Alabama’s Lesson for Trump

Published in El País
(Spain) on 15 December 2017
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Megan Smith. Edited by Laurence Bouvard.
The defeat of the ultraconservative president-backed candidate for the Senate gives rise to the Democrats

The defeat of Donald Trump’s candidate for Senate in the Alabama elections conveys a clear message. Even in an overwhelmingly conservative state, which has elected Republican senators for the last 25 years, the electorate seems unwilling to endorse the erratic, authoritarian and unprofessional way of governing provided by the current occupant of the White House.

As usual, Trump dismissed the advice of experts. Firstly, in the primary, he backed the tarnished Republican candidate and further supported the controversial winner of the primaries, ultraconservative ex-judge Roy Moore. Moore was already famous for scandals, but he faced further claims from numerous women that he sexually abused them when they were teenagers. Moore embraced Trump’s slogan to “Make America Great Again” while adding his own particularly racist touch. He added that, for him, the USA had been a great country “when families were united, even though we had slavery.” It is not surprising that 98 percent of black women and 92 percent of black men voted for Democrat Doug Jones. That’s quite a record. The president did not hesitate to distance himself and was seen to be “pleased with the outcome,” i.e., betrayal by members of the Republican Party. There wasn’t the least trace of self-criticism.

The Republican defeat further shrinks their majority in the Senate, which is now 51 seats to the Democrats’ 49, less than a year before the next important political events. Any politician should take note of the lesson: If an extremely conservative electorate turns its back on its party's candidate, it’s because it is considered too progressive or because it is seen as unacceptable. Alabama has refused to be represented by a racist, who must also clarify his behavior with underage women. Voters see things much more clearly than Trump does.


La derrota del candidato ultraconservador al Senado apoyado por el presidente da alas a los demócratas

La derrota del candidato de Donald Trump al Senado en las elecciones de Alabama representa un mensaje de hartazgo de un electorado que, incluso en un Estado claramente conservador —ha elegido senadores republicanos durante los últimos 25 años— no parece dispuesto a bendecir la errática, autoritaria y poco profesional forma de gobernar del inquilino de la Casa Blanca.

Como viene siendo habitual, Trump desdeñó el consejo de los expertos. Primero apoyó, en primarias, a un candidato contra el parecer del Partido Republicano, y luego respaldó al polémico vencedor de las primarias, el exjuez ultraconservador Roy Moore. Este ya era famoso por sus exabruptos, pero además varias mujeres le denunciaron por abuso sexual cuando ellas eran adolescentes. Moore abrazó de inmediato el eslogan de Trump de hacer América más grande y le añadió su particular toque racista. Afirmó que para él, EE UU había sido un país grande “cuando las familias estaban unidas aunque hubiera esclavitud”. No es de extrañar que el 98% de las mujeres negras del censo votara al demócrata Doug Jones y lo mismo hiciera el 92% de los hombres negros. Todo un récord. El presidente no tardó en desmarcarse y acusó de “alegrarse de lo ocurrido” —es decir, de traición— a miembros del Partido Republicano. Ni el menor rastro de sentido autocrítico.

La derrota republicana lleva además al mínimo su mayoría en el Senado, en el que suma 51 escaños por 49 de los demócratas y a menos de un año de unas importantes legislativas parciales. Cualquier político tomaría nota de la lección: si un electorado muy conservador da la espalda al candidato de su partido es o porque lo considera demasiado progresista o porque lo ve inaceptable. Alabama ha acertado al negar que le represente un racista, que debe además aclarar su comportamiento con mujeres menores de edad. Los votantes tienen las cosas mucho más claras que Trump.
This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

Hot this week

Israel: Trump’s National Security Adviser Forgot To Leave Personal Agenda at Home and Fell

Germany: Absolute Arbitrariness

Russia: Political Analyst Reveals the Real Reason behind US Tariffs*

Mexico: The Trump Problem

Venezuela: Vietnam: An Outlet for China

Topics

Austria: Donald Trump Revives the Liberals in Canada

Germany: Absolute Arbitrariness

Israel: Trump’s National Security Adviser Forgot To Leave Personal Agenda at Home and Fell

Mexico: The Trump Problem

Taiwan: Making America Great Again and Taiwan’s Crucial Choice

Venezuela: Vietnam: An Outlet for China

Russia: Political Analyst Reveals the Real Reason behind US Tariffs*

Related Articles

Austria: Donald Trump Revives the Liberals in Canada

Germany: Absolute Arbitrariness

Mexico: The Trump Problem

Taiwan: Making America Great Again and Taiwan’s Crucial Choice

Russia: Political Analyst Reveals the Real Reason behind US Tariffs*