Donald Trump and the death of decency

While the British have a reputation for decency and honour, Americans are renowned for their brashness and racism. The British recently changed their government without bothering the electorate! Despite this anomaly their Prime Minister Theresa May (who nobody voted for) expects to be taken seriously and the nation soldiers on in the aftermath of BREXIT. […]

While the British have a reputation for decency and honour, Americans are renowned for their brashness and racism. The British recently changed their government without bothering the electorate! Despite this anomaly their Prime Minister Theresa May (who nobody voted for) expects to be taken seriously and the nation soldiers on in the aftermath of BREXIT. The Americans on the other hand are in trouble.
The candidacy of Donald Trump in their presidential race has brought the greatest democracy in the world into international ridicule. In a sad state of affairs the upcoming US election has been dominated by allegations of sexual impropriety against Republican candidate Donald Trump (fifteen women have alleged sexual assault against him), and chicanery against Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton (concerning her deleted e-mails). The thrice married Trump has a legendary disregard for women and unchivalrously throws unnecessarily insults at Mrs Hillary Clinton seemingly not caring that he is addressing another man’s wife. It’s trite that those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones and investigations into the sullied past of Trump’s current wife (a former nude model) reveals that she isn’t fit to be a First Lady let alone President of America.
It’s tragic that American politics has reached such a sorry pass and the election has come down to a choice between Trump who is neither qualified nor fit to be president, and Clinton who is qualified but not fit. Before 2016 American electioneering had always been carried out with decorum, but the Republican candidate has smashed all conventions and crossed so many bounds of decency. Donald Trump behaves as if he thinks he has made a significant contribution to humanity which entitles him to be taken seriously. He claims to be a self-made man who made his money the “old fashioned American way”. This is half-true because although he isn’t a self-made man, he and his family profited greatly from old fashioned racism. He started business with a million dollar “soft loan” from his father who left over $250 million for his family when he died.
Although trying to re-invent himself as someone who cares for the common man Donald Trump walked over the backs of other Americans to gain and secure his wealth. To understand him is to remember the adage that the fruit never falls far from the tree.  His racism can be traced through his lineage. His father was a racist and member of the Klu klux Klan (KKK) whose company was served with a civil rights law suit for refusal to employ black people. His grandfather was a pimp and tax evader and the bulk of the Trump family wealth came from the immoral sale of liquor and sex. Many people find it difficult to comprehend how Trump continues to maintain his support base.
To understand the Trump phenomenon is to appreciate that he appeals to the basest human instincts and there are legions of racists, bigots, misogynists, sexual predators, and ignorant “country boys” in the US who will vote for him no matter what. Throughout his campaign, he hasn’t articulated any policy on Schools, hospitals, transport, public sector wages or welfare benefits which are the mainstay of most democratic elections. Although he has no well thought out policy on anything, Trump has somehow convinced supporters that his emptiness, lack of experience in public service, suspect financial dealings and narcissistic personality make him a good material for president.  Americans like to keep things simple and in many cases too simple which is why an ignorant, inarticulate, self-absorbed bigot like Donald trump can gain support with superficial arguments.
Americans are in truth insular people who have remarkably little knowledge of geography or world affairs and who generally know or care very little about the amount of misery that their country and form of government spreads throughout the world. As such they cannot appreciate the worldwide disaster that a Trump presidency would bring. Belatedly realising that his campaign has brought him into ridicule and he is going to lose, Trump is preparing the ground for defeat by making noises about the election being rigged. Indicating his lack of pride in democracy despite its imperfections, he has refused to commit himself to accepting the results of the election.  As far as he is concerned if he loses, he is ready to tear the system apart. This refusal to agree in advance to accept the result if he loses (which he most likely will) undermines democracy and the tradition of a peaceful transfer of power.
It’s extraordinary that an American presidential candidate can spend so much of his time rubbishing his nation and its political system.  He is the first candidate ever to do so and this borders on treason. No matter what happens and no matter what anyone may think Donald Trump’s success in spite of his amorality, braggadocio and pure racism has shaken the American political class to its very roots and signifies the death of decency in US politics.