As the U.S. presidential election approaches, there seems to be no progress. Taking liberal democracy as an example, people question whether they will respect the people's fate that appeared in November.
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People are worried that it will provoke violence that has increased polarization. In fact, this situation is beyond control in some respects.
For example, Washington's strategy for dealing with coronavirus. So careless that no one expects the United States to respond. The coronavirus that broke out in Wuhan, China in January, became a global epidemic by the end of February. Without effective treatment, there is no choice but to shut down the entire economy. As a result, the unemployment problem in the United States today is as dire as the Great Depression.
It is feared that nearly one million small enterprises in the United States are on the verge of closure. Simultaneously, the conflict with China on the trade and technology front has become a fundamental clash of global politics in which there is no prospect of peace.
Corona is still making waves in the United States. There is no prospect of relief from the virus. The political leadership seems helpless in mitigating the damage caused by this epidemic.
Under such circumstances, the image of the world leader that the United States has created for itself seems to be disappearing. The catastrophe has exposed America's weakness as a welfare state, and its helpless policies have exacerbated the current crisis. About 43 percent of people in the United States do not have access to health insurance. These people do not even have access to government health facilities. In such a situation, this calamity has become a significant problem for them.
Admit it was not enough for America's difficulties. When the Corona Crisis was on the rise, police brutality sparked racial tensions in the United States. The death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, in May has provoked strong reactions in the United States. This led to a flood of protests, violence, riots, and police action.
According to a survey, about 55 percent of Americans believe that police violence is a major problem. Simultaneously, 58 percent support the idea that racism is one of the most significant issues in the world today. Similarly, two-thirds of Americans feel that their country is heading in the wrong direction.
A country that speaks to the rest of the world on governance and human rights and considers itself a world leader seems to be failing to address its internal problems. Protests continue in the United States today. This is further polarizing American society.
In such a difficult situation, the political leadership does not seem keen to unite the people and the country. In fact, it is an election period, and it is important to please one's vote bank. That is why U.S. President Donald Trump is trying to portray it as a law and order problem. He attacked his political opponents with such harsh words that only a dead Democrat is really a good Democrat.
Trump is also making frivolous remarks about his Democratic rival, Joe Biden. Their frustration is probably since they are lagging behind Biden in many polls. This means that most Americans are unhappy with Trump's policies. That’s why they seem to be leaning towards Biden. At present, the reputation of American institutions is in jeopardy.
Police brutality has led to the deaths of people belonging to minority communities, and discrimination against African Americans in corona treatment has fueled protests. The issue of race is at the heart of American society and the system.
As far as handling internal affairs is concerned, the United States, which has often looked down on other countries, in this regard, today suffers from an internal lack of solidarity for which no solution is currently in sight.
Because of Trump, sooner or later The US will soon lose its status as a superpower because it will stop being the center for innovation.
For the past few years, economic wealth has been created around technology companies. Amazon. Google, Apple, Tesla, Uber. Before that, Oracle, IBM, Intel, Qualcomm, eBay, Yahoo.
What do these companies have in common? Immigrants and sons of immigrants founded them.
This is not rhetoric. In the past few years, many entrepreneurs who decided against coming to the US because of its new Trump's anti-immigration policies and honestly, because America is losing its status as a great country when a clown and his circus run it.
As a result, new innovation centers are popping up all over the world from Amsterdam to Guadalajara.
The next-generation Microsoft, Tesla, and Amazon might be Indian, Swedish, or Chinese companies. It's happening right now. The next Nikola Tesla, and Werner von Braun and Albert Einstein’s are not welcome in America anymore.
The US is no longer a country that welcomes bright minds who want to work hard to change the world. The change is happening right now, and at least part of it is irreversible.
The consequences of the coronavirus epidemic, the increasing socio-economic diversity, the rise of nationalism, and the combination of racial tensions will shape the United States in their own way. Some see it as the end of American supremacy in world affairs. True or not, the United States has an immense potential to get itself out of trouble.
BIOGRAPHY Surjit Singh Flora is a veteran journalist and freelance writer. He is a popular media commentator on current affairs.
Contact the Op-Ed editor Ted Blackwater at tedblackwater@poandpo.com ■