An election that will shape the world

The world is waiting with bated breath as Americans decide on who their next president will be – Donald Trump or Kamala Harris? Poll results indicate that it’s going to be a razor-thin race, with some already anticipating election chaos.

When I was in the United States from April to May this year, all the cab drivers I encountered said they were voting for Trump. One said, “Only Trump can stop the ongoing war in the Middle East.”

At the time, it was still President Joe Biden who was in the running. It was only in July when Kamala Harris, the 49th and incumbent US vice president, announced her candidacy for this year’s elections. President Biden withdrew his bid for reelection and endorsed Kamala.

It’s been six months since I got back, and so many things have changed. Celebrities and US media organizations have endorsed Kamala, but it still is a close fight.

For many observers, it’s a puzzle why, after everything, Americans are still voting for Trump.

Here is a possible answer from Alex Hinton, a distinguished professor of anthropology at Rutgers University-Newark:

“Are you better off than you were four years ago?”

“For many Trump voters, the answer to Ronald Reagan’s famous question is clear: ‘No.’ They accurately remember Trump’s term as one of tax cuts, economic growth and stock market highs,” Hinton said. (theconversation.com).

Bread on the table, money in the bank

“It is true that overall employment numbers and average pay went up under President Joe Biden. But for some Trump supporters, that economic boost pales in comparison to the massive surge in inflation during Biden’s term, with prices rising almost 20 percent. While the inflation rate has recently abated, prices remain high – as voters are reminded everyday at the grocery store.

“Polls also show that Trump has a strong lead over Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris on how they would handle the economy, which is a top concern for voters, especially Republicans,” Hinton also said.

Some also believe in Trump’s position to “shut the border, build a wall and deport 11 million immigrants who are living in the US without legal authorization.” And then there’s the issue of Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip. Trump supporters, Hinton added, perceive that American taxpayers foot a large portion of the Biden-Harris war in the Middle East.

Clearly, whoever wins, the results of this election will surely affect the rest of the world.

What does it mean for the Philippines?

Will there be more bloody wars? Will there be trade sanctions? And in the case of the Philippines, what does this mean for our overseas Filipino workers and for our imports and exports, or trade in general? Will a planned bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) with the US still happen?

Last I heard, the Philippines still wants to lobby for the FTA but will be waiting until the US elections are over.

Philippine products that are exported to the US, such as garments, electronics and agriculture, will significantly benefit from having an FTA with the US.

The Biden administration, however, has been more focused on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework instead of the traditional FTAs.

What happens next is still anyone’s guess, but for sure, the US election results will shape future US policies which, in turn, will shape the world.

There will be global implications, whether it’s Trump or Harris.

The US, after all, remains the world’s largest economic and military power.

Any changes in US policies could affect our interest rates, our peso and local inflation. These will impact consumer spending, borrowing costs, local expansion and the stock market.

All these will affect you, me and everyone we know, so whether we like it or not and whether it’s Trump or Harris, there will be changes. Some may be good, but some may be bad; others may be very ugly.

That said, I fervently hope that whoever wins will put an end to the ugly wars we’re seeing right now, which are already giving our world enormous stress. Lives have been lost, and the future of generations have been put at risk.

Indeed, the next leader of the free world must see an end to these ugly and senseless wars.

Tesla in the Philippines

Speaking of America, Texas-headquartered automotive and renewable energy company Tesla will open this Friday, Nov. 8, its Tesla Showroom Flagship Experience Center in the Philippines. This will be in the Uptown Parade in Taguig.

The opening will “usher in a new era of sustainable energy in the Philippines. With great excitement, we invite you to be among the first to witness Tesla’s monumental entry into the market, along with the launch of its pioneering products and technology,” says the invite sent to guests.

Furthermore, the celebration will “showcase Tesla’s commitment to revolutionizing our landscape and accelerating the world’s transition to sustainable energy.” The showroom will open to the public on Nov. 9.

Fans of Elon Musk, however, won’t be able to see the world’s richest man as he won’t be present during the launch, tycoon Kevin Tan, Tesla’s landlord partner in the Philippines, said when I asked if the Tesla CEO would be flying to the country for Friday’s event.

What’s certain is that for now, Musk is busy with Trump’s campaign and canvassing operation.

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Email: [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @eyesgonzales. Column archives at EyesWideOpen on FB.