Il Presidente Trump

In 1851, Joseph Marie de Maistre, a French philosopher and politician said: “Toute  nation a le gouvernement qu’elle mérite” which translates to “Every nation has the government it deserves”.  This may have been true in the 19th century, but in the global village we now live in, elections within powerful countries affect lives far beyond the borders of those countries.  Nowhere is this more applicable than in the United States.  If this country is stupid enough to elect Donald Trump as their President, then we will be made to bear the consequences.  To be sure, the very, very least of our punishment will be fours years of supreme embarrassment and severe chagrin.

But what of the rest of the world?  Without the ability to participate in our electoral process, the lives of millions of people around the world will, nonetheless, be effected by the choice only American citizens will make on November 8th, and surely not for the better.  The extreme turmoil blanketing many parts of the Middle East, the expansionist ambitions of Vladimir Putin, economic problems in several South American countries, the tide of refugees everywhere, the effects of global warming on the entire planet - all of these (and many other) issues will have to be resolved one way or the other.  It will require an expertise which Hillary Clinton possesses and which Donald Trump is entirely devoid of.  Political intelligence, diplomacy, years of experience and, above all, an absolute self-control, are paramount.  At the risk of stating the not so obvious, the United States and Russia are already at war.  The proxy through which this war is being waged, Syria, is but a thin veil which is very threadbare.  One wrong move and the confrontation between two nuclear superpowers will become direct.  And then what?  Trump and Putin will settle our differences over a shot of vodka?  Hardly.

Both Trump and Putin are predators in their own revolting way, but compared to Putin, Trump is a rank amateur and Putin knows it.  He is more than well aware that what happens on November 8th will go a long way to supporting his dream of a global "Russian village" if only Americans would elect the "right" candidate.  That's why Putin is siding with Donald Trump. Putin is not stupid - he realizes that his chances at manipulating Hillary Clinton are all but nonexistent. By contrast, Putin will run rings around the Donald.  Blindfolded.  It is no coincidence that Russia is interfering in our current elections and not, say, four or eight years ago.  Putin looks at Trump and knows a patsy when he sees one.  Never has the opportunity to infiltrate the United States been greater. He’ll just march right in through the White House.  Forget sending spies to steal information, forget hacking the NSA, the CIA or any other letters of the alphabet - been there, done that.  Now he’ll be invited in, red carpet and all.  An afternoon of flattery and compliments, perhaps a gift of a solid gold bust of il Presidente Trump (Trump’s foundation already paid for his huge portrait) and the United States is Putin’s oyster.  If ever there was a reason NOT to vote for Donald Trump, this has got to be it.

A. J. Aston