Millions of more than casual observers all over the world kept vigil and glued to their TV sets watching the just concluded midterm elections in the United States. Their interest in the outcome of the polls was not just about a brand that has endured for centuries, it was also about the effects it would have on global politics and economy.
Before now, the world has had to contend with an arrogant and rambunctious American president, Donald Trump, who sees himself as the world headmaster. He indeed prides himself on changing the world order whose template has been followed by successive United States presidents, from George Bush to Clinton, Bush to Obama and Obama to Joe Biden. All the existing pacts, both trade and Defence, especially the ones that will make the world a better and peaceful place, were dismantled.
He introduced tariffs against countries he described as benefiting from undue trade advantage over the United States. The one that really came as a surprise was that of Canada, a country with years of close trade, economic and diplomatic relationship with America. The cries that tariffs’ long term effects would be counterproductive and that American consumers will pay the ultimate price fell on deaf ears of Trump and his right wing advisers. It did not take months before the price of household needs began to skyrocket and American consumers started feeling the pains of Trump’s irrational decisions. All these were reasons why his party, Grand Old Party, (GOP) lost woefully at the polls on Tuesday.
For sure, many Republicans saw this coming but they never envisaged that the loss will be so much, that some will describe it as the party’s biggest loss since the Watergate scandal. States like Texas, North Carolina, Mississippi, Kansas, Ohio, Georgia that have been red for decades suddenly became vulnerable and turned blue. Indeed, there will be more Democrats in Governors’ Mansion than at any time in the past five decades and state legislative houses that were hitherto in the hands of the GOP have been taken over by the Democrats.
While the Democrats were consistent in the message they sent to voters: affordability and accountability; poor purchasing power of working class Americans, which is affecting standard of living; medicare for all and a stop to the war against Iran. It was apparent that the Republicans had no convincing message other than the arrogance of their leader, who perhaps lives in a different world of fantasy. Trump has redefined the Republican Party in his image. If you criticize him and his policy, he will make sure you’re defeated at the primaries. Electable congressmen and senators who are members of his party fell out with Trump after voting against him in the House or Senate. And those he supported at the primaries were defeated on Tuesday because they were either not qualified or they are not electable.
Hence, it was a sigh of relief all over the world that the opposition party, Democratic Party, will control the two houses of the legislature from January. One can easily conclude that Trump domestic agenda is dead for now, because the loss was a pure repudiation of his policies and indecent attitude. He however still has the latitude to conduct his foreign policy since the president is the Chief Diplomat of the country, but he will have to contend with a Congress that will have enough powers to checkmate his excesses.
But what make the American democratic experiment the envy of the world is its institutions that are largely independent and interdependent. The framers of the US constitution were mindful that the three organs of government, legislature, executive and judiciary MUST be co-equal and be separated from each other. They were indisposed to fusion of powers, which to them, will make the executive to be too powerful and uncontrollable. Given their experience under the British and powers of kings, the framers made sure that there are checks and balances in the 18 page constitution, making the executive branch to be in control of the sword while the legislature controls the purse.
It is part of the uniqueness of US democracy that the body that controls the purse that appropriates any money that the federal government spends must go back to the electorate to renew their mandate every two years. So, while members of the Senate renew their mandate every six years, members of House of Representatives must go back to voters to renew their mandate every two years. The midterm election is therefore a referendum on the sitting president. It’s indeed, a reality check on the occupant of the White House who will now have to press the reset bottom if he wants to finish strong in the remaining two years in office. It is always difficult, if not impossible for the party that controls the White House to win midterm elections.
Apart from winners and losers of the midterm election and its attendant effects on the world, what lessons can countries like Nigeria, a country whose democracy is increasingly becoming fragile, learn from it? We all saw how transparent, credible, free and fair the electoral process and election was. We saw how institutions of state operate independently from those in power; we saw how neutral electoral officials were and more importantly, we saw how the judiciary refused to give undue advantage to any of the political parties. Even when Trump pressured the Justice Department to file suits against some states electoral officials, the judiciary refused to be intimidated.
Within hours, results of most of the states were known. There were no electoral officials facing TV cameras and reading out the results nor was there any incident of violence or ballot box snatching anywhere in the country. Policemen and other paramilitary operatives were visibly absent at polling centers. Of course, there was no accusation of vote malpractices or rigging by the losing party. It was democracy in its purest manifestation, where voters had the opportunity to effect a change on those they believed were working against their interest. The election was purely about issues that affect all Americans and the result was a message to Trump and his enablers that enough was enough.
Needless to say that there were no politicians who were talking down on the electorate, that whether they like it or not, their party will win the election. The political players all observed the rules of the game and when the results came out, the losers were quick to call the winners to concede. It was not a do or die thing and we all saw it. Why is it so difficult to replicate it in our country? Why do our politicians see elections as do or die? And why is the ruling party, at federal and state levels see voters as inconsequential and find it easy to use instruments of state to intimidate and harass opposition with the ultimate aim of manipulating election results?
As it is, we have a long way to go for the ballot box to be sacrosanct. There are disturbing signs already about next year’s general election, with reports that opposition parties are not well protected at their rallies and campaigns. Elections, as I have always argued, are not a day thing. It is a process and the process must be transparent and credible for those elected to have legitimacy. As we wait for what the Democrats will do to rein Trump and curtail his contemptible shenanigans, all hands must be on deck to make sure our votes count in Nigeria. It is only then that the rapacious and parasitic characters in Abuja and across the states will sit up and listen to the voice of the people.
NOTE: Views expressed by contributors are strictly personal and not of Theliberationnews
