The Road to November

Eduardo del Buey
Foto: Especial
La Jornada Maya

Martes 9 de junio, 2020

If Donald Trump loses the election in November, will the world revert to what it was before he took office?

I say no.

If Trump loses, the U.S. administration will change, and with it a vision of the world that has been highly destructive and this has led to the deterioration of U.S. alliances and its global leadership.

But can a new administration recover America’s preeminent role as a global leader or has the world moved on from what used to be known as “Pax Americana”?

It could be that confidence in traditional American values has eroded to the point that it could well be difficult for that country to rebuild and again enjoy the trust and respect of the global community and of its own citizens.

Why?

Because while Trump may lose the election, the forty percent of Americans who currently believe in his vision will continue to exist and could well be strengthened by Trump “the political martyr”.

This is not about Trump alone. It is about people who feel marginalized, forgotten and ignored.

And that is the reality upon which Democrat strategists must focus.

Donald Trump has not been the sole cause of the current malaise in the United States. He has indeed been a narcissistic, corrupt, divisive, and racist president. But the current malaise is also partially a result of decades of erosion of political values that once celebrated consensus building, a foreign policy based upon a vision of mutual benefit, and a vision that, while imperfect, created a sense of national purpose and will.

One has only to recall the relationship between Barack Obama and a Republican Congress or the election in 2010 of the Republican Tea Party group that first created a gridlocked Congress to understand that this polarization existed well before the Trump presidency.

So, what is sorely needed is a new societal compact and leadership that reaches out across the political divide to create a renewed vision for America and its role in the world. Without this, American society will remain the same regardless of who wins in November.

Should the democrats win, they will have to concentrate on creating this new social dynamic that unites all around knowledge and expertise rather that divides over ideology and personal whims. The challenge will be to undo the damage of recent years and seek to bring all members of society into a common quest regardless of race, creed, or ethnicity. A national reconciliation that will enable the United States to heal from its current wounds.

Is this possible?

A simple election cannot erase fifty years of history and growing polarization or the past three and a half years of sheer political and social destruction, nor can it instantly renew international trust and bring a return to global leadership. If the United States cannot heal and unite itself, how can it expect to lead and unite the world?

That will require a new generation of leaders on both sides of the political aisle that can retreat from the current political extremes and bring U.S. politics back to the center.

Can Joe Biden be that leader?

Can moderate Republicans regain control over their party?

Can voters understand what is needed to move America forward?

Herein lie the challenges for American voters this November and afterwards.

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Edición: Ana Ordaz