President Trump

 

 

So there you have it……from reality TV star to President of the United States of America. Perhaps it’s not the most conventional route to the White House, but Donald Trump has never been conventional.

 

As I sit scratching my head and pondering “what on earth has just happened”, it’s fair to say I’ve learnt a few things today:

 

1.    Such is the dislike and distrust for Hillary Clinton, you can literally put anybody up against her and the American’s will vote for them as a more credible alternative.

 

2.    Trump’s claim of a rigged election and alleged widespread voter fraud was only relevant if he lost.  

 

3.    It is possible to win a US Presidential Election with an ongoing character assassination of the other candidate and no political policies.

 

4.    Mexico should be concerned at the prospect of President Trump……the crash of their currency by 12% against the dollar is proof of this. 

 

5.    Opinion polls and exit polls are becoming increasingly worthless. They have been wrong with our General Election and Brexit vote, as well as the US Presidential vote. Worthless polls are pointless polls.

 

6.    Nobody looked more shocked than Donald Trump that he won.

 

7.    The future direction of travel for the US is unknown……the new President is a loose cannon.

 

8.   Without any political policies, all we can go on is Trump’s campaign promises:

 

-       Build a wall on the US / Mexican border and make Mexico pay for it.

-       Temporarily ban Muslims from entering the US

-       Bring manufacturing jobs back

-       Impose tariffs on goods made in China and Mexico

-       Renegotiate or withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement and  

       Trans-Pacific Partnership

-       Full repeal of Obamacare and replace it with a market-based alternative

-       Renegotiate the Iran deal

-       Leave Social Security as is

-       Cut taxes

-       Bomb and / or take the oil from ISIS

 

Regardless of our personal opinion of Donald Trump, the election of an individual with little or no political background as US President is a complete ‘about turn’ for Americans and has probably changed the direction of politics in the US for many generations.

 

Interesting times.