As I'm not American, I've followed reports about the US election from the outside. What's most remarkable, for me, is that America seems to be so incredibly divided at the moment. It was bad already when I talked with Americans online 15 years ago, but now, it seems to be even worse.
So, my question to you is: What do you think is necessary to heal this division? If you're Democrat, what do you expect from Republicans to unite America again? If you're Republican, what do you think is necessary from the side of Democrats to make it the United States of America again?
Unfortunately I think there are going to need to be regulations on how our political leaders speak and campaign. A reform to our entire campaign finance system is desperately needed anyways to reduce the reliance on shady money and fundraising.
The division comes from two main elements. Degradation of civil discourse and a juiced up partisan media that caters only to extremists. People love drama to media and politicians are giving them drama by promoting conspiracies, using hyperbole, shock factor statements, and setting up their political opponents as evil.
As long as politicians use these tactics and they get boosted by the media, divisions will grow.
Trump was a steroid shot to all of this. Getting him out was a good first step. Biden taking a moderate approach is the right tone to take from the top. I hope he keeps it up. I’m still very worried about Trump TV and all the puppets that have clinched onto the Trump attack tactics. They’ve found some success with it so I don’t know how it now gets discouraged.
Yes I wondered about that, too ... what can be done to make public discourse civil again -- talking about the issues, not blaming people and inventing conspiracies?
I liked how moderate Biden sounded in his first speech... that he said he wants to be President even of those who didn't vote for him. That's a welcome change after 4 years when the President just kept praising himself and blaming other people for all kinds of things.
But can Biden even do what he promises? After all, he has to appease the more radical people within his party, too ... so can he even afford to be a uniter, or will he have to resort to divisive policies sooner or later?
I understand you not being a big fan of trump and all,I’m not either,I only wanted I him in office because the alternative of hitlery a warmonger was five times worse. I hate how trump pats himself on the back as well but it’s the same thing again,the alternative of Biden is five times worse as well,he is a Warhawk,he went along with Obama illegally starting wars going along with that mass murderer and has deep ties to communist China,it’s that who you REALLY want In? I would think you would say no. Trump for all his faults,was the first president sense carter to not start any new wars,thst is why the elite want him out of office so badly and cooked up,the most massive mail fraud in ever in mankind history,the evidence has Been shown that over and over again and every single trump hater has failed to debunk it.
If you're interested, I can tell you why I don't like Trump and am mildly hopeful about Biden ... not meaning to attack you in any way.
It's that I think the free republics/democracies (I mean the free states with separation of powers, free elections and so on), the Western World, should cooperate and be united when addressing global problems. Like, for example, global streams of refugees than are threatening to overrun our countries, or climate change, or the rise of ugly dictatorships abroad.
I like to think of our free countries as a community, the Western World, which shares certain values: That there must be checks and balances in government, that minority rights must be protected, that the government is not above the law and that free elections determine our leaders. These values make us different from other countries, and dare I say, they make us better than other countries.
My problem with Trump is that he gave up this view: He attempted to become best buddies with ugly, disgusting tyrants abroad, such as Russia's Putin who poisons regime critics and let's his agents shoot them, who abolished free media and feeds the people state controlled propaganda and who invades neighboring countries to take away their freedom -- and at the same time, Trump treated his free, republican European allies like enemies. For Trump, there is no such thing as a "Western World" and he does not believe that free republican systems must support each other -- he'd rather make deals with tyrants. Trump has given up the role America used to play after ever since World War II, namely to be "the leader of the Free World" who uses his power to defend democracy and freedom even abroad.
In some cases, I see where Trump is coming from ... for example, I agree that unlimited illegal immigration is not a good thing. Or that Germany pays too few for NATO protection. Or that the ever increasing globalization of the economy of the past decades must be limited and perhaps reduced in some areas. But I still can't get around the impression that Trump was throwing "the West" under the bus in his attempt to act in a nationalistic manner. Also, his buddy friendship with Putin gives me the creeps.
I could tell you more about the geo-strategic implication that I think are at play here, but I think I'll leave it at that for now. Just ask if you want me to explain more about my feelings.
As for Biden, I'm not amazed about him, but I think he'll at least be a "normal" President, like all the other American Presidents between 1945 and 2016: One who believes in freedom and republican/democratic government, and will support free countries in need. He'll not hurl insults at foreign leaders just to please his fanbase, he will not constantly blame others for his faults and if he'll be diselected in 4 years, he will not spew lies that damage the great free American system, but accept the will of the people.