The long-drawn, acrimonious electoral turmoil of the past couple of years has finally reached its conclusion. Donald Trump, the famed builder and media figure from New York, has staged an unparalleled political reversal. In the vein of Grover Cleveland, Trump is set to return to the American presidency four years after his political setback, conquering challenges including two impeachment processes and unyielding live television coverage surrounding the matter of the Jan. 6 Capitol episode.
A considerable 64% of the population in Tennessee, who casted their votes for Trump, will have cause for jubilation. One advantage of dwelling in one of the nation’s most Republican states is that we were shielded to a large extent from the unrelenting wave of offensive political advertisements that beleaguered residents of battleground states such as Georgia and Michigan.
For the many who supported Vice President Kamala Harris, a nagging question may be arising: how on earth did this happen? There are, after all, various harsh criticisms of Trump. However, in looking at the bigger picture, it becomes clear that these critiques stem from a stark minority view and are often derided as nonsensical accusations.
Although the term ‘inflation’ is thrown around, it’s imperative to note that overall inflation has dropped since its June 2022 peak of 9.1%. Nevertheless, this downtrend does not correspond to a decrease in the cost of basic grocery items, which have sustained their historical high since 2022.
A large segment of the American population is grappling with the challenge of securing a roof over their heads, as the historic American dream of owning a home becomes increasingly elusive. Even areas like Nashville, that have not been in the spotlight like major cities such as New York and San Francisco, have been wrestling with a significant housing crisis that threatens to make the city prohibitively expensive.
There’s no denying that the indisputable humanitarian crisis at the U.S.-Mexico frontier did significant harm to the standing of the Biden administration. Following their inauguration, the administration’s muddled handling of the border situation led to a startling 9 million border encounters. This alarming escalation saw a downturn only a few months before the election.
This fiasco can be attributed to a gross miscalculation on part of the Biden administration, which seemingly lost control of the situation for a vast majority of their term under the weight of pressure from extreme left forces. The recent election results, however, send a clear signal – American citizens demand the end of unregulated borders.
Identity politics, or ‘wokeism’, as it is colloquially known, is a peculiar pattern where the divisive interests of specific demographics supersede the wider interests of the entire American populace. The labyrinth of guidelines and exceptions in wokeism are so intricate that it becomes a challenge to categorize a group as being victimized or oppressive.
This leaves young men, particularly young white men, at a disadvantage. The boomer generation of white men managed to thrive, but younger men feel increasingly left behind, with 63% of their votes going to Donald Trump. When a chunk of the youth feels excluded from mainstream American society owing to identity politics that seem to be against their interests, it’s understandable that they have voiced their resentment.
However, it’s not just white men. A considerable 56% of young men across the board cast their votes in favor of Donald Trump. Ensuing exit polls suggested that Trump had secured the endorsement of 43% of the Latino community, 39% of the Asian community, and a sizable 25% of African American men.
These statistics not only disprove long-standing allegations of Republican racism, but they also push us to question the tenability of identity politics and wokeism. Seems like wokeism is losing its appeal among Hispanic Americans, African Americans, and Asian Americans.
With the latest triumph of Donald Trump, it would be prudent to speculate that the American populace might be ready to discard the burdensome notion of wokeism altogether.
In conclusion, Trump’s comeback marks a decisive statement against identity politics, and a harkening back to a more unified national discourse. Let this political revival serve as an epitaph for the nightmare of divisive politics, ushering in a fresh era of unity and national resilience.