There will always be those who take advantage of circumstances. Just as there are those here seeking to exploit the C19 crisis there are those in the USA exploiting the protests to cause rioting and looting.

The attempts of Trump to question the legitimacy of the election, even before it has finished, the intimidation of voters by his supporters and the rioting have a common thread. Trace it back to it's source and you find the huge divisions that exist in the USA.

Leaders try to heal divisions and calm responses. Trump exploits them. 4 more years of that would be a disaster, for everyone. Which is why he needs to go.

If he doesn't I fear, not just for the USA but for the rest of the world and especially for us.

He could still win legitimately. Should he do so it will raise huge questions in my mind about the collective attitude in the USA and how on earth they are going to manage the pandemic.

My instinct and experience is though that there are just enough Americans, on balance, to avoid this and ensure a Biden win.

The question then will be how Trump will behave during his lame-duck period. A period when real leadership and a significant change of direction is desperately needed. At least we won't be having any super-spreading stupid "rallies".

Maybe they will use the 25th amendment to replace him with Pence for a few weeks.

Making propaganda videos is cheap and easy. Do you want me to send you a compilation of all of Trump's mistakes? It's feature film length so get some popcorn.

Its not fear of being wrong. That has happened plenty of times to me. Zero issues around that. It is just that all I see is a rigged process. This huge increase in postal votes (and to save you time, this is how all modern democratic processes are corrupted) allied with the skewing of search engine results and deliberate attempts to freeze out negative news stories about Biden.

The process is utterly crooked.

But what are you actually celebrating? What excites you about a Joe Biden led US Government? What will Biden do that is so so different to what Trump has done? This is what I don't get. This election has not been framed as anything else other than an exercise in getting Trump out. Not about anything positive the Democrats might do. Almost all the rioting in the US is in decades old Democrat controlled cities and states. Getting rid of Trump does nothing to allievate that.

In foreing policy terms, Trump has stood up to China, defeated IS and has, by and large, avoided widening conflicts in Syria and Iran. Saudi influence is less than it has ever been and North America is now largely engergy independent. Meaning it can keep its nose out of foreign affairs. No more invasions. Thats what you want? Right?

What do you honestly think will happen if Biden wins? Do you think that his entire term will pass without a major war? Who do you think actually backs Biden and the Democrat party?

At least if it was Sanders I could understand why the Left might be so passionate. But Biden? Seriously?

Edited by Matov (03 Nov 2020 6.07pm)

In terms of American politics I have one very low expectation.

Rioting on the streets? Not my problem. The NRA? Thank f*ck I don't live there. Flying the flag on every street corner? Pass the bucket.

But as long as it doesn't directly impact me on this side of the Atlantic I'll ignore it. The only thing I ask is that they don't elect someone so deranged, so psychotic and unhinged that he might press the red button for the hell of it.

I'll breathe a sigh of relief if Biden wins.

Edited by serial thriller (03 Nov 2020 8.55pm)

Trump doesn't do wind-ups, except when getting his dumb base excited about some imagined sin of someone who dares to oppose him.

All the things you mention happened in the USA under a Trump administration. The buck stops with him. The Democrats will face a very difficult 4 years and the fickleness of the electorate means they will have forgotten who caused it, just as many do with Obama, by 2024. Tax for the rich will certainly rise, but crime, wars and modern slavery? Crime, maybe, but that's likely who-ever wins as the economy takes time to recover. Wars? Depends on what happens. Modern slavery, why?

So no wars in his 4 years doesnt make your red button line a bit of a myth then!
Creating peace in the middle east, bringing the Taliban to the table, closing down china the bully,iran backing down on their threats. Yes he may have the button but the threat is as far as he will go.
Harris will be the one to press that. Watch this space for unhinged,psychotic and deranged if biden wins.