Trump-istan

[news]

[news]

The Trump Republic of America. Or Trump-istan. That's what the United States of America might as well become, come January 2017. The election of Donald Trump as the president will seal the deal for transforming US into a dysfunctional state. Trump-istan will look more like Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan or Azerbaijan than Canada, United Kingdom, or France. Is it possible for the U.S. to turn into an "istan?" It does sound like a bullcrap. Right? Not so when one examines the 'truthful' statements coming out of the Trump camp. A state's policies are the mirror-image of its leadership and Trump's will lead to the Pakistanization of America.

Trump was a blip on the presidential radar in the start. He now appears to be beyond the clichéd 15-minutes-of-fame. It no longer seems far-fetched to assume that Trump can clinch the Republican ticket. He can also ride the wave of popularity to become the next commander-in-chief. His recent tirade against Muslims has drawn the ire of liberals. The White House went on to deem him ineligible to run for the president. The Washington Post ran an editorial urging Republicans to renounce him. The Grand Old Party, however, seems to be in agreement with whatever Trump endorses or condones. The American public - a large segment, at least - is supporting Trump. As of now, there appears to be smooth sailing for the Republican apprentice.

Let's make some wild guesses about how things would turn out to be if Trump were to become the POTUS. For starters, Trump-istan will be a place devoid of Muslims. It will still have Latinos but in smaller numbers and with questionable legal status. The republic will be embroiled in a long, drawn-out battle with the Muslim World, with China and with Russia. Its relationship with Europe and South America will not be rosy either. It will most likely be a crumbling economy with the rich getting richer and the poor getting abysmally impoverished. There will be no Obamacare and earning livelihood will get tougher. Under Trump-ionics, the Middle Class will be breathing its last, if not entirely vanished from the scene.

Not everything will be bleak though. Trump likes to blow things out of proportion but he doesn't always shoot from his hip. The intransigence of the Obama administration helped transform the Islamic State into a monster. He has yet to find his footing on how to move forward to eliminate the root cause (the Assad regime) and the byproduct (IS). The Iran deal has strengthened the position of the hardliners with newly filled coffers and greater resources available to Hezbollah and other proxies. Russia is turning into another headache. Trump feeds on the failures to present a counter-narrative, one which resonates with a large chunk of Americans.

One can draw some parallels between Trump and prime minister Narendra Modi of India. The latter used vitriol against religious minorities and made astounding claims of development to get elected. He has since failed to deliver on his promises. India has become increasingly intolerant of minorities and dissidents. Modi rallied the Hindus behind to get elected. Trump is targeting the ordinary, conservative Americans. It will be an uphill task for him to emulate Modi. There is a massive difference in socioeconomic and cultural dynamics between the two countries.

What if he still gets elected? One thing is for sure. The world will be a very different place during his four years of presidency. A cataclysmic shift of sorts could be in the offing. Trump shows no signs of slowing down. Trump-istan is what he will turn the U.S. into. On the flipside, it could turn out to be a walk in the park for Hillary Clinton. The next few weeks will be crucial for the Trump camp. -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.












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