At a rally in Pennsylvania, eight random shots were fired, with one bullet grazing the ear of Republican Party presidential candidate Donald Trump. This incident has significantly impacted the upcoming U.S. elections. The undecided voters will soon make their decision, and the sympathy vote is likely to favor Donald Trump. In contrast, Democratic candidate and current President Joe Biden, who is often perceived as not fully in control due to his age, may lose some support.
It’s not just sympathy votes that might sway the election in Trump's favor. Joe Biden’s age and frequent public gaffes may further harm his candidacy. Under the pressure of public scrutiny, Biden’s mistakes could become more apparent.
Biden’s presidency has faced numerous challenges, not least of which is the January 6th, 2020, incident at the Capitol, which was portrayed as an insurrection but was essentially a public demonstration by Trump supporters that got out of hand. The Democrats’ decision to prosecute Trump resulted in mixed outcomes, inadvertently increasing his popularity.
Additionally, Biden’s decision to engage Russia through Ukraine has been controversial. Offering NATO membership to Ukraine provoked Russia, leading to an unnecessary war that has devastated Ukraine. The conflict has strained relations within NATO and impacted Europe's energy supplies, while benefiting U.S. arms manufacturers.
Biden also sparked diplomatic tensions with India over its oil imports from Russia. Instead of offering competitive oil prices, the U.S. criticized India, leading to strained relations and complications such as the Pannu Issue and delays in supplying GE-404 jet engines to India. U.S. Ambassador Eric Garcetti, a Democrat, has contributed to these tensions with his frequent criticisms of India.
Although some pessimistic writers foresee a divisive America, this is not the case. American democracy is resilient, having withstood significant challenges such as the Kennedy assassination, the Reagan shooting, and other incidents. It will overcome the current challenges as well, likely resulting in the election of a new administration.
There is a widespread desire for the war with Russia in Europe to end. Europe is already facing pressure from right-wing movements due to unchecked Muslim immigration and the ongoing war. It will be difficult for the current Biden administration to end the conflict, but a new leader and administration could bring the change needed to resolve it.
Additionally, issues such as gun control, abortion, and immigration from the Mexico-U.S. border have not been effectively addressed by the current administration. A stronger, different leadership is needed to tackle these challenges.
Economically, the U.S. is doing well, partly due to the temporary boost from the Ukraine war. However, the major challenge lies in breaking China's stranglehold over the American and European consumer goods and supply chain markets. China has become increasingly belligerent, especially in the Taiwan Strait, thanks to its accumulation of American dollars. Diversifying product imports and reducing the flow of American cash to China are essential.
These and other political issues await resolution by a new administration.
