UPCOMING ELECTIONS

Many Western political scientists, experts and philosophers have recently been seriously concerned about the widening rift in the American society. Some even raise concerns about a possibility of new civil war in the US.

The first civil war in the US history, also known as the North-South War (1861-1865), was a result of disastrous differences in the economy, social structure, traditions and political values, including attitudes to slavery between the north and the south. Today, however, Americans are not seriously confronted with a global dilemma that the slavery labour presented back in the day. Yet the American society is highly polarised due to different views on other important political and social aspects of life, such as abortion rights, gun-bearing, gender issues, immigration policy, health care reform and so on.

The situation has been exacerbated by the measures taken by the US authorities to curb COVID-19 plague with lockdowns, vaccination and so on. But even in the best of times, there was and still is a marked difference between East and West, between urban and rural populations, between the whites and the ‘coloureds’. And, of course, between the rich and the poor, between those who work and do business and pay their taxes, and those who seem to do nothing yet still enjoying welfare.

Crazy talk or...

On August 20, 2022, an article published by The Guardian claimed that a violent civil conflict in the US did not seem a ‘crazy talk’ any more. At the end of August, Mark Fisher, editor-in-chief of The Washington Post, wrote in his column that the US was probably on the brink of civil war and that many Americans considered it inevitable or even necessary. Is Fisher exaggerating, or do Americans really have reason to worry? Thus, he mentions "provocative statements by political opponents" as one of the reasons. And it is very difficult to argue with this statement.

The US has always been a country, or at least seemed to be so, where politicians are careful about their image and reputation, statements, actions and environment. Suddenly, we can see a completely different picture. So far the main contenders for the next presidential election, former President Donald Trump and the incumbent Joe Biden, are engaged in terrible accusations against each other. Had this happened say twenty years ago, and if such statements were even close to the truth, this would have buried the career of any American politician. But now the politicians are fighting back laughing off the accusations and continue the same as if nothing serious happened... 

Thus, during his September 1 address in Philadelphia entitled The Battle for the Soul of the Nation, President Biden repeatedly criticised the MAGA (Make America Great Again, Trump's main campaign slogan in 2016) movement. He has declared former president Donald Trump a threat to democracy. Biden said that Trump and his supporters nurture a ‘semi-fascist ideology’ and generally bring extremism into American society. Although he made it clear that he did not consider all Republicans to be extremists, only those who supported the MAGA movement, his opponents felt immediately offended and demanded an apology for insulting half of the electorate. Biden had usurped legislative power in the country and was trying to stage a crackdown on political opponents, while it is the Democratic Party that displays fascist sentiments, some media outlets reported. In turn, at a rally of his supporters in Pennsylvania on September 3, Trump called the incumbent President Biden and his circles ‘enemies of the state’.

Biden was also criticised for what many thought was a very controversial stage decoration during his speech in Philadelphia, with two Marines standing behind the president, their silhouettes reflected in a monumental building illuminated in blood red. The liberal anchor of CNN's New Day, Brianna Keilar, denounced Biden for using marines ‘as props’ in his political speech, and the combination of red and black against a military background also conjured up vague associations with fascism for many.

Conspiracy or...

And this is just one recent episode of the clash of political camps in America. Although we have always been told that the US party systems are just sort of a tribute to the electorate that wants to elect, while the change of power in the White House is not that important for a strong state, because the most important values and principles, like commitment to freedom and democracy, will be upheld anyway. But today the increasing number of media outlets and social networks are ranting about a clear diversion in the American political system, claiming big shots from among the financiers, globalists, multiculturalists, supporters of migration, LGBT movement, etc. backing up the Democrat Party and the adherents of conservative American tradition supporting the Republican Trumpists, who are collectively engaged in what can be called a ‘fight to the bitter end’.

Some might relate these claims to conspiracy. Yet the unfolding of the potential Biden and Trump campaigns gives rise to questions. After all, Trump's staunch supporters continue to believe that their candidate's election was stolen and the results rigged back in 2020. Some of them still reckon the January 6, 2021 uprising as the beginning of armed resistance to the federal state. Overall, according to recent polls, 60-70% of Republicans want Trump as the US presidential candidate. That said, such popularity does not prevent Trump from being suspected of violating the Espionage Act. On August 9, his Florida estate was subject to a search, with FBI agents seizing about 100 documents of various levels of secrecy, including some papers "on the nuclear capabilities of a foreign country and on top-secret US operations".

On the other hand, polls show that a majority of American citizens still consider the story about the President Joe Biden's son Hunter's laptop important, even after two years since the story was publicised. According to The New York Post, nearly half of the polled voters (48%) believe that President Biden might not have won the 2020 election had the media properly covered the contents of his son's laptop before the vote. So there seems to be plenty of dark secrets on each side, and these accusations sound very serious.

Win at any cost

A US Senate election slated for November 8, 2022 will re-elect all 435 delegates to the House of Representatives and 34 of the 100 senators for six-year terms in the US Congress. This midterm election threatens to be perhaps the most interesting and epic election in the US history. According to experts, the Democrats could well lose control of both houses of the US legislative body. At the same September 1 rally, Biden gave a clear cry: "Win at any cost!" He and his supporters are well aware that Biden could well face impeachment if defeated.

Much will depend on how much lawmakers are prepared to listen and look at the problems of ordinary Americans. A fair amount of western media reports that the American society is increasingly worried about rising prices caused by inflation and the real unemployment rate claimed to be 24%. Thus, a Gallup poll showed that the percentage of people in financial difficulties is growing in the USA, millions of people find themselves in debt for utility bills, many are threatened with eviction because they cannot pay the mortgage or the rent. As a result, The Hill reports citing an opinion poll, the risk of escalating political violence in the next few years is a concern for 64% of American citizens. The most frightening moment is that people are getting used to the idea that violence can be used to achieve political ends.

Experts are also alarmed by the growing distrust of the US government. There are increasing talks about the possibility of secession of any of the US states, although in 2021 about 42% of American families owned at least one gun, while the total number of weaponry owned by civilians in the country reaches almost 400 million pieces. Considering these figures with the above, we can conclude that the talks about possible civil clashes in the US sound not that fictional. After all, we still remember the first episode of the American electorate's protest ‘show premiered’ on January 6, 2021...