Dickson Igwe. Photo: VINO/File

A significant number of voters in the USA and Europe are angry with the establishment, and a perceived tendency for the political establishment to look after itself, the wealthy 1%, and its funders, before country.

An increasingly politically correct Liberal America is waking up to a new reaction from the right that is isolationist, sectarian, and parochial; and a left that is frustrated with what it perceives is the hijacking of the American Dream by the 1%.

Migration from Latin America, North Africa, and the Middle East, Austerity Cultures, increasing wealth inequality, and a generation of under 30s in the US and Europe that will live below the material standards of their parents and grandparents is creating anger and resentment aimed at the political classes in Washington and Westminster.

Voter frustration, and a feeling of powerlessness to change the system in the interests of those at the middle and bottom of the wealth pyramid is bringing to the surface a new breed of politician happy to pronounce their ‘outsider credentials’ and acting as outlets for this voter anger and frustration.

Donald Trump is a political paradox. Trump is the US Republican Party Frontrunner. He is an American billionaire developer who appeals to a cross section of the white working and middle class. TRUMP Corp is a US name brand. It is an American business that employs over 24, 000 people in resorts, hotels, casinos, and condos, mainly in North America and Western Europe.

Trump, is politically incorrect, brash, and aggressive. He proposes a 1900 mile Chinese type wall to cut Mexico off completely from the USA. This is owing to a belief that the Mexico US border is open and insecure: a magnet for illegal immigrants and criminals.  

Trump states that he will deport all illegal immigrants: there are an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the US. He is also economically protectionist, even isolationist. Trump promises to return jobs and businesses to the US mainland from China, Mexico, and elsewhere. Trump sees globalisation and international trade as good for China, Mexico, and others, who have transferred wealth from the US to their countries.

Trump is polishing his cold warrior credentials, and proposes to build a frightening US military machine. His supporters believe him that he will go eyeball to eyeball with the likes of Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinxing, and not blink, until he has put US interests first.

Trump shoots from the hip and will hit back rhetorically if he feels that he has been insulted. Trump does not ‘take prisoners'. Trump is unapologetic when he lashes out at the press and his political opponents. He states that they are self obsessed, stupid, and corrupt. 

The press and the Republican establishment may not like Trump. However, the man on the street, especially the middle to low income white loves Trump. That gives Trump his populist credentials.

Republicans are weary that Trump will lose the Party the Latino vote of over 60 million. However, a number of strategists believe that if Trump continues to excite the Republican base he will get enough of the white working and middle class vote to put the billionaire in the White House, even without the Black and Latino vote: the so called Silent Majority.

Many US citizens believe that in an increasingly dangerous world what is needed is a gun ho US President. A very aggressive US Leader and strongman who will not hesitate to use US Military might to subdue and destroy adversaries wherever and whenever they appear. Trump fits the bill with a speaking style that is off the cuff, blunt, and perennially on the offensive. Whether Trump is nominated in over a year from now as the Republican Presidential Candidate is another matter.

Democratic Hopeful Bernie Sanders is also a US political paradox. A professed socialist in a country that sits on the pillar of capitalism and individualism, Sanders is drawing vast crowds at his political meetings. As Hillary Clinton, the leading Democratic Contender sinks in an email server scandal, Sanders is catching up with Clinton in the polls. Clinton is increasingly disliked and distrusted by the US voter.

Sanders looks like a dotty professor. He is a strong liberal from the state of Vermont. He is the wealth equality champion of the poor and middle class. He preaches higher taxes for the billionaire and millionaire class. He also preaches greater spending on programmes that benefit the poor and middle class. Sanders is more believed as Champion of the middle class than a Hillary Clinton who is increasingly looking like an electoral liability with increasing unfavourability ratings.

Across the Atlantic, in the UK, another socialist is the veteran British Labour politician Jeremy Corbyn. In an England that is the bastion of Conservatism and neo liberal politics, Corbyn is leading a socialist movement that may thrust Corbyn into the leadership of the British Labour Party, the main opposition party in the UK, in a few weeks.

Corbyn has stated the need to renationalise certain industries such as British Rail; raise taxes on the rich to pay for social welfare programmes that benefit the poor and lower middle class; return to tuition free state- education; and increase National Health spending.

The rise of Corbyn is not a unique phenomenon in Europe. In many European countries, anti migration, and anti austerity movements, are pushing non establishment types to the political forefront. The far left and far right in Europe are on the march.

This is a reaction to a European establishment that is perceived to be out of touch with the ‘common folk'. Policy making in Brussels is remote from many European capitals and is driving Europe’s future nonetheless. Brussels is also a bastion of Austerity as preached by the likes of Angela Merkel and lovers of Austerity who are mainly leaders of Northern European States.  

And despite warnings from Labour Party Leaders such as Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, Corbyn, a sixty something, appears to be increasingly popular with the grassroots in the Labour party, and among younger voters who feel cheated by David Cameron’s brand of Austere Neo Conservatism.

Now the pundits and political experts state that Trump, Sanders, and Corbyn will never get the grand prize of national leadership. In the USA, Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton remain the favourites of the political commentator class. ‘Trump and Sanders represent the protest vote,’ the pundits state.

The protest voters are those Americans who believe that the country is moving in the wrong direction. These are voters weary with growing inequality; voters that lay political evils of the day at the door of Washington D C. 

What the pundits forget is this: the protest vote or protest movement is a very important factor in democratic politics. And protest can influence election outcomes in ways unforeseen. Protest movements can also drive issues that mainstream politics either ignores or has not the time, neither the will to deal with.

The pundits state that Corbyn has as much chance of becoming British Prime Minister, as “hell freezing over”.

This Old Boy will warn from experience, “never say never”.

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