A major global worry. When leaders and politicians do not know when to quit! Has the US Presidential debate got lessons for Sri Lanka? – By Aubrey Joachim
June 28th 2024 may well go down in the annals of history as a day that changed the fortunes of the world. Most of the world would have been in shock watching two geriatrics – one the current leader of the free world and the other the prospective leader of the free world – go at each other tooth and nail to stake their claim to be the next President of the United States of America. One of them an 82-year old frail statesman and the other a convicted felon. Neither would have convinced any sane and intelligent person of their suitability to hold the important job. One was clearly and literally at a loss for words – and thoughts – while the other liberally spewed a litany of lies and horse droppings!
But why should the world at large be concerned with happenings in a country alien to them and increasingly losing relevance in a world that is seeing the emergence of other major powers? We are seeing the shift of power from the west to the east. The reason is that rightly or wrongly the person who occupies the Oval office has significant influence on matters that affect the lives and livelihoods of almost every human on the planet. Not only does that person control the key to a nuclear arsenal but also on economic levers that run the world. These are factors that require the most intellectually astute, capable, honest, truthful and above all morally clean individual to stake claim to the role. Neither of the individuals that fronted up at the TV debate – devoid of a live audience – can tick the boxes.
It is astounding that the once leading nation on the planet with all its claimed technical superiority and home to the world’s leading corporations and intelligent captains of business cannot offer its voters a President of high profile and standing. The reasons are many but some very obvious shortcomings and cracks can be related to failure in the administration of the two major political sides such as succession planning, the reluctance to challenge and lack of encouraging smart young persons to come into their ranks. In addition, issues in the wider population demographic such as deep divisions in views influenced by race, religious bias and strong lobbying. While very few countries can claim to be truly democratic in this day and age the US is certainly not one of them given the political upheavals in recent times including the storming of Capitol Hall following the last Presidential elections. There is a strong feeling that the wrong man in office would see the end of true democracy in that country.
So what are the consequences going forward? As recognised, the office of the President of the United States has a huge impact on what happens in the world. War or peace. Economic prosperity or drastic recession. Environmental sustainability or a rapidly deteriorating planet. Such factors influence the lives of all. Hence the reason many across the world were glued to their visual media and most commentators in the US and other parts of the world’s media platforms are analysing the event – all of them in a negative light.
It would seem patently clear that the founding fathers of the US Constitution failed to foresee that there would be a day as was witnessed on the 28th. Firstly, taking into consideration human frailty and secondly that a felon could emerge President neither of the two protagonists should have been on that stage. Perhaps changes to the Constitution should consider an age criteria and certainly avoid the embarrassment of an ‘Oval Office’ in a jail cell.
What has just transpired on the global stage should serve as a lesson to other countries as well. Closer to home Sri Lankans are most likely to go to the polls in the next few months. Some of the happenings are similar to what is being seen in the US. The ages of some of those standing for elections, those regularly failing the fact test, convicted felons, those lacking intellect, and those who are corrupt and morally bankrupt. The symptoms are also similar. Failure in succession planning. The failure to challenge. Deep divisions in the voter base on the lines of language, race and religion. And above all the gullibility. It is certainly time for change.
Let’s hope that at least in this instance the Lion flag can overshadow the Star Spangled Banner. But it is a wane hope!
The author is an Australian of the Sri Lankan diaspora.
