Column: ‘The Winds Of Donald Trump’
[Opinion column written by Larry Burchall]
Like many other people around the world, after having followed one of the ugliest and lowest of political campaigns, I never seriously thought that the outcome would be President Trump.
However, having worked as co-Chairman of the PLP campaign [1996 – 1998] and having publicly collaborated with Sir John Swan [2011 – 2012] during the OBA run-up to their victory in December 2012, I am fully aware of the fact that political outcomes are heavily influenced by deep emotional facts.
With USA pollsters predicting a narrow win for Hillary Clinton, the New York Times giving Hillary an 84% chance of winning the presidential race, and with the massive turn-away from the Democrats and their candidates; it is clear – to me – that President Trump was born out of a deep anger amongst a layer of white Americans.
The moment CNN projected Donald Trump is President-elect https://t.co/ddfjEv4Vnq #ElectionNight pic.twitter.com/zAgnRzLkMQ
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) November 9, 2016
Trump’s wave of support is reminiscent of the USA’s Reconstruction period in the late 1800’s during which the US Supreme Court handed down the Dred Scott decision and ushered in a decades long period of lynching of blacks.
Given the way that the whole of US Government works, and doesn’t work, the likelihood that a now all-Republican controlled White House, Senate, and Congress will make some radical policy changes is now very strong.
This powerful triad will be able to pass legislation with this easiness a direct contrast to President Obama’s sometimes extra-ordinary difficulty in getting simple legislation through both Houses.
With all that, and with the USA certainly on track to become more isolationist and perhaps even erratic and unpredictable in its foreign policy, the World can expect to see China and Russia become far bolder and more strident in their foreign actions.
Even as I write this, European media report that NATO is planning to deploy more troops closer to NATO’s borders with Russia. Indeed, German tanks are being sent into Estonia to beef up Estonia’s border with Russia. These European media reports suggest that as many as 300,000 NATO troops are being put into a higher state of readiness.
But here at 32n64w, what does President Trump portend for us?
As a businessman, President Trump and the other two parts of the triad are likely to leave Bermuda alone and not mount any serious effort to suck the lifeblood out of Bermuda’s unique economy by trying to repatriate as many as possible of the big companies who operate in and through Bermuda.
However, that positive may be offset by a stronger EU initiative to close down almost all offshore financial centres.
Will President Trump preside over an American economy that booms and grows with good spin-offs for us at 32n64w?
Time will tell. However such a boom is unlikely because of the still on-going shift of manufacturing and industrial capacity from the high cost ‘developed’ West to the lower-cost ‘developing’ countries in Asia, Africa, and South America.
In short, under President Trump, Bermuda will sail far closer to its motto of “Quo Fata Ferunt”.
Between now and 2020, the Trump winds will blow Bermuda somewhere. And given the massive upset engineered by Trumps contrarily successful run for the Presidency, Bermuda may find itself doing what much of the rest of the world is doing this morning.
And that is scratching heads, furrowing brows, and puzzling out loud: “What happened?”
- Larry Burchall
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We all know why this happened. A few beers at cocktail sips always gets to the truth with many who smile in your face but secretly resent what is and has gone on. With beer they tell you but at church they sing “why cant’t we all get along”. In the USA they have been waiting for their right wing Messiah. He reflects the people who voted for him.
Bermudians are republicans at heart.
Like President Bush said,,,,,,,,Shock and Awe……….!!!!!!!!!
He should be ashamed. Has he forgotten he did not win the popular vote!
Larry, Sad that you missed it in the ” Tea Leaves .” You would note that Obama had both the House and Senate for his first two years in Office, and got every little done. The signs were clear that Mr. Trump would win . The bias media mis- read all the reports. They attacked Mr. Trump to no end, but yet still he won. Now , All the folks that made hay about him accepting the RESULTS , are today , MARCHING IN THE STREETS. Sad Larry, you are normally on point. But closer to home, ” You said little about Marc Bean and the PLP. Why is that?
Thank you Rodney. You are spot on.
Larry, white Americans are not the only ones who voted for Trump. This was not a race of color! Have you forgotten Obama was President for 8 years. Change is what America is needing. Look at your own government.
White anger can fuel the electorate(anarchists). Black anger has influenced elections also(revolutionists).
Visit a farm shack in Utah or an unemployed minor in Virginia and tell em all about their privilege and how they should place an X next to the name of a perfect smarty pants lawyer and a career politician who promises to be a continuation of the past administration. OR place an X next to the name of a flawed rogue that tells em they are getting screwed and that he will make short work of correcting it.
Sound familiar Bermuda? Yet we are all shocked LOL
How did Mr. Trump win ? I will tell you. The democrats miss led the country . Many black commentator made it about race , while women made it about gender, but it had nothing to do with either. Mr. Trump won because black commentators where dishonest: (same thing goes on in Bermuda ). If the truth were to be told, it won’t come from a black commentator , because the black agenda is more important then the truth. Mr. Trump made all the wrong moves , yet he still won. Why! It was clear that he was not the right candidate , yet he delivered the White House, Senate, and Congress to the Republicans , while much better men failed. How could the PLP , with a black majority lose the government ? Because steering them in their face, was the truth that they were not willing to accept. Paula , like Hillary , could not deliver the goods , but boy didn’t we have great faith in them? Mr. Trump won because of the inconvenient truth .Poor white , uneducated men , that where over looked by the democrats , answered Mr. Trump ‘s call to come home . These same voters were laughed at by Angela Rye , a CNN black commentator ,and Hillary’s support base ,But they rung her bell.! So sad, they played to the crowd , and lost the race, at the finish line. You would notice ,(in Bermuda ), that certain black commentators have said nothing about how the PLP have treated Marc Bean . Why ! Go figure.