How America gave a ‘bigot’ the most important job in the world

OPINION: The people who voted for Donald Trump did so without thought for what his presidency might mean beyond their borders writes Paul Toohey.

ONE thing the rest of the world doesn’t get about America: though it acts as the world’s sheriff, its people know and care very little about the rest of the world.

While we are left trembling at the prospect of a four-year Donald Trump presidency, the people who voted for him did so without thought for what his presidency might mean beyond their borders.

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Perhaps something good can come of Donald Trump’s presidency for Australia writes Paul Toohey. Picture: AFP/ Timothy A. CLARY

They’ve given the most important job in the world to a bigot with no political proficiency because, as anyone who has visited the United States and gone beyond the gracious streets of Manhattan, Dallas and Los Angeles would know, its cities, towns and suburbs are in deep decay and America is hurting.

They know Washington has done nothing to halt their decades-long plummet into poverty, which have left whole suburbs as no-go zones because of the guns and violence.

They want Trump to stop the Mexicans taking their jobs; they want him to keep the Muslims out, because they believe their way of life is already so compromised that a growing Islamic presence would render their land foreign to them.

They love democracy, but they want an autocrat to deliver them a chance to rebuild.

The mystery is what has happened to the Latino vote, which was seen as likely to deliver power to Hillary Clinton.

Maybe those generations of Latinos who have made it north to build lives in the US have turned their backs on the illegals who are seen as unpopular, and therefore a poor reflection on them.

What happened to the black vote that Clinton was sure was hers? Who knows.

And what happens to us? Perhaps, something good can come of this for Australia.

Remember, wherever the US exercises its force in the world, it cannot do it alone. It relies on a big collection of allies, of which Australia is a key component.

Trump cannot just go off on punitive global expeditions without seeking the help of Britain, Germany, France, Japan, Australia and others.

All of these countries are going to become just a little more forceful in their views, a little truer to themselves, and therefore just a little more powerful, under President Trump.