Democracies have a fatal flaw: majorities can elect leaders who do not believe in democracy or the rule of law or the necessity of strong independent civil institutions such as universities and a free press. Hitler became chancellor by constitutional means. This flaw has become increasingly evident this century, with populist demagogues such as Orban, Bolsonaro, Duterte and Trump the most disturbing examples. It was for this reason that Karl Popper enunciated the paradox of tolerance; that democracies should tolerate everything except intolerance. Freedom of speech protects even intolerant speech, which is democracy’s second fatal flaw. Populist leaders subvert the only forces strong enough to counter populism, which are strong civic institutions. Politics cannot save us – only we can. Michael Boylan, Glebe
Donald Trump.Credit: Getty Images
Most citizens in America have what they want, but their republic will endure. What is devastating is what will happen to NATO, Zelensky and Ukraine, what will happen to Palestinians, what will happen to the environment, and how the little tyrants and despots around the world will thrive. Kristina Vingis, Church Point
Is democracy dead? No. A democratic system, flawed but functional, delivered the people’s choice. The outcome was a reflection of our flawed system of capitalism that rewards greed and the concentration of wealth in the hands of those who are growing ever-more powerful all at the expense of unity and social cohesion. Trump’s supporters aren’t bad or mad, they are disaffected. I worry about our world, not because of Trump but rather the world where Trump has become possible. Rod Cunich, Vaucluse
The first convicted criminal to win the presidency. How do we now teach our children and our citizens that truth, honesty, integrity, kindness, empathy, generosity and character matter? Alan Marel, North Curl Curl
There are some lessons for left-leaning governments. It’s dangerous to ignore the working class in favour of the progressive elites, it’s a mistake to hang out with celebrities when your core constituency is struggling to pay the rent, it’s dangerous to continually denigrate your opponents as garbage or deplorable and it’s unwise to ignore the religious sensitivities of wide sections of the community. The Trump victory will be very unpopular with many people; it is not a narrow one, but one from which similar democracies can learn a great deal about the danger of taking core constituencies for granted. Vivienne Parsons, Thornleigh
Democracy relies upon an informed electorate to function effectively. It needs honest and accurate media, not spurious social media, to provide that information. It also needs an electorate that is willing and capable of being informed. We no longer have those conditions broadly in the US. Unfortunately, we are seeing those same adverse trends in other democracies, including our own. Stay vigilant lest we join the ranks of those that will founder or fail. Paul McShane, Burradoo
Will Americans be “better off in four years’ time” under Trump 2.0? We shall see (“Trump way is guiding the Liberals”, November 7). For us, as Niki Savva argues, Trump’s formula for success “built on lies, misogyny, undermining institutions and dividing people” is likely to embolden Peter Dutton, whose schismatic mind-set is regressive and potentially nation-damaging. Ron Sinclair, Windradyne
The impact on Australia of the US election result is yet to be seen, but I am sure of one impact – a very ugly federal election campaign. I’m sure that Dutton is studying the Trump playbook in detail. Paul Pearce, Bronte
Will the Liberals copy Trump’s talking points?
Niki Savva discussed the thorny issue of abortion and concluded that the Liberal Party and the Queensland LNP appear to be following the example of Donald Trump. Opposition to abortion amounts to forcing women to reproduce. It also flies in the face of humanity’s greatest threat: climate change. It is obvious that a larger population will produce more emissions and increase demand on limited resources. The equally obvious answer is to limit, or even reduce, population if we are to avoid a climatic worst-case scenario. Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin (ACT)
The election of Trump is likely to be a serious blow to international efforts to prevent a planetary climate catastrophe. The recent flooding in Spain is a salutary reminder of the challenges that lie ahead, and the latest report from the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO confirms the increasing likelihood of extreme weather events as the temperature rises.
We have already seen Dutton and Littleproud following Trump’s playbook in several ways, not least in their attempts to preserve the Australian fossil fuel industry through the diversionary tactic of promoting a nuclear never-never plan. And we continue to see the Albanese government approach the issue in a totally timid fashion, talking up their climate credentials at the same time as providing approvals, large subsidies and tax exemptions to various fossil fuel projects that should never have been able to proceed. It’s no wonder that concerned citizens are turning to the new form of government decision-making offered by many of the independents. Catherine Rossiter, Fadden (ACT)
With Trump’s anti climate-action stance, he might be able to add an extra 1 degree C to Earth’s average temperature all by himself. Dennis O’Hara, Wanniassa (ACT)
No single factor can possibly explain how half the population of a nation decides to put its faith in a fascist demagogue. But surely if everyone had equal access to quality education and learned to sift information and make informed judgments we would not be facing a world with no answers to climate change and little hope of peace in Ukraine or Palestine. The world has changed. Our systems need to adapt or fail. Tom McGinness, Randwick
The convicted felon Trump has yet to be sentenced. Now in office what is to stop him having the charges against him dismissed and giving himself a presidential pardon? Problem solved. Vicky Marquis, Glebe
What a sorry state of affairs that Americans have demonstrated through the past three elections that they are not prepared to vote for a woman as president. In 2016, Trump defeated a clearly superior woman in Hillary Clinton. Yet in 2020 Trump was defeated by Joe Biden, a fairly lacklustre male. Now he defeats another woman, Kamala Harris, who is clearly better than either him or Biden. Barry Buffier, Hunters Hill
We have at our disposal a few ways to punish the influencers who have successfully convinced more than half a nation to vote for a convicted felon. Do not buy a certain brand of EV and unsubscribe from the streaming and podcasting channels that Joe Rogan and others use to peddle their bile. At least both our leaders are white and male. That gives them both a good chance of winning. Tom Meakin, Port Macquarie
Joe Rogan interviewed Donald Trump for three hours for his podcast.Credit: AP
I’m 86 with plenty to live for, but ready to go if I can take Donald with me. John Cregan, Mona Vale
A joke is only funny the first time. Grant Heaton, Port Macquarie
It’s unclear exactly who the “he” is (“He’s back”, November 7). I think we are confronted with President Steve Bannon. Susan Connelly, Lakemba
I congratulate you on today’s editorial (The Herald’s View, November 7). It’s the most subtle piece of journalism I’ve seen in ages. Yes, it’s nominally about David Warner and how we shouldn’t reward bad behaviour by awarding leadership positions to proven wrongdoers. But we see that it’s really a clever cipher for lamenting the election to arguably the world’s most powerful office of an ignorant, abusive, narcissistic, misogynist who is also a convicted felon. Very clever on your part. Trevor Townson, Leichhardt
Is it possible that significant numbers of American people didn’t vote or voted for Trump because they feared civil commotion from his armed supporters if he lost? Pre-election polls say consistently that many had that expectation. Andrew Cohen, Glebe
Now that Caligula is back in charge of the US, which latter-day Edward Gibbon will come forward to write The Decline and Fall of the American Empire? Christine Miller, Robertson
A Democrat relative put it well: “The mask is off and we see who we really are.” Michael Tayar, Abbotsford
I’m old enough to be able to ask the unaskable: what will a JD Vance presidency look like? Ian Bowie, Bowral
Democrats can blame themselves
Donald Trump’s victory was inevitable. Not only did he win the electoral college, but he looks to have won the popular vote by millions. The only redeeming factor is that Trump’s term will be limited to four years. The Democrats have themselves to blame for this shameful result. They should never have allowed Joe Biden to run for a second term from the outset, they should not have selected a female candidate and they should not have selected a black female candidate. In other words, they should have been pragmatic and aware of the prejudices within their electorate. Not even Mother Teresa would have won over the average American voter, so entrenched is their sexism and racism. I am genuinely concerned for the wellbeing of the US population over the next four years, especially the poor, homeless, unemployed, undocumented workers, migrants and women whose reproductive rights are threatened. Maybe it will be enough to make them rethink their position come the next election. Michael Bright, Moss Vale
Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledges her defeat at Howard University in Washington.Credit: Al Drago/Bloomberg
One wonders if the Left in America will learn the lesson Australian progressives should have learnt after the Voice campaign. You can’t trenchantly demonise your political opponents and their supporters. It only encourages them. Left-wing elites attempted to annihilate Trump. They called him Hitler, a fascist, a felon and a misogynist. They used lawfare against him. And they called his supporters “garbage”. Every time it occurred it made Trump’s campaign stronger. The Left must bear the consequences of their stupidity. Alan Wakeley, Dural
After losing the 2016 US presidential election, Hillary Clinton boasted that she “won the places that represent two-thirds of America’s gross domestic product ... the places that are optimistic, diverse, dynamic, moving forward”. After the 2020 election, US liberal media outlets reported that Trump-voting counties accounted for only 29 per cent of GDP.
We Australians are familiar with the “lifters versus leaners” rhetoric in politics, but here it always comes from the right-of-centre parties and their supporters. When the nominally progressive party in the US brags about being the party of those lucky enough to be the winners from contemporary turbo-capitalism, and exhibits disdain towards those with the misfortune to be the losers, the inevitable effect is to make populists popular – as we have seen. Paul Norton, Highgate Hill (Qld)
The Democrats have to do a lot of soul-searching on how a convicted felon who refused to accept the 2020 results, with multiple sexual assault allegations, gave them a shellacking. First, they chose a candidate untested in the normal primary process who had a running mate more left than her which allowed the moniker of a “San Francisco liberal” to resonate. Trump’s stunts with the garbage truck struck a chord with ordinary voters whose main concerns were the economy and border protection. What did the Democrats get for their near-billion dollars spent and supposed superior “ground game”? A worse result than Clinton in 2016. Tony Nicod, Collaroy
So much for the influence of the world’s most popular cultural phenomenon, Taylor Swift. Con Vaitsas, Ashbury
Elon Musk is backing Donald Trump with millions of dollars, while Kamala Harris has the soft-power support of Taylor Swift.Credit: Michaela Pollock
Kamala Harris offered hope but Trump saw despair. Trump saw the reality. Peter Wotton, Pyrmont
Donald Trump’s historical comeback election victory is also a win for ordinary Americans over the elites of American society and a repudiation of the beliefs and values of the progressive Democratic Party. Riley Brown, Bondi Beach
Recent history has given us some fabulous and strong female leaders, including Indira Gandhi (India), Golda Meir (Israel), Benazir Bhutto (Pakistan), Margaret Thatcher (Britain), Angela Merkel (Germany) and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Liberia). They won and often won again through listening to the concerns of voters, a vision for the future and strong policies. They did not shirk making tough decisions for the good of their country or play the female or race card.
There is a lesson for the sisterhood in the US. One day, soon, America will have a female president. If she is to be a Democrat, then it will only be after a thorough rethink of priorities and a realignment of policies, to govern for all, not pandering to the ephemeral zeitgeist of the elite or overemphasise the importance of special interest groups. Mainstream voters decide elections based on their day-to-day concerns and ambitions for their future. Ian Morison, Forrest (ACT)
Perhaps Trump winning the election is not all doom and gloom. Trump might rescind the AUKUS submarine deal and save the long-suffering Australian taxpayer $380 billion. Bring it on. Stephen Trevarrow, Newfarm (Qld)
A wise former presidential adviser once said, “it’s the economy, stupid”, and that explains everything. A vibe or joy does not put food on the table. The inflation tiger has devoured UK prime minister Rishi Sunak and now Harris, next will be Anthony Albanese. The inflation tiger shows no mercy. Kirk Parcel, Baulkham Hills
The winner? The American people. The losers? The biased media, burnt-out actors, Hollywood celebrities and self-appointed elites, singing budgies and lazy journalists. Garrett Naumann, Cammeray
Trump is only “far right” when viewed from the extreme left. To everyone else, Trump now occupies the sensible middle that has been vacated by the rapid and nonsensical shift to the left driven by Democrat elites. As many former Democrats have said, “I didn’t leave the Democrats, they left me.” It is not surprising that despite his somewhat oafish, eccentric and polarising personality, Trump and his policies were seen by the majority of voters as a safer bet than the most radically left presidential candidate the Democrats have ever put forward. Rob Fraser, Balmain
I am concerned at the outrage by the leftist media including the Herald concerning the recent US election result. The people have spoken, that is all that matters. Bill Fraser, Holder (ACT)
If Trump carries out his election policy of massive tariffs on imports, including those from Australia, could our government please retaliate by imposing higher import tariffs on the extremely large US pick-up trucks that are becoming a dangerous plague on our roads, carparks and suburban streets? Bruce Pacey, Revesby
Forget negotiating AUKUS and free trade agreements. Trump’s ascendancy means the real challenge for Australia is coping with the tens of thousands of Americans who’ll be looking to emigrate. I imagine they will adjust willingly to our health, education, industrial relations, voting and welfare systems. Vegemite is an acquired taste, anyway. But who is going to hold their hand up to explain the rules of cricket? Robert Hickey, Green Point
- To submit a letter to the Sydney Morning Herald, email letters@smh.com.au. Click here for tips on how to submit letters.
- The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform. Sign up here.