America is caught between a stupid Trump and a dishonest Hillary

In what is increasingly being viewed as a global election for the CEO of the world's largest nation company, the US, the riveting run up to November 2016 leaves its electorate "flying blind" into unchartered political territory, as the rest of the world watches the spectacle like voyeuristic voters.

Forget Americans entrusting their future to a political clown, or in the alternate, to "untrustworthy and dishonest" Hillary, as she is regarded by 65 per cent of those polled.

What about the consequences of buffoonery on an interdependent world, and its cascading impact on the geo-eco-politico fortunes of 195 countries of the globe with such experimental, cowboy democracy from the Wild West?

Paranoia

Honestly, most rational thinking voters would opt for the Indian or US state of Nevada's equivalent of NOTA, given the choice between the two contenders.

Except that to exercise in ballot "none of the above" option now lies with the "swing" 15 per cent of voters who are as yet undecided; while Hillary's core base is constant at 45 per cent; and Trump's 40 per cent supporters remains well demarcated according to pre-poll surveys.

Shrinks label Trump as afflicted with a cute NPD, that is a narcissistic personality disorder, unfit to become the CEO of the world.

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Empirically, elections are won on selling hope, but its fear and anger that's uniting the US voter which is an extension of the same global concern that's uniting nations with job scarcity and terrorism topping the list.

Trump's campaign builds its constituency peddling paranoia all the way.

When retro-nationalism strikes First World countries turning them into "inward" democracies, it has more to do with the continuing economic stress and scarcity after the financial crash of 2008 which shaved off 13 per cent of global production and 20 per cent off trade, with the result annualised growth below three per cent equates with recession today.

When such a phase of protracted Depression has continued, having a longer duration than the one from 1929-33, the formal economic pie has shrunk, as there isn't enough prosperity to pass around.

That makes Obama's "Yes We Can" moment eight years back, and his Audacity of Hope, in retrospect, sound like hyped optimism which he sold to hapless voters in quest of economic salvation, reminiscent of the Modi echo of achhe din just two and a half years ago.

Realistically, national leaders can never be in control of macro events that drive world economy; while micro triggers like fiscal reform which are relatively within their control, are subject to internal democratic processes and delays.

A discerning and mature voter knows when it is election season, politicians sell two emotions: irrational hope, or in Trump's case, exaggerated fear that turns, elevates them to messianic heights.

Xenophobes

Consumer brands that sell fear trigger primordial responses of "survival first" in humans.

So does brand Trump replicate that template by making his USP fear-mongering, peddling it ever so freely at intermittent frequency: fear of Hillary being the co-founder of the Islamic State, with the now latest fear of "the second amendment people" that would revoke gun rights of Americans should Hillary ascend to power, auto-suggesting to his followers a clarion call to invoke violence into the Theatre of the Bizarre that's already playing out.

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Trump's followers comprising angry white collar workers, racists and xenophobes are headed for disappointment even before the elections, as the jester candidate moves towards a no-show, being "laughed out of the elections" before likely defeat.

The ideal refrain for graceful exit before defeat is his peremptory rant that elections are being rigged.

Stupidity

Reality show it is, when the Republican nominee strays from accidental wisdom to serial stupidity, as he condemns suspected terrorists to be tried in Guantanamo Bay detention centre in Cuba instead of traditional courts.

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As a millionaire nominee, it is hard to believe Trump will adhere to his stance of protecting the rights of "the little guy", and in the unlikely event of his victory (God save America, and God save the world), that he will not turncoat to champion elitist tax cuts for the wealthy, "giving off trillions in tax breaks to people like himself" leading to cuts in education and healthcare spends.

Trumps final call could well be an altered version of a Bush-ism when Bush famously said "Either you are with us, or against us", rewritten as "Either you are with me... or am off on a long vacation."

(Courtesy of Mail Today.)