Monday, February 20, 2017

Looking back on the US presidential election in 2016

The U.S. presidential election of 2016 has shown signs of overheating all along. Among the candidates, the most controversial one in dispute, who has extinct supporters and hate groups at the same time, is Donald Trump. As well aware, Trump is new to the political arena and has been well-known as a big shot in the field of business. Contrary to popular belief or expectation, this novice politician has swept the votes in many primary elections held in major states. Although Trump has manifested his strong opposition to immigration, hatred against Latinos and Muslims, free trade, and military interventionism, he has gained considerable amount of support and eventually emerged as the front-runner for the Republican nomination. Even at a glance, one could tell he is a divider, not a “unifier” as he claims himself. Then, what on earth has made so many voters out there decide to pull for him?

Politicians, historians, and polemic writers point out that American people have been way too fed up with elite statesmen for all these years. They do not wish to see pretentious posers or saturnine politicians deceive or disappoint the fellow citizens by their obvious chicanery. Trump’s supporters keep saying this guy is honest, even if he might sound a bit too vulgar in public, and will never the spook the market because he’s a seasoned business guru. They firmly believe that at least Trump will not line his pocket with largesse just like many other ugly precedent statesmen did. The other major supporting group of voters for Trump asserts that he is the only candidate that will truly embrace “white working class” in America that has been traditionally ridiculed as the “red-neck” in this country. While most other leaders focus on racism, poverty, women rights, and health care, Trump has seemed to join hands with white working class. Well, but to me, this whole picture of staunch supporters ensorcelled at the Trump supporting rally seems so incongruous and spurious. They look like grasping at straws, playing Russian Roulette with the future of America by means of opting for a rich guy.

Yes, as you may have already guessed, I am not supporting Trump. Aside from media frenzy or hatred against Trump’s contagious energy, I find it so unnerving to see the way this man delivers his ideas. He says “If you don’t like immigration, build a wall. If you’re suspicious of Muslims, track them in a database. If you support police officers, impose the death penalty on cop killers.” These straightforward comments may sound ideal or exciting to many voters. However, to me, he is no more than a Fascist full of vain panache and narcissism in disguise.

I do hope and pray that American voters supporting Trump  will snap out of  this “autoschediastic” attitude (in choosing the President of this country) that they believe would mend the problems in American society. America’s tomorrow SHOULD NOT be in the wrong hands that know diddly about how to run a nation.

Expressions
arena: (noun) a field or an area of activity, interest, or competition
                                                                    
big shot: (noun) a hot shot/ a person who holds a great deal of clout/ power in whatever industry/culture that they are a part of.  Someone who is looked up to by people who tend to be followers.

contrary to popular belief: (adverbial phrase) despite what many people believe

at a glance: (adverbial phrase) with a quick look

pull for somebody/ something: (verb) to support/ cheer somebody or sports team
to say or show that one hopes (someone or something) will succeed, get well,

be fed up with: (verb) to be sick and tired of somebody or something

pretentious: (adjective)  trying to sound intelligent by using long, complicated words, even though one doesn't know what they mean
having or showing the unpleasant quality of people who want to be regarded as more impressive, successful, or important than they really are

saturnine: (adjective) gloomy/ sarcastic

chicanery: (noun) deception by trickery or sophistry/ a trick; a subterfuge

spook the market: (verb) destroy the market

line one’s pocket: (verb) to take or get a lot of money by doing something illegal or dishonest (*This is what we’ve seen with a lot of corrupt politicians.)

largesse: (noun) a person who gives away money; also money that is given away

red-neck: (noun) offensive term for a lower class white person from the southeastern states of the USA. Derives from someone who spent a lot of time on manual labour outside and so received a "red neck" from the sun.

staunch: (adjective) very loyal and committed

ensorcell: (verb) to have a spell cast upon somebody/ to enchant somebody

rally: (noun) a public meeting to support or oppose someone or something

spurious: (adjective) not genuine, real, or true; bogus, sham, or counterfeit

grasp at straws: (verb) to depend on something that is useless; to make a futile attempt at something in desperate or hopeless situations

media frenzy: (noun) a state of violent mental agitation or wild excitement caused by mass media/ Temporary madness or delirium

unnerving: (adjective) unable to think clearly

panache: (noun) flamboyance in style

in disguise: (adjective) made to look like something else :  presented as another thing

snap out of something: (verb) to stop being in or to cause (someone) to stop being in (an unhappy condition or mood, a daydream, etc.

autoschediastic: (adjective) offhand, with little forethought or preparation/ makeshift/ extemporaneous

know diddly about something: (verb) to know nothing about something




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