Dear Editor,
Following one of the most hotly contested elections in one of the most ethnically divisive campaigns in US history, political pundits were shocked as neophyte Republican candidate Donald Trump defeated Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Almost every political pundit, including this writer, felt it was going to be a runaway victory for Clinton. So how did Trump pull off this astonishing victory? Ordinary folks did not see the election as political experts did. The
common folks felt this election was Trump’s for the asking because white Americans were getting fed up with politics as usual in Washington between the two establishment parties and their candidates. Voters wanted something new and different as they did in 2008 when they also rejected the establishment candidates. Some analysts say this election was all about ethnicity and Trump played the ethnic card well, winning redneck voters in key areas to capture middle America. The minority votes plus the liberal whites were simply not enough to take Clinton over the top. Indeed, it was the most ethnically polarized election in the history of America since the civil war. Trump capitalized on the anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, anti-Hispanic, anti-terror, and anti-Obama sentiments that pervade some areas of the country eight years after an Obama presidency and white America went for it. Trump received one of the highest percentages of white votes in recent elections; even close to half of white females went for him, abandoning a sister candidate in Hillary. It shows that ethnic sentiments in America have not changed long after Jim Crow and in this the middle of the second decade of a new millennium. But this should not take away from a Trump victory. He ran a focused campaign fashioning a theme that resonated with Republican type voters who came out in large numbers to give this non-politician a chance to govern America.
Americans were looking for a non-politician. Trump was the anti-establishment candidate while Hillary was the establishment candidate, the one whom betters gave the odds to win. The voters’ mood was not that different from 2008. Just as Obama’s message of change resonated among voters in 2008, so Trump’s call for change appeared to carry the day in 2016. The political novice, who never ran for political office before, capitalised on voters’ economic anxieties and anger with Washington; voters saw the establishment as rascals. And he also took advantage of racial tensions and anti-immigrant sentiments. He constructed a campaign theme that appealed to voters who felt the source of their financial and security problems were immigrants and Muslims and the perennial fear of Islamist terror.
Trump repeatedly reminded voters that America has not been going in the right direction over the last several years and that if changes are not made soon, America will very soon cease to exist as the great country that people have known over the last 200 years. Clearly, people bought into this message.
The American people got fed up with politics as usual in Washington and have not seen much improvement in their lifestyle. They had noticed that their standard of living has not been improving while that of the elite was getting better. For too long, the voters have been taken for a ride by establishment candidates who pursue self-interest rather than the interest of voters. They view Trump as the man who owed nothing to anyone and who would stand up to big interests. Trump tapped into their anger with and resentment of Washington. And the voters were in a mood to send a pointed message to the politicians – they will not tolerate the status quo any more. So they went for him.
It should be noted that Clinton was seen as an establishment candidate and there was widespread resentment of her. Clinton was seen as continuing the status quo while Trump was seen as changing direction.
As expected, distraught Clinton supporters felt shock and grief over Trump victory. Some have refused to accept the results. There are protests nationwide. In an election, only one candidate can win. But the voters have spoken and the results must be accepted. It is time for healing and to move on with the rebuilding of the American nation. The loser has to accept the result and Clinton has conceded to Trump gracefully. And Trump himself was gracious toward his opponent, and called for unity. “We owe [Clinton] a very major debt of gratitude to her for her service to our country,” Trump said; “I say it is time for us to come together as one united people.”
A Trump presidency may not be as bad as being made out by fear mongers. In fact, it may turn out to be good for the country as he will move to clean up a lot of bad policies and the corruption in Washington.
It should be pointed out that Trump has pledged to be President for all Americans. He said: “For those who have chosen not to support me in the past, I’m reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so we can work together and unify our great country.”
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
