Lessons we can draw from the American elections as we head to 2017

Thomas Jefferson once said that "A government afraid of its citizens is a Democracy. Citizens afraid of government is tyranny” Today in the US, some people are afraid after Donald John Trump was declared the forty fifth President-elect. 

The US elections have rattled almost everybody from the comfort zone world over. Estimations and hopes were high but were dwindled a day after the elections. Opinionists, media and columnists had predicted and it was settled who was to be the President of the US. Hillary Clinton, gossipers have it that she had already prepared a victory speech.

Alas! The gods of democracy and the voice of the people conspired against Clinton and the entire world’s expectations. And Trump triumphed despite scandal after scandal and unregulated mouth with some unprintable words at times. He was underestimated and the Americans played a fool of us. But still we have some crucial lessons to learn;

One, our leaders should learn to concede when they lose elections no matter how they were probable winners. Clinton did concede in the presence of her opponents. Conceding saves the face of the nation and shrinks the occurrence of violence. On the other hand, the incumbent should know that there is no automatic re-election. The use of government machinery should not be part of the strategy to win elections but create a level ground for all candidates.

Two, Trump vilified the notion that the incumbent cannot be defeated. With all the support of President Obama and his family, big stars and business moguls, Clinton still was trumped. And by the way, Trump in the dictionary means a winner.

Three, as we near the 2017 elections, we should venture in issue politics of what affects and benefits us as a nation than individualistic, egocentric and petty party and tribal politics of pessimism. We always go to elections a divided nation. Tribalism is ripe at this stage and it is time we stick to issues.

Four, our media and opinion leaders should do proper ground work than to be swayed by the crowds to conclude who may win. In the US, there seemed to be a well-choreographed media conspiracy to front Clinton to the people as the best choice. Almost all major media houses and their opinion guests were for Clinton.

Five, Women are the majority but seem to sideline their own. If all women in the US could have voted for Clinton, then the results could have been the reverse. Some say women are their own foes, but should they elect a woman they do not trust her vision? I think otherwise.

Six, demonstrations need not be violent as it is the case here. The Americans have been demonstrating expressing their dissatisfaction with the election of president –elect Donald Trump but they are doing so with civility without vandalizing people’s property and killing each other.

Finally everybody should vote because those who do not vote, they indirectly vote for the bad leaders. As George Jean Nathan said “bad leaders are elected by good people who do not vote”. Those who failed to vote helped Trump to triumph and declared a winner.