Daily Times

Earlier this week, Former President Donald Trump, who incited both a violent mob to raid the US Capitol, and had 4 years of a regressive administration, announced his much anticipated 3rd run for President of the largest democracy in the world. The announcement comes as a show of strength to many in his party-whose nomination he’ll have to obtain to progress to the general election in November of 2024. His advisors behind closed doors-counselled this early announcement to overshadow the significant losses of the midterm elections, which were duly led by his endorsed candidates. Not only has he caused damage to the Republican Committees nationally, but also done significant damage to the congressional conference with in party fighting, and leadership challenges to strong politicians, who’ve worked for years to push an agenda for the Grand Old Party. Many lawmakers did not support him during his campaign, let alone his presidency, but strived to put a face to the republican achievements of the first 2 years of the legislative caucus in the party.

But as time progressed, more and more started showing their discontent after his somewhat personal attacks. And they never did really stop. Last month, after Republicans saw support stumble, Trump took to his own social media platform, attacked Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for his efforts in the Senate, and referred to his wife (who is of Asian descent) as ‘Coco Ciao’. Elaine Ciao, the wife of Leader McConnell also happened to be his Transportation Secretary for 4 years, until she resigned, after the Capitol insurrection.

Despite his persistence to stay in the headlines, a challenge stands between him and the White House lawns: the mere fact that this isn’t 2016.

The question on everyone’s mind is–“does he have the support?” The truth is: he does not. A poll conducted recently, by FiveThirtyEight Polling concluded that the former President’s approval rate has been dropping ever since last week’s elections. At present, he stands at 54 per cent disproval, which is a surprising 14-point net difference from his 40 per cent approval rating. Within the Republican Party, he holds a regressive and ever-so-declining figure of 30 per cent, with many in the party signalling a shift away from the Former President.

Virginia’s Lt Governor Winsome Sears broke with Trump last week after she called him a “liability” to the party. Fox News, one of the biggest proponents of the former President, has also shifted away from the President, with internal memos, potentially cutting his air time by half.

In the four years that he remained President, he made himself somewhat of an indispensable figure, aligning himself closely with senior legislators, and making himself a king-maker in public. His base is strong and energetic, and arguably, the lies they have been fed would signal so too. However, despite his persistence to stay in the headlines and make himself timelessly relevant, there is a challenge that stands between him and the White House lawns; the mere fact that this isn’t 2016.

Back in 2016, the US was recovering from a duly robust transformation of society highlighting diversities, all the way from the top of the White House, all the way to every worker, pushing for equal pay, and creating a diverse playing field for Americans across the country. Donald Trump was also just a citizen at that point in time. Controversial for his views on Birtherism, and economics, he made his way as an unconventional candidate, bringing hints of “dirty politics” into the election cycle, even going as far as attacking the families of the other candidates.

Today, he stands as a failed, twice-impeached, under-investigation, former President of the United States, and while this description may add to his Cover letter for un-orthodoxy, it surely does not cater for his discrepancies, or the discrepancies of his government, during the 4 tempestuous years of American un-exceptionalism.

Last time, it was about the harassment claims, his tapes that convicted him of assault, and voters clearly indicated no show of oversight in his personal life. Today, they see this as a split-second decision; not a decision of how he is to evade tax, but how he is to sustain the American Democracy. At multiple points in time, he has signalled his discontent with the centuries-old idea of the American experiment, and even going as far as adopting policies, that undermine what Congress has been doing for years to push through; transparency.

Upon the issue of electability, the former President has lost the popular votes twice. He’s also known to have won states that identify as widely independent, with a slim or non-existent majority. These are voters that don’t care about the noise or controversies-they just want someone who doesn’t just represent Americans in theory.

Many are trying to bring the country back to the robust diversity boom in a highly partisan political spectrum. Many electable and less divisive candidates are already expressing their intent to run for the highest office in the land while making it a point to snub a former President who treated them as “virtually” his employees. Among the favoured to run are Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence, former Trump United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem.

Some may see it on a global stage, as a surprise, noting how so many people have dishonoured a former President. But it’s the idea of America, it’s the constitution, it’s the rule of law that dismisses any hints of “honour” from the equation. Society functions on the mere pillars of mutual egalitarianism. Without it, it seems the world can go back to the ice age where emotions decided fate, not lucidity.

The writer is a columnist and a linguistic activist.