faith · political · social issues · Uncategorized

What I learned from this weeks US election results

Gee Jen

Firstly I know nothing about the American political system but I do believe it could do with some improvements. As an observer who mostly tried to avoid observing, my biggest issue is how long the whole process takes and the money spent on the campaign…but that’s not what I’ve put my effort into learning this week….

Rather I’ve learnt that:

  1. Many people believe that “Trump being elected means bad things –  electing Trump in light of his deplorable views and behaviours, tells America and the world that those actions are okay, and that bullies can and should win by doing whatever it takes to get to the top. He is setting a horrifying example for those who already agree with some of his ideals”

Whilst I can understand how it can be seen that way, I in contrast don’t believe the results of the american election TELL us anything (other than Trump won). You can perhaps say it implies such things but I believe we as individuals and communities choose what is ok or not, not the American president, or America.

Also I don’t think you can judge how people see the world and their values by a vote. Each candidate had pros and cons. However if it is the case that his voters have questionable morals then I believe we should be thinking about why/how they have come to that view. One Trump voter whose morals I do agree with shared her reasons for voting here https://beautybeyondbones.com/2016/11/10/profile-of-a-trump-supporter/

2. Campaigns based on hate and fear are what I hate most about politics, it’s what’s done in Australia too. I would love to see the focus taken away from the candidates themselves and energy used on properly investigating the policies they stand for.

3.  I’m against demonizing Trump but do understand peoples reactions of fear/sadness “I think one reason people like me have a big fear about this man is because he is a misogynistic, homophobic racist – him being the president represents all of the hate and oppression women, LGBTQI people, and people of colour experience.”

Yep he does appear to be all those things 😦 and if I am truly going to say I understand these reactions I need to allow them time/space to grieve even if I don’t 100% agree that’s the best response.

4. People are genuinely terrified of “how easy it is to brainwash the masses with fear and vulgar views. Historically we’ve seen it before and many are scared of seeing it repeated in their own lifetime as a result of this election.” “Trump himself does not scare me as much as the people who actually believe in the rhetoric he used. They just had their worldview validated.”

Yes we’ve seen it before and historically I guess I don’t see any reason why it won’t happen again. (indeed this article arguing why it could happen is highly convincing – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tobias-stone/history-tells-us-what-will-brexit-trump_b_11179774.html, but be sure to also read the follow up https://medium.com/@theonlytoby/a-response-to-some-of-the-comments-on-my-last-essay-f7917146aebe#.u50rpem0x).

I can appreciate fear of that, and perhaps everyone is right and Trump is the start of a shocking period in our time. I don’t see that so much as a sign of Trumps influence but more the fact we live in a sinful world. Indeed I’ve learnt how my christian faith ensures I KNOW we live in a fallen world and that no matter what happens I have HOPE in Jesus and him alone, not the state of the world.

“The truth is that most of these problems are the same problems that people suffered thousands of years ago…no one single human being is going to bring about the change to human suffering… So it follows: If there is nothing beyond this life then everything that happens here in this world is potentially catastrophic. Political outcomes are the end of the world, literally–because there is no other world.” Except I believe in eternal life with a Savior. Hence I heed this call “Show them, by OUR actions and words that there IS hope – and our hope isn’t in the president elect, but in the Lord Jesus Christ!”

5.  I’ve learnt that maybe I’m a glass half full person, choosing not to let other peoples choices influence my outlook on the world. And I think this may have actually been influenced by my study this semester. Shock horror I learned something at uni! We looked at Foucault’s ideas around power in professional ethics. When people argue about where power comes from there tends to be an agenda operating about where it should come from. And often when exploring this we are considering power that results in injustice, inequality and oppression.

All this came from a reading by H. Sercombe who asserted that it is better to recognise not only the inevitability but the productiveness of power. That productiveness is not limited to one person. Indeed Sercombe and Foucault argue that power comes from below. Power is constituted by relationships not institutions. Sercombe goes on to talk about mandates and collective action but I don’t really want to write an essay (or more of!). My most important point though is that no person is powerless, no person can make me do something I can only cede my power to him/her (and yes sometimes this can be done under coercive means.)

So we can choose to let Trump’s win represent hate and oppression. Or possibly we can choose to see the outrage as a positive sign and use our personal or collective power to keep Trump under check for example –

“No matter who you are, whether you supported him, or what his presidency means to you. He. Works. For. The people. There are layers of abstraction between you and him, and those layers are especially thick if you’re a Democrat or lean to the left. But the president is employed by the people. We need to remind ourselves of that today. And we need to remind him of that for the next four years.”

 

All of this links in quite well with a dream of mine to start a policitical party one day……but that’s a whole other post!

 

A few other things…

 

  • Economics is just not my thing, this article paints a rather dire picture though as a result of Trump’s election http://www.smh.com.au/comment/the-consequences-of-a-donald-trump-win-are-disastrous-for-the-australian-economy-20161108-gsl5dj.html
  • Regarding policies I’m very not in favour of scrapping Affordable Care Act/Obamacare, do support restrictions on abortions and fixing America’s mental health system (wonder how he’ll do that!), quite dubious about his immigration policies, interested in his ideas to allow families to deduct the average cost of childcare from their taxes, including stay-at-home parents (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-09/what-has-donald-trump-promised-to-do/8009846)
  • The next few years may be interesting – The long period where America’s position on issues was predictable, where America supported freer trade and helped move the world towards more open engagement, is likely to change (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-09/experts-say-a-president-trump-will-change-the-us-and-the-world/8009504)

 

Published by Gee Jen

14 thoughts on “What I learned from this weeks US election results”

  1. Interesting. I didn’t realise you were analysing it so closely. Nice work. As you know, Darrin and I have been discussing it quite a bit, and I can’t remember who, but he quoted a US politician who pointed out that Trump just simply picked up on things that no one else did, or if they did, they completely underestimated the importance. The friends I have who voted for him (and you know I wouldn’t) are not racist, sexist or human phobic of any kind…they were concerned about the decline of the middle class, about rampant political correctness and the silencing of alternative views, and radical Islam, as well as Hillary’s incredibly corrupt dealings with dangerous people. They just simply wanted a change and felt they had no other choice. I think that video by Jonathan Pie basically nails it, do you? (Sorry I haven’t taken the time to read the articles you have linked yet)

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Ah so that’s who I should be crediting with that video – yes I think it does nail it. I think one thing Trump has in his favour (quite possibly the only thing) is his cards are on the table, I’m not quite so sure we can say the same about Hillary or other career-politicians. (Only analysed this week, I’m always a late comer but I do like to try and look at these things deeper than face value)

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  2. “…and perhaps everyone is right and Trump is the start of a shocking period in our time. I don’t see that so much as a sign of Trumps influence but more the fact we live in a sinful world. Indeed I’ve learnt how my christian faith ensures I KNOW we live in a fallen world and that no matter what happens I have HOPE in Jesus and him alone, not the state of the world.”
    Great paragraph 🙂
    The thing is, imho, we have been in a shocking period already, it’s just that so many people have either been turning blind eyes, or not caring unless it directly affects them!

    Like

    Reply

  3. It’s interesting to hear the viewpoint from someone outside America — thanks for posting this! I am sincerely wishing I had time to hear and read news stories from outside the US. To be honest, I’m not excited about our new president in the least, but then I wasn’t excited about either option. My guy didn’t make it past the primaries, but then again (as you say), my hope isn’t staked on a political party, candidate, or worldly government! So true, and that’s pretty much what I wrote on my own blog about the election. Have you read Jonathan Carmac’s 2-part post, “Jesus for President?” It is excellent!

    One thing that intrigues me from your post: I don’t know how Obamacare/Affordable Health Care act comes across on other news sources, but the way it happens here in actual reality is that it is a step towards ending a “middle class.” My family has been very fortunate in that God has provided for the dramatically increased health care costs to us, personally, but some of that has been in stabilizing certain health problems that we can’t afford to address. However, I have many, many friends who are not in that boat, especially those who have 5 or 6 children. And even my family is less likely to go to the doctor with problems because of the prohibitive cost. If all 3 of my kids ended up with a fairly simple strep infection, it would cost around $600 or more just to treat them, whereas before the act was passed, it may have only cost us about $75.

    For example — I had about 10 days of very uncomfortable heart palpitations that finally drove me to the doctor. An abnormal EKG made them order a Holter monitor test that took almost a week to get in motion, and by the time it was put on, the palpitations had calmed down tremendously. All in all, this adventure cost us in upwards of $1500 and my doctor still thinks we need to “keep an eye on things” in case it happens again.

    But the truth is, I probably won’t go back unless I’m taken, unconscious, to the Emergency Room because that’s a lot of money to pay for no answers. Several people are in that predicament. Unfortunately, our country’s health care problems were not fixed but complicated by the Affordable Health Care act. It is truly only affordable for the extremely wealthy or the extremely poor. But, again, my hope isn’t in health care, either, but in the King of kings!! 😀

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks for engaging H.M! I admit to knowing even less about the American medical system than I do about your election ooops. But I do know in Australia we are hugely blessed with our health system called medicare which subsidizes most health expenses and my understanding was that Obamacare was a step in this direction. I’m really saddened to hear of the incredibly prohibitive costs of medical care in America, particularly for your family and friends, thank you for the insight.

      Would be interesting to compare US and Australia’s health systems but a quick google search didn’t do me much good…

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      2. I know, right? It’s so complicated that it almost needs a good, long conversation over a cup of tea. And to be honest, I don’t understand it fully but I do know that, as is typical of governments, much of the legislation that passes sounds incredibly good on paper to the people who have power and money and don’t really know what it’s like to live as a “regular” citizen. I don’t know what the long-term goals of Obamacare would have been, but I know that the practical reality has not been pretty for many people. One problem is, I think, that much of the legislation is in “legalese” and is difficult to understand in the context of actual doctors and human patients. 😉 Education is the same… But I’m thankful for the freedom we have to choose to opt out of that one. I home schooled all three of my kids until this year and now only have one at home, but the others attend private school rather than public school. It would indeed be interesting to compare! I wish I understood it better, but again, I really only have a handle on the practical elements.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. I’d love to understand all politics and policies better but legalese is just too tricky to learn…maybe when the kids are all grown up… I sincerely hope their are more positive outcomes for you and your family (and all citizens of Amerca) following this election result

        Liked by 1 person

      4. I hear you. For now, I focus most of the tiny bit of my brainspace that is left on learning more about our God and His Word. I just don’t have too much to invest in what is really a temporary government, anyway! 🙂

        I’m not too worried about the results of the election. It’s all in God’s hands, and my job is just to give Him glory no matter what circumstances I find myself in. I’m constantly reminded of brothers and sisters under severe persecution in other parts of the world, so I can ‘t really complain about a high medical bill or two…

        Liked by 1 person

Leave a comment