The Trump factor

The US Republicans are in for a disaster for sure. Really, in this day and age, someone like Donald Trump shouldn't be a frontrunner for the Republican or even the Democratic ticket to the presidency. His policies on race, gender, immigration and income inequality among others are so many steps backwards. Why so much hate on others and complain if that hate is now directed towards you. This is not 'The Apprentice' where as a judge Trump got to be obnoxious as much as he can. We are talking about peoples livelihoods here. Selfishness is a good word which describes Trump's character. Most inhabitants of the USA have got immigrant origins. Suddenly others wanting to obtain 'the American Dream' are now enemies. For him and his ancestors coming to the US was good but the tide changes for others today. The thing with 'our country' mantra is misleading and very naive. America belongs to all who live there, and certainly not a particular 'elite' section of the society.

The Trump factor brings on the table the issue of racism which is prevalent in America. With the election of Barack Obama, some sections of the society saw this as a herald of a new and better chapter in race relations in America. But hey, the problems of yesteryear don't just go away in a flash. Issues to do with race such as the 'black lives matter' movement highlight some of the problems still besetting American society. Police brutality against people of colour, selective application of justice against blacks and the inertia against societal intergration shows that the struggle against injustice is still on.

What then is going to happen to America. Definately Trump is not going to be the US President. The Republican party is going to be damaged to the core as a result.

On another point, this two party system in the US is not really democracy at play. What is there is a mechanism which is expected to provide national leadership solutions and direction which is supposed to be accepted by all and sundry because the mechanism, everyone is told, is the first best available. The intuition is that there is no better approach which is not being practiced and other approaches in play are inferior.

Anyway lets watch and see how the situation evolves.