United States under Donald Trump has gone into a tailspin. The nation is on the verge of a national Emergency, and democracy is under stress. The President is insisting on having his way and fulfilling his 2016 promise of erecting a 900km wall along the southern border with Mexico to check the perennial problem of illegal immigration and drug trafficking. The Democrats holding strength in the US Congress are blocking the President’s intent and are unwilling to give their nod for $5.7billion funds for the purpose.
For Trump, it’s always been a case of ‘his way or the highway.’ He’s holding back signing of other fund releases even for urgent purposes, virtually holding the nation – and the Congress as well as the Democrats to ransom.
Notably, the resultant shutdown of the treasury since December 22 has derailed governance as release of funds for various departments including for payment of salaries has been stopped. This leaves the nation in a state of paralysis. Neither the ruling Republicans led by Trump, who run the Senate, nor the Opposition Democrats leading the Congress, are in a mood for reconciliation. Senate is, in retaliation, blocking the funds sanctioned by the Congress for other purposes to keep the administration going – like a flow of oxygen trips. This has turned the situation into a full-blown crisis.
Shutdown of the treasury isn’t new to US administrations, though. The first such shutdown happened under Gerald Ford in 1976 – some 200 years after the formation of the nation – followed by five when Jimmy Carter was president, and eight under Ronald Reagan. The last shutdown — under Bill Clinton in 1996 – lasted 21 days, a record beat by the present shutdown. Partisan politics is at play. If Trump declares a state of Emergency as a last resort, it would raise serious questions on the system of democracy. America would be found wanting in the matter of smooth governance. Contrast this with the situation in China or Russia, where democracy is a far cry but governance is obviously much healthier and not marred by disruptions of any kind. So too with a limited democracy like Singapore!
The world was in awe of America for a century. It was a fitting tribute to the cause of democracy worldwide. Consensus, not confrontation, is the way forward for every democratic system. Consensus involves a give-and-take. In the US today, confrontation is the buzzword. Trump’s contribution to this is significant. For democracy’s sake, it is imperative that the warring sides of US politics see reason, reconcile, and take matters forward.