The US marks the result of the November election today. It’s the return of Donald Trump that has caught the elite’s eye. His win has stirred his support base but left Democrats feeling dejected.
It isn’t going to be straightforward. The certification event is on the fourth anniversary of the Jan 6 riots. It makes Trump an unpopular figure already, and not just because of his legal troubles.
There are particular people who come out strongly against Donald Trump after he wins an election. It happened in 2016, and didn’t stop after he lost the 2020 election, either.
The ‘look’ they give us is a window into their soul. It shows us what it’s like to feel things as they do. It’s clear that some people feel bad when stuff like this happens.
The memes posted on social media accounts have the look of anecdotal rage or a generic impression of a large group of people. In fact, it reflects only a niche.
The slogans have the important points being made, as if to impress on us a campaign stop in just a moment. They have buzzwords that make liberals cry.
Unfortunately, they’re also dark in nature. They express feelings of fear, whilst giving off a threat in themselves. It’s something of an impression of real grievance.
The truth is supposed to hurt, as they see it, and in some ways people who are obsessive feel it in their heads. It’s just we also need to feel it in our hearts, too.
The US election is entering its final stages and both candidates are ramping up their efforts. Their events have gotten larger, bringing in even bigger viewing audiences, making their speeches trend online.
Trump has relied on the endorsement of Elon Musk, a business polymath engaged in car manufacture, space travel, and social media. It’s a boost to his formulaic outdoor rallies, and direct appeals to voters.
Kamala Harris has drawn praise from icons such as Bruce Springsteen, Barack Obama, and Beyonce Knowles. Her public events have also increased in their appeal, and significance, in her campaign.
As America votes, it’s also worth thinking about what else is at stake apart from the Presidency. In this election, the entire House of Representatives and 34 seats in the Senate are also up for grabs to make up a new Congress. It means thousands of candidates are stating a case across America at the same time as Trump and Harris are making theirs.
The Congresswoman, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is using her social media to reach out in a mixed-message campaign, to not just win back her seat but also spread an anti-Trump, pro-America agenda. The slick messaging is intermixed with shots of fresh-faced supporters at events, demonstrating a fervor behind a radical agenda to transform America.
The debate Trump started by his 2016 candidacy and fueled by his Presidency has featured such politicians heavily. He’s faced constant criticism by them for key policies. He’s challenged over legitimacy and credibility. He’s also rebuffed persistently in person and over media channels for his presentation style, off the cuff comments, and backstory.
In a US election campaign a candidate usually has to go all out to raise enough dollars to push their competition out. It’s what we’re told, and since success relies a lot on advertising and increasingly on campaign stops, it makes sense to put in a lot of effort.
The total for the Presidential election this year has exceeded $2.5 billion dollars, taking into account all the candidates on either side. Kamala Harris has reached $900 million and Donald Trump just over $375 million according to the Federal Election Commission.
This demonstrates a strong proposition put forward by the Democrats on their ticket, with a Vice President and amiable Governor. It also suggests a sluggish campaign by Trump with fatal threats nearly carried out and difficulties in keeping a positive public image.
The Jan 6 riot at the United States Capitol building in Washington D.C hasn’t gone down as a good look for America.
It’s been an even worse situation for Donald Trump, who didn’t endorse political violence prior to it and whose activities haven’t involved it at all.
He doesn’t see himself as an activist, and neither is he leading a movement akin to Civil Rights that might conflict with law enforcement.
The ‘moment’ that Jan 6 now is has been tied to his own character and his candidacy for a while now, and he can’t shake an accusation he wanted it to happen.
The reality is left and right have caused immense disturbance in American politics of late, and it was the Capitol building itself that took it because of Trump’s focus on politics.
The left have a fair share of involvement in radical ideas and vociferously take unction with democracy itself. Their manifestos – as piecemeal as they are – include dismantling it.
Donald Trump, meanwhile, has attempted to run political campaigns. It’s his third attempt – the second unsuccessful – and shows he still puts a lot of store in it.
The accusations that’ve wound a way around his neck Congress were able to prove but few supporters of his felt they can accept.
The truths Trump tells his supporters are found in the US constitution, yet the gameplay of the Democrats has been largely litigious for some time.
Trump’s supporters don’t expect it, and from 2016 they’ve known virtually nothing else. The election puts America back on course for a legitimate outcome, but not without acrimony.
The fundraising stats for Trump and Harris shows a stark contrast in the two campaigns so far.
Harris raised just over $480 million since January 01 2023 until July 31 this year. In contrast Trump raised just over $260 million since January 01 2023 until August 08 this year. It’s a sum over $220 million.
In light of the fact Trump has run for longer than Harris it doesn’t reflect well for the Republican candidate.
Kamala Harris debated Donald Trump last night in an encounter televised on American television. The network who carried the debate, ABC, fielded two journalists as anchors for the 90 minute showdown between the top Democrat and Republican candidates.
The night had highs and lows throughout. Harris majored on her experience with people while Trump decried a lack of justice for the ordinary American. At times the two clashed over their respective assessments of the state of the country at large.
The issues that matter over the pond are crucial to understanding what this election is all about. It’s no secret which these are. Trump and Harris have both highlighted which they think to be the most important.
According to Redfield & Wilton Strategies, there are obvious issues bubbling under the surface of American politics. They’ve identified around half of all voters are worried about the same things.
“Around half of all voters in each state consider election integrity (52% to 60%), taxation (48% to 55%), illegal immigration (42% to 54%), abortion (48% to 53%), and policing/crime (44% to 52%) as ‘extremely’ important in determining their vote.”
Politicians talking about things doesn’t always get a good rap, but it feels like they’re aiming at the right issues. Proposals are the key factor in this election and who is likely to make inroads on the issues.
There’s a tug of war in American politics on the right at the moment. As usual Donald Trump is at the centre of it.
The Republican Party has a 20-step plan called “Agenda 47” that sets up his next term in office. It’s credible to believe it’s a program he may rely on if he wins in November. He has competition however.
The Heritage Foundation has its plan called “Project 2025” and is comprised of a ‘Transition Playbook’, an online training platform, and what it calls a personnel database in preparation for government.
It isn’t clear if Donald Trump or the Heritage Foundation have any prior arrangements in place but their competing agendas surely rule this out entirely.
This year is America’s 60th Presidential election and the stakes are high.
Donald Trump is the lead contender for the Republicans and Joe Biden is the Democrat candidate on the other side. Their respective campaigns have not proved cordial in the past and this year has not indicated any change in tactic.
The shooting on 13 July in Pennsylvania stood as a last ditch attempt by some on the nefarious side of politics to disrupt the ordinary political process.
It’s ironic that its target was Donald Trump who at the time of writing is still under accusation of the same thing. His exhoneration from the classified documents case is beside the point.
He is seen as an enemy and not a friend of the state.
The road ahead is fraught with difficulty. A first Presidential televised debate aside, Trump faces an uphill struggle.
His battle is not against his own party. He faces an onslaught of rebuke and recriminations that stretch back years from not just the Democrats but also their allies in the media.