The United States of America is the oldest democracy globally, and its leaders, many greats, have led by example. Evolution of the two major parties, bickering and ready to attack below the belt, created an atmosphere of incompatibility, even when at the cost of national interests.
Donald Trump, a billionaire businessman and a real-estate Moghul, entered politics in 2015 and was elected as the US’s 45th president in 2016 against Hillary Clinton. The US has witnessed a new kind of leadership in the four years of his presidency. His governing skills were different than his degree in economics from Wharton.
Many states, where the Republicans were hopeful of winning, failed the Trump aspirations. He held on, stating that the Democrats are stealing, thus causing aspersions on a tested system and the poll process. Many lawsuits were filed, and recounting done, delaying the outcome of the results. The tumultuous electioneering, mail-in-votes, deeply divided voting results and claims of unfair means indulged in polling by parties laid bare the holes in the confusing US constitution and the minds of Americans.
The nation was deeply divided like never before. Gangs were often out on the streets like the US Army did in Vietnam or Iraq, attacking the opponent supporters and the security forces. It was a leadership failure in the US. In the wake of today’s riots, both the outgoing and the incoming presidents must have appeared together to calm the rioters’ nerves and urging them to go back home.
The media too was nasty, focusing only on its prime position. Though with many leaders, the US suddenly seemed to have no statesmen to appear and pacify the crowds like Gandhi did after the brutal Noakhali riots.
The siege of the Capitol Hill by Trump’s supporters also reveals the dangers of sub-optimal leaderships in the world democracies. The anger on an overall corrupt and a scheming leadership is buoyed by job-losses and poverty as well. Trump promoted targeted groups, which grew to be a menace and a law unto themselves. A section of the policemen too, become the part of such groups. Repeated killings of unarmed blacks are a pointer in this direction.
Regardless of his many good acts during his presidency, Trump will be long remembered for causing great damage to democracy by doubting the courts and the poll-processes. His unwillingness to yield his seat, despite Joe Biden securing a majority, was pitiful. The leaders of democratic nations must never reflect autocratic tendencies, for smaller gains at the cost of larger losses to the nation.
On his way out on the 20th January, unless booted out before by his cabinet by invoking Art. 25 of the US Constitution, President Trump, must learn to be gracious in conceding his loss. His loss is not the loss of US, much less the world’s, as it is made out to be. It is only an electoral loss.
I hope all other countries learn from US incidents and protect their democracy in true letter and spirit.
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix
