A charlatan incapable of winning, Donald Trump has severely injured America
The Nation August 12, 2016 1:00 am
EDITORIAL
In his freakish rhetoric and through the sheer popularity of his campaign to become president of the United States - inarguably still the world's most powerful political office - Donald Trump has managed to drain American democracy of its last dregs of inspiration. The Republican Party candidate has turned the election into a primetime TV soap opera, but his years spent hosting a uniquely mean-spirited television reality show bring to the proceedings a harrowing reality all their own. Steeped in show business and the cult of celebrity, Trump is adept at churning emotions in front of millions of viewers. If TV reality shows aren't actually real, though - more a matter of behind-the-scenes manipulation - is it possible that Trump's campaign is also a fake? Judging by the outrageous statements he continues to make, the profanity, insults and ridiculous promises that are steadily eroding his chances in the November polls, he doesn't appear to harbour hopes of actually winning the presidency.
For the property developer turned Hollywood hustler, this might well be just another show. If he loses, as he almost certainly will in tallying the projected electoral vote, he will walk away grumbling about a rigged election but still be wealthy and even more famous - in perfect position to become a full-time pundit on politics or any other topic, or host another TV series.
Seen as a charlatan, albeit one who is wasting billions of dollars and causing severe injury to the American political process, Trump can be perhaps viewed as being less dangerous to the world than is generally perceived. His views on foreign relations are patently simplistic and one-dimensional, regarding other nations as friends in service of American interests.
His campaign trick of choice is instilling fear, categorising all Mexican immigrants as rapists and all Muslims as terrorists and assailing China for stealing American jobs when he knows full well that the US economy would be in far worse shape if not for Chinese support. He wants the US out of Nato, a move that would undermine the entire European security architecture in place since World War II. He wants to jettison the Trans Pacific Partnership championed by incumbent Barrack Obama (as does his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, it must be noted), despite its clear benefits to the American economy and workers.
Regardless of the outcome in November, the people of the United States will have to search their collective soul about the flawed electoral system they have in place. It has allowed a billionaire curmudgeon and bigot to come within sight of the presidency by lashing out hatefully at contrived enemies on primetime TV, day in and day out. Surely a form of madness is at work when perhaps half the citizens of a country admired around the world as the utmost bastion of democracy fall prey to foul trickery.
If there is a lesson in all this for Thailand, it is that 50 prominent national-security officials, all members of the Republican Party, signed a letter condemning the nominee. They judged from his campaign pronouncements that Trump would be the most reckless president in US history and were unafraid to say so loudly. Clearly they placed the nation's interests above those of the party or any individual, and it was a courageous stance that Thailand's politicians should emulate. The national interest must always come first, even if it entails personal sacrifice .
American democracy has reached a critical moment. The impostor Donald Trump has stripped it of inspiration and credibility, relegating "America first" to America last. Once this dark cloud has passed, the damage done might yet prove reparable.
For the property developer turned Hollywood hustler, this might well be just another show. If he loses, as he almost certainly will in tallying the projected electoral vote, he will walk away grumbling about a rigged election but still be wealthy and even more famous - in perfect position to become a full-time pundit on politics or any other topic, or host another TV series.
Seen as a charlatan, albeit one who is wasting billions of dollars and causing severe injury to the American political process, Trump can be perhaps viewed as being less dangerous to the world than is generally perceived. His views on foreign relations are patently simplistic and one-dimensional, regarding other nations as friends in service of American interests.
His campaign trick of choice is instilling fear, categorising all Mexican immigrants as rapists and all Muslims as terrorists and assailing China for stealing American jobs when he knows full well that the US economy would be in far worse shape if not for Chinese support. He wants the US out of Nato, a move that would undermine the entire European security architecture in place since World War II. He wants to jettison the Trans Pacific Partnership championed by incumbent Barrack Obama (as does his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, it must be noted), despite its clear benefits to the American economy and workers.
If there is a lesson in all this for Thailand, it is that 50 prominent national-security officials, all members of the Republican Party, signed a letter condemning the nominee. They judged from his campaign pronouncements that Trump would be the most reckless president in US history and were unafraid to say so loudly. Clearly they placed the nation's interests above those of the party or any individual, and it was a courageous stance that Thailand's politicians should emulate. The national interest must always come first, even if it entails personal sacrifice .
American democracy has reached a critical moment. The impostor Donald Trump has stripped it of inspiration and credibility, relegating "America first" to America last. Once this dark cloud has passed, the damage done might yet prove reparable.
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