By Bernard Rowan
While President Trump mulls the end of his presidency, life begins to move forward. Next year, when Joseph Biden becomes president of the United States, the sideshow that's marked Trump's presidency will end. None too soon! Four years marked by a 19th century dodger in 21st century clothing shouldn't have happened. But democracies don't guarantee the ruler's virtue. Thank God we have a new leader in a country premised on "We the People," not "I the Leader."
The United States remains divided, roughly summarized as town and country, or the cities against the rural locales, with suburbs less determined. Suburban housewives are swing voters, and many voted against Trump. Urban areas reveal increasingly diverse populations with greater calls for equality and addressing the social and political mistreatment of minorities.
The cities are centers of opportunity, but it doesn't work out well for peoples of color. Women still earn less than men do. Poor neighborhoods are hotbeds of violence, gangs, and race-infused dynamics. Meanwhile, the countryside remains a bastion of conservative living. Many small towns, farms, and less incorporated places want a simple life. Their citizens want to be left alone, and they see urban conditions as a freak show. The life of the 21st century yeomen and yeowomen aren't illusions. Less government goes with less taxes for about half of American voters.
America remains gripped by COVID and the laughingstock of the world for her collective response. I'd like to hear less about Trump's pouting and more about how we're going to make it through the winter. We're stuck on the freedom of speech to or not to wear masks. Meanwhile millions contract the deadly plague of a disease, and thousands and thousands die. It is such a shame, and such ignorance. State and local leaders talk big, but they don't have the money or the crisis systems in place to do much. What happened to Stage One and Stage Two? We're worse off now than last March. No one wants to shut down businesses. That's trading some economic activity for lives. We're all reduced to waiting for Pfizer or some mega-company's vaccine.
Beyond that, we've yet to find a new wave of inventions and industries to chart the 21st century path to greater life chances and opportunities for all. Those who ape the millionaires' club look now for billions. Meanwhile, the greatest majority of our 300 plus million need better wages and salaries, and a better financial system that encourages savings, not just investment for quick money.
After the sideshow, Biden likely will lead a divided government, itself the greatest sign of America's weakness. Americans can't decide which party should make laws in its name. Stasis may follow division, despite appearances. McConnell and Pelosi are twins.
The sideshow's conclusion doesn't bode well, nor should it, for the laughable American entreaties under Trump to Kim Jong-un. North Korea will miss Donald Trump, since his love of pageantry and strong leaders served as the seduction for North Korea's latest waste of a decade. North Korea now is a nuclear nation. They bought more time to continue their spread under the nose of China and the entire world. What a mockery of a record for four years of diplomacy, by all powers concerned.
The idea of "personal diplomacy" isn't useless, but it reached its apotheosis of failure with Trump. Xi, Putin, Kim, and others didn't do a thing Trump wanted. They're all laughing at the United States and Trump now.
America's strategy will need to give way to a greater posture of deterrence and little progress with North Korea. The continued calming of a fundamentally dishonest regime is bogus. Biden's better gambit is to shore up relations with China. He should make clear America's refusal to tolerate abuses of intellectual property theft and human rights. There should be less pomp and pageantry, and more plain dealing and common sense. Deterrence is the scientific answer for a military threat of the North's character. Change will await the end of that country's mode of existence. And that awaits greater accord between the United States and China.
America under Biden will continue to develop her alliance with South Korea on 21st century terms. Our alliance is key to the stability and progress of Northeast Asia, the broader region, and the world. At this time of American Thanksgiving, we should give thanks for the freedom and peace we continue to forge together.
Bernard Rowan (browan10@yahoo.com) is associate provost for contract administration and professor of political science at Chicago State University. He is a past fellow of the Korea Foundation and former visiting professor at Hanyang University.
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The United States remains divided, roughly summarized as town and country, or the cities against the rural locales, with suburbs less determined. Suburban housewives are swing voters, and many voted against Trump. Urban areas reveal increasingly diverse populations with greater calls for equality and addressing the social and political mistreatment of minorities.
The cities are centers of opportunity, but it doesn't work out well for peoples of color. Women still earn less than men do. Poor neighborhoods are hotbeds of violence, gangs, and race-infused dynamics. Meanwhile, the countryside remains a bastion of conservative living. Many small towns, farms, and less incorporated places want a simple life. Their citizens want to be left alone, and they see urban conditions as a freak show. The life of the 21st century yeomen and yeowomen aren't illusions. Less government goes with less taxes for about half of American voters.
America remains gripped by COVID and the laughingstock of the world for her collective response. I'd like to hear less about Trump's pouting and more about how we're going to make it through the winter. We're stuck on the freedom of speech to or not to wear masks. Meanwhile millions contract the deadly plague of a disease, and thousands and thousands die. It is such a shame, and such ignorance. State and local leaders talk big, but they don't have the money or the crisis systems in place to do much. What happened to Stage One and Stage Two? We're worse off now than last March. No one wants to shut down businesses. That's trading some economic activity for lives. We're all reduced to waiting for Pfizer or some mega-company's vaccine.
Beyond that, we've yet to find a new wave of inventions and industries to chart the 21st century path to greater life chances and opportunities for all. Those who ape the millionaires' club look now for billions. Meanwhile, the greatest majority of our 300 plus million need better wages and salaries, and a better financial system that encourages savings, not just investment for quick money.
After the sideshow, Biden likely will lead a divided government, itself the greatest sign of America's weakness. Americans can't decide which party should make laws in its name. Stasis may follow division, despite appearances. McConnell and Pelosi are twins.
The sideshow's conclusion doesn't bode well, nor should it, for the laughable American entreaties under Trump to Kim Jong-un. North Korea will miss Donald Trump, since his love of pageantry and strong leaders served as the seduction for North Korea's latest waste of a decade. North Korea now is a nuclear nation. They bought more time to continue their spread under the nose of China and the entire world. What a mockery of a record for four years of diplomacy, by all powers concerned.
The idea of "personal diplomacy" isn't useless, but it reached its apotheosis of failure with Trump. Xi, Putin, Kim, and others didn't do a thing Trump wanted. They're all laughing at the United States and Trump now.
America's strategy will need to give way to a greater posture of deterrence and little progress with North Korea. The continued calming of a fundamentally dishonest regime is bogus. Biden's better gambit is to shore up relations with China. He should make clear America's refusal to tolerate abuses of intellectual property theft and human rights. There should be less pomp and pageantry, and more plain dealing and common sense. Deterrence is the scientific answer for a military threat of the North's character. Change will await the end of that country's mode of existence. And that awaits greater accord between the United States and China.
America under Biden will continue to develop her alliance with South Korea on 21st century terms. Our alliance is key to the stability and progress of Northeast Asia, the broader region, and the world. At this time of American Thanksgiving, we should give thanks for the freedom and peace we continue to forge together.
Bernard Rowan (browan10@yahoo.com) is associate provost for contract administration and professor of political science at Chicago State University. He is a past fellow of the Korea Foundation and former visiting professor at Hanyang University.
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