Ashok Dhillon
Nov 12, 20163 min
Updated: Feb 13
November 9th, 2016, a day that will go down in infamy, when half, of mostly respectable Americans, shocked the other half in their country, and the rest of the World, by electing Donald J. Trump, as the 45th President of the United States. This rash act was one of pure revolt against the established order, and one borne of desperation in the face of chronic and debilitating disease of economic regression, resulting in the purchase of the ‘all-ills-healing potion’, from the consummate snake-oil salesman Donald Trump. The operating credo throughout his campaign was, say anything to anyone and worry about delivering on it, if at all, later. Sounds sort of reasonable pragmatic business thinking, except, most of what he promised to his avid and desperate buyers, is practically impossible for him to deliver on.
Trump, by all universal measures, was arguably the most unlikely and unsuitable Presidential candidate in the history of that country.
Because America isn’t some Banana Republic or a blatantly corrupt Third-World Country, but is one of the most advanced and the most powerful country in the World, and better or for worse (mostly better) an example and a Leader to most of the World.
The sheer unsuitability of this candidate, by any civilized country’s measure is legend. Yet, for an unfathomable number of Americans, he was the right man for the highest office in the land, even though, for a majority of those that voted for him (approximately 62%), he was neither suitable nor trustworthy!
In spite of such significant misgivings, they voted him in as the next President of the United States! Such an act of desperation can only come from those that: a) share his crass makeup (a smaller number); or b) are hurting too much for too long to care about the ill advisement of their action (a larger number, and those without any reasonable patience left).
The second group, decided to go with him in spite of his blatant lies and falsehoods, even though they knew the chances of him making good on most of what he was saying were slim to none (some actually admitted it).
But, staying with the obvious establishment type, Hillary Clinton, even if she did outshine him by miles on every pertinent requirement, was just not appealing this time.
The middle America that Hillary Clinton counted on to be her “Blue Wall”, this election, quietly slunk away and voted for danger, uncertainty, possible disaster, but guaranteed change with Trump.
They and enough others rolled the dice to change America’s recent direction (under Obama) of a kinder and gentler America with an enhanced sense of civility, compassion, rule of law (both internal and international), gradual but steady economic comeback, to back-to-the-past, to the previously tried and tested and disastrous Republican ways (In the past 30 years, measurably, the best economic, societal performers were both Democratic Administrations).
But, America (those who voted for Trump) as a country and an economy, was not ready to grow up and act like a responsible, albeit a bit boring adult, so it threw an irrational, highly risky, adolescent fit.
Not willing to acknowledge that the World has changed and days of easy money for all levels of its society were probably long over, and any new paths to new found prosperity would be hard fought and hard won through long years of discipline, years of innovation, and yes, rationalization, because hungrier and cheaper competitor countries were going to bring the hard-nosed merciless principles of American style capitalism to America’s own front door, just like America did to the more mature countries of Europe and the previous super power Great Britain, in the last century.
Nobody was interested in discussing the impossibility of ‘bringing jobs back’ in a time when corporations, to stay relevant and competitive, must have lowest cost production. In North America, where energy prices and taxes are already far lower than in Asia (the manufacturing competitor), the only additional initiative would be to automate; not exactly the mass job creating idea is it? Besides, some companies in Asia are already going down that path. So how are corporations going to be enticed, ordered, threatened or otherwise coerced into ‘bringing jobs back’ by ‘lean-on-details’ Trump? Or for that matter the one-trick-pony ‘cut taxes’ Republicans.
But who is interested in patient dissection of pragmatic, structural problems of the modern country and economy and the resulting sensible implementation of steady remedies (Obama/Hillary Clinton solutions), when there is a snake-oil salesman in your face promising instant remedy to all your long festering problems and fears, in shorter time than it takes to say ‘Donald Trump’!
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