November 8, 2016
Like every other horror movie, when we just about assume that we have finally got rid of the terrifying ghost, a creepy hand pops out from the toilet bowl! And the US election this year, for the most part has been a horror show. Some say it's a clash between an ‘Idiot’ and a ‘Crook’! One side of the spectrum is the Corporate, Media and Wall Street-backed former White House First Lady Hillary Clinton and on the other hand is the Self-Financed, Populist, Nationalist real estate mogul Donald Trump.
Never since the Civil War have Americans been divided so viciously on political lines. For long, the United States behaved like a policeman to the world, now the world has been stunned witnessing the election rage between the two equally ‘trashy’ candidates in America. The surge of Trump in the American mid-west and southern belt among the white middle class, has raised serious concerns in the country and the wave is being disaffectionately labeled as 'Trumpism'.
The race is evenly matched right now in the polls. Whoever wins, the 'Greatest Nation on Earth' will be brought down on its knees, as both candidates are perceived as 'Evil', and the people are left to choose one!
Clinton holds a massive advantage serving at the highest office for about 15 long years, first as the wife of former President Bill Clinton and then seven years as the secretary of state under Barack Obama. Through these years, Clinton's legacy has had less to do with fighting civil rights or child or women rights issues in the country as she had promised, and more with amassing wealth through foreign donations, corruption, cozying up to Wall Street banks and destroying America's working class.
Adding to these setbacks, Clinton has wounded herself in two major crimes, having a personal email server while serving as a secretary of the state and collecting huge sums of money from Saudi and Qatari royal families for a beleaguered organization known as Clinton Foundation, widely speculated to spread Wahabi ideologies in the west and financing anti-Gaddafi and Anti-Assad wars in the Middle East. Nevertheless, Hillary Clinton has the America's Mighty Corporate Inc, Establishment and the big media on her side as a protective shield against the wave of unfavorability and dislike towards her all across the country.
It is perhaps, unimaginable to ascertain what comes out of Donald Trumps mouth, standing before a microphone. He has been one of the filthiest candidates running for the highest office in US history. To label Trump's on-stage antics and his jabs as un-presidential would be a compliment, given the sort of language the candidate has used. Donald Trump is an outsider, non-politician, but a smart and canny businessman, outspoken and at times uncomprehending in his disposition and has been distanced by majority of the Republican party men.
The big media and Washington-attached political pundits had once dismissed Trump as a 'joke' and a 'Clown' during the early stages, but the New York developer, through his 'Politically incorrect' rhetorics and daringness to stand up to the opposition made him a nationwide heartthrob among the largely marginalized white working class and veterans, winning him record number of crowds in his rallies and mammoth number of votes. The influential candidate Jeb Bush, son of former American President George Bush Sr was sledge hammered in his home state South Carolina, forcing him to call off his race within a month, and thereby Trump's populism slashed the mighty Republican party by the throat.
Who stands better for India?
According to Gallup's annual World Affairs survey, India is perceived by Americans as their 6th favourite nation in the world, with 71% of Americans viewing India favourably in 2015. Indian Americans make about 4.5 million of American population, with a sizable population dwelling in the state of New Jersey.
For the 2015-16 period, India's top 10 trading partners according to data published by the Indian Ministry of Commerce:
With the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, Clinton who has been US secretary of the state for the last seven years under Obama administration, has been feeding Pakistan’s military, politicians, lobbyists and Intelligence agencies with hard cash. It's the same old policy that America has been carrying out to please Pakistan for the last seventy years, in order to settle their strategic geopolitical designs.
The only change Obama-Clinton administration has been successful doing in Pakistan is swell their Army officers' bellies and fund excessive money to their politicians, which only ends up at religious terror schools. The Wikileaks emails have revealed that Clinton portrays two different faces, one public and other private. Even in terms of trade, Clinton has been leaning more towards China and the Philippines in Asia, especially with the manufacturing sector. In addition, India’s IT and BPO industry might get a blow on head with Hillary Clinton's administration, due to her close relations with the Gulf states, and perhaps with the downfall of oil markets, Gulf states are increasingly looking for developing information technology sector by importing Indian workforce in the near future.
Trump is an unknown and unassuming character, therefore it is very hard to determine his positions regarding India. He particularly detests China and Pakistan in his speeches, and has repeatedly called Pakistan a terror state. He has praised our Prime Minister Narendra Modi on numerous occasions, and as Trump is a businessman, it is believable that he would understand India as a huge economic potential. There is a significant chance of increased American investment in India, which would benefit either countries. India needs to manufacture things from now on, in order to have a firm grip in the competitive world stage and should not overly depend on IT and service Industries. Will India’s manufacturing sector regain strength with Trump's presidency? Possible. But one thing is very certain about Trump, and that is his uncompromising stand against ISIS and other terror outfits in the world. India might have an edge and a moral high ground in combating Pakistan on the international field with Trump's presidency.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the above article are those of the author alone.
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