or labelled...if you're on the right or against the prevailing view you're attacked for raising your opinion that's why people wait until they're in the voting booth... There is no more shame and blame and that is a powerful thing."
Bernie Sanders' Analysis on Trump's Victory:
Jon Stewart, former host of the Daily Show, reflects on Trump's victory (find here).How do we move forward?
Create forums that facilitate debate between people across the political spectrum; these forums should encourage people to share their proposed solutions or policy preferences.
(a) Forums can take the form of: debates on university campuses; meetings between residents in council halls; debate clubs at secondary schools.
(b) Digital platforms such as Skype can ensure greater diversity among participants.
Although talking to people that vehemently disagree with you may feel like an exercise destined to end in ‘political gridlock’, it is how we sustain our democracy.
Support candidates that abstain from the traditional pressures of politics such as accepting campaign funding from private corporations in return for political favours.
(a) Use crowd-funding initiatives to fund the campaigns of politicians you would like to support.
(b) Use social media platforms raise the public profile of candidates.
The most successful example of fundraising from the grassroots is Senator Bernie Sanders' campaign that received over $200 million from a large group of ordinary individuals; the average contribution amounted to $27.
Support journalists and publications producing content that promote critical thinking.
(a) Donate your time and money (if possible) to support people that are making an effort to develop content that is accurate, inclusive and critical.
(b) Challenge news outlets that publish only one side of the story particularly if these companies publish misleading or inaccurate articles. Phone editors, tweet authors and write responses to give another informed view.
(c) Periodically read content from media companies which do not offer critical or accurate content – this will give you a good indication of how some people develop certain views.
4. Protest: Every elected government requires an opposition to hold them to account.
(a) Call your local representatives, write letters, create petitions and organise demonstrations against policies that further divide along the lines or race, class and religion.
(b) Boycott and strike (if necessary) on behalf of people that cannot afford to.
Just like becoming vegetarian makes a more sustainable and tangible difference to our climate than retweeting articles from Green Peace – changing the way we spend our time, money and "attention" is critical to experiencing the progress we desire.We have become so divided that we no longer go to the same schools, buy food at the same stores or read the same newspapers. We must spend more time engaging with others from different backgrounds with radically different political views.By Mohammed Hasan@MoHasan92