By Julius Oweh
The making of a president
The Americans go to the polls tomorrow to elect their president for the next four years. American election is a serious affair that sends jitters and shivers to world capitals. The American President is the most powerful person in the world and the Americans treasured the man or woman in the Oval Office, the sanctuary of power.
This November 5 poll is unique in many ways. It is the first time a former president, Donald John Trump is contesting election three times. Trump ran against Hiliary Clinton and won. He as a sitting president contested against Joe Biden and lost. This time is running against Kamala Harris as a former president.
On the part of the Democratic Party , it is second time that the party is fielding a woman candidate. If she wins, it would be an epoch making occasion for woman to occupy the White House. It would be in line with the tradition of Democratic Party of always scoring first. It is on record that the Democratic Party produced the first Catholic president in the person of John F Kennedy. It is also on record that the party put the first black in the white House a la Barack Obama.
Therefore all the world eyes are onn America as their citizens cast their votes. It must stressed here that millions of America had already voted as the constitution permits that.
The major issues that took central stage in the presidential campaigns were jobs., insecurity. Immigrations. women productive rights and marriage. Why Trump believes that the borders should be closed and immigrants not allowed in. Harris is the opinion that America should remain the melting pot of the world where all tribes should be allowed in . This is the belief of the founding fathers.
Harris argued that the woman should decide what to do with her body, the euphemism for abortion rights. Harris supports gay marriage like the current president. Conversely Trump is a strong advocate of marriage between man and woman and most christians support him. However, it is the undecided voters that determine the winner in the so called swing states. The states are called swing states because in every election circle, can swing from Republican Party to Democratic Party and vice versa.
In Africa, the foreign policy of America is not likely to change. In foreign policy formulation, Africa is more of backwaters. It is about the flow of raw materials to Washington, the sale of weapons to trouble spots and to check the incursion of Russia.
Where the election is keenly watched is Europe. Trump has said that though America is a NATO member, the European countries should be able to foot their defense bills. In the political formulation of Trump, it does not make sense for Washington to be spending millions of dollars to defend Europe. Harris believes otherwise that any dollar spent in the defence of Europe was in defence of America.
As for Ukraine, the election is of great concern to them. A victory for Trump is a defeat by the Russians. Trump has repeatedly said that American dollars should not be used to fight the Russians. And it would be note worthy here that Valdimir Putin has soft spot for Trump and expressed the desire that Trump should win election.
It is in the Middle East that American policy would not change. Israel remains a strong ally of America and no president would change that. In fact ,Israel is treated as one of the states of America.The official American policy is that the Palestinians are terrorists and should be so treated. America continues to see Iran as enemy and same with North Korea. China remains an economic competitor and would want to cut the Chinese to size. It is rather too late. China is a nuclear power nation and its relationship with Russia is seen as threat.
As the world awaits the result of the American election, the peoples can only wish because they have no voting rights. If The Pond News were to vote, Kamala Harris would get the vote.
