rumpism will live on, from patriotism to bringing jobs home

Based on the closeness of the US election result it’s clear that Trumpism — put America first, encourage local industry and manufacturing to create jobs, patriotism, stand up to China and all the other aspects of MAGA — is alive and well. There will be no social revolution. Even identity politics lost out, as Cuban-Americans, Puerto Ricans and Mexican-Americans voted in favour of Donald Trump (“Biggest loser was identity politics”, 7-8/11). In fact, Trump improved his position with almost every ethnic and social group except for white men (“America in the age of woke”, 7-8/11).

Joe Biden would be wise to revisit, in due course, Trump’s pre-COVID economic policies, which brought unemployment down to historic lows of 3 per cent, including record employment rates for black Americans.

Like all election pledges, economic and political reality will set in, which will temper many of Biden’s promises, including the mega Green New Deal. If Biden intends to last more than one term, the last thing he needs is California’s soaring electricity prices based on renewable energy to permeate the rest of the country.

Ron Hobba, Camberwell, Vic

While commentators are predicting Donald Trump will run for the presidency in 2024, the dilemma for Republicans is that he need not run as a Republican. He has the support to form his own party. What’s more, he could wait until he knows whether he’s won the Republican primaries before deciding to do so. That means he can hold the GOP to ransom. Running separately, he’d detach a large enough chunk of supporters to deny the Republicans victory. Registered Republicans who didn’t want the Democrats to win would then have to decide whether to transfer their vote to him to keep the Democrats out.

Patrick Ball, Fern Tree, Tas

The legal votes have been counted in the US election and Joe Biden has won. International leaders accept the results and have congratulated him. The only two confirmed cases of voter fraud were by Republicans. Strangely, no one is challenging the mysterious and sudden increase of Latino and Hispanic voters supporting Donald Trump, or any of the other unexpected Republican wins in the House or Senate. Trump loses, whether he walks or is carried out. It’s a good day.

George Lindon, Peterhead, SA

Joe Biden will become the 46th American president and in a fair ballot he would deserve to be congratulated. Many Americans will be saddened to see Donald Trump defeated, and there will be many who will be ecstatic to see him go. There is much talk about a divided America. The Left blames Trump for this, but what it overlooks is that it takes two to tango. The left-leaning media and polling companies who predicted a blue landslide were wrong yet again. Leftist groups dominating social media have added greatly to a divided America. For the past four years the Left has been relentless in its attack on Trump. He hit back, which upset the Left because conservatives are not supposed to hit back. So when there is talk about a divided America, Biden and his team are just as responsible. And if Biden thinks he can reunite Americans he is deceiving himself. If Trump supporters carry on like the Left did after Trump’s election they will be castigated relentlessly. To hear Biden call for calm is an oxymoron.

Peter D. Surkitt, Sandringham, Vic

Bob Carr is convinced Joe Biden will have his economic stimulus package shredded by a Republican Senate headed by “legislative mortician” Mitch McConnell (“Idiot genius’s forces will continue with their wrecking”, 7-8/11). Neat leftist narrative, but the facts are not convenient. Not only is there a genuine friendship between Biden and McConnell — the latter was the only Republican senator to attend the funeral of the former’s son Beau in 2015 — but the pair has a history of cutting legislative deals.

Bob Miller, West Leederville, WA