Integrity in the US election

THE EDITOR: It is indeed shocking to see the allegations/insinuations emerging from the now standard vocabulary associated with the American presidential election, mere days away.

Donald Trump’s “Too Big to Rig” is a case in point, suggesting that the election is likely to be “rigged” unless the Republican Party comes “big” in terms of the number of votes, thereby negating the alleged influx of illegal immigrants who could make the difference, especially in some of the swing states, such as Pennsylvania.

There are reports in the media of a deliberate effort by the ruling party to add to its support in such states and elsewhere, like sanctuary cities, by bussing, even flying in illegal immigrants with an alarming indifference to any adverse reaction. No more marked a symptom of this indifference than the alleged endorsement of California’s governor Gavin Newsom of legislation making it illegal to mention, let alone query, the issue of voter ID with the likely aim of protecting the illegal immigrant vote.

Another telling insinuation is contained in the use of the word “lawfare” in describing the concerted efforts by the Democrats to use the law to bring Trump down as indicated in the efforts of prosecutors like Laetitia James, Jack Smith et al to criminalise his actions, seemingly to negatively affect his impact on the election.

It is indeed astounding to hear of the “weaponisation of the justice system," all geared to the same purpose of eliminating Trump from the ballot, to include the use of Democrat-appointed judges to make Trump look like a common felon unfit for the high office of president of the US.

The source of the above information is of course the American media et al, which in itself raises many questions, for the objectivity that one would associate with the media seems a thing of the past, with Fox unquestionably Republican and the likes of CNN, MSNBC, CBS similarly Democrat.

But as foreigners, the American media is all we've got. I would have preferred to be less one-dimensional on this issue, more nuanced, in-depth and critical in my approach as is my accustomed style, but the lack of space is always my biggest impediment.

What is appalling though is that in the greatest democracy in the world there could be such violation of its tenets, with seeming impunity. Is the sense of justice and fairplay under such serious question in a place where such should be its benchmark?

What models are there for us as a now developing nation to follow?

I leave the answer to you.

DR ERROL

NARINE BENJAMIN

via e-mail