I was going to post this originally on 9 November, but life got in the way. You know how that is..
The Unthinkable Has Actually Happened…
Great swathes of the American population really are dumb… !!!
The new President-Elect is nothing short of a border-line, racist, misogynistic socio-psychopath whose election will set America’s international standing back by years. Uncouth, unpolished and unable to brook any form of criticism / opposition; this does not bode well for future international relationships.
Haven’t heard a squeak from him about this election being rigged and neither has he called for a re-assessment – now that he has won. Somehow, I don’t think he’ll be doing so.. (although subsequent reports indicate that he still – erroneously – believes in voter fraud)..
The only possible ‘good’ thing to come out of this very sorry affair is the fact that, rather like Brexit, the votes for Donald Trump have shaken up the very complacent (political) establishment.
Although whether this will actually produce any good, tangible and lasting result is another matter entirely and the status quo will probably end up as more of the ‘same old, same old’..
If he really wishes to isolate America from the rest of the world, well, let’s hope that he’ll also stop American interference in arenas where it has no business to be. Unfortunately, because money talks – and very loudly – in the States, this will probably not be a viable option.
So far, his choice of potential cabinet members – or whatever they call his advisers over here – doesn’t look too promising. Some rabid right-wingers and possible nepotism where his family is concerned; a family that, like their father doesn’t appear to have any political experience whatsoever. However, to a country seemingly obsessed by ‘reality stars’ and celebrity status. minor details like actual ability to govern and quality of diplomacy when dealing with heads of states are, apparently, of no consequence.
Let’s all hope that the future isn’t as bleak as I am currently feeling it will be..
And, now (briefly) on to Brexit..
Despite the farter’s (the President-Elect of the USA – now sadly, President) unfortunate endorsement of Brexit, I really don’t understand why so many people in Britain continue to think that remaining in the unwieldy behemoth that currently comprises the EU is a good thing. Yes, free movement of trade is definitely a positive; however, weighed against the stifling bureaucracy of Brussels – not to mention the increasingly stringent regulations and laws emerging from that city – it is definitely a good thing that we are leaving.
Indeed, we should never have turned our backs on the Commonwealth countries so readily. Except that from what I understand, we weren’t able to trade with them freely once we joined the then EEC – all because of directives coming out of Brussels that prevented us from doing so. Not helped by British civil servants’ and jobworthies’ willingness to implement these new rules and regulations with gusto.
So unlike many of their European counterparts – especially those in France – who often merely appeared to embrace whatever directive was being issued – when it suited them – and when it didn’t, gave a typical Gallic shrug (or whatever their nationality deemed to express indifference) and went on doing exactly what they had always done.
At least now – if it isn’t too late – we can start to open up avenues of communication again with our erstwhile trading partners once more and hopefully, find some new ones..