When push came to shove, a campaign that prominently featured racism, misogyny and unabashed disregard for the truth was not enough to disqualify Donald Trump in the eyes of American voters, who returned him to the White House for another four years in yesterday’s U.S. presidential election. The implications for the U.S. and the world are as alarming as they are fatiguing.
Perhaps the greatest selling point for Vice President Kamala Harris’ candidacy was that, had she won, we would have been able to put Trump, as a figure and the avatar of a political movement, behind us. That would not have undone the damage he has already done to American democracy, nor would it have re-bottled the dangerous daemons he has helped uncork over his eight-year political career. But it would have allowed us to lower our guard just a bit, to turn our focus away from a defensive vigilance and toward a more proactive engagement with the challenges of the day, both in the U.S. and around the world.
Instead, we are now confronted with the daunting prospect of having to navigate not only the chaos and provocation Trump creates and thrives on, but also the consequences of both.