The 2024 US election stands out globally, not only for its uncommon components, however for the intense issues it raises. Regardless of who wins, this election may additional injury America’s popularity as a democratic chief within the eyes of the world.
The 2024 US presidential election is coming to an in depth, with the primary voting day on November 5. It has been crammed with sturdy disagreements, conflicts and dramatic occasions. Many fear that America’s democracy — primarily based on ‘Jeffersonian’ concepts about particular person rights and people-powered authorities — may very well be threatened, relying on the end result. ‘Jeffersonian’ refers back to the beliefs of Thomas Jefferson, one in every of America’s founding figures. His concepts emphasised the significance of private freedoms and a authorities that represents and serves its individuals, somewhat than rule over them.
The competitors between present Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump has been seen as fairly tight. Neither candidate has a transparent lead, making the race very shut and unsure. This has made each side uneasy, as the end result may go both manner.
This truth alone reveals a troubling actuality in regards to the poor situation of US democracy in the present day. It exhibits simply how a lot of a priority the present state of the system is. In a well-established democracy, particularly one which calls itself probably the most highly effective on this planet—a candidate like Trump shouldn’t be so near successful given how he has disregarded fundamental requirements of decency and damaged a number of legal guidelines.
Energy Play: A Excessive-Stakes Sport
In Trump, the US has a former president who was impeached by Congress twice, in 2019 and 2021. This yr, he was additionally convicted on 34 felony counts and located liable for sexual abuse in a civil trial. On prime of that, he nonetheless faces critical fees for protecting secret authorities paperwork with out permission and for encouraging a mob to assault Capitol Hill. Regardless of all this, he’s near probably returning to the White Home. Throughout this time, he survived one assassination try and averted one other.
On the similar time, John F Kelly, his longest-serving chief of workers and a former four-star Marine normal, stated that Trump suits the outline of a ‘fascist’. Kelly advised The New York Instances that the previous president was positively on the far-right and was an authoritarian. He overtly admires dictators, which he has admitted. If a author made up a narrative like this and despatched it to a writer, they might in all probability be laughed at for a way unbelievable it’s. However, because the South Asia Peace Motion Community (Sapan) media factors out, this has been actual life in America.
In distinction to the controversy surrounding one candidate, Kamala Harris’s rise has been inspiring and historic. She is the primary girl and the primary with each Indian and Caribbean African heritage, to be nominated by a significant political occasion. Nonetheless, her rise to this place was additionally stuffed with sudden challenges and unlikely occasions. She joined the race within the closing stage of the marketing campaign after President Joe Biden, who would normally be the apparent selection for a second time period, needed to step down on account of issues about his age affecting his skill to steer.
The Intransigence Of Trump
What makes the 2024 presidential election much more uncommon is the continuing, intense struggle occurring virtually 6,000 miles away within the Center East, involving Israel, Palestine, Lebanon and Iran. The extraordinarily violent Hamas assault on Israel on October 7 final yr, adopted by Israel’s extremely harmful response, has drastically affected the presidential race.
Harris has had the tough job of balancing America’s sturdy assist for Israel whereas additionally talking up for the rights of the Palestinian individuals. On the similar time, she has confronted stress from the left-leaning members of the Democratic Get together, who need her to assist the Palestinians extra.
Trump, in the meantime, has overtly supported Israel, whereas additionally attempting to win over Muslim American voters. As Trump has taken a robust, virtually absolute place in favour of Israel, he has not confronted a lot opposition from inside his Republican Get together. That is very totally different from what Harris has needed to deal with.
One other battle affecting the election is the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the place the Biden-Harris Administration has clearly supported Kyiv. Trump, nevertheless, has downplayed the difficulty, claiming he may remedy the battle in simply in the future—a ridiculous assertion that, surprisingly, nonetheless resonates along with his supporters.
These wars have uncovered the utterly reverse international coverage views of Trump and Harris, resulting in clear political penalties for each within the election. As a result of the US has been concerned in conflicts around the globe for a few years, individuals in different nations are watching the election intently, feeling each frightened and, in some circumstances, a bit happy by its struggles.
Individuals are anxious as a result of whoever wins the presidency will influence many nations. However there’s additionally some enjoyment in seeing America laughed at as a result of impolite and stunning behaviour seen through the marketing campaign. The election outcomes is probably not clear on November 6 except one candidate wins by a big margin. Trump, who nonetheless has not admitted his 2020 loss to Biden, and his group are more likely to elevate many challenges, even when he loses clearly on this election. If Trump loses by a small margin, the response may very well be much more intense and, probably, violent.
The worldwide group, particularly such nations as China and Russia, which took pleasure in America’s election points in 2016, will probably discover much more satisfaction if issues go incorrect this time. The 2024 US election is particularly a matter of concern for the world due to the numerous unusual and strange occasions surrounding it, regardless of who wins.
(Girish Linganna is a Defence and Aerospace Analyst primarily based out of Bengaluru. He’s additionally the Director of ADD Engineering Elements, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. The views expressed on this article are of the creator solely.)
