Trump’s inauguration/ Analysis : Stunning but not Unpredicted

The left-liberals of US are not ready to  accept the reality that Donal Trump in new President of the country. While defying the rules of democracy they should understand why Trump is a popular choice

Dilip Chaware in US
US President Donald Trump is a maverick. Despite all odds, he has won the most powerful position in the world in a general election. Not even in politics till a few years ago, he has triumphed on his own terms.
The signs that Trump, the Republican Party candidate, would be locked in a fierce fight with Democrat Hillary Clinton were obvious. However, his final victory is stunning since the Americans have elected an individual who does not believe in politicians, who has his own agenda, who unflinchingly tears into his opponents and critics, who openly condemns Islamic Terrorism and who stands for ‘Make in America.’
Trump is not suave like his predecessor Barack Obama, he is not knowledgeable about world affairs like Hillary Clinton, he is not an expert on any national or international subject. But he speaks the language that touches the heart of the average American. He appears racist and is not coy about using certain words or terms. However, he looks outspoken, does not mince his words and transmits his message in unambiguous terms. This is one of his  strong points.  

    
Defying all survey findings and  keeping aside all strategy advice, Trump forged ahead with his own set agenda. He did not shirk from attacking the  powerful media. He told major bankers what he felt about them. He took to task the foreign policy makers. Trump chose a two-pronged attack formula : discredit Hillary and the Democrats on the one hand and on the other, rouse the public opinion against Islamic Terrorism. His opponents failed to take him on and his onslaught unnerved them.
 Trump focused his attention on the four Blue states in the so-called Rust Belt – Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – and won them in the electoral college race. In the Michigan primary held in March 2016, more  people voted for the Republicans (1.32 million) than the Democrats (1.19  million). Trump was ahead of Hillary in the last opinion polls held in Pennsylvania, which he finally won. In Ohio, Trump had said that the Clintons’ support of NAFTA (The North American Free Trade Agreement is a three-country accord negotiated by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the US in January 1994) had destroyed the industrial states of the Upper Midwest, a barb Hillary could not blunt. Trump also attacked Clinton for her  support of TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership is a complex agreement negotiated by 12 countries, with the US at its heart) and other trade policies that he alleged had made the life of these people miserable. Trump threatened the Ford Motor factory in Michigan that he will impose a 35 percent tax on any cars made in Mexico and sent back to the US if Ford moved the Michigan plant to Mexico. All such rhetoric was  welcomed by the working class across America. He made similar  announcements about the proverbial iPhone, which is mostly made in China. This endorsed Trump’s victory.
The Middle Class was mesmerized after suffering from industrial  depression under Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. It was angry and bitter since no administration from Ronald Reagan down to Obama had made any concerted efforts to arrest this trend. They had pinned high hopes on the Democrats, who made the usual  media-oriented remarks but in reality did not do anything concrete to provide
succour to the industrial workers.
The Trump office had accurately  calculated how the electoral college votes will be cast. They had noted that Mitt Romney had lost by a mere 64  electoral votes in 2012. Taken together, the electoral votes in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are 64. They all went to Trump (see the chart). Besides needing to win traditional Republican Red states from Idaho to Georgia, Trump required to ensure that he had to win these four Rust Belt states. His strategy paid off.
Although the self-proclaimed liberal media and pundits will not admit it  publicly, the male dominated psyche of the USA won over. Many Americans were not ready that a woman should take over. In sheer terms, it was a fight between a man and a woman. There were expectations that at last, a Lady President will be installed. But these were belied by the voters. Of course, there is no evidence to establish this but in private, many candid voters will admit that this sentiment had impacted their vote.
Hillary Clinton, though supported by big money and the media almost  unanimously, failed to capitalise on this asset. Already, she was not very popular and various polls showed that a majority of the voters felt that she could not be trusted and that she was not honest. She appeared to be belonging to the  establishment, given her cozy relations with the Wall Street. She was seen as a politician, who would do anything just to get elected. The type of support that propelled Obama in the White House or when Bernie Sanders was on the spree of winning one primary after another was absent when Hillary appealed to the  people to elect her. Except for die-hard Democrats, she failed to attract new  voters. Sensing this, the Trump camp concentrated on ensuring that most  people got out of their houses on November 8, and went to the polling centres. The signals coming in this  direction were ignored by Hillary or she could not catch them — to the same  devastating outcome.
Bernie Sanders’ supporters were not prepared for voting for Clinton, though they were asked to do so by Bernie
himself, perhaps halfheartedly. According to the primary polls, a large number of Sanders’ voters supported Hillary but did not campaign for her. Some of them may have not voted for Trump or may have voted a third party candidate but they did not come out for Hillary. In fact, many must have abstained altogether.
All, these factors culminated into Trump’s triumph. How he behaves and the type of decisions he takes will  determine his future.