What the Chaotic Presidential Election and the Aftermath Reveal About the United States

The Election Shows How the United States Has Turned Into a Huge Reality TV Show

The recently concluded (if we can use that term considering the doubts about the outcome) Presidential Election in the United States can be seen as a turning point in the history of the country insofar as the way in which the campaign, the election, and the outcome all played out in front of our eyes in a Reality TV Show fashion.

Indeed, the term Reality TV Election could not be out of place given that President Trump governed, or misgoverned, the nation in the manner in which Reality TV Shows are conducted.

Leaving aside the humour, there are some serious takeaways from the election and the most important is how the institutions of the country have been corrupted beyond repair.

This has implications not only from a governance point of view, but also for businesses since they are directly and indirectly impacted by the way the judiciary and the regulators function.

In addition, as the saying goes, elections have consequences and the refusal of President Trump to accept defeat is unparalleled in the history of the United States just as it shows how divided the country is.

The Corruption of Institutions and the Implications for the Future of the Country

Indeed, anyone who is concerned about the future of the United States should look at this election and immediately get to work with likeminded groups and people to ensure that future elections are not as chaotic or as surreal at the same time.

Even after one takes into consideration the fact that the election was conducted in the midst of a raging Pandemic, it is not an excuse for the Republicans and their allies in the media to go all out to discredit the outcome.

Consider this fact; the leading and most advanced superpower has a ruling party that simply refuses the outcome of a democratically conducted election insisting that there was widespread voter fraud.

What this means is that they don’t trust the Federal and the State governments that were in charge of the election process.

Moreover, the Republicans themselves are in power in many states and this means that they are essentially refusing to accept the results in which they themselves had a role to play just because it was not in their favour.

While this is something that happens often in Third World Countries, it is disturbing that this is happening in the so-called Beacon of Democracy.

Can Voters Prioritize Spectacle Over Health and Wellbeing and Economic Security?

A very puzzling aspect of the election was that there were nearly Seven Million Voters who prioritized the Gimmickry of Trump over his handling of the Covid Pandemic and his refusal to pass the Second Stimulus that would have helped Millions of them.

So, does that mean that the Republican Voters are choosing Spectacle over Health and Wellbeing as well as attaching more importance to Fantasy than Science and Reason?

Indeed, going by Social Media Noise, it appears that for them, the Election was nothing but yet another Episode of a Circus that has been running for quite some time now.

This has implications for the way in which the World views the United States since many people worldwide often take their cues from what is happening there.

Moreover, with the US being the Lodestar for the Rest of the World, this would inspire many people, especially wannabe rulers to copy such strategies.

For instance, for all those Immigrants and Students who want to migrate to the US, does the Election make them uneasy about their decisions or do it encourage them?

These are some of the questions and the revelations from the election and hopefully, better sense would prevail.

The Way Ahead Amidst the Gloomy Path

An important lesson from the Election has been the conduct of some Business Leaders who have mostly refrained from taking sides and instead, called upon both sides to place the interests of the nation ahead of their personal agendas.

This is commendable and shows that the reason for American Supremacy in the Business Arena is justified.

At the same time, the way in which Facebook and other Social Media and Online outlets have been putting Profits over People’s Lives is disconcerting and shows that the Incoming Administration has its work cut out as far as regulating Technology Firms is concerned.

Indeed, if not anything, the 2020 Presidential Election should be the Wake up Call for not only Americans but for people worldwide to be warned about the dangers of excessive dependence on the Online Medium and in the process, losing touch with the Real World.

Further, the extreme Partisanship on Display means that the Deep Divisions would take Years to Heal; if they can he healed at all.

Moreover, the hostility to Immigrants by a Sizeable Segment of the American Voters means that potential Immigrants must weigh their options accordingly and perhaps try other countries that are friendlier and welcoming.

Conclusion

Last, the Presidential Election is also a Turning Point insofar as Women are concerned and the choice of Kamala Harris as the Democratic vice Presidential Pick means that the Glass Ceiling has been Shattered and future generations of women can aspire to follow her footsteps in knocking down the barriers that prevent them from realizing their potential.

To conclude, let us hope that the Dust Settles Soon and the more Urgent Task of Containing the Pandemic and Rebuilding the Economy as well as Healing the Divided Nation starts soon.

After all, The World Catches a Cold When the US Sneezes.


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The article is Written By “Prachi Juneja” and Reviewed By Management Study Guide Content Team. MSG Content Team comprises experienced Faculty Member, Professionals and Subject Matter Experts. We are a ISO 2001:2015 Certified Education Provider. To Know more, click on About Us. The use of this material is free for learning and education purpose. Please reference authorship of content used, including link(s) to ManagementStudyGuide.com and the content page url.


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