America votes

Tuesday 3rd November 2020

The whole world is watching the US. The outcome of today’s presidential election will have repercussions across the globe; they are diplomatic, economic, military and environmental. Stakes are extremely high for President Donald J. Trump in the race, but his rival, Joe Biden, has emerged stronger. This has made Trump even more aggressive.

Biden is ahead of Trump according to pre-polls surveys, but it ain’t over till the fat lady sings. Trump is still a force to be reckoned with in some key states although his popularity ratings have plummeted overall. In 2016, he won the presidency, debunking all pre-polls predictions. His main opponent, Hillary Clinton, polled more popular votes than he, but he became the President thanks to the Electoral College. What really matters in the US presidential election is the number of electors returned from the states, and not the nationwide popular votes as such. There are 538 electors, and the candidate who manages to have at least 270 of them elected from his or her party secures the presidency in the first round.

President Trump has made many enemies both at home and internationally, but his focus on the US economy has apparently gone down well with a section of Americans although he has got bowled over on the health front. His retail politics via Twitter, etc., has also had an appeal. Therefore, the possibility of lightning striking the US twice, so to speak, cannot be ruled out!

Speculation is rife that the results of today’s election are likely to be contested, and a truculent Trump will not concede if Biden wins. What if Trump does not accept the result of today’s election in case of Biden’s victory? He has already refused to commit to a peaceful post-election transfer of power. He has been railing against mail-in votes which, he insists, can lead to an electoral fraud. His rivals have pooh-poohed his contention, but he sticks to his view.

About two months ago, when a reporter asked President Trump about the transfer of power in the event of Biden’s victory, Trump had this to say: “We’re going to have to see what happens. You know that I’ve been complaining very strongly about the ballots, and the [mail] ballots are a disaster ….” His message is loud and clear.

President Trump’s political style makes one wonder whether he is of Sri Lankan descent. He has given his supporters free rein. One of Biden’s campaign events had to be called off in Texas, on Friday, owing to threats from a caravan of Trump backers, the US media has reported. They came out in their numbers, responding to a call from Trump’s son, who urged them to ‘get out there and have some fun’; he also said in a social media post: “Don’t forget to vote and bring all of your friends. Let’s show them how strong Texas still is as Trump country. Get out there, guys.” Trump supporters surrounded a Biden campaign bus in a threatening manner, and an FBI investigation has got underway into the incident. President Trump has faulted the FBI for launching a probe! We thought only Sri Lankan politicians, their sons and goons could resort to such intimidatory tactics with impunity.

Curiously, the Washington-based diplomats representing the western nations that pontificate to the developing world on virtues of democracy and urge the leaders in the Global South to commit to peaceful transfer of power in case of their electoral defeats, have chosen to remain silent on Trump’s refusal to do so. Is it that they do not want to be kicked out of the US?