The Rise of the Deplorables….

We are indeed living in surreal defining times...some kind of an inflexion point in socio - eco - climate history…. In so many dimensions and planes this real time online human / earth ecosystem is evolving...at  a frenetic pace…. Most of the advanced world mature economies are mired in deep debt and very low / no growth comatose conditions.. Climate change too is surely and steadily witnessing a rising frequency of extreme events… natural resources are also depleting fast….

In these momentous times… in most countries people getting tired of their worsening financial shape, unemployment, migrants crisis, declining economies.. Want change in the elected governments …. Exit from existing economic blocks... trade agreements… scores of countries have seen new leaders and political parties coming to power… global economic power equations are changing.. Its no longer an uni or bi polar world… unipolar since 19th century till 1950s..with Britain / UK dominating till the first world war...thereafter usa till 1960s… when soviet union became a superpower… still usa was the economic powerhouse of the world till the 1980s… when japan rose to prominence…

but by the 90s japan entered its long endless tunnel of economic stagnation… but again japan is an extremely insular closed society… a kind of incestuous society with no foreigners or immigrants… like hitler’s pure aryan race… hence they reached the limits of their growth … now they have reached zero population growth… henceforth they will experience decline in population at the rate of one million per year from a peak of 128 million...hence gradually their gdp will decline…

In the western world europe and usa were enjoying sound economic expansion till 2000.. Though anemic compared to some emerging / brics economies in their growth spurt years… but this was not to continue for long.. Burgeoning debts… declining growth rates.. Which they desperately tried to whip up by increasing immigration… but the economic models mostly capitalistic started to flag… increasing unemployment..interest rates plunging below zero..

Since the late 1990s China had emerged as a major power... an economic powerhouse riding on a strong demographic dividend.. Made its mark felt.. And a multi polar world was created after the break up of the soviet union  …. European union started breaking apart with greece collapse .. several countries started feeling the pinch of debt and slow / no growth … then came the inflexion point brexit… few other countries in europe had changes in government.. Even merkel is finding the carpet being pulled under her ….

A lot changed after 9/11… rise of terror in most parts of the world…. Rise of isis… and then of late the migrants crises in europe due to syria and africa...islamic radical terrorists have made the presence felt in usa, europe, africa and asia…

Its against this backdrop we should analyse the current us election... us has lost its preeminent position in the world.. Run up 20 trillion debt …. Mounting violence...gun shootings...drugs … heroin epidemic...trigger happy police downing blacks… bankrupt states with no money to pay public servants…nexus between corrupt politicians, banks, regulators, corporations..... terror attacks.. Influx of illegal immigrants...climate change extreme events… societal upheavals like marriage becoming a fading institution...the litany goes on and on...the socio pol eco system is spinning out of control basically because the root causes which have led to them remain largely unaddressed… these issues have been dealt copiously through my chants/rants in my blog newgrammaroflife.blogspot.com...root causes like high energy / carbon lifestyles...capitalistic / technological advances which have spawned and fueled a giant consumer society forever wanting new things funded by debt...countries addicted to deficit financing because of living beyond one's means leading to unmanageable debts...big bank / capital market / property driven bubbles in all asset classes...rising inequalities...and so on…

Vast swathes of the populace in us have been disenfranchised … orphaned...swamped by waves of new immigrants who are highly educated and get top salaries on one hand and swarming illegal migrants who are stealing their jobs by accepting far lower wages, rising inequalities...to make matters worse…. due to high cost of production and becoming uncompetitive us companies have moved elsewhere like mexico, china….

Its is precisely due to this angst and uncertainty there was a vacuum which trump has filed...otherwise there is no other way anyone can explain this phenomenon where a playboy billionaire businessman with zilch political experience comes out of nowhere and commands 42% of election polls...by spending only 20% or so of clinton’s well oiled election apparatus... funded by the richest and most powerful people of usa…madly supported by 80% of the big media..despised by leaders of his republican party….indeed strange…all the more interesting as the clintons are supported by the present government, judiciary, large corporations, media, wall street, big money, bushes, top republicans….the entire establishment….a tremendous advantage….indeed the dice is heavily loaded against the anti establishment pro change messiah trump….his rallies are angst ridden rants with loud participation by his fans...

We are witnessing a titanic struggle for keeping the reins of power and the economy in the hands of the establishment….while the dispossessed, the deplorables, less educated….are rising in revolt and rallying under trump inspite of his billionaire status….this scraggly lot led by the quixotic trump...battling against the windmills of the mighty establishment..the capitalists who will go to any extent to keep control of the country...though the economy is in deep shambles…. no one wants to undergo any radical surgery to plug the haemorrhage and set right the failed system….which has bleed to 20 trillion now..and growing by over 2 trillion plus per year... spiralling violence..mounting mental illness..climate change...

Even if trump wins...it will not be easy to set right the economy and all that ails it….indeed a catch 22 situation...it is indeed most surreal the immense armageddon being played out real time online in usa watched and followed by the world….a 24/7 trumpman reality show...basically the americans have to decide between change and status quo...they will get the government they deserve...the media and polls are biased...one really does not know the truth...each camp comes out with results favourable to it...the debates.. too.. are biased against trump..in spite of the clinton leaning hosts...trump came out a winner in the second debate...he has taken the battle into the enemy territory..the establishment is aghast with his aggressive style and fight back...no one had ever talked to the royalty...the clintons...like that...tectonic stuff...the genteel establishment shocked and embarrassed ...while the under trodden are ecstatic ..the results range the spectrum with the slick cnn  on one side and infowars at the other extreme...with incendiary stuff…

There is no doubt if there had been a free election with level playing field trump would have won handsomely….inspite of it he is waging a lone battle with only pence by his side and his family...while the clintons have the entire apparatus of the establishment at their disposal...the next 25 days are going to be most interesting with no holds barred mudslinging...if one were to analyse the struggle...few happenings are baffling me...if the polls show clinton ahead by 4 points or so...and more importantly well over the 272 mark…..i really do not know how trump is able to garner record crowds of over 20,000 at his probably half his rallies.. While clinton is struggling to speak to 2000 people...does this indicate some groundswell tsunami on november 8?......another brexit...a powershift...even after his shocking locker room banter...trump is speaking to record rallies in pennsylvania... anything can happen in the life of a nation from now till nov 8...but overthrowing the well entrenched empire will be well nigh impossible... america will be the real loser if hillary wins...

Guns going out of control - the new norm of violence...

As the US election enters its last lap before the die is cast, there has been perhaps an uptick in gun violence over the past few months. As in all things, we have become used to the rising violence over time. Hence the new norm of escalating gun violence is being tolerated. In these future shockean times, our tolerance levels and values are adapting to new norms every year. This paradigm shift norm is equally applicable violence, guns menace, wars, climate change events, economic collapse…...

There are 300 mn guns in US owned by 100 mn people. The redneck gun lobby epitomised by NRA has strong lobbies and support running deep and wide. Inspite of vigorous efforts by Obama, the ultra conservative gun lobby has not yielded inspite of spiralling gun related incidents which are only compounding. Sad all Obama's efforts have come to naught.

Mass killings as defined by 4 or more killings per incident is on the rise in US. Last year at one point during a period of 336 days there were 353 mass killings. During 2015 there were 372 mass gun killings, ie an average of more than one per day!! Current year in 163 days 136 killings. Gun sales have risen from 7 mn in 2002 to 15 mn in 2013. There has been a spurt in sales of guns after each major killing like Sandyhook, etc. In fact there have been a few months with million plus gun sales.

Between 1968 and 2011, there were 1.4 mn firearm deaths in US as compared to 1.2 mn killed in conflict from the US war of independence till Iraq war. This is indeed chilling. US is the most advanced nation. Is this price a country has to pay for being the most advanced.

The cost of containing violence is mounting in all countries. In the most violent countries the cost was over 25% of GDP. The economic cost of all wars in 2015 was a staggering $ 13.6 trillion, ie 13.6% of global GDP in PPP terms. Wars are plaguing vast swathes of the globe....Syria, major portion of Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan........

Europe is beset by terror and rise in domestic violence. India too caught in the web of violence......Difficult choices before society. Increasing fundamentalist terror or police state. Mass gun shootings by sick individuals. Sickness of society is indeed all pervading.

During the 60s Ronald Laing had written a sociological epic "The Politics of the Family". One of the central premises of the book was that mental illnesses have their origin in the violence perpetrated by family members. Hence in a sense all violence starts within the family. This violence is encouraged in schools through competition for ranks and derision of weak students and those withdrawn, introverted....

This trend continues as children grow older through college and into adult working life. Workplace competitive violence continues as employees and colleagues vie for higher positions. Most workplaces are cesspools of politics where only the scheming and ambitious survive. The capitalistic framework is a chief promoter of violence. Hyper competition is the highest level complete warfare and violence. This has desensitised society. Everything is converted in the fine art of war....industrial conglomerates out to kill all in order to reach the top and capture market share snuffing out competition. The MBAs are the generals in this war.

Even war and armaments are a large industry. In US alone 100 MN guns are sold every year, apart from Organised war is indeed a very profitable war. Hence US the great global hegemon has since the Second World War been fighting wars almost continuously starting with Korea. The 60s hippie generation revolution which espoused peace was squashed. Dissent to the massive military has been systematically stymied.

All this violence has been faithfully reproduced and packaged by Hollywood and shown all over the world, and in turn tv has glorified this genre through serials. Rest of the world which has so successfully been americanised has spawned this celluloid culture rampantly. This also has contributed in no mean way to the rise of violence.

Two other forces which have also been responsible for violence are economic insecurity arising from mounting unemployment and the deepening and widening inequalities across the world. Unemployment is a scourge which is present in virtually all societies. With technology spreading its tentacles and displacing humans this phenomena is all the more spreading. Inequalities due to concentration of wealth in the hands of a few has impoverished majority of society in most economies. Poverty has been a prime catalyst for violence.

At a global level too inequalities between nations has been rising. This has been exacerbated by climate change. Hence it has fuelled epic migrations over the past few years from Africa, war torn Syria, Iraq, etc....this has also triggered off spurt in radical Islamic terror. This terror nor has been exported to richer parts of Europe and US through refugees.

Gradually digital surveillance becoming all pervading. Which normally should be a deterrent to violence. Instead now newer forms of violence have emerged to counter surveillance through cyber attacks on information grids which run our cities and lives. Next robot terrorists and remote mass killings will raise their ugly heads. Indeed Frankensteins everywhere. No place is safe and run.

Sanity in an insane world....

Sanity in an insane world

Back to blogging to keep my sanity in an increasingly insane world. Not that there much to add to my previous blogs or to the outline of the New Grammar of Living. I very well know that it is futile to ever think or wish that we can rewind or regress this so called progress of human civilisation in terms of wealth, technological progress, capitalist development, bigger, faster, better in everything, although this very trajectory has brought in its wake widening inequalities, huge swathes of poverty yet to be touched by this so called magic wand of progress, violence, wars, climate change, ecocalypses, et al.

The ever deepening contours of the global developments over the past year or so only buttresses all my earlier writings, blogs and my first diaries about 50 years ago. The absurd theatre and surreal events are only becoming more zanier each day and zombie like we lurch forward.

Couple of months ago I saw some alarmist videos on YouTube which jolted my already numbed mind into this outpouring. They listed out possible scenarios in response to Obama's called for preparedness for disasters. US has set up a crack military outfit which has now spread its tentacles into maybe 200 cities to face any chaos arising from any of the disaster scenarios. The disasters they are anticipating are: massive earthquake and tsunami in California, drought and excess rainfall resulting good shortages, race riots, and the most frightful one on the collapse of the dollar triggered of by another financial meltdown.

The most devastating time bomb ticking away is that of the derivatives market and exposure of major global banks. Recently it surfaced that Deutsche Bank is saddled with $ 75 trillion derivatives which about the same size as that of the global GDP! The total size of global derivatives is a mind boggling ten times global GDP ie around $ 800 trillion. Some estimates place it at $ 1.5 quadrillion!!! This  is extremely toxic and as big a risk as that of the nuclear stockpile and proliferation and rising chances of a terror attack with dirty bombs. We are verily on the precipice.

While all this is taking us close to edge, in one of the most astonishing elections in US, two extremely unpopular candidates - Trump and Clinton are pitted against each other. Ironically this comes at the end of one of the best presidencies US ever had. Also Obama has hit his highest approval ratings of his second term since April 2016.
In view of all the confusion and unpopularity of the current candidates, there is a growing feeling that Obama should carry on for an unprecedented third term which constitutionally not possible. There is a conspiracy theory gaining ground that the US govt could engineer some catastrophe which will generate popular demand for Obama to continue as president! This could be a better option than the present two prospects. Extremely sad the candidate by far the best Bernie Sanders had to bow down to the subterfuge and machinations of the Clinton Mafia.

Violence and terror are marching forward relentlessly with daily occurrences sickening and numbing our senses. No place is safe. Humans are turning psychotic. Kids are now subjected to so much of gore and mindless violence on tv. Islamic fundamentalism wreaking havoc across the globe. Alienated mentally sick loners in advanced countries indulging in mass killings with greater regularity. Hate crimes, police brutality, race attacks....spiralling out of control.

With the proliferation of technology, media, baleful influence of TV and Hollywood, rising incomes in emerging markets, demand for all the goodies, cars, energy intensive lifestyles, crazy urbanisation, concrete jungles...is soaring especially in China and India. Now that the cat is out of the bag it's very difficult to curb the demand for the toys of doom. The developed economies (incl China) are sermonising the emerging markets that they must curb carbon emissions after they have spewed forth overwhelming majority 70% of cumulative global historical emissions. The irony lies in the fact that the industries like auto, air conditioners...are depending upon emerging markets to market their deadly energy guzzling monsters. Yes it's indeed a catch 22 situation.

With major parts of the developed world mired in deep debt doldrums, ravaging climate change related concerns, escalating violence and wars the prognosis for the world appears grim. Humans are too deeply entrenched in conditioning in all  its myriad facets (see my earlier blog on conditioning dated 5th July 14) to ever be able to wrench themselves out of the faustian fatal attraction of the so called progress of civilisation. Truly we are lurching ahead like zombies....

Brexit ...inflexion point....

Historic moment for world. Brexit has won. Is this a canary in the mine? This really could be the precursor of many "break with the past" events to come. The various facets of this move are numbing. It will have ramifications on US elections, existence of EU, financial markets, globalisation, unipolar world....

The EU could start disintegrating with elections looming up in France and Germany. For the past forty years or so unified Europe had become a powerful economic entity which was an ally of US which during this period was losing its position of strength. This was a period when Japan and China rose to the top tiers of the global economic platform. Along with this there was the weakening of the giant USSR and its fragmentation. Russia emerged a much weaker opponent of USA. So there was a move from a bipolar to a unipolar world. Then with the burgeoning growth of China there was more multi polar world.

Presently in USA there is a contentious election with two weak unpopular candidates. Trump like a veritable mad man has been spewing hate and anti immigrant vitriolics. The deep malaise has been the unemployment situation, rising inequalities, rise in immigrants, adverse terms of trade.... With very little institutional support Trump has whipped up considerable support which borders on racism. America is a country of immigrants. Hence within this immigrant society some claim to be more equal than others....

Again the seeds of its unemployment were spawned by its rise to becoming the richest nation on earth. Rising incomes made manufacturing unprofitable. Capitalism dictated that in the search for returns on investment, the cost of labour had to be reduced. Hence manufacturing shifted to China and elsewhere. The middle-class of US shrank. In the process jobs declined along with the rise despair, drugs and violence....

These forty years or so of EU saw the ups and downs of global economic stability. During the past 4/5 years or so large swathes of Europe have started tethering closer to bankruptsy. Debt had ballooned all over the world more so in Europe and USA. Europe witnessed Greece, Portugal, Spain, Italy collapsing under unmanageable debt. USA too has run up the highest debt levels anywhere. The largest banks of the western world too are under lot of stress. The financial system too is labouring under crises in currency, derivatives, stock and credit markets....

During this period climate change has intensified. This has lead to widespread famines and social unrest. Terror too has rapidly spread its tentacles especially after the oil crises of the 70s. The first world lead by US tried to control the oil rich gulf countries and also got involved in few wars there. This possibly fuelled and accelerated the growth of fundamentalist terror. The past few years have seen a sharp increase in migrants in Europe and into other parts of the world from Middle East, Africa...This massive migrants crises highlighted the inequalities in the developed world, burden on their already strained financial and fiscal systems, unemployment situation....this has also given rise to racism and blame on open arms policy for refugees...

Indeed very interesting times globally...defining times...momentous times...world is changing and changing very fast....brexit is the tip of the iceberg....this much and no further...the developed world has started saying...the right wing is on the ascendant in the most of the developed world....autarky on the rise... isolationism.... racism... bankrupt economies... Climate change...inequalities... Brexit indeed tip of the iceberg... 

Part of me died today

Slowly the death of Mohammad Ali is sinking into my consciousness. He was an integral part of one's world view and innate existence for about 53 years since he shot into fame by knocking out Liston. He exuded total confidence in his talent and was so poetically articulate. His intelligence was indeed of a high order though he hardly crossed class 10. It took a lot indeed to rise above the apartheid ridden life he had to face
 in his early years. Indeed he was a multi faceted genius.

Yes indeed a dear part of me has died today. Death is a gradual process which does not come the day we are clinically dead. For most as we grow, parts of us keep dying starting with the demise of parents, near ones, icons and idols we worship. We basically are a summation of all the people in our lives who have contributed to the creation of our psyche and physical being. The list of such people may be long. But the same 20/80 principal works here. So there are a few who have made a profound impact in our lives. Each time any of them leave a part of us dies.

Ali had something ineffable and magical about him. He really made a difference to millions of lives. He strode like a colossus on the world stage inspite of his Parkinson. He was no ordinary mortal who would have been ravaged by the debilitating disease. He sheer genius struck all. He transcended the sport boxing which catapulted him to global fame. Indeed for one brief shining moment there was the lyrical grace of a butterfly which uplifted our drab lives.

Ali shot into fame in the 60s which was indeed perhaps the last golden decade for us. 60s gave us so many gigantic icons like Kennedy's, Beatles, Ali, Martin Luther King, Doors, Rolling Stones, Rod Laver, Gary Sobers, Pele....especially for people like us born in the fifties, those two decades will always be our best. With future shock, since the 60s the rate of change is getting progressively telescoped. Hence the mind space impact of the 60s was much more indelible. In most fields the superstars who emerged after the 60s appear puny by comparison.

Since then we live in devalued times. Also with hyper competition there are too many competitors and the marginal value of the more recent entrants is lower. With proliferation of media, technology there is too much of offerings competing for our limited mind space. Hence in this clutter very few can rise head over shoulders over the rest in order to capture our attention. Yes as capitalism matures all heroes are also commoditised without any soul and unique humanness which can occupy our soul mind space.

Most of the heroes today a extremely plastic and sugar coated. We too in view of the mass factory production of heroes, know that these are throwaway heroes who will not lasts the test of time. Newer models pop up every few months which replace the earlier models. Heroes now are not built to last like Ali. 

the trumpsian dilemma before USA

today we are witnessing the classical dilemma of modern man, america and the world. politics all over is indeed a dirty game. in a way it’s power over the masses. it's a process where the vox populi is translated through elections into a government which rules entire population.

today americans are behaving as if they are aghast at the thought of donald trump winning the gop nomination and eventually the general election. they feel as if some monster is going to usurp power. the republicans feel as some rank outsider has come like a bull in a china shop and is upsetting the applecart. this applecart constituted of power brokers, lobbies at pennsylvania avenue and high places, large industry, international trade, big banks, tech titans, ultra rich billionaires led by the Koch Brothers...have practically ruled the roost for the past half century or so...this group has a vice like grip on all elected representatives in the senate and the house of representatives. these vested interests from the background call all the shots. hence democracy is just a charade..a play being directed by these behind the screen directors.

suddenly here comes a person who does not want to play according to the rules of the game. he speaks the language which the common man can relate to...not carefully crafted politicalese which has been scripted out by the powers that be. he has emerged on the main platform as a serious player like a whiff of fresh air like boris becker back in the 80s at wimbledon who swept away all opposition with his unpredictable and fresh style of play. here is a maverick who is original, speaks from the heart, creating his own logic of world view for america which can make it great again.

the rest of the candidates lined up against him look like mannequins, slick well combed hair, plastic, tv stars, well manicured, spouting fixed lines… in front of the formidable trump they look pathetic, puny, malleable, dolls, vapid, devoid of personality… suddenly it seems as if america has been ruled by these puppets for generations...maybe FDR was the last great US president and the rest puppets except obama who too could not stand up to the machinations of the mafia who had tied his hands...sometimes on a clear day you can see forever… this surreal drama now has laid bare the drama which was being played out in the name of presidency….maybe kennedy did not fit the bill….so he had to be removed...later his brother robert...when for one brief shining moment there was camelot….

rubio looks definitely like an ad for brylcreem with with almost gayish overtones and features...cruz look too well manicured...and smooth looking...both of them lack depth and character...like weak sticks which deserved to be blown away by the trump tornado...on the other side there is a jaded hilary pouting her words like a well trained parrot….only sanders has some substance which maybe can withstand the trump gale..but lacks an overpowering personality to counter the trump bully…

donald reminds me of one flew over the cuckoo’s nest where McMurphy was the one saw through the machinations of Nurse Ratched (establishment)...he really wants to liberate the american people from the clutches of the lobbyists... he might be a colourful personality … but that does not detract one mite the missiles he has been hurling at the frightened confused establishment smug after decades of ruling the roost...now they are striking back with vengeance at donald with costly ads pointing out his minor warts and flaws with all seriousness...the more they attack him..the greater his stature seems to grow...nothing sticks to him..a knight in shining teflon armour to whom nothing sticks…

sad this toon war is being played out primetime in front of whole world...degenerating to penile strength comparisons...like clowns,,,even the democrat debates are cliche driven politicalese through heavy filters...hilary is a predictable jaded joke...only sanders is a freak with some sense and intellect… indeed surreal …analysts are saying Trump is 5th material in  terms of mental development and grammar. However highly the others had been educated but finally all that learning last not benefitted the nation during the past 70 years or so. Now the trend is school dropouts have set up the most successful products and businesses in US like Jobs, Bill Gates, et al. trump being a successful business man  would be a sound person i guess to set things right with his strong common sense approach.

america is indeed caught between the scylla and charybdis..the irony of modern times..a defining paradox of 21st century...inequalities rising, real income falling, deficits crossing all sane limits,  violence increasing, terror upping the ante,  racism rampant, drugs, rising trade deficits, unemployment up, healthcare in shambles, corruption spinning out of control, police atrocities……

so who do they turn to for emancipation...to same set of people who are responsible for past rot...or a don quixote who could deliver them from the mess,,,they are in...

Indeed it's difficult for even me to reconcile that how deep the american malaise lies..in a way it is indeed a let down for me after having been a great star struck fan at an highly impressionable age of the kennedys...the magical years when there was camelot for one brief shining moment...one was young and was smitten by apparent glitz and glitter like rock n roll...this was also the period when anti establishment movement reached its peak with rock n roll peaking leading to woodstock.  

But the nixons, reagans, bushes played their narrow oil agenda at the cost of all other far more important agenda which were moved out of sight, soon goldman sachs ceos adorned the treasury functions of the govt. Clearly reason and saner economic agenda were pushed down the priority list….demoniacal financial thughs ruled the roost,  the fiscal deficit burgeoned beyond all sane proportions...the age of air conditioned economies had begun...japan was the first when it entered the loog loog tunnel of recession and quasi negative interest rates in the early 90s... from which it is still to extricate itself from..

Against this long term backdrop in governance of the country was was not truly based upon strategic good for the many...the was a lot of hope on obama...but even his hands were tied,,perhaps its time to break on through to the other side...and start anew from zero base budgeting ….

The time has perhaps come for us to take a decisive lead in global affairs instead of sinking into mediocrity...maybe trump with his fresh, basic and common sense thinking could lift usa from this quagmire.

trump's and america's moment of truth...

At this moment it looks like Donald is going to trumpet his way to glory and the White House. There is a sense of disbelief in most of the things he says. But ironically these seem sound common sense by redneck American standards. He has lashed out against Muslims and Mexicans. He is almost like Hitler reborn. Hitler too was born phoenix like from the ashes of the Great Depression of the 1930s. America too stands totteringly close to the abyss of financial bubbles which are forever morphing into larger bubbles...lending credence to the hypothesis too big to fail... Hence most middle of the road Americans are confused by the gradual decline of America in terms of a world power, economic scenario, wealth, increase in mindless gun violence, police atrocities, climate change, rising inequalities, joblessness, healthcare travails, rise of China, ...the great american dream seems to be in shambles..

Obama had risen like a great black hope who would undo the nightmare which had engulfed the nation for over 25 years. Here was one the best ever presidents to enter the White House….supra intelligent, highly educated, great orator, without no backing of large industry nexus, honest, upright, principled...he had risen like the black knight who would rescue america from all the evil dragons.  But Obama tried his best to set right the behemoth and mammoth beast which was america. However much he tried to put right the morass through his charismatic intelligence…. he was confronted by deeply entrenched vested interests who would let no one upset the status quo. after the financial meltdown, the banks had the bailouts in the way they wanted it. it was indeed business as usual after the loans were repaid and the CEOs were soon rewarded with obscene bonuses.  

Obama also faced blocks in both the senate and house of representatives...both from republicans and his own democrats...indeed navigating through the elected representatives was a nightmare for him or for that matter anyone...the house of cards neatly summarises american politics...the conniving muck...only obama was too classy and principled to side with muck….

obama failed to pass the anti gun laws in spite of all his best efforts….in spite of all the mounting violence… shootings …there were @ 1 point of time 355 shootings of min 4 deaths during a period of 335 days... he had to face insane opposition while trying to push obamacare...his climate fossil fuel proposals have been stalled...ironically by the supreme court...the litany goes on and on…

with all the prevailing confusion in the country...the greater part of the country is fed up of the establishment which they feel has failed them in rescuing the country from the perils which have beset it from all sides….suddenly in the midst of all this there comes round the presidential election...and what are they confronted with? … a melee of mediocre presidential aspirants … none of which looks like lifting the country out of the depression… all the candidates look vapid and sound hollow...like in a puppet show...hilary is increasing looking like an also ran..a loser..a manipulator...sanders bit better..but doesn't look like a winner on his own steam...all the other republicans appear puny and puerile incapable of holding their own…

at this juncture trump appears like a heavyweight champion of yore...another era...another time...cassius clay...aka...muhammad ali...larger than life….pulling sucker punches at the kids rubio and cruz...he has uttered what no one had dared to earlier...the m word...keeping out muslims and mexicans out of US...suddenly people realised here was a man who did not mince his words..was not afraid to speak out what most had secretly harboured in their hearts...since 9/11 there had been growing divide globally against terrorists who in the name of jihad had been taking innocent lives…

here was a  person like superman or batman who dared to speak the unutterables and promised to take action on terror...the other thing which americans had been suffering from was the invasion of the mexicans across a porous border in search of a better life in the land of milk and honey...along with the mexicans poured in drugs from the cartels in mexico, colombia, magic realism and beyond...the story of drugs and mind expansion is another one for another day...suffice it to say...many americans needed these drugs to face life…

at long last...the great white hope...shining knight in white armour who will deliver americans from all vicissitudes… full of bravado..who has rallied all with his anti-m warcry.. the broad middle class is clinging on to him as a saviour from all ails affecting the world’s most advanced and powerful nation..

even though trump himself ….a flamboyant real estate multi billionaire...has so many failings… taxes...using illegal immigrant labour...and so on...still the populace at large are in no mood to listen to these innuendos against him thrown by the flailing opponents at the much publicised eye ball catching debates… like a juggernaut he is rolling from state to state winning caucuses and primaries...looks unstoppable…he is gradually building an aura around him...people feel he can deliver them from all the ills plaguing american society..a blind faith in him since he alone has the courage to name the unnameable...

in a sense he could be better than reagan or bush jr...since he has been a successful businessman…  the moment of truth will be in november… if he wins...will he be able to fix the economy...the ballooning debt..rising inequalities..a demagogue in the white house after … the great obama...perhaps a sign of the despair of the times...the polarisation of society...nemesis…

redeeming part of him...he has ridiculed bush for the war he started in search of elusive weapons of mass destruction...a chimera in the desert...but being the brash person he is he will no doubt get drawn to other wars...even obama could not keep america out of wars...perhaps the world has become a theatre for armaments bashing so the the military industrial complexes can keep on chugging….few of the wars bush sr and jr fought were for oil...perhaps this triggered of a strong dislike for americans by the arabs.

wonder if any american president really has a say in deciding upon these wars. the military industrial complex is just too powerful. the presidents are figureheads...who        are under the thumbs of the powerful lobbies of armaments, finance, etc. these lobbyists operate their machiavellian moves through the members of the two houses of government. hence we see the peculiar combinations of senators and members of the HOR who vote for different bills. the house of cards really portrays this mess so wonderfully.

so at the end does it really matter who is at the helm. the major issues drive themselves. the vested interests ensure their agendas are smoothly passed. so whoever wins will have to toe the lines of the power brokers...but if trump triumphs...he will certainly add lot of colour and interest in these bleak times..