Friday Forum
Your views on the news
The upcoming presidential race in the United States has shone a light on the problem of money in politics. Donald Trump is one of the most popular candidates because he argues he has few ties to influencers such as banking or the Koch brothers.
The old ‘brown-envelope’ changing hands for preferential legislation or access to leaders has long dogged politics. What is striking about Trump is he already has money – and that is a key aspect of his campaign, his claim to independence. He continually states opponents in the race are compromised by those providing them with financial backing.
Trump also represents a particularly toxic form of populism. He has traded on American paranoia about race and religion. He has made gaffs that would sink most public figures, but continues to thrive regardless. There is a growing sense that Trump’s ascent to the White House is unstoppable.
Is the idea of a Trump presidency genuinely frightening to you? Or is it the shake-up the political system that elects the leader of the free world needs?
Trump recently featured in a satirical mashup video on ABC’s Insiders. The video is a take on the popular TV series Game of Thrones, as Trump attempts to “build a wall” to keep intruders away. It followed a fierce media exchange between Trump and Pope Francis, when the pontiff condemned the businessman’s border policies, saying he was not a Christian if he built a wall to keep out immigrants.
Image by Gage Skidmore via Flickr.
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