Thursday, 27 October 2016

Doctor, I have an Election, and it won't go away....

I have been watching the United States Presidential Election with the same open-mouthed fascination as many others, I suspect. This Train-Wreck-In-Slow-Motion has been crashing and staggering across the screen that is World Media, for what seems like years. Remember all those Republican Candidates that engaged in trying to out-scare the public more than their rivals? Remember the Democratic no-names that had surprising success with policies that people actually liked?
Ted Cruze and Bernie Sanders seem like such a long time ago...

The amazing thing for me is that after all the Primaries were fought and won, (a shock result for the Republicans, a foregone, and set-up result for the Democrats), we are left with two candidates who, no matter how you cut the cake, are flawed, have suspect political agendas, are not representative of their respective Partys' values, and have people all over the world asking; "Is this REALLY the best that the United States has to offer?"

Now my opinion counts for less than nothing, but I own this Blog, so I'm going to let you have it...because I can...

The two people that the citizens of the United States of America will have to choose between in a few days time, are in my opinion, the very best that the system of selection in the United States can produce at this time. Now I didn't say they were the best people for the job, because I don't believe they are, but they are the best that the system can produce when selecting from those that nominated.

Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump are the result of an electoral system that has a number of features which are open to exploitation, and these two have exploited them very well. Before I upset too many of you, let me explain that as an Australian, I have no stake in this game. I am an observer and I have an opinion. Of course, as a person in the world today, I am affected by the outcome of this election. The U.S.A is a major Super Power... we live in their shadow militarily, politically, and economically, but I want to make it clear that I feel free to criticise both sides equally, because, well, I don't have to vote for them.

Anyway, back to the story. Here are a few of the things that have given us the candidates we have today;
The Pre-Selection process of the Presidential Election was set up many years ago. It has not been updated for decades. States that were once of little influence now have massive power in this process. It is essential for Party nominees, and later Presidential nominees to win the right places at the right time. This leads to the second point;
 Media has changed, and how! Social Media, online advertising, direct marketing, and the obvious bias of certain media outlets has given us an advertising landscape not seen since the heady days of William Randolph Hearst (look him up if you don't know him... makes Rupert look like a little girl..), and then of course there is the money...
Funding for Parties and Candidates has changed and legal loopholes have been made into hard and fast laws that have altered the playing field forever. The Supreme Court has ruled (for those that don't know, I am aware many of you DO know), that a Corporation can donate to a political candidate, because that corporation can be recognised as an "individual" with Rights and Interests under the law!! Billions of dollars are now at the disposal of those who want to be elected and are willing to make the right promises.
Speaking of promises, I don't recall any political campaign being so full of promises that no-one even pretends to believe will be carried out.
Do you really think that wall will be built, and that Mexico will pay for it? Really?
Do you really think that the massive social reforms will happen? Really?

What we are seeing is a turning point that started with Obama and has reached fruition this year. Obama (or his team) saw that Social Media, Public Opinion, and a sense of history were all coming together at the right time. So he exploited Social Media with a grass-roots fund-raising campaign, playing on the Public Opinion and sense of history that said that the Time Was Right for a Black President. Of course, he also made use of the points made in the previous paragraph, but he got it right. He was elected over a standard Republican nominee. It was a New Dawn.
Now the new nominees are seeing the opportunity to make history for themselves.

We will either have the first non-career politician since George Washington was elected President, (and he was the first President, so it was hard to have a career...), or
We will have the first woman elected President. Either way, history will be made straight after Obama was the first Black President. (funny how I'm allowed to say "black" as long as it involves "President". Maybe the more important the position, the less "African-American" you can be...no offence meant, just something I noticed).

So we have two potential Presidents, each with serious questions over past behaviour, future actions, and current legal developments. But this is a result of a system that rewards those with the deepest pockets, the best connections,the smartest strategists, the highest profile, the simplest message and the least scruples. Gone are the days of the Best Man for the Job. Those days went away when I was a child.

I have no idea who will win this election, but I do know that it will be a Presidency unlike any we have ever seen before, and looking back over past Presidencies, that's a pretty big call.

Good-night and good luck!