GOP Goes Extremism

It must be the oddest news of the year, as well as Brexit. The Grand Old Party of America picked a political novice with extremist policies for its presidential candidate in the National Convention on Tuesday. Trying to understand what the choice did mean, Japanese media reported the background of raising Donald Trump. As shown in other nations, including Japan, America looks like shrinking.

At the beginning of GOP race, Trump was not supposed to be surviving the race. In his press conference for running in June last year, Trump accused immigrants from Mexico, saying “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists,” and promised to build great wall on southern border. Trump kept on saying that Mexican immigrants took jobs of America people.

Critics in politics have been negative on his victory, labeling Trump’s presidential bid as a bad joke. Major newspapers rejected him and campaigned their readers not to vote for him. However, Trump’s strategy of extreme accusation against foreigners and agitation for American nationalism was accepted namely by low-income white Americans. Denial of status quo and simple logic of his message had certain power for the people frustrated with current economic situation or traditional Washington politics.

For the people living in economically devastated region like Rust Belt, Trump inflamed with blaming on inability of political leaders. Accusing major corporations and politicians living on the donation from them, Trump reiterated his intention to change the course of negotiation over international free trade agreements. It is a great contradiction that an establishment in business like Trump is supported by the people who hate political “establishments.”

The message Barack Obama delivered eight years ago was “There is no white America or Black America. There is no red America or blue America. There is only United States of America.” Now, the message from GOP is “There is no Mexican America or Islamic America. There is only United States of America.” This is new isolationism of United States.

This is the true aspect of United States in quagmire of war on terrorism, in competition with emerging economy like China or in skepticism on democracy. False ambition of bringing the light of American version of freedom and democracy to every corner of the world or unsophisticated intervention in Islamic world in Middle East looks taking its toll in the presidential race this year.