Ukraine shivers at the thought of the US withdrawal, China braces for hostility, Iran for war, Palestine for abandonment, the Middle East for confrontation, Africa for insults, environmentalists for climate cold-storage, the west for browbeating and the whole world for endless disruptions. An American diplomat told this correspondent, "The world worries, but Americans worry more. We are so polarised. If Trump wins, we anticipate civil war."
Polarisation predates Trump, but he has deepened, widened, legitimised and weaponised internal divisions. Republican senator Mike Rounds says, "Trump recognised the anger brewing in American society and seized on it for political gain, but it is a dangerous path for the nation's leaders." The January 6 attack proves Trump's violent words beget violent actions. The battleground for boorish behaviour is now the Republican Party, or rather the "Trump Rump" that has captured the Grand Old Party, driving out respectable Republicans like Liz Cheney and Mitt Romney. "There's been a coarsening of political discourse in America," laments Romney.
This story is from the December 03, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
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This story is from the December 03, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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