THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Understandably there’s been a huge volume of comment on the election, for two reasons.

First, because the USA is still the world’s major economic and military power and second, because it’s utterly bewildering to the outside world that an ignorant, crass lying oaf such as Trump can gain anyone’s support.

Across the political spectrum throughout the world, numerous editorialists and commentators wrote articles condemning Trump’s candidacy. Take Britain for example where the left wing Guardian and the right wing Economist published virtually identical criticisms of his candidacy.

That said, the result should not have been a shock since pre-election polls all pointed to a 50/50 situation, which is what eventuated. It was the vagaries of the American electoral system that saw Trump come out on top.

His principal policies were first, slamming migration, this in a nation built upon migration from across the world. As the think tank, The National Foundation for American Policy has pointed out, immigrants have started 55% of America’s startup companies valued at a billion dollars or more. That should not surprise New Zealanders as we see a similar visible initiative here with our migrants at every level of the economy, they being hungry fighters eager to make their mark in their new homeland. Trump’s second inane policy reflecting his grotesque economic ignorance is his attacks on the greatest instrument for human progress since the first human evolved over 100,000 years back, that being free trade.

Numerous other insanities were spewed out but if we judge him on his first term’s (2016-20) policies and results, hopefully they will prove piss and wind and be quickly forgotten.

In 2016 he campaigned on a single message, namely “I will build a wall and Mexico will pay for it”. Needless to say, neither eventuated.

America has been out of line with the rest of the world since 2016, on so many things, but most notably it alone supporting Israel’s genocidal behaviour. Post Trump, hopefully it will get back into step with the world’s 200 nations on this disgrace.

But let’s not forget that half of the US electorate voted against Trump. And before we’re too condemnatory, let’s also not forget our measurably own greater moment of insanity, specifically the massively embarrassing Jacindamania phenomenon, four years back.

One potential positive is that Trump likes to pose as an international deal-maker with dictators he openly admires.

So I anticipate a Trump meeting with the evil Putin, who’s territorial ambitions have been thwarted by a passionate Ukrainian resistance to date.

Putin needs a face-saving out and Trump will deliver it, allowing Russia to incorporate a small Russian speaking territory on Ukraine’s eastern border.

Recently discussing Trump the issue arose as to there’s anything one can say that’s positive about him. Yes, there is, specifically his children, now all adults, who all seem to be very civil, albeit that may be more attributable to their mothers.