America

  • Is American media sufficient?

    The American media are foremost in the world for presenting a view of politics that makes sense. It’s true to say because of the regularity of its coverage plus the scope of its content.

    However, there are pitfalls to presenting a singular view of your country and these are telling. The one-sided nature of American coverage is strong, and it has a preoccupation with optics too.

    The general content of reports comes across as superficial, in that details are lacking and issues rushed through. There’s also a perception that not much moves news anchors to turn in a different direction.

    The positive is it reminds viewers of who’s in control and what matters in America as they are. It has the opportunity to keep items on the agenda that might be used and abused by a plotting administration.

    This makes sense because if people are informed (these being the voting public) there is a space for pressure to be applied. This can be done in person or by proxy because of their representatives.

  • Second Trump gunman charged

    An American citizen allegedly caught attempting to assassinate Donald Trump at his golf course in Florida on 15 September was formally charged in Miami yesterday.

    Ryan Wesley was found by a secret service agent pointing a rifle in the direction of the golf course at which Trump was playing in an apparent set up for a shooting incident.

    It’s the second plot against Trump’s life since an attempt in July when a young man shot at him during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania and injured the former President.

  • Trump mints his brand

    The side hustles of politicians are intriguing insights into who they are and what they think about. A recent announcement by Donald Trump of his minting endeavour floats a similar type of boat.

    In a post on X, the former President revealed Trump Coins, uniquely and specially designed and minted commemorative coins featuring the President’s face, signature and etching of the White House.

    It’s a foray Trump is perhaps prepared for having hosted The Apprentice, a television show that geared its contestants toward making the most money possible. Trump is also a famous fan of the US dollar.

    This latest iteration of his brand sits nicely in amongst his previous projects. It suggests he still believes he has a position as America’s most foremost champion but also its more infamous salesperson.

  • US election fever

  • America’s got VP talent

    Choosing a running mate has become a side serving alongside the staple of an American election in recent years. It’s a novelty that turns into a reality much later on but it’s a bolt of lightning if the right move is made.

    Trump has chosen JD Vance, who came as a surprise but he’s slotted in by a continuation of his folksy appeal. He’s shown charm meeting with ordinary voters, and has an off-pitch energy which connects with people.

    Kamala Harris has chosen Tim Walz, who strode on stage with pizzaz at the DNC. He pumped the room with energy for their campaign and has helped to instil a sense of optimism in their plans for election.

  • Republican politics

    The Republican Party is dominated by strong figures, historic moments, and large policy programs. It isn’t easy to shake the shadows of the past and any candidate has large boots to fill.

    However, sharing power with the Democrat party makes it easier to juggle expectations because of the reality of mistakes. The truth is parties leave legacies for each other, and these often define what it is.

    In recent times Donald Trump has campaigned off the faults of President Obama, as well as the record of President Biden during his term. The idea is to not make policy too fine a point in a campaign.

  • Harris sets her terms

    In departing from the Biden era of spend, spend, spend Harris is taking a dip into the middle class politics of America.

    Her campaign theme is an “opportunity economy” and it reflects in lower taxes for middle income families, greater mortgage take up, and furnishing a lifestyle that brings about the American dream through ownership and by enterprise.

    These are simple ideas but carry a strong Democrat message. It doesn’t however reassure voters about the national debt or provide implicit reassurance about hiring, as it were.

    The losers are above and below the belt of Harris’ middle America.

  • Harris and her family

    Kamala Harris, the Democrat Presidential candidate, has jettisoned her campaign beyond its uncertain beginnings. If the exit of Joe Biden came as a surprise, the shock is a surge of support for Harris.

    However, her political career only took a form as she became the first female Vice President in American history. She served an administration that prioritised public spending and her campaign is focused on the needs of middle income families.

    The background of a candidate like this is of interest, and since pundits usually look for credibility to meet plaudits head-on, it’s worth looking at what there is to rely on.

    Harris is daughter to Donald J Harris, a Stanford economist who is also highly praised for his work in Jamaica. Her sister is a lawyer and former advisor in the Democrat party. It’s not a bad start, to be clear.

    Any belief in a candidacy does not rely solely on family, but it helps make it believable if a message is based along similar lines. The Harris family may have achieved their goals, but the real test is in the trust of America. Let’s see if they vote, and believe.

  • Harris lead narrows

    In popular terms, Kamala Harris is seeing her candidacy struggle.

    In a poll for UK-based Redfield and Wilton Strategies, which is accredited both sides of the Atlantic, her lead has narrowed to just 1% over Donald Trump.

    The major issue this election is the economy, and Harris has majored on it during her recent campaign events. However it’s territory Trump has covered extensively before.

    The next top issue is the cost of healthcare, a perennial issue in American politics, which 57% feel is part of their voting considerations. The post-pandemic world isn’t one that has left behind this issue.

    The narrow lead in the polls may push Harris down to the wire.

  • Harris edges out Trump

    The American election is hotting up, with Biden out the way and Harris out in front. She leads her Republican opponent by 3 points, according to Redfield and Wilton Strategies.

    Her running mate, Tim Walz, has a 35% favourability rating among Americans. Her decision to run with him has landed her headlines and a bounce among Democrats, according to reports.

    However, they fall either side of typical dividing lines. It looks Trump is a clear winner on issues he talks about, and likewise Harris. It’s apparent the stump is the place to be in this election cycle.

  • Kamala the kickstarter

    The American election race is hotting up. A strong dividing line has been drawn. Kamala Harris has chosen Tim Walz, hailing from Nebraska, as her running mate. He’s a strong pick for a candidate who lacked firepower behind legal knowhow.

    The task ahead is troubling for Harris. Her Republican opponent is a powerhouse brand name. He’s also full of gusto. His rhetoric draws large crowds but she is more suited to a White House cum Washington scenic backdrop that makes her speeches sensible.

    If her campaign wish is going to come true is another matter entirely. She’s already raised campaign dollars at a rate. In ten days she drew $310 million for her war chest. It’s impressive for an upstart campaign. However the messaging still has to come through.

  • Jan 6 in retrospect

    In conservative political lore it makes sense to say protest isn’t the way forward.

    In the UK it bears out to be the truth.

    Most if not all protests at times are either Labour or liberal in origin. It isn’t easy to always work out who and messages change too. A protest needs a life of its own as well.

    The events of Jan 6 make ever clearer that patriotism runs deep for some people. It isn’t a matter of republican this or Democrat that, but it’s a sense of where one lives. It’s what drives people.

    We go to the lengths we go to win or sign documents because we also care. It’s a part of who we all are.

    A recent press release by the U.S Attorney’s Office, District of Columbia, has stated that so far the rioters cover nearly all the states in the country. It’s a huge figure and makes a difference considering its context.

    It doesn’t suggest a local Republican branch or a group which organised beforehand.

    It suggests an underlying issue which isn’t clear yet. It will bear out in time but for now it’s a legal system that has its say following an event that few have gotten to grips with just yet.

  • The woes of being political

    The Trump administration suffered mild media hostility from its outset in 2017.

    The American media had a hard time finding anything positive to say about Trump and his Presidency.

    It rarely has time to do anything else.

    It alerts viewers to “far right” views of his supporters, and points to words and phrases used to piece together an entire worldview that is anti-Trump, but leaves it to the Democrats to pick up the pieces.

    It can be argued there’s plenty of fodder to choose from, but his political woes stack up higher than his media troubles it would seem.

    His experience of his political peers turned into hysteria as his first term wore on. He was impeached twice, accused of insurrection, and alleged to be guilty of indiscretions related to his Presidency.

    The facts are clear though. Trump and Biden have polled huge support in their respective electoral wins. They both had a mandate to govern set out clearly by the American people.

    In either camp there are critics but neither has suffered criticism serious enough to warrant such further investigations.

    The democratic weight alleged to be behind single representatives is incomparable compared to the Presidency and yet it may feel stupid saying it.

    The American media and lesser public personalities appear intent on making it so but the truth is in the office, not the mouth of any single representative of media or state.

  • Kamala for President? It’s possible

    Kamala Harris has reportedly won the backing of her party to run for the Presidency. She takes the place of Joe Biden who recently left the campaign trail.

    Biden did not cite precise reasons why but he left it open for Harris who is a popular figure within the Democrat party. Harris is more likely to put up a fight against Republican candidate Donald Trump than anyone else.

    Trump is still running in spite of an assassination attempt. He’s also engaged in ongoing court cases that have threatened his attempt to win the White House for a second time.

  • Joe Biden ends his campaign

    Joe Biden has written his resignation letter and dropped out of the race for the American presidency. It leaves the door open for Trump to assume a second term or for an insurgent Democrat candidate to take the reins.

    It isn’t clear who it is yet.

    The fact is Biden is walking away from his first and only term in office with a few records behind him but a tumultuous election campaign that has been cut short. Trump was shot at and he got Covid.

    It’s not a good look for America at this time.

    At the end of his letter Biden signed off with a short message to the American people. It doesn’t strike a despondent tone but it does suggest he feels disillusioned with any distraction that takes focus away.

    “I believe today what I always have: that there is nothing America can’t do – when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United States of America.”

    Perhaps this election cycle has been too much for him this time around.