America's president-elect Joe Biden. Photo / Getty Images
COMMENT
It looks like the reality show that has been American politics under President Trump is coming to an end.
I am not a fan of reality shows, I would rather repeatedly jam my finger in a door than watch untalented people make fools of themselves on public television in an effort to gain a public profile.
However, over the past four years I have been fascinated by the antics of an American President no one saw coming in 2016.
It could be a comedy show if it was not so sad and serious.
America is the world's oldest continuing democracy; at least it was up until 2016. Trump was aided and abetted by many in his Republican Party who should be hanging their heads in shame for allowing him to manipulate them and ruin the respect their party had been held in.
Now that many in the GOP can see an end to Trump they are brave enough to turn on him in the hope that they will redeem themselves in the eyes of the American voter. That saying including rats and ship comes to mind.
President-elect Joe Biden is putting together his transition team in anticipation of inauguration on January 20, 2021 despite Trump threatening all sorts of legal action and refusing to concede.
I suspect Biden will spend most of his first year, maybe longer, in office trying to undo the damage the Trump administration has done to the civil service and to America's standing on the world stage.
Trump slowly drove away America's friends but then courted some of the worst politicians in the world, politicians who hate America.
Relationships will need to be mended urgently by the Democrats coming into power. America will now need to distance itself again from the despots Trump appeared to admire.
Watching the election, it quickly became clear there was to be no blue landslide.
Many Republicans seem to have voted strategically, supporting their party in Congress and the Senate but not voting for Trump.
Despite this, he received more than 70 million votes, just five million fewer than Biden. He received more votes than he did in 2016.
Trump clearly appeals to half the American voting base which, in itself, is worrying.
I can understand working and middle-class white voters, especially older men, voting for Trump.
Under previous administrations they have seen their jobs gone along with their version of the American Dream, they either lost homes or nearly lost homes in the GFC, they have little trust in the government and believe in the individual and the exceptionalism that is their version of America.
They have seen China, a communist country, becoming the world power at the expense of America, which is anathema to everything they hold dear. They see their children being unable to access decent tertiary education having also failed to rise themselves above a high school education. They see the changing face of America from white to brown or black and this fuels old, sometimes dormant, prejudices.
Trump has also garnered a lot of support from Afro-Americans as well despite his refusal to acknowledge issues arising out of the Black Lives Matter movement and the obvious racial discord he has been stoking while in office.
What seems to have swung some important states to the Democrats is the changing face of America. Many swing states are now becoming home to Latino voters who know Trump despises them. He has told them often.
I believed Trump would gain a second term. I think he could have if he had been more proactive in controlling Covid-19.
Just as our election result reflected the Government's response to the pandemic, so has America's to a certain extent.
Trump is the fourth President to serve one term since 1974 so it is not as unusual as many believe.
What state would America have been in by 2024 if Trump stayed in the White House? I hate to think.
From here, America appears to be a riven, distressed nation torn by racism, class, an uncaring government, failing law and order and a refusal by many politicians to recognise and try to deal with the issues, fearful of upsetting their billionaire financial backers.
In my experience, America is full of caring, nice people, whatever their politics, race or religion. It must be really hard to be American just now.
Hopefully, President-elect Biden will be able to return kindness and compassion to American politics and to the world.