98. TRIUMPH OF TRUMP!
The demonetisation of higher denomination currency notes in India has shifted the focus away from the major world event that occurred at the same time: the election of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States.
This is an important event, and could prove to be a turning point in history- like the Presidency of Ronald Reagan and election of Margaret Thatcher as PM in Britain.
Remarkable Election
The election of Trump is the more remarkable because the Mainstream Media (MSM) had been reporting as if the election of Hillary Clinton was a foregone conclusion, a mere formality. Newspapers like New York Times and Washington Post , and TV media like CNN ( nicknamed by some as Clinton News Network) were badmouthing Trump, and ridiculing and demonising him from the beginning. They misrepresented his ideas on all subjects and portrayed him as a silly joker. The election proved them utterly wrong and showed them for the crooks they are. The Clinton camp was not graceful conceding victory. It instigated demonstrations in some cities, bringing bus loads of youngsters who were not voters at all! There have also been reports of malpractices with the voting machines, and of voting by ineligible persons. Clinton was also shown to have manipulated the debates. But Trump overcame everything.
Simple, direct message
What was the secret? Pundits will invent theories, and close their eyes to realities. Trump has a basically three fold message. And not being a professional politician ( ie liar and actor) he spoke his mind bluntly. No jargon, no sugarcoating.. He reached over to people directly, across the heads of his own party men at times. His appeal was to all Americans, real Americans across party lines. He addressed issues which concerned ordinary Americans in their day to day lives.
American identity
And that was important. Just who are the Americans? Americans are just now worried about their roots and identity. It is because the Obama administration and the so called Liberal ( that is leftist- communist) dispensation would make of US a nation without roots, without borders, decrying its own history, culture and civilization. They would welcome illegal immigrants and feed them at the cost of genuine taxpayers. These immigrants, especially Muslims, do not share American values and do not feel attached to the country. They are there for the dollars. Trump understood and addressed these fears of the average American. He opposed all illegal immigration in clear terms. He did not object to or oppose legal immigrants, such as technically qualified people from India. Indeed, Indians stand a better chance if illegal immigration is halted. The MSM did not report this properly, but portrayed Trump as racist!
Those Indians who fell for the MSM and their Indian running dogs ( our own MSM) should ask themselves: would they like Bangladeshis to swamp Bengal? [There are already over 2 million illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in India] Or the Chinese to swamp Arunachal Pradesh? or Pakistanis to swamp Punjab? Or Srilankans to swamp Tamil Nadu? Is it wrong for a nation to try to secure its borders and limit illegal immigrants? And why are Muslims trying to go to USA when all Muslim organisations portray US as Satan? Why do the Muslim immigrants or refugees not go to other Muslim countries? They talk of their religion as brotherhood! This is the hypocrisy that Trump has called. Not that he invented this stand. The people had the fear of getting swamped, of their identity obliterated. Trump recognised it and articulated it. It has now received the support of the people. [This fear was at the root of Britain leaving the European Union in June, and now it is on the rise in Germany and France ie those countries which face waves of Muslim immigrants and refugees.]
Trump-Pence Team.
Industry and jobs
The second point in Trump's campaign was about America regaining its economic strength. Over the years, manufacturing has declined in the US, and jobs have disappeared. America imports from China, which means China has swallowed American jobs. And illegal immigrants take up jobs. This is sought to be justified in the name of globalism, but American jobs have shrunk. It is said that one in 6 Americans in the age group of 18-34 is without job or incarcerated. What has happened to American industry and enterprise, and jobs? Trump's simple point is to make industry thrive in the US again so that people can get jobs. Make America Great Again- the slogan of Trump's campaign sums it up neatly.
This is however not going to be easy. No one imagines it to be so. Today's technology is not oriented towards employment or human welfare. It is oriented towards so called productivity, and blasted GDP, which measures money values, and not human welfare. GDP will grow even if some vicious disease broke out, and half the population died! It is not possible to revive old kinds of industries, and new industries are on super-human [ or, should I say monstrous] scale. The old kind of family farms, small businesses are lying victims of mindless technology and mega corporate money power. There is now a delink between technology and employment. As Trump's team gets down to business, it will face the difficulties. But as a nation, US cannot afford to neglect its industry and employment. Thus Trump has brought the right focus on the issue. Solution will take time and effort.
There is something basically wrong today with all models of economy with which we have been familiar. History has shown that the so called liberal ie leftist economics relies on taxes, bloats the bureaucracy, and transfers income from those who work and save to those who are a burden in the name of welfare, killing enterprise in the process.It swells public debt. On the other hand, what prevails today in the name of free enterprise is simple crony capitalism, with a strong business-govt. nexus. It relies on reckles spending on mindless consumption to keep the system going. It leads to over spending, private debt, financial distress and environmental disaster. It leads to more intense concentration of wealth in ever fewer hands, and horribly widens the gap between the rich and the poor. Mainstream economics has reached a dead end. Every administration has to settle on a workable model. This is indeed a big challenge.
[This connect between technology and employment is a serious subject. The net result of technology is to reduce jobs, and make skills obsolete fast. Lord Keynes, the most famous of 20th century Economists spoke of an economy functioning at equilibrium at less than full employment- which he called 'long term underemployment equilibrium' or simply secular stagnation. This is unemployment brought about by technological advances. Today, technology grows without control, and works without restraint. Schumacher warned us about technology exceeding human scale. But such wisdom is not mainstream, still. To bring jobs back while wedded to technology is like trying to swim, tied to a huge rock, which keeps growing! ]
There is something basically wrong today with all models of economy with which we have been familiar. History has shown that the so called liberal ie leftist economics relies on taxes, bloats the bureaucracy, and transfers income from those who work and save to those who are a burden in the name of welfare, killing enterprise in the process.It swells public debt. On the other hand, what prevails today in the name of free enterprise is simple crony capitalism, with a strong business-govt. nexus. It relies on reckles spending on mindless consumption to keep the system going. It leads to over spending, private debt, financial distress and environmental disaster. It leads to more intense concentration of wealth in ever fewer hands, and horribly widens the gap between the rich and the poor. Mainstream economics has reached a dead end. Every administration has to settle on a workable model. This is indeed a big challenge.
Protect the Constitution
Over the years, American Presidents have subverted the Constitution by executive action . Just how Obama was able to get his medical scheme out is an example. Besides, in the name of globalism, welfare and anti-terrorism, the civic freedoms of Americans are shrinking due to ever expanding State action. The leftist judges in the courts are subverting the spirit of the Constitution by outrageous interpretations. It is time Americans stood up for their Constitution as meant by the Founding Fathers. This is also one area of concern.
Closer relations with Russia
In the matter of foreign policy, the Obama administration is perceived to have supported the extremists in Syria (ISIS). Obama also favours some nuclear deal with Iran . It has been hawkish relating to Russia. Trump aims at closer ties with Russia and not rubbing it or needling it. Trump is for honouring sovereignty. I have put things simply here, but there are lot of details to be studied.
Hillary Clinton: under multiple investigation
There have been allegations of wrong doing against the Clintons, for a long time. See the book "Do As I Say ( Not As I Do)" by Peter Schweizer [ Doubleday,2005] for some well documented instances. There have been more serious ones since then, the main ones being her use of unsecured, private server for transmitting classified information while she was Secretary of State, and misuse of funds collected under Clinton Foundation, her suspected lying under oath in regard to Benghazi incident. There are many related malpractices/deals reported in connection with such matters. Sample this:
There are allegations of malpractices in voting in the elections.All such news is blacked out by the MSM. There is already a chorus demanding Presidential pardon for her- which is odd since no formal charges have yet been framed! This itself shows that there is really something rotten at base, and how the politicians are trying to manipulate the system, so that truth is not allowed to surface.. Hillary Clinton really emerges as a dirty old hag.
Hillary Clinton: under multiple investigation
There have been allegations of wrong doing against the Clintons, for a long time. See the book "Do As I Say ( Not As I Do)" by Peter Schweizer [ Doubleday,2005] for some well documented instances. There have been more serious ones since then, the main ones being her use of unsecured, private server for transmitting classified information while she was Secretary of State, and misuse of funds collected under Clinton Foundation, her suspected lying under oath in regard to Benghazi incident. There are many related malpractices/deals reported in connection with such matters. Sample this:
“We’ve seen the politicization of federal agencies and possible felonies by government officials in the course of the FBI investigation, with possible obstruction, destruction of evidence, and perjury,” Peter Flaherty, president of the National Legal and Policy Center, a government watchdog group, told The Daily Signal in a phone interview.
Multiple congressional committee chairmen wrote Attorney General Loretta Lynch to ask about the unusual restrictions placed on the FBI during the initial probe of Clinton’s use of email, such as orders to destroy laptops after the investigation concludes.
Aside from the Justice Department and Congress, the Federal Election Commission could investigate Clinton’s campaign. The agency delves into credible allegations of campaign finance violations regardless of whether the campaign was victorious.[From: The Daily Signal ]
There are allegations of malpractices in voting in the elections.All such news is blacked out by the MSM. There is already a chorus demanding Presidential pardon for her- which is odd since no formal charges have yet been framed! This itself shows that there is really something rotten at base, and how the politicians are trying to manipulate the system, so that truth is not allowed to surface.. Hillary Clinton really emerges as a dirty old hag.
MSM's silly games
Indian MSM has also worked under the shadow of their American models, and spread alarm and unease about Trump- as it did against Modi two years ago. Gradually, Indians will realise that we have nothing to lose if America becomes strong. In fact, many Indians in the US realised this and supported Trump. Though portrayed as racist, Trump also got overwhelming support from African Americans. It will be foolish for any one to expect the US to run its affairs to suit others, and not its own interests first. New York Times apologised to its readers a few days ago.
There is lot of difference between election rhetoric and practical measures, which will be subject to constitutional constraints and institutional influences. This is the real art of governance! It does not run a text book course!Trump who has been a successful businessman can be expected to be pragmatic in matters of governance too.
A leader who wants to make his country great again, is great. Trump compels our admiration, and deserves our good will and best wishes. Let us wish him Godspeed.
Note.
1.There are Indians who feel Trump administration will hit Indians adversely, such as H1B visas. They cite old Trump speeches saying India has taken American jobs. I view such views as extremely silly and senseless. Should America run its affairs for the sake of Indian job seekers? The real point is, these Indians get educated here but run to US to get jobs! Which means our educational system does not help us,our own economy is not able to generate jobs or these Indians do not care for our country! Should we reform our educational system, and our economy or blame America for trying to put its own house in order?
2. Historically, no American Administration has been friendly to India, no matter which party held power, and who was the President ( with the exception of Franklin Roosevelt in the days of freedom struggle, and later Kennedy, who helped India during the Chinese aggression.)
Galbraith, Kennedy, B.K.Nehru, Lyndon Johnson, Nehru! Oh, what a picture!
We had some real friends of India as Ambassadors like Chester Bowles and John Kenneth Galbraith. But even they had difficulties with the administration. It was said that Galbraith could get along better with Nehru, a socialist than his own administration! Indians should not expect much from any President in Washington, which has a strategic tie with Pakistan! We should learn to organise our own house to serve our interests.
Note.
1.There are Indians who feel Trump administration will hit Indians adversely, such as H1B visas. They cite old Trump speeches saying India has taken American jobs. I view such views as extremely silly and senseless. Should America run its affairs for the sake of Indian job seekers? The real point is, these Indians get educated here but run to US to get jobs! Which means our educational system does not help us,our own economy is not able to generate jobs or these Indians do not care for our country! Should we reform our educational system, and our economy or blame America for trying to put its own house in order?
2. Historically, no American Administration has been friendly to India, no matter which party held power, and who was the President ( with the exception of Franklin Roosevelt in the days of freedom struggle, and later Kennedy, who helped India during the Chinese aggression.)
We had some real friends of India as Ambassadors like Chester Bowles and John Kenneth Galbraith. But even they had difficulties with the administration. It was said that Galbraith could get along better with Nehru, a socialist than his own administration! Indians should not expect much from any President in Washington, which has a strategic tie with Pakistan! We should learn to organise our own house to serve our interests.
