By Kumar David –
Prof. Kumar David
Cities across the US erupted in joy to celebrate Trump’s defeat but before you open your best Single Malt and launch out on a spell of revelry take a breath and consider the following. Though that pig-headed, oral-peat splurging, loathsome man has been booted out the picture remains murky. He polled the second highest number of votes (72 million) by any US presidential candidate – let that sink in, the second highest ever! He lost because Bidden with 76 million polled higher. He won three big states Texas, Florida, Ohio. A majority hate him but his admirers stay loyal. Let me pour cold water if you imagine America has come in from the cold (sorry, lousy pun). The Democrats despite strenuous efforts did not seize a single state governorship or state legislature from incumbent Republicans. Most states, in a hugely devolved federal system, remain locked in Republican hands. More bad news, the GOP retains a majority in the Senate till two runoffs are decided in Georgia on 5 Jan 2021. Democrats just managed to retain control of the House of Representatives but the upper house is more powerful in Congress (Congress is both Houses together). The Senate can block appointments to Cabinet other key positions and the Supreme Court and it can be a thorn in the flesh as Congress controls the purse strings – that is financial allocations and the budget.
Trump lost, but the transition is hazardous. His vote-base did not collapse; it held up, his poll rising from 63 million in 2016 against Hilary Clinton to 72 million in 2020. More disturbing, about half of that belongs to the Trump Base which inhabits an alternative universe presided over by their boss from which he refuses to return to earth. Trump and his looney fringe make false allegations of voter fraud that never occurred. He is inciting his thugs to violence; don’t underestimate what they may do in the transition. This man has no human empathy, he has a Frankenstein streak which is why many doubt his sanity. Extremists are on TV brandishing guns, threatening violence and “civil war”; they demand that the election results be annulled. He is hated for his lies and indecency but he has turned the Republican Party into a Trump Party; the entire GOP melts before his obnoxious persona. This makes the transition, the next 70 days, fraught and the next few years contentious.
The Biden Presidency is not going to be a walk in the park. The Trump adoring GOP is determined to undermine climate policy, but Bidden cannot go back on a compact with a Task Force headed by John Kerry and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) and endorsed by Bernie Sanders. A 110-page plan drafted by six task forces appointed by Biden and Sanders lays out a roadmap that Biden is committed to despite the declaration of war by Republicans. Healthcare, on which there is a tenuous agreement between the Biden-Harris and the Sanders-Elizabeth Warren-AOC factions will lead to a compromise, but Biden’s wish to be “president for all” will be rejected by Trump’s Base. A bitter defeated Trumpist who introduces himself as Brian C. Joondeph, M.D says “Trump needs our support and prayers as he is the last line between America the Beautiful and the Peoples’ Republic of Biden”; any treachery is ok for the spurned! Biden’s call for calm is wise but make no mistake it will be spurned and America needs to prepare itself for no-holds-barred conflict. ‘Success goes to those who dare and act, it seldom goes to the timid’; will the Biden-Harris leadership measure up? Will Biden mobilise people, the ultimate guardian of their own freedoms?
Never discount the fundamental reason underlying the rise of Trumpism; blue collar workers fear job and income loss in the face of advances in technology and globalisation. Poor whites in the Midwest and across the country are losing out, getting poorer and falling behind. The lower-three income quartiles know that power, income and wealth are in the hands of the top 10%. The Productivity Pay Tracker shows that the fruits of technology, productivity advance and wealth creation have gone to the top. The Democrats are seen as the party of the middleclass gentry, climate change, racial equality and the home of culture-elites, removed from the hardships of the poor. My fear is that the Biden-Harris Administration will stay institutionally conservative and in the pockets of Wall Street.
If so, they will miss the boat as yahapalana did. Even when driven out of the White House, Trump like the Rajapaksas is not going away and who knows he may storm back on the backs of the working class, poor whites and maybe blacks and Latinos if the Bidden-Harris team fails to deliver. Kamala Harris is a more troubling than Biden unless she is balanced in the Cabinet by the inclusion of Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders like figures, and unless people like AOC keep up mobilisation and hold Biden to his promises. A big mistake would be to imagine that America can return to business as usual; that is business as in the Clinton and Obama eras. Trump and Republican leaders are methodically undermining the transition of power, even refusing the de facto President Elect access to national security briefings. This is dangerous; it is an attempt at a palace coup; it is the road to a Banana Republic. This time it will fail but it is the last warning before the triumph of American neo-fascism, more dangerous than Nazim and inter-war fascism because of US world dominance and hence potentially it can be world transformative. If America goes neo-fascist there will be nowhere for the world to hide; Trump was the last warning.
In Lanka liberal-capitalism replaced Mahinda’s semi-autocracy only to be trounced at democratic elections by a very non-liberal alternative. The reasons in hindsight were twofold; initially, an inexplicable failure to prosecute powerful politicos of the Rajapaksa regime who were waist deep in corruption, and second, neglect by a regime chasing the non-sequitur of a liberal-capitalist road to prosperity of mass demands for better living conditions. Biden must not inhibit prosecution of Trump’s financial wrong doings, and needs like a minimum wage and better healthcare must be funded by higher taxes on the wealthy. Circumstances and opportunities are good, the tasks are clear; control Corona, invest in health and education and live up to the promise of a ‘new green revolution’. The tough one is restructuring the economy; Trump’s base will wither if the problems that created it are addressed. The need is leadership; here too prospects are better than SL since the Biden-Harris team is not corrupt, nor incompetent and bickering like the Sirisena-Ranil circus. Biden’s Corona Task Force is not led by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff! It is stuffed with respected and experienced professionals.
Foreign policy is where some things will change, others will not. The US will return to the Paris Climate Accord an Obama centrepiece and the WHO. The Iran Nuclear deal negotiated by John Kerry will be resuscitated in some form. China policy will not change because return of the Mandate of Heaven to the Middle Kingdom terrifies Democrats and Republicans alike. Continuing Sino-American tension is bad for Lanka. The US electoral system held up in 2020 despite ‘technical’ complications (huge mail in ballots, provisional ballots, court orders and recounts) and appalling intervention by none other than the depraved incumbent to undermine electoral processes. Am I applauding liberal democracy of which I am no great champion? Yes, I would have been more dismayed if American electoral democracy had been trashed than by even a Trump victory. Unbelievably, the Republican Party is doing just that! It is amazing that it is standing on its heads equating “a corrupt American electoral process” to a banana republic! “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”. Social democracy starts with common or garden justice, decency and truthfulness and adds on social equality, mass living standards and people’s control of state and economy. It’s liberal-democracy plus, not a denial of Enlightenment Values. As a leftist I applaud the resilience of US electoral democracy. Lanka too upheld it in November 2019 and August 2020. My quarrel is not with our exemplary electoral authorities; my quarrel is with the people of Lanka who were foolish in the exercise of their ballot.
SJ / November 15, 2020
Makes a lot of sense, more than other recent comments.
But foreign policy changes with hostility to China not changing has its snags. Democratic hostility to Russia will not pass, and Russian commentators are not particularly delighted by the prospect of a Biden presidency. The view is that Ms Clinton will be meddling. Pulling out of the wars into which Democratic presidents dragged the US will not be easy without a change in ideology.
The logic of US imperialism and the militarism that goes with will be major stumbling blocks in foreign affairs.
The US economy? That will be a tragedy that Trumpism will take advantage of.
The minorities that brought Biden to power will need to be on full alert, while the US working class awaits its wake-up call.
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Ajay / November 15, 2020
Yes, if Biden-Harris administration doesn’t move quickly to restructure the economy and bring relief to blue collar workers and poor whites, neo-fascism will return with even more vengeance against the liberal elite and the middle class. In order to achieve this, Biden need to lean more towards the left rather than court the democratic establishment, his and Harris’s natural home. This time around a fascist coup has been just averted not because of an unyielding commitment on the part of the people to the founding constitutional values of their nation. It was averted because Trump, though he whipped up the neo-Nazi backlash, is no Hitler. He is a buffoon.
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srikrish / November 15, 2020
Dear Professor, Why you could not make a Marxist analysis?
Does not capitalism moves from crisis to crisis. America is divided irrevocably in the middle.
Blue color workers are with Trump
Bidden will not be able to govern with Senate not cooperating and placing obstacles after obstacles in the process.
Now the parallels between USA and Sri Lanka
America in 2020 is Sri Lanka in 2015
Will Biden falter like Maithri/ Ranil and in the process facilitate Gota’s come back in 2019?
Then Trump or a Republican may make a comeback in 2024.
Remember trump could contest again in 2024
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Nathan / November 15, 2020
I’ll begin where Kumar David ended.
.. ‘the people of Lanka who were foolish in the exercise of their ballot’.
This ending supposes a couple of untruths.
* Lanka is not otherwise foolish.
* Lanka has been usually wise in the exercise of their ballot.
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I cannot remember the last time when Lanka was wise with their votes.
_________________________
Electorally there is not much difference between Lanka and the US.
Each is two countries in one.
The divide of Lanka has always been in the open; the divide of the US has come to the surface with Trump.
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SJ / November 15, 2020
N
We have been told repeatedly here that we are a stupid people by wise people who went to places that suited cleverer souls.
You recognize that the US is no better electorally. So we are on par with a mighty democracy.
Is the UK any better by any chance? Or Australia?
*
Kindly advise us on how we should have exercised our ballot wisely?
Were we foolish to elect a UNP-led Good Governance?
Was every previous choice, including throwing the UNP out in 1994 and the SLFP in 1977, foolish?
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Native Vedda / November 15, 2020
Nathan
–
SJ types:
“You recognize that the US is no better electorally. So we are on par with a mighty democracy. Is the UK any better by any chance? Or Australia?
*
Kindly advise us on how we should have exercised our ballot wisely?”
–
Therefore would you like to join SJ in demanding that Sri Lanka accedes to China as an Autonomous region of peacefully rising middle kingdom?
Hope China treats you well.
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Nathan / November 15, 2020
Native Vedda,
I said ‘Good Bye’ to SJ many moons ago. He has been constantly trying to drag me in ever since and has met with consistent failure. I have no time for his duplicity.
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Native Vedda / November 16, 2020
Nathan
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” I have no time for his duplicity.”
–
Be man.
SJ loves the weeping widow, SLFP, anything everything Siri Mao.
He justifies all those stupid things she did to this country and its people.
He has no memory of Siri Mao committing war crimes and aiding and abetting Pakistan.
He loves China.
He believes China could do no wrong.
He does not like Tamils, Hindia, ……
He believes the entire Hindia belongs to China, …..
He and his fellow Sinophiles yearn to live under Chinese rule.
He believed China was a Socialist democracy.
…
…
He believes Mao and Siri Mao are two great leaders.
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SJ / November 16, 2020
N
Do not flatter yourself.
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Ashan / November 15, 2020
The world watches, and America cringes with embarrassment at the sight of a sore loser, unable to accept defeat. He has gone to the point of not cooperating with the incoming Biden administration, refusing to release funds, and instructing his staff to block security intelligence from being shared with the Biden team. Something crucial to ensure the smooth transition of administrations, and mostly importantly for the security of the country.
If one spoke to anyone who supports Trump, they will soon learn that much of the reasons these supporters seem to do so, or their hatred for Biden, is based on the lies, and the right wing fake news from websites and social media, which is fed to them.
Biden has been working for the government for over 40 years. There is NO evidence he is a socialist or has socialist policies, he is not corrupt, he has released his tax returns for all the years he was in the White House unlike Trump., Trump sent his fixers to find dirt on the Biden’s in other countries, and found NOTHING. Biden is not a leftist as they seem to claim, he has been a moderate, always has been. Trump has a bad habit of projecting, and he assumes other’s stoop to corruption, crimes, and lies, just like he does.
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Ashan / November 15, 2020
Contd.
Trump is manufacturing a crisis, and making money off it. His naive supporters keep believing the lies and keep giving their hard earned money. They are now his cult followers and will keep spreading the lies that comes from his twitter rants.
“The unusual way the Trump campaign is divvying up the contributions has drawn scrutiny from election watchdogs, who say Trump and his family are poised to financially benefit from the arrangement.
“This is a slush fund. That’s the bottom line,” said Paul S. Ryan, a longtime campaign finance attorney with the good government group Common Cause. “Trump may just continue to string out this meritless litigation in order to fleece his own supporters of their money and use it in the coming year” .. The Economic Times
Biden will make his share of mistakes, but they will pale in comparison to what Trump, his family, and his cronies have done for the past four years. We will know more when his tax returns are finally released by courts. Prosecutors are already waiting for him to leave office, so that they can hold him (and his family) accountable for fraud, obstruction, and a long list of crimes. His cult followers will still support him.
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GATAM / November 15, 2020
Biden’s win helps China expand. Russia will be the bad boy again. By the time Biden completes his first term, China will be too far ahead for USA to contain it. Trump foolishly attempted to contain China and paid a heavy price. When China sneezes the world gets a cold!
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SJ / November 15, 2020
If as you said “Trump foolishly attempted to contain China and paid a heavy price”, how come you also say “Biden’s win helps China expand”?
Either way China’s expansion is unstoppable.
China has to wait for a long while to “sneeze” big.
*
But the whole world has the ‘Big Flu’ when China controlled its sneeze?
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Sinhala_Man / November 15, 2020
Trump polling 72 million is not alarming. The simple explanation is that the populations of well nigh all the countries in the world are increasing. We must have the percentage of registered voters who cast ballots for Trump. Is that about 40%? I haven’t calculated.
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Yes, even allowing for that the enthusiasm that so many display for this bit of scum (how does this engineer come up with all the colourful vocabulary and imagery?) is worrying.
It is true that everything is on a smaller scale here, but the similarities of America and Serendib are eery. The appeals to racism and xenophobia are similar. Family power – that has, fortunately been ended in America, but it’s getting more entrenched here by the day.
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The wanton disregard for how we are raping mother Nature are Trump and the Rajapaksas at their very worst.
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a14455 / November 15, 2020
you are a complete frog in the well arent you ?
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Native Vedda / November 15, 2020
a14455
–
“you are a complete frog in the well arent you ?”
–
Whom are you referring to, Gota, Shavendra, Kamal, Wimal, soman, Ravi Perera the Sinhala speaking Demela, N Pererass, . …… Asgiriya…. Elle, Gnana, … Gamanpilla, … or yourself?
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Nathan / November 15, 2020
Sinhala_Man,
I was taken aback by ‘eery’, not that there is anything wrong with it, but eerie is the one in vogue.
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Sinhala_Man / November 15, 2020
Dear Nathan,
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Many thanks for your politeness in wording the comment. Before proceeding further let me ask you to look again at this.
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https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/80920/are-eery-and-eerie-equally-acceptable-spellings/80923
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I realise that in your case, you, too had looked it up before deciding to “correct” me. Despite my being able to use a few sites to justify my spelling, let me label it as a mistake that I made when I submitted my comment about 4.00 am, with none others visible. I knew that my spelling didn’t look right, but didn’t bother with it. I have used a spelling that was common in the seventeenth century!
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I saw your comment about noon, and asked Google to choose between the two. I got something similar to what you now see, but I’m typing this only at 23.00 hours. Meanwhile, I have checked the etymology from many other sites. It goes beyond Middle English, into Old English – the word not much used in writing.
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The message I’m trying to give you is that much of English spelling is crazy – as crazy as these American Elections that are being written about.
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Let’s see what other thoughts are expressed about this.
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Mallaiyuran / November 15, 2020
The Democrats are seen as the party of the middleclass gentry, climate change, racial equality and the home of culture-elites, removed from the hardships of the poor. My fear is that the Biden-Harris Administration will stay institutionally conservative and in the pockets of Wall Street. If so, they will miss the boat as yahapalana did.
Yahapalanaya failed, partly, by 19A. 19A protected only Ranil’s job, but did not balance the trinity power. That means, Ranil (PM) or Parliament didn’t have the needed authority to complete any solutions needed to people’s problems. 19A made New King (EP) an uninterested person on job, but an effective destroyer. Then, Ranil kept his promise of protecting the Royals. This made Ranil to lose support of West and surrender to China. No FDI flow to turn around the economy as quickly as people expected. His cabinet support for 4/21 with a hope of revenging West on FDI and UNHRC ended his carrier and UNP. This has no relationship on the situation at which Biden-Harries are taking over America. Corvid-19 vaccine, with hopeful quality, is around the corner. Covid-19 policy can be synchronized with economy, with effective medical control. China has controlled Covid-19 and recovered the economy too. So, temporarily tough controls are needed at this time. US economy is not in bad shape though the middle class is in real suffering.
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Mallaiyuran / November 15, 2020
No longer will any Democratic government can afford to go back and thinks in the way Marx did i.e. caring the labor class. Now we use the word Middle class in replacement of labor class. Almost all works are transferred to machinery; the operators only little less than engineers in their practical skill. 60% of the Western population is college graduated. So, now, the last class in the mass is voiceless or voter-less. It cannot influence the governments whether it is labor of conservative. The remaining multinational factories’ job creation is controlled by Wall Street and banks. So, all the governments coming in future will be bent towards Wall Street, irrelevant of its party. But it doesn’t affect labor parties’ liberal policies. The large middle class and minimized lower income class are still there and they have their interest too. The government supporting them will have to follow liberal political policies & welfare (leftist) economic policies. Already few EU countries are operating in that mode. That means many are on welfare and few earn high income and pay the taxes. This will make both, right and left or center parties walk on the edge of the knife.
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Mallaiyuran / November 15, 2020
It was said Obama lost the senate in 2010 because of his healthcare. His middle path healthcare was not accepted by the poor & middle or by wealthy (not all were wealthy, anyway). For a talk, in difficult times, in US only between 5 to 10% are unemployed in the work force. These are the only people looking for full-fledged Medicare. Setting a policy to satisfying that small portion is not going to get the needed votes for labor parties. While more and more works are automated, conservatives will not be able to depend only on the high income groups, because their number is also dwindling. The conservative will be able not depend on that kind of extra-ordinary situation to win elections. Parties will have to, soon, reevaluate their policies to match with the real people and their real life, otherwise Lankawe like chaos penetrating into their governments is unavoidable. Especially for US, where racial strife is too common, Lankawe political disease can easily infect. Because the policies in the feature cannot make lot of difference, parties have to make the difference in performance. Why last time President Trump won election is a difficult point to deal here. But if you explain that president Trump is leaving because he was not performing as people expected, that is truer now than in one of the half century ago elections.
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westham / November 15, 2020
Sri Lankans seem get their news from CNN. Which as fake as it gets. 6 companies own 90% of American media, including Hollywood, newspapers, magazines, radio and television. Anyone who strays from the script quickly loses his jobs. Glenn
beck, bill o’Reilly, Brian Williams etc. Andrew Breitbart was murdered. Snowden had to flee to Russia. Julian Assange is still in jail. Americans dont run an empire by telling the truth.
No one celebrated Bidens victory as stated by Kumar David. Instead there has been rioting and violence in pretty much every city over the last few months. But the media doesn’t mention a word. USA is over as a country and an empire. What is going to happen in the next few months and years is scary to contemplate. Forced vaccines, miceo chips and concentration camps are not to far away. Rich Americans saw this coming years ago and started buying property in the only safe country in the western world- new Zealand.
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Agnos / November 15, 2020
Westham,
Don’t spread lies. Andrew Breitbart died of a heart attack. Plenty of people celebrated Biden victory, in all major cities across the U.S.
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Ashan / November 15, 2020
“After Pennsylvania became the state that put Biden over the 270-vote threshold in the Electoral College, impromptu street parties broke out from Philadelphia to New York to Harris’ hometown of Oakland, California, where supporters in face masks held up campaign signs beneath a theatre marquee reading “Every vote must be counted.”
In Washington, DC, crowds rallied in the recently redubbed Black Lives Matter Plaza just steps from the White House and the site of large protests against racial injustice earlier this year. Outside Vaughn’s Lounge in New Orleans, revellers bathed in a champagne shower.”
Al Jazeera
People did celebrate on the streets all over the country. No one looted that day, despite businesses taking precautions. People did loot stores they broke into when there were protests earlier, but it was only a small fraction of opportunists, perhaps like the ones here in Sri Lanka, when Muslim or Tamil businesses were broken into and looted during communal riots. You get criminals here, and over there too, breaking the law.
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westham / November 15, 2020
All propaganda. Biden’s Delaware party was manipulated imagery.
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Eagle Eye / November 15, 2020
Are you referring to those fools who voted to the leader of ‘Asamagi Jana Balawegaya’ who does not know whether he is coming or going?
—
“my quarrel is with the people of Lanka who were foolish in the exercise of their ballot.”
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a14455 / November 15, 2020
In almost any other year other than 2020 Trump would have won the election but Covid 19 and his lack of response destroyed him.
Trump is a narcissist
That is as it may be but Trump is not done yet He is making sure he will be there for 2024 and he and his buddies will try their best to wreak havoc on any plans Biden has. The only hope Biden has is if he gets this virus under control and get some important victories somewhere. Biden does not seem to be encumbered like there other Democrats. but if he does not he will only be another one term .
In the meantime, we dodos can get at least 4 years without madness.
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Nathan / November 15, 2020
a14455, Cheers, there is a positive from Covid 19!
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a14455 / November 16, 2020
Yes Nathan in more ways than one. Being stuck at home also increased the turnout for both sides. As mail-in ballots were a major factor for both Trump and Biden.
I also read an analysis that looked at the map and concluded that the well to do Americans voted for Biden while the Struggling Americans went for Trump.
This is one of the strange things about the American electorate. It seems idiotic for the poor to support a cheating billionaire (but they do) just as it is the poor who voted against the Affordable Care Act. (while it was being formulated)
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Sinhala_Man / November 16, 2020
PART A
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Thank God that Trump has been defeated, but “a14455”, you may be right in asserting that it was COVID that undid him.
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As with anything hypothetical, we can’t be sure; I’m only clearly indicating what my preferences are.
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Where now are those who kept saying that nobody except Gota as President could have controlled the virus? I curse Ranil for the mess we are in. For decades he didn’t allow the UNP to democratically elect a leader. Isn’t that being a little like the current edition of Trump? There can be no saying how somebody else would have acted.
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The COVID has become really worrying now. I live two miles outside Bandarawela town. It’s almost midnight. The loudspeakers have fallen silent, but for many hours they’d been chanting “pirith”. I’ve not bothered to find out why. The only explanation that I can think of is that these chantings are thought of as a way of ridding ourselves of the “pestilence”. What’s the point in now asking? I clearly told all these people before the Presidential Elections that they should indicate THREE Preferences. Told it in Sinhalese to people in the neighbourhood.
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Sinhala_Man / November 16, 2020
PART B
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Kumar was writing about it like mad – from Hong Kong. However, he was talking about TWO Preferences, which I felt could be confusing. There were many articles before the one to which I’m linking you. So, I patiently explained in CT comments that there were three, but with only two realistic candidates one could speak of two for practical purposes.
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https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/resist-return-of-executive-presidency/
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That Kumar David article appeared only two days before the Presidential Elections. Only 15 comments in all, with some contributing multiple comments. See not only what Kumar and I have been saying, but what Fahim Knight has said. This guy, and his associate, Charles Cooray, alias “hanchopancha”, are two fellows whom I had to tick off this year. There is no problem with people changing their minds, but when they now start denying the views that they held earlier, I think that it is time that we cry “foul”.
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Professor Kumar David will never do that. He has such a stupendous intellect that he sometimes tries to simplify what he writes knowing that some of us can’t understand what he writes.
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Sinhala_Man / November 16, 2020
PART C
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Somebody named “Gamini” has written well, clearly and honestly. The problem with personae like that is that even regular readers can’t keep in mind who said what. That is why I clearly identify myself. Fellows like Eagle Eye refuse to do so.
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Good Sense is a commenter I respect, a regular even now. I have no problem with those who will not disclose their identity, when their stance is consistent, like “Champa” with whom I found myself disagreeing most of the time. Now we agree. She is sincere – that is the difference. You will find there a comment by Soma, a guy whom I either ignored or attacked. Now I see honesty in the positions he takes up.
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Back to America, a country which I have never visited, I’m quite happy about the result, but appalled at the way their leaders (both legislative and executive) are chosen. There’s something to be said for the “Security of Tenure” guaranteed to the nine individuals in their Supreme Court. Amazing that in 231 years there have been only 115 of them. Not one sacked! Amy Barrett shouldn’t be there, but it is unlikely that she will jeopardise (by supporting the buffoon who now refuses to leave) the fantastic position that she has got for herself.
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Sinhala_Man / November 16, 2020
PART D
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By the time I got to Peradeniya University, Kumar had left for Zimbabwe, then Hong Kong. I have met him only once, in June 2020 at his Dehiwela home. So, I don’t know him well. It is “leelagemalli” who follows me closely, and he trusts me, although he denies me contact details. He knows that I’m genuinely the “iskolemahattaya” that I say I am. Some others like “old codger” are wise and experienced enough to not be bothered about idiosyncrasies in me, but for any who are puzzled by my stands, and wonder whether I shouldn’t have “amounted to more”, I tell you that I have honestly explained all in these articles:
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https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/challenging-three-cheating-thomian-pharisees-and-not-doing-it-from-behind/
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The problem is that when one explains clearly and unambiguously, people imagine that there must be something that one has hidden. See the nonsense spouted by Amrit Muttukumaru here:
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https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/has-trump-really-lost-the-presidential-election/
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Sinhala_Man / November 16, 2020
PART E
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About government service, I haven’t explained much; there was the Director of English at the National Institute of Education who used to congratulate herself on restoring “Sinhala-kama” to the English Department. She didn’t want a non-KGB fellow like me. If you don’t understand, ask, and it shall be explained, but really, does it all matter?
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Tackling the COVID matters. I hope that Dr M.M. Janapriya will come back with some of his carefully researched articles which too few seem to study. There’s no saving people who refuse to THINK. Unfortunately, I may soon be gone from this earth, having achieved little. Not untypical of average guys like me. Knowing that may be wisdom.
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a14455 / November 16, 2020
Wow what a long winded reply. 90% of which doe not concern me As I don’t know and don’t care about the characters on this site. I suspect many are of the Tamil – and the so called civil society persuation.
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a14455 / November 16, 2020
But the bottom line is Sri Lanka is still doing something to control the virus. There may be some things they are assuming that are incorrect but most of the steps they are taking is largely correct. The problem with this virus is that any country that thinks they have this under control is delusional. They are like a man smoking a cigar in a gasoline littered field. It will only take one spark as this is insidious.
My Brother says nearly 80-90 % of positive PCR tests are asymptomatic. So you could be sitting next your buddy while he is killing you slowly. He also says all hospital intake is screened for symptoms and tested regardless of which district. But if you read the two sentences you see how easily this can spread. Also I saw an article from a Spanish medical journal that linked Dogs to the transmission. I am not too hopeful about the vaccine data coming out as these American companies are supplying information so that their stock price will increase . But either way I still think the Hated Gotas govt is doing the best it can and should be commended . They could be like the Trump govt that has given up.
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Good Sense / November 15, 2020
Everyone in the world is wondering as to what ails Donald John Trump not to accept the voter’s verdict. I thought the author, though venturing way out of his specialty, would provide a tangible answer. But my eye catches the sentence, quoted verbatim as, “The Iran Nuclear deal negotiated by John Kerry will be resuscitated in some form.”. Though besides the point we all know what happened during Israeli Elections and Bibi definitely is a guy who is going to have his way. The understanding is that Jared Kushner is the voice of Bibi in White House. Bibi even addressed the house of reps to prevent the US, Iran deal signed by Barrack Obama. My thoughts must be running wild but I would place my bets on this as one of the dominant reasons for the erratic behavior of DJT.
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sitrep24 / November 15, 2020
Honestly what is the point in talking about democracy to buddhists in this country ?? They are some of the worst hate filled insecure destitute people. Some extremist buddhist in a previous post explained to me their hatred of Muslims stems from the fact that their buddhist women are converting to Islam to be with Muslims. How can you give any advice to insecure small petty minded cucks who have such a pathetic way of thinking. SMH. (Just to give insecure buddhist cucks a heads up most of the buddhists who engage with politics are not really buddhist; they’re athiestes who only believe in individualism. These are the ones setting the policy for you to follow, they’re only throwing you crumbs of bread to stop you barking)
Given the opportunity to vote these ignorant buddhists voted for a murderous corrupt family who’s only achievement is they stole billions of dollars in broad daylight and got away with it, now the parliament is filled with murderers, rapists and other criminals guilty of serious crimes. The delusion of the buddhists that they though if they vote for this fellow, they’ll get their “buddhist state” where small minded insecure buddhist cucks and frustrated thug monks can oppress minorities as they like. Let’s not pretend, that is the real reason.
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a14455 / November 15, 2020
Idiot are you high ? What are you talking about ?
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Stanley / November 15, 2020
a14455, high on born-again Christianity but posing as a stout defender of Muslim rights in order to attack Buddhists. His enemy’s enemy is his friend.
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sitrep24 / November 15, 2020
Lol all I see here is two buddhist cucks sucking each other off. Well someone’s gotta do it since all the buddhist women have run away with the Muslims 😂😂😂 (according to you’ll) . Tell me, has your lord gota delivered the cucki-stan you’ll voted him in to deliver ??
I kind of like how you framed your comment to show the true nature of your ugly heart; the way you put an accent on ‘Muslim rights’, like as if Muslims aren’t supposed to have rights. Absolutely disgusting ugly hearts of petty minded buddhist cucks.
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Stanley / November 16, 2020
‘all I see here is two buddhist cucks sucking each other off’
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Excellent example of your vulgarity and racism. May the Lord have mercy on your rotten soul.
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leelagemalli / November 15, 2020
Well articulated. Today they are speechless. 😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎nothing is achieved by Rajapak pattapal horas for the benefit of the masses but but getting rid of their high crimes.. Thunmulle animals is wforcwd to wear a mouth cover today, if he opens his bad mouth he ll have to face the fate of Markandure madush who was the the brutal killing of Rajapkse regime number 2😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎
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Stanley / November 15, 2020
‘Honestly what is the point in talking about democracy to buddhists in this country ??’
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True, better to talk to Muslims right? Shouting for their ‘rights’ but ignoring their civic obligations. I’m so impressed with the number of Muslim democracies in the world.
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Native Vedda / November 15, 2020
Stanley
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“I’m so impressed with the number of Muslim democracies in the world.”
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I am also impressed with how those little medieval kingdoms were created and sustained by the Christian West, not to mention how apartheid, slavery, fascism, … were justified.
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On the other hand Christian West’s contribution to destruction of the world through manufacture, sales and use of weapons, environmental degradation, …. greed ..
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I am not sure why I keep remembering, Iran/Mosaddegh, Chile/Allende, Nicaragua, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Indonesia/Suharto, Philippines/Marcos, Iraq, Libya, …… entire South America, …… Hiroshima/Nagasaki, …..
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By the way don’t forget Hindians too.
Happy Rama/Ravana holidays.
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Native Vedda / November 16, 2020
Stanley
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Is it true Tamils are opposed to Rama and love their ancient Dravidian Aviator Ravana?
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Ashan / November 15, 2020
You mean like the fantastic Buddhist “democracy” like Myanmar?
The world’s most persecuted people were slaughtered over there. People supposed to be tolerant and peaceful burnt villages, killed men, and threw babies into the fire, all because they wanted basic human rights. When you look at how bad the Muslim countries are, never forget to look at all others too. In life people in glass houses always keep throwing those stones.
There are nearly a million refugees taken care by Bangladesh, and World organizations, because the Myanmar military Junta decided to show the world just how compassionate and kind they all are.
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SJ / November 16, 2020
Ashan
I agree with your protest, but note that despite the anti-Muslim Wirathu, their own Gnanasara, only a small part of the violence on Myanmar committed is in the name of religion. That is particular to the Rakhine state, which has its own problems with the state. There is also the issue of ‘nationality’ of the Rohingya.
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Myanmar’s colonial history is complex and it is left it with a complex of unhappy minorities. It also went under Japanese occupation during WW2.
The Burmese are rather xenophobic, because the country (Burma then) had a large number of Indian settlers under British rule; there were Chinese settlers too.
It had a repressive military rule, and in fairness the Buddhist clergy played a role in opposing military rule, something that we may not be able to say for our own.
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There are links between the Buddhist fanatics of both countries though.
The Myanmar army kept their lot under control for other reasons.
What ours will do if there is a coup is questionable.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / November 15, 2020
Dear Sir
USA is a huge Nation and one of the Permanent UN Security Council countries in the world. all these 5 Nations + C20++ manage the rest of us the toilet washers.
They all play good cop bad cop amongst themselves and even within the Country (good examples the election) as required to maintain their status quo.
In this instant President Trumps turn was to put the Budgetary issues in Check as they have successfully clawed their way back from having return some of Chinese loans/offset, Palestinian issues, Iranian issues (even killed their military big man against all the norms), put Korea in Check, even wiki like man in custody too…..it is an intelligent management of affairs at the highest level that looks after a Nation that we all wash toilet to make a living with admirations.
Secondly they needed to bring the tea party and the white supremists on board such the toilet washers can continue to go there after destroying their Nations…just like ourselves.
Thirdly all accounting is of the voting is fine except the blacks are always kept at their place and this time with the covid they have legitimised unprecedented amount of postal voting due to covid meant they can all vote without the fear and intimidation from the white supremists intimidations and threads being exposed to more crime.
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SJ / November 15, 2020
TV
“…they have successfully clawed their way back from having return some of Chinese loans….”
That success was enabled by weakening the dollar so much that the Chinese decided to gradually withdraw their Treasury Bonds. They have pulled out 100 billion out of 1,2 trillion this year; and there is speculation that another 200 billion will go out in the coming months.
Some more ‘clawing out’ with or without Chinese help, and claws will truly hurt the economy.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / November 16, 2020
Dear SJ
I totally agree. This is what happens to anyone who lives beyond their means. The current military spending of all the military powers are absurd and the US tops the list. Not only that one borrows money from their own adversaries and spend on defending not sure what but wage wars against them?.
As I said it is all part of the well established “Puppet Show” and the tradition lives on with our support as follows (sorry I can only speak for Jaffna).
Since the FP/TULF blunder we wash toilets around the world where every pound/dollars and all the wars/blood and blunders under our watch by the same we collect the same money and spend on more blunders in our home land too…not for development and technology but by more arms I can kill more….. . all dried up including the soil that was soaked in our blood since 1970….now the same sit in the parliament 50 year on I am still washing toilet…..the fact of the matter is Jaffna Children were the armed mercenaries and all other Jaffna man and woman overseas are the mercenaries of a different kind.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / November 17, 2020
Dear All
Please folks love to share this documentary about year 2000 US elections
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL8ME0SS_Y0
The issues being challenged by Pr Trump is to with the soft-war manipulations too.
All these over and above partisan politics but about a system requires understanding.
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