A Comment on Great American Presidential Election Circus

How is the vibe across the U.S. Now that the elections are over, doesn’t it feel great at the prospect of the present and future state of affairs. In what can be the positive development of the times, U.S. got Trump as the President-elect after winning the general elections in a long-drawn battle. This can be touted as the biggest positive development at the highest level in the country as it navigate along a rough terrain. We don’t have much to lose or gain but it feels surreal as we see a long road of positive progress upfront. A sign of great positive development, the U.S. has arrived to this state after going through a lot over a past decade fighting internal and external wars eating up everyone's imagination. There is no denying the fact that the days of good outcomes hover around us in these times. There is a danger of extreme positivity which can be moderated but otherwise we can be certain of positive developments in the country. No one saw this coming other than the days of past which went through the grind. Biggest outcomes require biggest battles to fight and win. In the end, we need to live in a world which has a lot many positive factors coming into play born out of your actions. It brings the promise for you to live and prolong your case on the Earth. After seeing it close on November 5th, a few weeks back, I am giving an account of the great American Presidential election circus which has been ongoing ever since I came to U.S. in April 2022. This is unlike anything we can see back in India as the rules of game are different here. 

Overall, Republican candidates gave the most visible representation for this election since earlier stages whereas the democratic candidates are hardly seen except the President and his deputy. Worst, there is no candidate to fight on democratic ticket until it is too late when VP is chosen. As we had seen, the republican primary field is well contested with many promising candidates in the fray while the democratic field has Biden all the way until he dropped out due to external pressures. This isn’t expected from a party at the highest level which has sane voices for the past few decades. It would have been great if several candidates from democratic party also participated in the race and gave their everything to secure the nomination running for the past two or three years. But this is not the case as the sane voices on immigration, reproduction and climate choose not to enter the presidential battle. Trump has been on the scene for the past many years and where is his equivalent in the other party. There is no one who came forward to assume higher visibility and higher responsibility when it is clearly known that a 82 year old cannot seek second term. Nothing to take away from Biden, but the basic common sense in these calculations is lacking in the party which champions common sense language. Simply, I hadn’t seen any major democratic candidate doing rallies as Trump does on national stage in the last two years and this assuming higher responsibility is conspicuous by its absence. When good, clean candidates with clear track record don’t venture to give a fight, it becomes a bigger mistake and bigger loss for the country. Needless to say, the democratic party is uninterested in current state of affairs and the party became uninteresting to watch. After having three great presidents from the party through Clinton, Obama and Biden, a democratic candidate winning the election would have symbolized great days for America. Somehow the inner zeal is missing in the past few years from the party and I could see nothing striking during my stay as well. 

What is most striking was the clamor of the candidates in the opposite Republican party primary field. The candidates are always seen vying it out and the noise is always heard. The many candidates – Trump, Ron Desantis, Pence, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, Christie, Ted Cruz etc fought it fair and square giving good competition to win republican nomination. Each candidate brought their own strengths and appeal, making the primary race highly competitive. Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the UN, was among the first to challenge Trump, presenting herself as a younger, more pragmatic conservative voice. The same is the case with others in the ring who all made good case of their own selves. The party debates are good battlegrounds for them to duel it out. The debates don’t feature Trump and yet he won by a good margin in all primaries and the nomination. Despite the ongoing legal battles and many pursuing him in the courtroom, he became a symbol of calmness as people rallied behind him. A curious case of right and wrong and those who support in between. None of the candidates could match Trump's ability to command media attention and mobilize grassroots support. As the primary season progressed, Trump consistently performed well in key states. He won early primaries in states like Iowa and New Hampshire, setting the tone for the rest of the race. His victories in these states were attributed to his strong ground game and the loyalty of his supporters. By the time the Super Tuesday primaries concluded, Trump had amassed a significant delegate lead, making it increasingly difficult for his opponents to catch up. All along, each of the contestants dropped out one after the other, giving Trump an initial and important victory in a well fought race. To tell about the long winding nature, Trump began a series of campaign-style rallies as early as June 2021. After three and a half years, we are staring at the remarkable victory but the ground is being prepared years before. I observed the consistency all the way, be it legal hearings or rallies etc. We need to be in the middle if we want to make a difference. Trump announced his candidacy early on, aiming for a political comeback after his defeat in 2020. Trump faced some competition in the primaries but ultimately secured the nomination with his strong base of support. He chose J.D. Vance, the junior U.S. senator from Ohio, as his running mate. 

The primary season was marked by intense battles within both parties. For the Democrats, Kamala Harris emerged as the clear frontrunner after Biden's withdrawal. She faced some opposition from progressive candidates but managed to secure the nomination with the support of key party figures and delegates. Harris selected Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, as her running mate, aiming to balance the ticket with his executive experience and appeal to Midwestern voters. The debates played a crucial role in shaping public perception of the candidates. The first debate between Trump and Biden in June 2024 was widely regarded as a turning point, leading to Biden's eventual withdrawal. 

The circus boiled down to Trump and Harris contesting from both parties. The final months leading up to the 2024 presidential election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump were intense and filled with strategic maneuvers, high-stakes debates, and relentless campaigning. Polls in the final weeks showed a tight race, with Harris leading in some surveys and Trump in others. The race was considered too close to call, with both campaigns working tirelessly to sway undecided voters. On Election Day, voter turnout was exceptionally high. Trump managed to secure victories in several key battleground states, ultimately winning the electoral vote and securing his return to the White House. Harris's campaign, despite its strong ground game and significant efforts, fell short in crucial states. 

One main point in bad taste is the funds raised in full view by the candidates on either side to claim the top spot. Being a President is to serve without the influence of money but the elections in U.S. have become money minting tools influencing crucial decisions of those in power. The total spending for the 2024 presidential election is projected to surpass $15.9 billion, making it one of the most expensive elections in U.S. history. The surprising factor is the checks in place to encourage fund raising and the potential to raise funds as a criteria to progress to next stages. While the real workers on the ground are working from pay check to pay check without financial protection, the money in these elections gives a good source of playing politics of comfort. Workers like me don’t have much financial leeway and works with loans in India and U.S. We are burning cash, losing money and ending up taking loans while those responsible to take care of this situation work with nonchalance of on ground realities. There is no denying that real environment is created by workers operating on the ground and if their dollar dreams aren’t cared for, there is little sense in working in this country. I don’t feel any sense to working in U.S. if the finances are burning. Looking at the funds donated by elite and rich and looking at the funds raised by presidential candidates makes you cringe as a common citizen of the country who operates without financial fencing and protection. This is just simply not the symbolic representation which has to be an example at the highest level. Advertising alone accounted for over $10.5 billion in these elections, and significant funds were raised by political action committees (PACs) and billionaire donors. The vast sums involved skew political influence toward wealthy donors, leaving ordinary voters at a disadvantage. The candidates will work for rich and elite leaving the struggling lot struggling. Candidates dedicating significant time to fundraising rather than engaging directly with voters detracts from meaningful policy discussions and governance. The heavy reliance on campaign ads, often funded by opaque PACs, has led to misinformation, deepening polarization among voters. It is a huge barrier for new candidates as rising campaign costs discourage fresh candidates from participating, leading to a political system dominated by well-funded insiders. 

While who becomes a President has little bearing on voters of a nation in general, the times are really exerting at getting directed and influenced by those at helm. Your President can influence your life, speaking in common terms. We need to be carefully positioning ourselves and curate the wave to receive a positive influence upon us. That is all a common citizen can aspire to do in these times. As already mentioned, the development can be felt and seen as positive and we are all definitely in for great times ahead in the great nation after overseeing a positive outcome.