LETTER: Worrying win for populism

The ease with which Donald Trump won the US election is a triumph of simplistic populism over rational political debate, and therefore even more worrying that it happened in a mature democracy.

It is clear that the US constitution needs urgent reform to bar people convicted of a crime(s) from running for high office. The US now joins the ranks of countries that Trump has called banana republics where “anything goes”.

The Democrats got it wrong, underestimating the anger voters felt for being misled about Joe Biden’s mental health until it was all too obvious. Kamala Harris underwhelmed as vice-president, and while she did her best when thrust into the limelight it was too little too late.

With both houses of US government now solidly Republican there will be little to restrain Trump and his hair-raising policies. We all need to hold onto our hats for a few years.

Bernard Benson
Parklands

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