INTERNATIONAL NEWS
You Can’t Fire Trumpism For three long days, the world held breath; the result the US presidential election hung the balance. And then, clarity -- or we thought.
its well, that will persist after he’s left the of White House. in Trumpism, if we can call it so that, coheres around several key policy areas: the protection of gun rights, low Even after a frenzy of poll updates, taxes and an aversion to what is seen late-night tweeting and bitter, yet un- as socialised (European-style, NHSsurprising, accusations from Donald style) healthcare. Trump, the November 3rd election How is it that the president -- despite is still far from a peaceful concluover 245,000 deaths from a virus he sion to the upheaval and division of the initially dismissed and then failed to Trump years. It produced a clear winlead an effective response -ner and a sore loser. But while Trump can maintain such a wide followis due to leave the White House on ing? Partly, it’s the willingness of his January 20th, Trumpism remains a followers to suspend disbepotent force in American society and lief. As Trump himself put it, he could politics. It will massively complicate literally “stand in the middle of Fifth the job of the new administration. Avenue and shoot somebody” without In the first year of Trump’s presidency, losing any voters; “it’s, like, incredithe BBC raised a question that is worth ble”. It’s also undeniable that some of addressing today: “Should we be add- Trump’s policies -- his tax cuts and his ing an "ism" to the end willingness to take on China -- were of [Trump’s] name? Are we dealing popular. with a thought-through philosophy, a The President’s own stubbornness and carefully mapped world view that hisunwillingness to face the truth elicits a torians will look back and similar response from his followcall Trumpism? Or are we dealing with ers. Trump refuses to concede defeat instincts and impulses guided by a (as of this writing); around 70% populist desire to please his base that of Republican voters surveyed believe delivered his astonishing victory?”. the 2020 presidential election to have The BBC concluded that “the Ameri- been neither free nor fair, despite the can people weren’t voting for a philos- fact that the election was certified opher or intellectual. They wanted as the most secure in American histosomeone who would get things done.” ry. Even as the election was being deTherefore, to put an ‘ism’ at the end of cided, Ladbrokes had 25-to-1 odds Trump’s name is more to capture the on Ivanka Trump, the President’s authority that Trump has over many daughter, becoming President in 2024. minds in America, than to mark his The 73 million followers that Trump policies as philosophically or intellechas will not simply disappear when the tually significant. new Biden Administration moves into After four years of chronic lying, po- the White House; the movement they larising rhetoric and provocative represent will persist and perhaps even tweeting, it seems that Trumpism is a grow, wholly depending on Biden’s political movement based around the success as president. What does the president’s cult of personality, as op- new administration need to do to deposed to any ideologies (of which he escalate the tension in American polistruggled to communicate). However, tics and perhaps prevent a rethere is a binding logic to Trumpism as turn of Trumpism in 2024?
Biden has already made a good start, with calmer tones and a presence that is the polar opposite of Trump’s. Biden didn’t declare victory until it was clear. He held out an olive branch to Trump’s supporters, promising to unify the nation. He also made a long list of specific policy promises for his first 100 days as president. These include a robust response to the pandemic based on science ( as opposed to Trump’s response: constantly denigrating chief scientist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, while also seeming to tell people to ingest bleach as a cure). He also promises to make fighting climate change a priority, tightening environmental regulations, repairing international relations and saving Obama Care, Much also depends on whether the Republican Party itself can move away from toxic Trumpism and toward something more like the messages the party had during its heyday under Ronald Reagan, whose administration was responsible for sowing many of the seeds that have resulted in Trumpism. With a long four-decade record in Congress, Biden has the experience to change the tone of American politics and he starts with a hopeful message: “I pledge to be a President who seeks not to divide but unify, who doesn’t see red states and blue states but only sees the United States’
Sasha Rosanov, Yr12 Nugent House 5
