The US Presidential Elections 2020 will go down
in the history of the country for many reasons. It is reckoned as costliest
election thus far, with estimated campaign spending of $14 billion. Notably,
Joe Biden alone has raised a whopping $952.2 million with President Trump
pooling $612.7 million1. Interestingly even the proportion of smaller donations
(amounts less than $200) which has increased to 22% in 2020 from 15% in 2016
exemplified the people's participation 2.
These donations accounted for 38% of Biden’s
funds and 45% of Trump’s total. Significantly, Biden’s campaign received large
amounts from 98% of tech companies 3. People’s enthusiastic participation
eventually manifested in the form of record voter turnout, selective censoring
of messages on social media continued to linger around as pervasive election
intervention. These two aspects inadvertently pointed at people’s faith in the
overarching democratic process and even exposed efforts to effectively tinker
the system. Inadvertently, these features became an integral part of the US
Presidential election season.
Together the bitter campaigning and partisan
political discourse has turned the 2020 the most polarized elections thus far.
The overt and covert role played by the media has heightened the divide between
competing narratives turned the present round of elections into a bitter
contest. The opposing narratives which once exemplified a healthy diversity is
turning rogue due to burgeoning media interference that is feeding a partisan
narrative.
With its inability to gauge the churn within the
societies and their rejection of the old normal, labelling the growing
resentment as ‘populism’, media accentuated the existing divide. Ascent of
Donald Trump to White House in 2016 essentially reflected this change. His
astonishing victory was mooted as an aberration and welcomed with “Not My
President” protests across the country. Since that day, each and every action
of the President has been critiqued. His policies, a break from the precedent,
caused disruption. America’s equations with the World witnessed a sea change.
His style of functioning, devoid of nuance led and infused with nationalistic
approach led to an anachronistic order. This caused consternation and
accentuated the rifts. American ecosystem, refused to adjust to this
ideological shift.
While prevalence of alternate voices is sign of
a healthy democracy, reluctance to accept the change has seeded confusion,
built acrimony. Pitched ideological battles bred polarisation. The Presidential
Elections 2020, a perfect platform to voice out their choices is now witnessing
intense contest. Instructively so, it has been close to two days since the
election day, elections weren’t called, which is unprecedented in American
history. At the time of writing, Joe Biden is almost inching close to the
magical number of 270. Trump is expected to do some kind of “Mission
Impossible” to re-return to White House.
Media predicted a landslide for Joe Biden, but
contrary to all predictions which has gone woefully wrong. Unlike in India,
where media continue to virtue signal, progressive media in America have made
no secret of their loyalties. Majority of them called elections in favour of
Biden. With razor thin margins separating, both the candidates, media
predictions had to bite dust. Hailed as barometer of democratic societies,
capable of resonating societal changes, contemporary media failed to assess the
ground swell. Despite scathing indictment of Trump over various charges,
electoral trends indicate that he has retained his traditional vote bank.
Contrary to the prediction of his unpopularity would help Democrats to regain
control, Republicans have retained their control over the Senate.
Even as the number crunching game continues,
apprehensions about the smooth transfer of power sour with Trump already filing
legal suits. The flood of unverifiable discrepancies in counting are raising
doubts about claims of free and fair elections, which is shining glory of the
oldest democracy. As the wait for the real victor of the Presidential elections
continues, the sore loser of the elections is media. Media has eroded its
credibility for peddling a partisan narrative and viciously targeting Trump.
Meanwhile, reports of small and large business
boarding up, instances of stabbing in Washington, an uptick in gun sales and
plausible threat of violent protests to undermine the legitimacy of elections
are only alluding to qualms of American democracy is in danger. Existence of
contrarian views is the intrinsic strength of democracy. But the present
electoral system is unable to accommodate all the voices, bringing in reforms
in American electoral system should be a way forward.
Above all, the Presidential elections has a
larger message to the world and the leftist-liberal/ progressive media in
particular. Societies across the World are going through a deep churn. People
are no longer enamoured by the concept of global village or globalisation,
which is considered to have powered spectacular economic development post World
War II. They are disenchanted with globalisation, mercantilism, which is
threatening their livelihoods and jobs. They averse to migration and cultural
assimilation which is denting their identities. Political nationalism is the
new reality. Elites can’t wish away, the rising tide of economic protectionism
and cultural insularity. By dismissing the emerging traits as populism, elites
are deepening the rifts within the society. While return of Trump to power
might be a miracle, but a reluctance to accept growing nationalistic approach
might eventually make America ungovernable.
Whosoever be the next President of America, it
is important to appreciate the binary, Trump kind of politics is here to stay.
Instead of alleviating the rifts by the new President must respect the
aspirations and concerns of all the Americans.
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