Opinion Piece: 2020 Elections in the U.S.A. - The Domino Effect

(Image source: https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/asian-leaders-congratulate-biden-on-us-election-win/2035942)

The Basics

This year there was a tense and suspenseful election for the United States. President Donald Trump ran for office as a republican for reelection, while former Vice President, Joe Biden, joined the race as the Democratic candidate. The results were tight, and the race could have swayed either way. In the end, Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris pulled out a win - a win that will go down in history, as Biden got more votes in the popular election (74,446,452 votes and counting) than any other elected president, breaking the record set by Barack Obama.

 

The Main Impact

 

The thousands of people that took to the streets to celebrate the win were joined by Donald Trump supporters protesting the fairness of the election. Regardless, Joe Biden promised to unify, not divide the nation.

 

A Win for Representation

 

The new Vice President will also be a historical figure. Kamala Harris was Joe Biden’s running mate for this year’s elections. Kamala Harris is the first black and South Asian female vice president. Many rejoice her win, as it is a huge step in representation for females and people of color in office. She is said to be a new face for little girls and kids of color to look up to.

 

Dominoes

The United States is a global superpower. The result of the elections could have a significant impact on other elections around the world for other leaders. Trump’s allies will probably suffer the most from his demise as ideas will conflict and trades and deals will be cancelled.

 

Domino #1: Brazil

 

The President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, is a strong ally of Donald Trump. The two share similar world views, so much so that Bolsonaro has been labeled as “Trump of the Tropics” by many. They had a partnership between the U.S. and Brazil, and they supported each other immensely. Trump out of office leaves Bolsonaro out in the cold as he loses his biggest international supporter. The results this year could mean lower chances for Bolsonaro to get reelected in 2022.

 

Domino #2: UK

 

Like Bolsonaro, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, is another ally of Trump. They support each other so much so that Trump has called himself “Mr. Brexit” in an effort to support Johnson’s plans. Their relationship was a reflection of the official relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom. Joe Biden’s opinions greatly differ from Donald Trump’s. This change of point of view in the White House might change the relationship between the two countries, and with the influence that the U.S. has on the world, global attitude is more likely to become more aligned with Joe Biden´s views, lowering Boris Johnson’s chances to be reelected as Prime Minister.

 

An Election That Affects Us All

 

The United States as a global superpower poses great significance to the rest of the world. Their choices affect everyone. The elections are a huge choice not only because it affects what decisions they will make as a country, but it also affects the decisions other countries will make. The elections influence world leaders as well as the world’s mindset. The United States is the beginning of a domino effect that ripples throughout the whole world.

 

Sources

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/joe-biden-popular-vote-record-barack-obama-us-presidential-election-donald-trump/

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2020/nov/12/us-election-results-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-presidential-electoral-college-votes

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-biden-election-results-11-07-20/h_f8bf36212bcae99954374165f3fc3f9e

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kamala-Harris

https://oglobo.globo.com/mundo/governo-brasileiro-se-prepara-para-fechar-acordos-comerciais-em-capitulos-com-eua-este-ano-24295120

https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/10/31/u-s-election-2020-stakes-brazil-bolsonaro-trump-biden-diplomacy-trade-climate-change/

https://www.pri.org/stories/2020-11-03/us-election-could-have-profound-effect-bolsonaros-brazil