Is COVID-19 Democracy’s Friend?

October 12, 2020

Published in Le Journal de Montréal
(Canada) on 03 October 2020
by Loïc Tassé (link to original link to original)

Translated from by Emily Sedgwick. Edited by Margaret McIntyre.

After a debate that left the whole world dumbfounded, now look, Donald Trump catches COVID-19. A joke is circulating now on social media: the former Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, must have successfully pleaded her first case before God ...

Nevertheless, Trump’s doctors are among the best in the world. Trump ought to get better. He will boast about it. We already hear him saying that his doctors have never seen someone recover as well as he has. Narcissism is harder to cure than COVID-19.

As usual, COVID-19 mercilessly exposes the weakness of the States. In the U.S., COVID-19 has just highlighted that the keys to power are in the hands of a gerontocracy.

Voting intentions in the United States seem to be stuck in concrete. If Trump survives COVID-19 without any great consequences, his supporters will claim that he is strong and in good health. Trump is far from being done in.

Scorn

Trump, and with him a large part of the American political class, suffers from another illness that is even more serious: The scorn that he creates. Is American democracy only able to produce dangerous or second-rate leaders? Why has neither large party been able to elect a strong candidate who is respected by democracy?

With the Democrats, it is because the dowagers Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi weigh heavily on the choice of candidates. With the Republicans, it’s because senior leadership are prostitutes who are ready to sell themselves to any group, from the Tea Party to the Evangelists, as long as these groups bring them enough votes to stay in power.

Social Changes

American society is profoundly changing. Minorities are becoming the majority. Despite everything, these social changes are shaping the Democratic Party, as evidenced by someone like Kamala Harris being Joe Biden’s running mate. The Republicans refuse to accept this social change. This denial pushes them down the path of authoritarianism.

This is one of the reasons why Trump can make dictatorial remarks so openly.

Doctors often say that pneumonia is a friend of old people. Will COVID-19 be a friend of democracy?

La COVID-19, amie de la démocratie?

Après un débat qui a laissé pantois le monde entier, voici que Donald Trump attrape la COVID-19. Une blague circule en ce moment sur les médias sociaux : l’ancienne juge en chef de la Cour suprême, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, aurait plaidé avec succès sa première cause devant Dieu...

Cependant, les médecins de Trump sont parmi les meilleurs au monde. Trump devrait guérir. Il s’en vantera. On l’entend déjà affirmer que ses médecins n’avaient jamais vu quelqu’un se rétablir aussi bien que lui. Le narcissisme est plus difficile à soigner que la COVID-19.

Comme d’habitude, la COVID-19 expose impitoyablement les faiblesses des États. Aux États-Unis, la COVID-19 vient cette fois de souligner que les clefs du pouvoir sont entre les mains d’une gérontocratie.
Les intentions de vote aux États-Unis semblent coulées dans le béton. Si Trump survit à la COVID-19 sans grandes séquelles, ses partisans clameront qu’il est fort et en santé. Trump est loin d’être fini.

Mépris

Trump, et avec lui une bonne partie de la classe politique américaine, souffre d’une autre maladie, plus grave encore : le mépris qu’il engendre. Est-ce que la démocratie américaine n’est capable de produire que des leaders dangereux ou de second ordre ? Pourquoi aucun des grands partis n’est-il pas parvenu à élire un candidat fort et respectueux de la démocratie ?

Chez les démocrates, c’est parce que les douairières Hillary Clinton et Nancy Pelosi pèsent lourdement sur le choix des candidats. Chez les républicains, c’est parce que les hauts dirigeants sont des prostitués prêts à se vendre à n’importe quel groupe, du Tea Party aux Évangélistes, pourvu que ces groupes leur apportent assez de votes pour demeurer au pouvoir.

Changements sociaux

La société américaine change profondément. Les minorités deviennent majoritaires. Malgré tout, ces changements sociaux modèlent le Parti démocrate puisqu’une Kamala Harris est colistière de Biden. Les républicains refusent ce changement social. Ce déni les pousse dans la voie de l’autoritarisme.

C’est une des raisons pour lesquelles Trump peut si ouvertement tenir des propos dictatoriaux.

Les médecins ont coutume de dire que la pneumonie est l’amie des vieillards. La COVID-19 sera-t-elle l’amie de la démocratie ?

This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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