Political disaster
Ideas or opinions are not always shared, much less between liberals and conservatives, but last week in the first presidential debate, the United States lost, and on that we can agree.
For many it was an unexpected performance and for others a waste of time, but what did it represent for the United States as a Nation? Among so many comments about what happened that day, I came across one that perfectly described the disaster saying that it had been nothing more than a food fight. Who won? Well, clearely the one who got less waste and the one who managed to endure more smacks with discretion. The patience of the American citizens is almost exhausted, and they only needed 90 minutes of shouting and interruptions to spill the glass. And now, what’s next?
Between complicated arguments and facts that are not always true, we went from blaming President Donald Trump for the pandemic, to childish and intimidating taunts against Joe Biden and his family. But, let’s forget about the attack between politicians, because first of all this mockery was thrown at the American people and at democracy. It was laughter in the face of every democratic system, of each party and the ideology they represent. Politics was crushed and submerged in a moral swamp. No country needs its leaders to use the wounds of the people as cheap propaganda, but to care about them to bring peace and stability. Nobody needs to be talked to with pity about their loved ones or their economic situation, nobody wants a rich politician to include himself among those who are poor. Trump will go home very happy every time he prevents his opponent Joe Biden from speaking, and the former vice president will ask himself, at the end of each debate, if he should return to the next ones.
It is not the first time that an audience has been disappointed with what they see. The whole world and most countries are disappointed in their governments and their lack of ability to deliver results. Politicians pat their backs congratulating themselves on their “excellent” performance, while their people bang themselves on the head wondering what were they thinking when they voted for such incompetents. And, I’m not just referring to the United States when I say this, because this phenomenon and sad habit of swallowing the promises of so-called leaders, has spread beyond what we can imagine. Chaos is the word we want to press against the systems that have betrayed our trust and that, although they formally represent us, no one wants them to speak for us.
It is a shame that the families of migrants or people of color question whether there is a president to protect them. It is sad that not even the leader of the most powerful Nation in the world has not been able to recognize and denounce white supremacism as intolerant, or to have heard those who died in military service are called “losers” and “fools”. The debate was an eternal and useless exercise, where 3 men talked to each other, forgetting about their spectators. I do not know what to say, I have run out of the few words I had, I do not know whether to spend my energy on a subject that causes pity and that has become a conflict between bullies. However, it does not surprise me that after so long, finally a debate shows the chaotic dysfunction of politics and candidates, but even worse when the only thing that this reflects is the loss of leadership. What Americans hope for is a message of security, unity, and a return to normality. But was it the message they received? Could it be that many of us are going to stop talking about the American dream? In the hands of what madman will the power that the United States represents remain?
